2 Home Networks - 2 Problems

[Michael73]

Until this week I had DSL through AT&T at home. The set up was pretty simple...phone line from jack into back of DSL modem -> cable from modem to Airport Express and viola I have a home network. Also plugged into the Airport Express is a and HP Photosmart 8250 and pair of speakers for iTunes. The DSL modem and printer sat right net to each other on a bookshelf behind my desk in the office while the AE was right on top of the same bookshelf.

On Thursday AT&T UVerse got installed. Our package includes TV, internet and VoIP. Now sitting behind our TV in the family room is this new piece of hardware and we now have another network in our home. Presumably this is for our internet and VoIP.

SO, here's the problem...It seems that the only way to print something off the internet while I'm surfing is to switch networks since my printer is on one network while the "internet" is on another. Same issue with the speakers plugged into the AE. If I'm on the new Uverse network, I can't get sound from the speakers plugged into the AE.

How would I add my printer to the new network? It doesn't have a wireless card in it and can't be physically hooked up since my printer is in my office and the hardware for UVerse is in another. What about my speakers? IS there any way to be on 2 networks at once?

Any ideas?

 

[merl1n]

Actually you should reconfigure your Airport Express as an "extension" to your UVerse network. Use the Airport Utility to do this. You may have to reset your Express to Factory defaults before configuring it.

As a result, you will have one network (UVerse) and use your mac to connect to it.

 

[Michael73]

Thanks! Worked like a charm!

Now, here's the next question...I was in Best Buy looking to get a new home theater system. One of the reasons I got a MacPro was to use it as a media server.

If I want to attach an AppleTV can/should the AppleTV be added to Uverse network or should I create a new network between the MP itself and the AppleTV?

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

As long as the network (UVerse) supports 802.11 a/b/g/n, preferably N, since it streams faster than G, then you can connect the Mac Pro as well as the Apple TV to the same network (UVerse).

As precaution, if one device on the network uses a slower speed, then the whole network is bottle-necked to the slower devices speed, for example if all my computers at my house are using N, but one is using G, the whole network is set to the G speed, whether or not I have N capabilities. So don't forget to set it to a frequency band that supports all your devices connected to the network.