Airport Express/Extreme

[niter]

I am still not clear about whether we can set up a network with our current router and airport express that would allow us to be on the internet AND airtunes at the same time.

Would getting the Airport base station allow us to do this? It is annoying that we cannot be on the internet AND print at the same time or be on the internet AND airtunes at the same time unless we hook the radio/printer to the cable modem (which is not possible in our house).

 

[Sox]

I think all you need to do is have your Airport Express join your existing wirless network (using the Airport Utility). I don't have the Airtunes set up yet (speakers arriving today) but I'm able to use my printer while on the internet, no problems.

Is your router wireless?

 

[wordmunger]

I am still not clear about whether we can set up a network with our current router and airport express that would allow us to be on the internet AND airtunes at the same time.

Would getting the Airport base station allow us to do this? It is annoying that we cannot be on the internet AND print at the same time or be on the internet AND airtunes at the same time unless we hook the radio/printer to the cable modem (which is not possible in our house).

I think we need a bit more information about your current setup to answer that question. If you have a router with an ethernet port, you can hook your router directly to airport express using the ethernet jack. Then you can hook up a USB printer to the USB port, and a stereo to the audio jack. So then you can print, listen, and surf all at the same time. But if your components are different, then you may have to come up with an alternate arrangement.

Or are you saying you have a wireless router? In that case, it can sometimes be done, but it depends on the particulars of your router. You also might simply be able to substitute the airport express for your existing router, plugging your cable/DSL modem directly into the airport express.

EDIT: Oh, now I see. You have the printer and radio in a different spot from the cable modem. So I suspect you have a wireless router. Yes, it's possible to set up airport express to work with non-apple routers, but it depends on the particular make/model, and can sometimes be a pain. If you search around the forums, you should find instructions.

You could also just get two airport expresses, rather than the express/base station combo.

 

[niter]

Our home is realitively new and so each room is "wired" with at least 2 connections. When we moved in we could not get cable or cable modem, so we are Direct TV users. Anyways, the way it is is that we cannot put the cable modem on the same port as the direct TV. Therefore, we have the TV on the left of the fireplace with the direct tv and the cable modem on the right of the tv with a D-Link router that has wireless capacity as well as ports so he can run a cable to the Xbox and PS2. For the video games, we need the router to be downstairs.

Now the radio does not fit on the wall where the cable modem is. It is a small wall and we have a huge china cabinet there. it is on the OPPOSITE wall with the airport extreme (the radio and the airport express all used to be upstairs with the printer). Anways, if we want a radio downstairs and video gaming online and access for our computers to be online upstairs (the offices are upstairs as we live in a townhouse) this is the best we can make it work.

We were hoping wireless would let us do all this.