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Airport Express just like Airport Extreme?

N

neoelectronaut

Cancelled
Original poster
Dec 3, 2003
3,417
2,093
I currently have a D-Link wireless router, which my eMac is connected to wired, but then my sister and mother's PCs are wireless. I was looking at the Airport Extreme today, and they're really nice. Would I be able to use one just as a base station by connecting my DSL modem right to it? Or is it only used as an extender for pre-existing wireless networks?

I figger I plop a Airport card into my eMac, then connect my printer, stereo, and modem all to the airport express. From here I've got wireless printing, wireless music, AND wireless internet, all in one device.

Do I have this correct?

Edit: I was in CompUSA today fiddling around with a G5 when I opened up iTunes, and played some music. To my surprise I heard it playing from the entertainment center section, almost halfway across the store, rather than from my computer. Kinda surprised me. I suppose they had a Airport Express connected to a stereo over thataway.
 
neoelectronaut said:
I currently have a D-Link wireless router, which my eMac is connected to wired, but then my sister and mother's PCs are wireless. I was looking at the Airport Extreme today, and they're really nice. Would I be able to use one just as a base station by connecting my DSL modem right to it? Or is it only used as an extender for pre-existing wireless networks?
Click to expand...

It will work as either a basestation or an extension of a pre-existing router. For example, if you had a wireless network already and plugged your stereo in your living room into the AE in the living room, you'd be able to control AirTunes. Just the same, if you plugged a printer into AE's USB port and still had a separate wireless connnection from your router, it would still be able to control the printer. Even still, if you didn't have a wireless router already, you'd plug your Cable/DSL modem into the AE and it would act as a router. Whatever makes your life easier.

N.
 
Alrighty, next question:

Do I need an airport card in my Mac to stream to AE, or can I do it through the Wireless router?
 
neoelectronaut said:
Do I need an airport card in my Mac to stream to AE, or can I do it through the Wireless router?
Click to expand...

Well, your router basically acts as a big, external Airport card.

The router transmits and receives information from an unwired source, presumably the ol' DSL/Cable Modem, right?

If I'm not mistaken, which I am rather frequently, your computer and the AE should be able to communicate since you're already running a wireless connection by way of having the router active.

In other words, if you had a wired connection (the modem just plugged into your ethernet port), there would be nothing to receive the information from an AE. Having the router connected to the computer and thus to the network (the internet, in this case), means that you do have an active wireless connection between your computer and the router. Thus, the AE should be able to pick up on this and work with you.

N.
 
If the AirPort Express is on the same subnet as your computer, it dosen't matter how the data gets there, may it be wired, wireless, or whatever.

It could be across a VPN for all the AirPort Express cares! Hey, that would be a great joke... Install an AirPort Express and some powered speakers at your work, and as long as your VPN connection is fast enough, blast the people at the office with some music from home...
 
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