Airport Express Question

[Mr. Anderson]

I have an old 450 MHz G4 that doesn't have an airport card and I want to move it to another room, out of cable distance from the router. Can I use the airport express to wirelessly connect the G4?

D

 

[DavidCar]

My Airport Express is set to join another network. My Airport Admin Utility, under the "Ethernet Port Security" options indicates, with all options shown as invalid, that "When the base station joins a wireless network, the Ethernet port is always disabled."

 

[Mr. Anderson]

My Airport Express is set to join another network. My Airport Admin Utility, under the "Ethernet Port Security" options indicates, with all options shown as invalid, that "When the base station joins a wireless network, the Ethernet port is always disabled."

huh?

I'm confused there.

The airport express has a rj45 connection, right? My reasoning for my question was that it could be used as a airport receiver and have my G4 connect to the Airport express via an cable and work.

Is this valid?

D

 

[igucl]

I think the ethernet port on the express can be used only for hooking to a modem, but I'm really not sure about that.

 

[Westside guy]

I have an old 450 MHz G4 that doesn't have an airport card and I want to move it to another room, out of cable distance from the router. Can I use the airport express to wirelessly connect the G4?

Yes, you can.

The only reason I know that is: I'm planning to get a couple Series2 Tivos in the near future, so I was wondering if I could use the RJ-45 port on my Airport Express (running as a WDS extension to my wireless network) to connect one of them to my WPA-secured wireless network. So I turned off the Airport Extreme card in my Powerbook, rebooted it and then connected it to the AE with a Cat-5 Ethernet cable. I was given an IP address, and was able to surf the 'net.

Edit: Note that this only shows it can be used the way you want when in WDS mode. It doesn't prove (or disprove) its use in other wireless configurations.

 

[DavidCar]

I understand you can only set up a WDS with Airport Express when you are using an Airport base station. My wireless router base station is a Netgear, not an Airport so I can't set up a WDS. (Wireless Distribution System)

I read on the box where Netgear makes a bridge that could be used to wirelessly connect a wired computer to a network.

My Airport Admin Utility may be aware that it is not joined to an Airport network and cannot set up a WDS, so it does not give me that option as far as I can tell. Maybe if I could set up a WDS, then my Airport Admin Utility would show options for the Ethernet port. I cannot verify this.

 

[mad jew]

OK, sorry but I'm having a bit of trouble understanding everyone's comments here - maybe it's too late at night or something...

Anyway, I'm running an Airport Express network, one connected to the ADSL modem and one upstairs using WDS to extend my range (I think that's the right terminology). I'm wanting to put a new iMac upstairs with the second Airport Express. Are you saying that I can just get an ethernet cable and connect the two without needing anything else or would it be easier to just buy an Airport Extreme card for it? I've already budgeted for the card and I wouldn't mind the option of being able to move the machine around so if it's too hard then I'll just go down that route.

Thanks for any clarification.

 

[DavidCar]

I assume you already have a Macintosh computer connected to your network even though you don't mention it. Use your Airport Admin Utility to look at the configuration for your second Airport Express, the one you want to connect via ethernet to your new iMac, and see if you get the same message that I got, that the ethernet port is disabled. If not, then you may have no problem, just as Wise Guy reported above. You could always try it with the new iMac, and if it does not work, then get the Airport Extreme card later.

 

[mad jew]

I assume you already have a Macintosh computer connected to your network even though you don't mention it. Use your Airport Admin Utility to look at the configuration for your second Airport Express, the one you want to connect via ethernet to your new iMac, and see if you get the same message that I got, that the ethernet port is disabled. If not, then you may have no problem, just as Wise Guy reported above. You could always try it with the new iMac, and if it does not work, then get the Airport Extreme card later.

Thanks DavidCar.

I can't find the ethernet disabled checkbox so that must mean it will probably work which is pretty great really.

I could do with the extra AU$120.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

That's annoying that I can't use it because I have a dlink router....bleh....

Now I have to come up with another option...

D

 

[topperdog]

Airport Card.

I have a G4 350MHz, and I just got online and purchased an old Airport card and installed it into the computer with no trouble at all. I am not sure if the 450MHz computers can take Airport Extreme cards, but there are plenty of places that still have the older Airport card in stock. I got mone for about $90.

Everything works wonderfully with no issues at all with this setup.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

I have a G4 350MHz, and I just got online and purchased an old Airport card and installed it into the computer with no trouble at all. I am not sure if the 450MHz computers can take Airport Extreme cards, but there are plenty of places that still have the older Airport card in stock. I got mone for about $90.

Everything works wonderfully with no issues at all with this setup.

was this just a pci card? I think the machine can't be upgraded (Sawtooth) because the airport option on this one was part of the mobo.

D

 

[jsw]

Sorry, just briefly browsed this thread, but, FWIW, my Linksys WRT54G bridges just fine with my AirPort Express. I'd assume similar measures would work with a DLink. You can seach this thread for details (mine's the 30th post) - hopefully, you can do something similar.

Edit: the WRT54G is only $60 on sale....

 

[Mr. Anderson]

I had a linksys once and hated it - had more problems with it and went to the DLink after that and was fine.

I'll see if I can get an airport express and get it to work with the D Link, thanks

D

 

[Lacero]

No problems here using my linksys with airport express.

 

[Draft]

Can someone please verify...

I have a Netgear wgr614 802.11g router in the bedroom. I want to use an Aiport Express in the living room and attach 2 TiVos to the wired port, through a switch. Is this possible? Do I need a router that supports WDS?

Thanks,