Airport express

[donnaw]

I need to find a solution ti the issue of only having wired access in places. I understand I can get an Airport Express to basically create a "personal hotspot".

Questions:
1). I know I need a PC (don't own Macs) to set it up. Once set up do I have to take my pc everywhere to reconfigure it at each location? Or is this just the initial setup?

2) Are there any specific setup instructions specifically for the iPad?

I need to do this for my husband who is in Iraq and only has a netbook and iPad with him. The netbook doesn't have a built-in optical drive. Now I can also send him the external drive I have but his IT technical expertise is not the best ( this from a guy with 3 engineering degrees). This has always been my job so if I can set it up here, send it to him and all he has to do is plug it in and go it will save me from having to give instructions and trouble shooting via an international phone call.

Any help, insights, and tips are greatly appreciated.

 

[ntg]

Airport Express

I have had one since they were first released, and they are great at being 'plug and play' once they are configured.

Just configure once, using the Airport Setup Utility, with it set to Get IP from DHCP, and that has worked in just about every hotel I have stayed in.

You can just copy the content of the disc to a USB stick to send out with the device - it works just fine that way (ie it doesn't need the Optical source)

USB Printer-sharing is great that way too!

Good Luck

Nigel

 

[donnaw]

Thanks, sounds like it should be pretty easy. I'll go get one today and set it up. If I have any more questions i'll be posting back.

Thanks again for the quick reply.

 

[ntg]

no problem!

I've been a network admin for lots of years now, and they 'just work' with all platforms

I actually have 3 now, plus an original AppleTV, and can play the same music on all four devices (synced via the ATV) - great for family BBQs etc when you need it outside and in the Garage too (British weather usually means you need that option! )

Regards

Nigel

 

[blackreplica]

Set it up the first time yourself then just send him the airport express. It works flawless, plug-n-play once its set up the first time.

I work as an airline pilot, I have used my airport express in many, many hotels all round the world and never once has it not worked perfectly with my ipad

Just tell your husband to give it a couple of minutes when he first plugs in the LAN cable and turns on the airport express. Sometimes it can take a while for the wireless network of the airport express to appear in the list of available networks. As long as 5-8 minutes sometimes. But it will always appear, and once it does, it will always work

Oh yeah, the airport express likes to blink amber when its running (as opposed to green which indicates proper operation). I'm not sure why it does this. but no worries, it will be working fine if you access it

 

[donnaw]

Thanks blackreplica

He's a pretty impatient person when it comes to tech. So knowing that it may take some time at the initial start up will prevent him from giving up after 20 secs or so. He just expects everything to work flawlessly and fast. When i'm around I can keep it that way but off on his own in a camp he is at the mercy of some "not so patient" IT guys who are usually not too helpful anyway.

The man is what most people expect an engineer to be. He can fix anything, knows exactly how most things work, can design and build just about anything. He can write code, build the most complicated spreadsheets. But when it comes to tech he seems to be just lost. Probably because I have always taken care of it and he has no interest in it.

I haven't gone to Apple yet. Today I guess. It will take 2 - 3 weeks to get it to him.