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Airport Express

C

chameeeleon

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 11, 2004
389
0
Ok, so I live in a household with (currently) two computers - one Windows comp running XP and one new iMac G5, both with 802.11g cards. We have a DSL modem, with an ethernet cable coming from it and plugged into a wireless base station that is is defective at sending out a wireless signal. However at the moment this router DOES have multiple ethernet cables plugged into it, one going to my Dad's computer and the other to my iMac when I carry it down to his study.When I plug the ethernet cable in, I have to connect to a PPPoE account, which I can't do if my Dad is connected to the account at the same time.

What I would like to do is purchase an Airport Express base station. My question is, can I simply plug the ethernet cable that usually goes directly to my computer's ethernet port into the port on the base station, and then connect to the PPPoE account wirelessly from up in my bedroom with the same ease I'm connecting to it now? Is the setup any harder than this? Do I need a lot of confusing IP numbers, etc.? Or will I have to scrap the entire defective base station and plug the port coming from the DSL modem into the Express Base Station, therefore forcing my Dad to operate off of wireless? And, finally, is there any way via Windows/Mac to set us to both be able to be connected to the PPPoE account at the same time?

All help is greatly appreciated.
 
I've edited this to attempt to make it easier to understand. Can anyone help me now?
 
I'm no expert on networking, but if you have a DSL broadband internet connection and two computers which both have wi-fi, then you can just plug the DSL broadband via ethernet to the ethernet port on the AirPort Express and then get both your Windows PC and iMac to receive the internet via AirPort. There is not really any disadvantage to both computers getting the internet wirelessly as opposed to wired although you will need a cheap wireless card for your PC if you don't already have one (I got an 802.11g one for our Dell for £20). The AirPort Express setup assistant software is included for both Mac OS X and Windows XP and should set it all up automatically.

The only thing that AirPort Express can't do is dish out an internet signal WIRED to a computer, only wirelessly, as it only has one ethernet (WAN) port. (The only exception is WDS mode but this would require another functioning wireless router).

I would reccommend the AirPort Express though. The wireless printing and AirTunes are great.
 
yes it should all work. what you need to do though is set up your router with the PPPoE information. this way the router acts as the 'single' connection you are allowed on the PPPoE. once this has been established pug in yoru dads computer as normal. then plug the airport express in. go through the airport setup assistant and it should connect you to the internet quickly. i would then reccomend using the airport admin utility to set up some sort of security. (you can set everything up through the admin utility if you please) the key is to use the router for the PPPoE so the DSL with think there is only one computer connected at any time.
 
Hey thanks. Strange that Apple doesn't mention that on their website. I couldn't find it anyway. Seems like it would be a good selling, if not useful to know.

Morgs
 
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