Airport Extreme base station

[carrollf]

Just bought me a new iMac 24" and am wondering whether or not I should get the new Airport Extreme base station. I already have a 802.11g wireless router/modem combo but is it worth the money for the newer 802.11n setup?

Will I be able to continue using my existing wireless router/modem combo just as the ADSL model but let the airport extreme act as the wirless router part??

 

[Objectivist-C]

is it worth the money for the newer 802.11n setup?

I would guess no, but you haven't provided any information about your requirements.

Will I be able to continue using my existing wireless router/modem combo just as the ADSL model but let the airport extreme act as the wirless router part??

Yes.

 

[carrollf]

I just setup my Airport Extreme and connected it to my existing ADSL wireless modem using an ethernet cable. I then plugged my brand spanking new iMac into the Airport Extreme (ethernet again) and was browsing the web in seconds.

However, once I switched to wireless mode I could not connect to the internet. I dont understand this. Why would it allow me to connect over a wired connection but not wireless? I can see the network in the list of available networks and the light on the base station is green but no matter what I do I cannot connect wirelessly. It appears to want to know my boradband username and passowrd but only in wireless mode - does not ask for this in wired mode. Even when I put that in it does not work.

Any ideas on what I can do?

 

[robertnas99]

Many ISP's locks onto your MAC-address for a limited time. So when you hook up your computer with ethernet it will lock you to your computers network MAC-address (not the same as the MAC-address in your wifi router) and assign an IP to that address. I was having the same problem. What helped for me was simply just to unplug my router and DSL-modem (power and phone-chord). Keep it unplugged for like 30mins, start up your DSL-modem and then your router.

 

[johnmcboston]

Many ISP's locks onto your MAC-address for a limited time. So when you hook up your computer with ethernet it will lock you to your computers network MAC-address (not the same as the MAC-address in your wifi router) and assign an IP to that address. I was having the same problem. What helped for me was simply just to unplug my router and DSL-modem (power and phone-chord). Keep it unplugged for like 30mins, start up your DSL-modem and then your router.

I had similar problems with the cable modem (DHCP). Power cycling everything seemed ot give the equipment a good kick and eventually got it running (modem, airport and computer).

Unfortunately, the airport install documents are lacking in any real instruction

 

[remora]

I just setup my Airport Extreme and connected it to my existing ADSL wireless modem using an ethernet cable. I then plugged my brand spanking new iMac into the Airport Extreme (ethernet again) and was browsing the web in seconds.

However, once I switched to wireless mode I could not connect to the internet. I dont understand this. Why would it allow me to connect over a wired connection but not wireless? I can see the network in the list of available networks and the light on the base station is green but no matter what I do I cannot connect wirelessly. It appears to want to know my boradband username and passowrd but only in wireless mode - does not ask for this in wired mode. Even when I put that in it does not work.

Any ideas on what I can do?

I think the problem is almost certainly in your System Preferences. When you set up your new iMac you would have been asked how you connect to the internet (DSL, MODEM Airport etc).

Open System Preferences>Network and, under the "SHow" menu, select Network Port Configurations.
If Ethernet is above Airport, it means the computer tries Ethernet first.
To change, simply drag Airport above ethernet.