Airport extreme question

[nickarate]

Since I am on the 9th floor of my dorm, I can't log in to the blanketed wireless on my campus. In my room, I have to use ethernet, which is a serious hassle. I was wondering if I could set up an airport extreme in my room to handle this.

The only reason I think this might be a problem is because when I first connected the ethernet to my computer, it had to register my ethernet card I believe to my student ID. I'm sure that I can have more than one ethernet card to my ID, but was wondering whether you guys think it will work with the airport extreme.

Sorry if I made that way to hard to understand... it is very convoluted, I know.

Thanks for the help!

 

[jono_3]

they probably register the mac address of your ethernet card. you could trick them by phoning in the mac address of a router. Just tell them you got a new computer and just need to update the mac address on file. Im pretty sure airport extremes have the mac address written on the bottom, so read them that number and your good

 

[rdowns]

Chances are they won't allow a personal router on their network. The only way to know is to check with them. Is plugging in a cable really that much of a hassle?

 

[nickarate]

It is kind of a hassle, because it means I can't take my computer to study in the lounge on my floor and have internet for research. It is the common area where people do homework.

Additionally, I can't sync up with my Apple TV which is on the other side of the room w/o unplugging it and bringing it over and syncing it with ethernet.

So while it's not terrible, it is inconvenient not to be able to have wifi.

 

[nickarate]

they probably register the mac address of your ethernet card. you could trick them by phoning in the mac address of a router. Just tell them you got a new computer and just need to update the mac address on file. Im pretty sure airport extremes have the mac address written on the bottom, so read them that number and your good

The first time I just plugged in the ethernet to my computer and opened a browser, putting in my student ID. This got me up and runnning. Do you think it will work the same if I plug the ethernet into the airport extreme and then go on my browser on the computer? Would it read the mac address?

 

[Outrigger]

Since you're not the only one on the floor, have you tried asking what other people do for wifi? I figured they would have a better answer for you.

 

[nickarate]

Since you're not the only one on the floor, have you tried asking what other people do for wifi? I figured they would have a better answer for you.

Unfortunately no one has wifi. That is the problem....

 

[erch63]

Airport express

Why not just use an airport express, it is cheaper, but gives you limited range. I use them for traveling all the time and they work all throughout the room and next store.

 

[nickarate]

Why not just use an airport express, it is cheaper, but gives you limited range. I use them for traveling all the time and they work all throughout the room and next store.

I could do that. To the best of my knowledge, they have near identical capabilities, so i suppose that would work. My goal in this was just to see if it was possible to set up the wifi

 

[erch63]

I have used in a lot of hotel room that require a password authorization and it works when you log in to the browser. I do not know if this is the same as the university uses. The express only appears to convert the wired signal to wireless after the point of the express.

 

[nickarate]

I have used in a lot of hotel room that require a password authorization and it works when you log in to the browser. I do not know if this is the same as the university uses. The express only appears to convert the wired signal to wireless after the point of the express.

That sounds good! I'll have to check it out. Thanks guys

 

[plinden]

Why not ask your school's IT to set up a WiFi router on your floor? Get the rest of the people on your floor to sign the request even if they don't currently need WiFi. Check if the people on the floors below and above (if there are any) need it too.

When I was a student, we would sign anything if it meant the possibility of getting something for free.

 

[Consultant]

Possible. You can change the router's MAC address to the one you have. Easy as long as no proprietary software is used to authenticate to network.

Airport Extreme would give you gigabit ethernet network.

 

[nickarate]

Possible. You can change the router's MAC address to the one you have. Easy as long as no proprietary software is used to authenticate to network.

Airport Extreme would give you gigabit ethernet network.

Thank you. What do you think the chances are that they have that software that would authenticate the network?

 

[GregE]

Possible. You can change the router's MAC address to the one you have. Easy as long as no proprietary software is used to authenticate to network.

Airport Extreme would give you gigabit ethernet network.

I was thinking the same thing but after looking online at screenshots, I don't think that's an option on the AX.

 

[nickarate]

I was thinking the same thing but after looking online at screenshots, I don't think that's an option on the AX.

I am only moderately competent with computers, but why would i need to change the mac address? Couldn't I just hook up my id to the mac address of the airport express as well? Wouldn't that accomplish the same thing?

 

[GregE]

I am only moderately competent with computers, but why would i need to change the mac address? Couldn't I just hook up my id to the mac address of the airport express as well? Wouldn't that accomplish the same thing?

Yes it would. Since you already gave them the mac address of your laptop, if you could have the AX send that instead of it's own mac address, then you wouldn't have to register a 2nd one. I was just thinking that would be easier than setting up another one.

I think the school should set up access for the entire floor. Just because you are on a higher floor shouldn't go against you. Maybe they don't even know people have problems up there. Hotels put in many WAPs for that reason.

 

[crazzyeddie]

One thing to remember is that when setting up the new Airport, tell it that you want to distribute the IP addresses from the network, not make its own. That way all your devices will still appear to be directly on the campus network, not your own little one, so things work better.

I can't remember the exact terminology since I don't have my Airport here, but thats exactly what I did in my dorm and it worked great!

Best of luck.

 

[nickarate]

One thing to remember is that when setting up the new Airport, tell it that you want to distribute the IP addresses from the network, not make its own. That way all your devices will still appear to be directly on the campus network, not your own little one, so things work better.

I can't remember the exact terminology since I don't have my Airport here, but thats exactly what I did in my dorm and it worked great!

Best of luck.

Thanks! Will keep that in mind

 

[plinden]

You still haven't address GregE's and my suggestion. Have you asked your school to set up WiFi access on your floor?

If they don't allow routers in dorms, you're risking punishment for breaking the rules. There might even be a better than even chance of your getting away with it, but why risk it?

 

[nickarate]

You still haven't address GregE's and my suggestion. Have you asked your school to set up WiFi access on your floor?

If they don't allow routers in dorms, you're risking punishment for breaking the rules. There might even be a better than even chance of your getting away with it, but why risk it?

They say they are working on blanketed wifi as we speak and that they will have it on my floor... eventually...

 

[tefleming]

You should probably check with the IT department if they have any policies forbidding personal routers on the network.

(I worked in IT while i was in college, we didn't allow routers on our network.)

If people did that, we'd shut off their LAN port.

 

[GregE]

One thing to remember is that when setting up the new Airport, tell it that you want to distribute the IP addresses from the network, not make its own. That way all your devices will still appear to be directly on the campus network, not your own little one, so things work better.

I can't remember the exact terminology since I don't have my Airport here, but thats exactly what I did in my dorm and it worked great!

Best of luck.

If anybody knows where this setting is, I sure would like to know.

 

[JimmyDThing]

They say they are working on blanketed wifi as we speak and that they will have it on my floor... eventually...

If I were you I would call them and tell them you're setting up a wireless router in your room and if they have a problem with that then they can get you WiFi access on your floor right away.

You're paying for your education and to live there... you bought a laptop to have mobile ability and I'm assuming you were given the assumption that "blanketed WiFi" would cover your floor.

I graduated a few years ago and it really ticked me off when my school pulled crap like this. (And yes, not having WiFi on higher floors AND not allowing you to set up your own wireless network IS crap)

Make sure they remember that you are their customer and that their first and most important responsibility is to you.

 

[jamin100]

dont get a router.
Get a wireless access point - You'll only be able to use 1 device at a time on the wifi but it'll be better than nothing and whatever device you use will still get a IP from the DHCP servers in your school.

If you use a router then you'll have to setup things like gatways and DNS servers and yout school's IT tech dept will know you have done this.