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drastik

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 10, 2002
978
0
Nashvegas
Okay, finally got upgraded last night, everything is smooth sailing and cool as can be. Now, does anyone know the deal with no base station airport? Can I just slap cards into my tower and powerbook and use the tower to broadcast? This is what I've heard, but I was wondering if anyone had the specifics.
 
There should be a utility called "Software Base Station" unless they've changed the name.

I looked and couldn't find it in the apps folder anywhere...anyone know where it's at?
 
Software Base Station

Go to the Sharing folder in System Pref's. There will be a tab that is labeled "Internet Sharing". Click on the tab and click the "start" button. You should be good to go after that. Post here if you have any other questions.
 
That seems siple enough, but wouldn't I need to turn on airport? I don't know. I want to go out and buy the cards to do it, but I don't feel like springing for the base station. My apartments only 1000 sq, ft, or so, I don't need a lot of range right now.
 
SBS in Jaguar

Drastik,
Sorry about not being clearer in my previous post. Yes, you need to have airport cards installed and turned on. Assuming you have set up a preferred network, with the cards transmitting, and Internet sharing turned on, you will effectively have a software base station. The Mac acting as the SBS will have a bold black arrow pointing skyward in the Airport reception icon located in the menu bar.
I hope that clears everything up!

-Droidmaker
 
Right on, thank you very much, now I have to go try to do some trade with my local reseller. They are nice people, but being the only mac only store in town gives tham a bit of an attitude.;)
 
SBS in Jag

Hey, glad I could be of help. Good luck with your reseller. I have the same situation here in my home town. Enjoy the SBS! I know I couldn't make it without it.
 
Wireless printer sharing

Printer sharing over my home airport network works flawlessly. I'm using an Epson Photo 820. Just be sure you have printer sharing turned on under the Services tab in the System Pref's Sharing folder.
 
Originally posted by krossfyter
okay cool .... but if i want to share printers i would have to get a hub right?

The cheapest solution for airport is (assuming you have 2 airport-ready macs and 10.2) just getting 2 airport cards.

In this setup you need to have your first mac physically connected to the internet (modem, cable, dsl, etc.) and turn on internet sharing (software basestation). Now, your second mac (with airport card) can share the internet connection.

The downside is that the first mac must be on for the second to connect to the internet.

This setup will also work with file and printer sharing. If you have a usb printer, plug it in to one mac and turn on printer sharing. Now your other mac can use the printer plugged in to the first mac. You need 10.2 for both macs in this case.

If you have a network pritner (ethernet), there are adapters that turn network printers into airport printers. Apple has a page that talks about different methods of printer sharing: here. In this method, the printer is its own wireless client.

For more flexibility (and more money) you can buy an airport basestation, in additition to the 2 airport cards. This would free your first mac from a physical connection to the internet and also remove the burden of running internet sharing (software basestation). This way your first mac doesn't have to be on all the time for the second one to have access to the internet.
 
Actually

Just one correction there on the SoftBase option in Jaguar. According to Apple's tech documents, Softbase only works on "always on" internet connection like ethernet networks. If anyone gets it to work via dial-up though, I would be GLAD to be wrong. .

Good Luck!

Gus
 
As I understood it from the Apple tech documents, always on means a DSL, ISDN, network or cable modem connection. If I am wrong, please let me know.

By the by, you can get the older (Graphite) ABS for $149 and even cheaper now through places like MacSolutions. If you are just going to be using it in your home, then it works great. It doesn't have the extra Ethernet plug like the new one, but I've never needed it for my home network. Just thought I'd add that info.

Gus
 
i have been experimenting with some network setups (home network) and i cannot seem to get things to work.

facts:

_i get 2 fix ip address' (the ip address' are in conjuction with 2 mac address')

_1 cable modem

_1 rj45 cable is connected to the "uplink" connection of my asanté switch.

_1 rj45 cable is connected to the airport base station (lan connector)

i configured the airport as instructed and i can go wireless without any problems.

_1 rj45 cable is connected to my other computer (pc) *shame* (the other fixed ip address is configured here, without any problems)

---

so here comes the problems :)

according to apple, the airport base station can act as a router. i just have to connect my switch to the lan connector and 1 rj45 cable from the wan connector to the cable modem.

and i could share ip address' let us say, with my new powermac.

but that does not work.

i connected the cable modem directly to the airport base station (in the wan connector) and but then i cannot connect wirelessly no more.

i tried to reconfigure the airport base station with a simple setup, ibook + wirless connection + rj45 cable from wan connector to cable modem.

i need ideas. please help guys. thx.
 
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