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Quick question on Airtunes

A

Applexilef

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 3, 2004
127
0
Hey everyone, I have a question regarding the airport express station with airtunes.

I already have a wireless network in my small apartment, and I love the idea of transmitting music wirelessly to the speakers in my living room. My question is: Can I use the airtunes feature without connecting the internet to the device?

I'm only interested in the airtunes feature, and I don't want to run a wire from my wireless router on to the base station just so I could have airtunes set up.

If this is not possible, do you guys know any other alternatives?
 
You can use the Airtunes for your stereo, and your current router (or whatever setup you have) for the internet, however, you can only connect to one device at a time, so you couldn't have internet access and play music simultaneously.

The better solution is to go from Cable/DSL modem -> Router -> (Hardwire) Airport Express. And connect wirelessly to the Airport Express.
 
You should be able to put the Express on your original wireless network pretty easily though, in which case you can get the internet from one router and play music through the other. :)
 
Applexilef said:
Hey everyone, I have a question regarding the airport express station with airtunes.

I already have a wireless network in my small apartment, and I love the idea of transmitting music wirelessly to the speakers in my living room. My question is: Can I use the airtunes feature without connecting the internet to the device?

I'm only interested in the airtunes feature, and I don't want to run a wire from my wireless router on to the base station just so I could have airtunes set up.

If this is not possible, do you guys know any other alternatives?
Click to expand...

Plug it in near the Speaker setup in your living room. (Make sure everything is powered down :eek: ) Plug the cable (optional) from airtunes into your stereo and turn everything on. (Read the directions that came with the unit):)

Open iTunes....well you'll figure it out! :)
 
So the answer is yes, but I will not be able to use the internet while playing music correct?

However, if I do connect my wireless router (which is also the modem) to the airport base station then I will be able to do both simultenously (using the AE wireless signal). But then I would have two wireless signals, one from the wireless router and the other one from the airport base station.

Was my statement correct?

Thanks for the help guys :)
 
Applexilef said:
So the answer is yes, but I will not be able to use the internet while playing music correct?
Click to expand...


If you can get your Express onto the current wireless network through WDS (much easier than it sounds) then you'll actually be able to do both. :)
 
Applexilef said:
then I would have two wireless signals, one from the wireless router and the other one from the airport base station.

Was my statement correct?
Click to expand...
I also have one of those freebie DSL/modem/router/WAP Westell 327W from Verizon, as mad jew said, I made the Airport Express join the Westell's existing network by following the directions. I had some trouble getting WEP to work, but that was my fault.

There is still only one "wireless signal" or network, and that is managed by the router. Think of the Airport Express in this configuration as another computer on your network. Your computers can talk to each other and to the 'net simultaneously, but are protected from it by the firewall/NAT in your router.

In my house, the iBook, the kids' gaming PC and the Airport Express are all on the Westell's network. As long as you have a 54 Mbps link you will be fine trying to use Airtunes and the internet at the same time. If you're only on 802.11b, it won't work well.

NOTE: Since the range of my Westell is less than ideal, I would prefer to be able to use the Airport as a range extender, but the Westell doesn't support WDS. Someday I'll replace it.

B
 
mad jew said:
If you can get your Express onto the current wireless network through WDS (much easier than it sounds) then you'll actually be able to do both. :)
Click to expand...
It works fine even without WDS as long as you just join the existing network.

B
 
balamw said:
It works fine even without WDS as long as you just join the existing network.
Click to expand...


I thought WDS was just the Apple name for the protocol to get the Express on the other network. I could be wrong (in fact probably am :p ), but I think connecting to a wireless network with an Express would be done through the WDS tab. It's been a while though, I'm more than happy to be corrected.

Either way, it's trivial since the end solution is the same. Internet and AirTunes will be working together. :)
 
mad jew said:
I thought WDS was just the Apple name for the protocol to get the Express on the other network.
Click to expand...
As I undestand it WDS (Wireless Distribution System), is the name of the 802.11 protocol extensions they use to get the Airport Express to extend an existing AirPort network it has joined.

This article explains more. http://www.gizmodo.com/archives/why...icially-extend-nonairport-networks-015834.php Thanks Google!

People have managed to get the Express to extend non Apple networks where WDS is supported, such as third party firmware for the popular Linksys WRT54GS.

B
 
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