UVerse to Airport Express to printer?

[Doug Lassiter]

I think this question has been addressed, but maybe someone can point me to the solution.

Right now I have DSL, with the modem connected to a router, connected to an Airport express (which provides wifi), which is connected to a (non-wifi) printer. Works great.

I'm going to UVerse. What are my printer options with the Airport Express? Does the AE have to be cabled to the UVerse modem switch, or can it run remotely (bridge mode?), if I'm trying to print through it?

The reason I need to know is that I want to know where I need to put my UVerse modem when installed. Does it need to be where my printer is?

 

[Weaselboy]

You will only be able to wirelessly connect the AE to the UVerse device IF the UVerse device supports WDS... and I would be very surprised if it does. The AE does support WDS if you have a WDS compatible device to connect to. I think you are going to need to connect it with ethernet.

 

[waw74]

if the uverse modem has a router and wifi built in, you can create a wireless network with the uverse modem, and have the express join that wireless network. Your computers would then also join the network created by the modem.

if it doesn't have wifi built in, you could buy another router and put it by the Uverse modem. and then put your printer wherever you want.

**in response to weasel, you can join a network or extend.
Join works just like your computer connecting to the wireless network. and will work with a base station from any manufacturer.
extend (or WDS) only works if the main base station is from apple.

 

[Weaselboy]

if the uverse modem has a router and wifi built in, you can create a wireless network with the uverse modem, and have the express join that wireless network. Your computers would then also join the network created by the modem.

if it doesn't have wifi built in, you could buy another router and put it by the Uverse modem. and then put your printer wherever you want.

**in response to weasel, you can join a network or extend.
Join works just like your computer connecting to the wireless network. and will work with a base station from any manufacturer.
extend (or WDS) only works if the main base station is from apple.

I misread what he wanted to do... I was thinking he wanted to extend the network with the AE. To just print, you are right... he should be able to just join.

WDS is a standard though, and an Apple router is not required. Although cross brand WDS support is not what it should be.

 

[Tomorrow]

if the uverse modem has a router and wifi built in, you can create a wireless network with the uverse modem, and have the express join that wireless network. Your computers would then also join the network created by the modem.

In my experience, this does not work well at all. The Uverse gateway can't handle more than ten devices without "taking on water," so to speak.

OP, you can log into the Uverse gateway and set it to modem mode - basically turning off its wifi and routing capability. Then connect your Airport Express to it via ethernet, using a different subnet (like 192.168.2.x instead of 192.168.1.x), then use the AE as your router.

 

[Doug Lassiter]

Thanks. As I understand it, the UVerse modem I'll be getting is a 2Wire 2701 wireless gateway, that also has 4 LAN ports. So in principle I can connect to it be cable or wifi. No, I'm not looking to extend the network. Just to use the AE as a wifi link to a non-wifi capable printer, such that I could put the printer wherever I wanted. I won't need the AE to give me wifi, because I'll bget that with the 2701.

The way I use my AE right now is just connecting it, via a router, to my non-wifi DSL modem, essentially providing wifi capability for my modem. But that's NOT what I'm trying to do now.

 

[Weaselboy]

No, I'm not looking to extend the network. Just to use the AE as a wifi link to a non-wifi capable printer, such that I could put the printer wherever I wanted. I won't need the AE to give me wifi, because I'll bget that with the 2701.

That should work fine.

 

[Doug Lassiter]

That should work fine.

So that being the case, how should I expect to be setting up my AE. In bridge mode?

 

[marzer]

So that being the case, how should I expect to be setting up my AE. In bridge mode?

No. You'll want to "join an exisitng network". Bridging would be if you made a connection over ehternet from the AE to the uverse, wanting to provide Wireless access to the IP network created by the uverse router.

 

[Doug Lassiter]

No. You'll want to "join an exisitng network". Bridging would be if you made a connection over ehternet from the AE to the uverse, wanting to provide Wireless access to the IP network created by the uverse router.

Got it. That's clear. Thank you.