Wireless Apple.....anyone?

Hi Jon

Apple airport express is exactly what you need! does both... connect your broadband to the express using an ethernet cable... and order one of the cable kits with it so you can connect the mini jack output from the express into a phono input... if you dont have any phono inputs free youll need to get a mini jack to din instead from somewhere like flashback

cheers

Hawk

Agree re Airport Express recommendation but don't expect the range to be anything like the claims on the website.

Reality is (at Chateau Steve anyway) 40-odd ft max range. To be fair, Apple were so surprised at this they sent me a replacement which was just the same but at least I should be able to chain them so that when the sun comes I can lake my iBook out into the garden

Steve.

Steve, Just a thought.... I had a similar problem with range as you did with an iBook, yet my powerbook would happily work at the bottom of the garden.. It turned out that i hadnt plugged the ariel lead onto the airport card properly... I had connected it or so i thought but it needed to be pushed very firmly home until it clicked for a second time...

no idea if this is a factor with yours but thought id mention it just in case...

regards

HAwk

Thanks for your responses, guys, Airport Express it is.

BTW Steve, 40ft range is definitely NOT a problem in my house!

Cheers,

JR

Hawk: Cheers, I fell foul of that problem initially, when the range was barely 10 feet!

JonR: 40' range not a problem at my place either, though it does mean I can't pick up signal in the wine cellar, the gift-wrapping room and the servants in the east wing will have to do without as well More seriously though, with just the one APX base station I lose signal the moment I step out of the back of the house and into the garden.

Now, all I need to do is work out HTF to plug in the second APX base by the back door so it works as a relay station and extends the range out into the garden... It's the only Apple toy I've had problems working out.

Steve.

It's probably worth mentioning that all 802.1x (WiFi) devices have their range severly curtailed when the signal has to pass through masonry. I have one installation in a tall (4-story) Georgian house where there is a base station at the front on the top floor. Signals are fine 4 floors down on the ground floor, but very faint on the top floor at the back (two masonry walls in the way). AFAIK there are currently no directional antennas licensed for EU use to improve this. The trick is position the base stations such that only timber and plasterboard interpose between the computer and the base.

Steve, your AE Base should be powered up and positioned so that it is likely to be able to "see" both your computer (in its intended useage location) and your primary base. Your computer will see the AE as a separate wireless network. Choose it from the AirPort menu item (password as in manual), and then Log into it using the Admin Utility. Configure using the "Wireless Distribution System" section of the Admin Utility -- you'll need to know the IP address of the primary base station. Post here if problems!

Best;

Mark

Well, I went to that fabulous new Apple store in Regent Street yesterday and was on the point of purchasing an Airport Base station when the sales guy told me that, since I only have a USB modem, I'd have to get a separate ethernet moden as well since the Base Station's internal modem apparently only supports dial-up!

I said I'd rather avoid adding unnecessary extra bits if I could possible help it and he said that the best thing to do is to buy a wireless router.

The (mini-) saga continues!

So, any recommendations for a decent router??

Cheers,

JR

Have just read this on garyi's thread, which would seem to answer my question:-

quote:

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Originally posted by Mark Ellis-Jones:
D-Link routers are fine, until something upsets them and they need a firmware update. Some D-Link routers require a separate utility to update their firmware, and this only runs under Windows, which is inexcusable. Their routers' in-built web interface (used for config.) is confusing and over-flashy -- hard to see what the thing is doing if you need to. The best routers on the planet (for this context) are Draytek -- they aren't expensive, and you can get them from SEG Communications (google them up). Never had one fail to connect, or give any trouble at all. Note that apart from the ADSL logon & password, and possibly DNS addresses, all config. details for all UK ADSL accounts will be pretty much identical (unless you're with Metronet in which case all bets are off, and you can bet the support line has the answerphone on).

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JR

Hi Mark, thanks for your help there.

Re: the signal strength, your notes explain a lot - I'm in a large(ish) bungalow and all the walls are proper masonry - no crappy partition walls here.

I've tried to follow your instructions but things don't seem to be happening as you suggest.

At the moment, I've got my primary APExpress base unit in the living room, plugged into my ntl cable modem. Signal strength there is 4/4.

As I write this I'm at the kitchen table in the next room with a signal showing of 3/4.

The primary base is SBairport express and the network is SB network.

I've plugged the secondary base station into the mains in the bedroom at the back of the house. The light is flashing orange which seems reasonable enough as it's not getting any input signal.

However, in my airport menu, I can only see and select my primary network: SBnetwork. I doubt it's a signal strength problem as even moving the iBook into the same room gives the same result.

I've gone into the AP admin untility and re-scanned, it still can't find the secondary base station.

What to try next?

Thanks, Steve.

Steve,
You might want to direct your question to the guys at the Apple Discussions forum - there are some really helpful people there.
Huw

Cheers Huw, it's sorted now. Waded through a fair number of pages of previous questions until I came across someone who'd had the same problem. If it helps anyone else:

I had to do a hard reset of the secondary base station then it was pretty straightforward to create the network.

Am now getting 4/4 signal strength at the back of the house as well, a little juggling with location of the secondary should extend the signal to the end of the garden.

All I need now is some sunny weather

Thanks again Mark & Huw.

Steve.

FWIW it's worth I have a wireless D-Link ADSL router (DSL604+) and have upgraded the firmware. You just unzip it (which macs can do) and then use the web interface (which macs can do). Can't imagine why this is a problem with macs

The range is great too - I can use it in every room in my house (well, excluding the garage) and get a signal on my ibook G4.

Update:-

Last night I placed an order for a Netgear DG834v2 wireless router. I'll post when it arrives and I try and set it up!

Cheers,

JR

Well,

I declare a miracle - the router's arrived!!

Let the fun and games begin....

JR

quote:

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Originally posted by JonR:
Well,

I declare a miracle - the router's arrived!!

Let the fun and games begin....

JR

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3 hours later.... is it working???

WA-HEY!

C H E C K I T O U T ! ! !

I am wireless, official!!!



I was getting all tied up with my ISP's server addresses and stuff but then it turns out all I needed to do was click on the options that said 'find IP addresses dynamically' and hey - Bob, as they say, is my uncle's cousin's brother!

Even my email's working - nice!

Cheers,

JR

It seems my outburst of hysteria last night was a tad previous.

Although I could receive email, I couldn't send any. So I logged back into the router's web page and checked my email settings. It turned out I needed to fill in the name of my ISP's outgoing mail server and password.

I then had a few minutes where an email that was stuck in my outbox got sent, but when I tried to send another one it got stuck again.

Logging off and re-booting the laptop seems to have done the trick.

Cheers,

JR