Looking to switch to airport express

I currently link to the internet wirelessly through my linksys router which seems to be having problems (it drops me from the internet about once a day). It was suggested that I dump the linksys and buy an airport express, but I'm a bit confused as it seems many people on this site use the airport express WITH the linksys router. Does the express not replace the router as a wireless link from my modem to my computer? Or is it only good for itunes and remote printing? I seem to be not fully catching how it works. And if I do use it for wireless internet, have you found that it is as speedy as the linksys? thanks.

Do you mean that if I wanted to go from the AX to my computer with an ethernet cord, then I wouldn't be able to do that?
Your cable modem would plug into the AX's Ethernet port. You could then connect wirelessly to the AX but not via Ethernet.
Placing an Ethernet switch or hub between the cable modem and AX does not solve the problem.
Your ISP provides you with one IP address. The first device (connected to the switch or hub) would get the IP address. The other device(s) would not get a connection.
The AX does not provide DHCP services back through it's single Ethernet port.
My cable modem us also in another room, so I'm wondering how it delivers on the other side of the house. Clear? fast? efficient?
The same as any other 802.11b/g wireless base station. The exact performance is impossible to state since it depends on RF interference and RF absorption in that physical location.

Similar Messages

  • Attaching Network switch to Airport Express

    Hi,
    I have set up my network using a Linksys router and connected my Airport express using WDS............ It works. I am wondering if it would be possible to connect a Network switch To the ethernet port of the airport express so that I can connect multiple peripherals namely a NAS and another computer.
    thanks

    Hello natsan. Welcome to the Apple Discussions!
    If you have a working WDS between your Linksys router and the AirPort Express Base Station (AX), the AX's Ethernet port should now be enabled ... and you should be able to connect an Ethernet switch to it.

  • DSL to Cable Modem switch - now Airport express doesn't work

    I just switched from DSL to Cable and now connecting to the internet via my Airport express doesn't work. It's fine direct connecting via ethernet.
    Is there a known issue? I've tried various things but no dice.
    Are my Airport expresses now married to the older modem?
    Any help would be appreciated.

    Okay I got a new Airport extreme since there was a chance that the new modem and the expresses weren't 100% compatible and the Extreme worked almost out of the box.
    Truth is, I might have just had to hold down the reset buttons on the expresses longer so that they would revert to the manufacturer's default and they might have become functional since I did that later and my old expresses are now connected to the home network.
    For anyone else with this issue, before giving up or if you don't need an excuse to buy an extreme, hold that airport reset button in a good two minutes before and then another two during the plug-in and you might get lucky.
    Thanks.

  • Can I use the Airport Express to connect to a Linksys Wireless Network and then use the Ethernet port on the Airport for a wired connection to a device for internet access?  Would I be able to then also use that Ethernet pt to a Ntwk Hub for more wired c

    Thanks for the help.  Looked but not clear on what I am trying to do as being possible.  Can I use an Airport Express to connect wireless to a Linksys Wireless Router, such that I can then use the Ethernet ports on the Airport to either connected to a PC wired, or even use a hub off the Airport Express to allow multiple wired connections to it? 
    I am not looking to have the Airport Express extend my wireless network, just connect to it and provide me wired connections in a different location from where my Linksys Route is located.  Would prefer to replace Linksys with all Apple, but just not possible financially yet.  Thanks for the help.

    If the AirPort Express Base Station (AX) is an 802.11n model, then yes, you can reconfigure it as a wireless Ethernet bridge. In this configuration, the AX would join the wireless network provided by the Linksys router and its Ethernet port would be enabled for either a single wired device or for an Ethernet hub or switch for multiple devices.

  • NAS on Airport Express

    Hi all
    I am trying to attach a MyXerve MX3600 NAS to my wireless network with no success. I am using an ethernet 4 port hub to attach the drive, airport express to the modem as the Airport express only has 1 ethernet port. My question is am i trying to achieve too much from the airport express? From my limited knowledge, it appears that the drive is not getting an internet connection.
    Any help much appreciated.
    Steve

    +"My question is am i trying to achieve too much from the airport express?"+
    Your network should look like this:
    Modem > AirPort Express > Wireless Clients
    In other words, the AirPort Express must connect directly to the modem. You won't be able to use the ethernet switch in this configuration since it must be positioned after the router, not before it.
    If the NAS connects via ethernet, you will need to purchase a wireless router with 3-4 ethernet LAN ports, like an AirPort Extreme or similar product.
    Can your NAS attach to a network using wireless only? If so, you could configure it to join the network created by your AirPort Express.

  • Airport express problems - complex network

    My network is a little more complex than a typical home network.
    I have a broadband router from my service provider (BT) which is then connected via ethernet to my Airport Time Capsule.  This time capsule is connected to an iMac and to a couple of ethernet cables which run elsewhere in the house.  I have successfully added two Airport Express units to wirelessly extend the network.  Neither of these have ethernet connections back to the Time Capsule.
    The third airport express is further away and therefore is connected via ethernet.  The connection is as follows:
    ISP BB Router > Time Capsule > Ethernet to 4 port ethernet switch > Ethernet from switch to Airport Express
    Now the problem:-
    I can see the Airport Express in Airport Utility as a new device awaiting configuration, but when I select it (after gathering information on the network) I receive the error message "An unexpected error occurred. Try again".  I have tried soft, hard and factory resets to the airport express, but none of these have resolved the problem.
    I need the 4 port ethernet hub in the network as there are other devices which are also connected to this hub (xbox etc.) and I only have one ethernet cable into the room...hence using the hub to share this single connection. 
    Any help/guidance much appreciated

    Bob,
    Thanks for the advice.  I've made the changes you suggested and restarted the iMac and was then able to successfully configure the AE as a wifi extender using Airport Utility.  However, when I then moved it to the room in question and connected it via ethernet to the hub and from there back to the time capsule, strange things started happening!
    Firstly, my internet connectivity dropped out completely (meaning I lost all wifi in the house..including the time capsule).  Airport Utility was showing the Internet as 'disconnected' and I checked this on both my iMac and iPad and got the same result.  However, I know the DSL connection was fine, because a hard connection into the Service Provider BB router gave me connectivity.  So, I did a soft reset of the time capsule and this seemed to resolve the main problem (I have my main wifi network back)
    However, I now see the following in Airport Utility under 'WiFi':-
    The master bedroom AP is showing as 'not connected'...which really can't be down to wireless signal (the Master bedroom is directly above the study where the iMac and time capsule are.  Will a soft/hard reset resolve this?  I didn't want to change anything at this stage.
    The Airport Express which I have just configured is the Morning room AP.  It was previously showing as 'green', but now became 'orange' with no intervention from myself.  Is there a way of seeing what the error message is?
    Strangely, when I switch to the 'Ethernet' view in Airport Utility, I see the following:-
    Not sure why this would look like that?
    Any guidance most welcome.

  • Does AirPort Express require better Internet than Ethernet?

    Wondering since I was having intermittent problems w my Linksys router & trouble updating it so thought switching to Airport Express would give me a simple way to get things working.
    Very disappointed that noes it's worse than before. Yesterday after a # of tries I did get it partly set up & although amber blinking lights, I was able to use Internet.
    Called Set up AppleCare call online to resolve amber light issue. She had me reset modem & when we were done, I again had green light on Airport BUT NO INTERNET CONNECTION. She said to call my ISP cox.
    I did try after a reset to connect MacbookPro directly to Ethernet & got it to connect. Then I unplugged Ethernet from Mac & plugged into airport & no connection again.
    So instead of Airport Express making things better, they are worse. I'm typing this on my iPhone 4S which for some reason has really slowed down.
    I learned that my old Motorola Surfboard modem is Docsis 2.0 & cox is switching to 3.0.
    But it was working better, although frequent brief loss of connection.
    So does Airport require a better modem or better connection than just Ethernet or via my Linksys E1200?
    Not happy also that functionally worse off after calling AppleCare. I know she didn't cause the issue but her suggestion while standard tipped it over to not be connecting.
    & typing all this on my iPhone is not fun although it did just now get back temporarily there for just a bit to its usual speed but now back to having to wait for it.

    Well I did the power down reset. But I think you missed the import of my question.
    I'm talking about an older modem that may be marginal. Not positive about the 2 Ethernet cables I have used either.
    So yes if the modem is working as it should I guess it should make a difference.
    But something is weird when I can can next via Ethernet & then I just unplug the the rent from my Mac & plug it into the wan port on the AirPort Express & no connection.
    To look at the modem & Airport across the room the lights make it look like they are fine.
    I just done have Internet connection to my Mac. I did yesterday w the amber lights flashing.
    & I was connecting w the Linksys but had frequent loss of connection.
    So wondering if maybe Airport has slightly greater requirements that act as a tipping point so it connected without it but doesn't connect w it. But the green light supposedly shows its working fine.
    Well I did put out a wanted request on FreeOC for a compatible Docsis 3.0 cable modem. Supposedly they work better & that might just make the difference.
    Don't really want to buy a new modem when I'm about to move to a new area where requirements might be different.

  • Airport Express and Lacie Ethernet Disk Mini Home Edition

    Hello -
    I recently bought a Lacie Ethernet Disk Mini - Home Edition. I have it all set up on my home network when all of a sudden my Netgear router bites the big one.
    I am looking into getting the Airport Express for its wireless streaming capabilities. My question is:
    - Can I hook my cable modem through the USB port on the Airport Express for internet use? If so, can I hook my Disk Mini into the Ethernet port on the Airport Extreme to access my drive? If not, I spose I can buy a regular linksys switch to split the lines?

    1. No, the USB port on the AirPort Express is solely for printer usage.
    2. With the latest AirPort Expresses you should be able to access your hard drive via ethernet, but since there is only one port you will have to have another wireless router to broadcast your internet. And you can't just have a router to split the port on the Express, it either runs in WAN mode (which is for a cable or dsl modem) or LAN mode (for accessing your hard drive). It can't run in both at the same time.
    You could buy a cheap Linksys router but I can't guarantee how well the Express will work with extending the wireless network. It really sounds like you need to get the AirPort Extreme Base Station.

  • Setup Problem New Airport Express 802.11ac

    Current setup is: 
    Cable Modem to Linksys Router to Ethernet Switch to Airport Express 802.11n (in bridge mode).
    Airport Express is plugged into the ethernet switch and set to a fixed LAN address.
    Everything works fine and reliable.
    Just bought a new Airport Express 802.11ac
    Plugged it into another ethernet switch port and tried to set it up the same way (bridge mode), but used a different fixed LAN address and different wireless network name.
    I get a warning message that it cannot get a DNS.
    I go ahead anyway and it doesn't work.  Router hangs and has to be rebooted.
    When I set the new AEX to "extend existing network", it works ok.  But I assume that in this mode I'm still limited by the speed of the old 802.11n device, which is between me and the router and modem.
    What is the reason that I can't have two AExpress units both in bridge mode tied to the same router?

    ... But I assume that in this mode I'm still limited by the speed of the old 802.11n device, which is between me and the router and modem.
    Correct. Also, you won't be able to use 802.11ac anyway unless you are using a new MacBook Air or other device capable of  802.11ac.
    Make sure that the AirPort Utility setup screen did not say "Setting up this AirPort Express to wirelessly extend (your network name)".
    The words you must see are "Setting up ... using Ethernet".
    If necessary, set it up again beginning with a "hard reset" and verify that is the result. Leave it connected as you described when you do. Your proposed configuration should work.

  • Airplay icon missing in iTunes, unable to set up Airport Express

    Got a new Mini yesterday, replacing an old underpowered model with a 2.5 Ghz, 4GB, Radeon model for running an HTPC setup. Woo Hoo!
    Spent part of yesterday setting everything up. Very easy to do with the Assistant moving old files to new machine. Everything is running great. Strong signal to the new Mac from my Airport Extreme base station.
    Except...
    I am trying to switch my AIrport Express from being a network extender (not needed with new Mini) to running speakers/headphones in another room using Airplay.
    I don't see the Airplay icon in the lower right corner of iTunes, and my AE does not show up in Airport Utility. Home Sharing is on in iTunes. Running newest iTunes 10.5.2. I have read all the support articles, but the missing Airplay icon is the stumper.
    Any ideas?

    Update: I think I figured out the problem.
    1. I had to do a hard reset on the Airport Express to get it to appear in the Airport Utility list of devices. Use a paperclip to push the tiny recessed button on the bottom of the AEX and hold it until the light blinks green several times. This wipes the old settings.
    2. Then I had to change the AEX settings from the old setup (WDS network) to the new "Join existing network."
    3. The Airplay menu in iTunes appears and disappears depending on whether Airplay devices are detected. This is not in any of the Apple documentation that I could find. The AEX is there now. I choose "Multiple speakers" so music could play thru my regular HT speakers and also upstairs on the AEX.
    Hope this helps someone else in the future.

  • Airport Express Guest Network

    This could be an Apple Airport hardware issue but wanted to double check I haven't made a mistake in setup or if anyone else has experienced this fault. We have Sky Broadband Unlimited installed running through a Sky Hub with Apple Airport Running an additional Wireless network, primarily for the 'Guest Network' feature. When enabling the guest network, we are able to broadcast the signal however the device trying to connect is unable to complete connection. I'm half confident that it could be an issue relating to the Airport requiring two IP addresses. One for the standard 'full access' signal and the other for an 'Internet Only Access' Guest Network, however it is only given one IP via DHCP on Sky Hub. My immediate thought is to set the Airport to allocate IP Addresses as opposed to the Sky Hub. Any thoughts anyone?

    I was able to get the guest facility of the AirPort Extreme to work by double NATing, but it leads to all sorts of other issues with complex environments. If yours s a simple LAN/wifi environment then switch the Airport Express to route instead of bridging and leave the Sky Hub with the same default settings. But if you have ports forwarded or games consoles this isn't recommended. I noticed you put a like on my other post concerning switching on the wifi on the Sky router with wifi isolation enabled and using that for your guests; this is also a good solution to the issue.

  • What comes in the box with the Airport Express?

    I'm looking to buy and Airport Express for my husband but I really can't find a helpful sales person willing to put up with all of my questions. For starters, what comes with the Airport Express? One salesperson told be that I need to buy cables and another one never mentioned it. Does it come with cables or just the unit? I'm assuming it comes with the software? Can you help me?
    thanks

    Hi Alan
    I have an equally simple question. I have a G5 desktop and a G4 TiBook. Last week I installed an airport card in the TiBook as I use it mainly at meetings and when travelling.
    My non-wireless adsl at home runs through a router which has two ethernet ports. Do I just buy the Airport Express unit, plug it into the spare ethernet port, and my TiBook will find the broadband connection wirelessly from anywhere in the house? Is it all as simple as that? Is the single Airport Express unit all I need to create a wireless connection?
    Thanks.

  • Airplay randomly disconnects from airport express

    I listen to spotify on my macbook air via the airplay feature and airport express.  The airplay feature randomly disconnects and the only way to get it back seems to be to switch the airport express off and then on again.  Is there a way to get a bit more reliablity.  Sometimes I have to reset it all by unplugging the whole thing from the router and waiting for a few minutes and then starting it all up again.  What a performance!  I was told to do this on an applecare phone consult.  Surely this shouldn't keep happening!? 

    Hi there:
    Here is a solution ONLY IF YOU HAVE THE AIRPORT EXPRESS AS A AIRPLAY SPEAKER! (Join network)
    Change in the AE the protocol, intead of DHCP, change it to Static.
    If you use the AE only as a speaker, you dont need internet on it. It will appear a warning message about the DNS... ignore it and try it again.
    It worked out for me for about a month since I start to having the problem.
    NOW, if you use the AE to extend your signal, I don't have any solution for you, but if you use it only to AIRPLAY, this message is for you.
    LUCK!!!!!

  • Airport express 4th generation connecting nas

    I'm looking to buy a airport express and wd my book live to stream all my media to different devices. I currently have a extreme and will be using the express to extend my network, as I have a black spot in my office. I would like to know will it be possible to plug the nas to the express' Ethernet port?
    Thanks.

    I would like to know will it be possible to plug the nas to the express' Ethernet port?
    Yes. When the Express is configured to "Extend a wireless network", the Ethernet port on the device is enabled.
    Keep in mind that you will not attain normal Ethernet communication speeds since the speed of the Ethernet port will be limited by the quality of the wireless connection between the AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express.
    In other words, the NAS will likely operate much slower connected to the Express that it would if it was connected directly to an Ethernet port on the AirPort Extreme.

  • Airport Express terribly slow between two Macs

    I have an Airport Express hooked up to a cable connection, and then a Mac Pro, a MacBook and a Boxee box connected wirelessly.
    When downloading files from the web, both of the Macs max out at the cable connections circa 1500kb/sec, but when trying to copy a (big) file from the Mac Pro to the MacBook, I keep seeing speeds in the range of 400-500kb/sec.
    I have the same problem of insufficient speeds when trying to view high def. media on the Boxee box (streamed from the Mac Pro).
    For some reason, when copying a file between the two Macs but in opposite direction, from the MacBook to the Mac Pro, I get around 1800kb/sec. Not sure how this compares to what I should be seeing on a all-N network. Mac Pro is set up with SMB file sharing, if that could have an effect.
    All devices are 802.11n compliant, and I even switched the Airport Express to force-run in N-mode just to be safe.
    Distances are not that far, and both Macs get the full 4 bars of signal strength.
    Any clues? Thanks in advance

    I have an Airport Express hooked up to a cable connection, and then a Mac Pro, a MacBook and a Boxee box connected wirelessly.
    When downloading files from the web, both of the Macs max out at the cable connections circa 1500kb/sec, but when trying to copy a (big) file from the Mac Pro to the MacBook, I keep seeing speeds in the range of 400-500kb/sec.
    I have the same problem of insufficient speeds when trying to view high def. media on the Boxee box (streamed from the Mac Pro).
    For some reason, when copying a file between the two Macs but in opposite direction, from the MacBook to the Mac Pro, I get around 1800kb/sec. Not sure how this compares to what I should be seeing on a all-N network. Mac Pro is set up with SMB file sharing, if that could have an effect.
    All devices are 802.11n compliant, and I even switched the Airport Express to force-run in N-mode just to be safe.
    Distances are not that far, and both Macs get the full 4 bars of signal strength.
    Any clues? Thanks in advance

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