Set up Airport Express and third-party wireless

Mar 09, '05 09:42:00AM

Contributed by: jfarb

This hint will help you set up the Airport Express to join an existing wireless network, extend an existing wireless network, and broadcast AirTunes all wirelessly on a Mac.

Read the rest of the hint for the steps...

Here's how to set it up...

  1. Connect the AirPort Express directly to the wireless router via an Ethernet cable.
  2. Use the Airport Express signal as the Internet signal for surfing.
  3. Open Airport Admin Utility
  4. Scan for a signal and modify the Airport Express you are currently using.
  5. Select Join an existing network (under wireless mode)
  6. Change the 'Wireless Network' to the wireless router you would like the Airport express to join (ie NETGEAR -- this is the SSID name of the wireless router you are joining).
  7. Enable AirTunes on the Airport Express.
  8. Reboot the computer
  9. Disconnect the Airport Express so only one wireless signal will be visible.
  10. Unplug the Airport Express and plug it back in.
  11. Now you can transfer music from iTunes to the Airport Express and/or print wirelessly
To Extend the range of the internet signal you are using with Airport Express, do this:
  1. Open Airport Setup Assistant and change the existing network
  2. Scan for wireless signals; the Airport Express signal from the existing network will become valid through the SSID of the original wireless router (ie NETGEAR).
  3. Click on the 'Start Again' button on the bottom of the configuration screen of the wireless router (ie NETGEAR).
  4. Select 'Extend the range of my Airport network.'
  5. Finish the Setup Assistant, and you're all set ... it's that easy.
[robg adds: I haven't tested this one at all. A similar hint may also provide useful info, but some comments indicated that it didn't work as described ... hence I chose to run this one as well.]

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