Airport can't connect

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spigi@excite.com - 20 Feb 2005 20:13 GMT

Hi All,

I am helping my brother-in-law set up his Airport Express Base
Station, but we are not having any luck. We are trying to set up the
airport as a node on a wireless network. We are using a D-Link DI-624
wireless router that is connected via an ethernet cable (ie wired).
Everything on this machine works fine.

The Airport does not show up in the router as being connected. It does
show up on another machine in the house which connects to the network
via a wireless card.

Although I have not been able to find explicit mention anywhere, I am
beginning to believe that the Airport cannot function as a node on a
wireless network but must be paired with a computer with a wireless
card. Is this correct?

Thanks,

Spigi

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Tom Stiller - 20 Feb 2005 20:48 GMT

> Hi All,
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> wireless network but must be paired with a computer with a wireless
> card. Is this correct?

Follow the instructions in the "Connecting to an Existing Wireless
Network " section of the setup manual for the AirPort Express. Visit
<http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/airport/AirPortExpress_0342513SU.pdf>
if you don't have a manual.

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Tom Stiller

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Andy - 20 Feb 2005 22:11 GMT

> Follow the instructions in the "Connecting to an Existing Wireless
> Network " section of the setup manual for the AirPort Express. Visit
> <http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/airport/AirPortExpress_0342513SU.pdf>
> if you don't have a manual.

Thanks for your reply. We tried following the instructions in the
manual, but the setup assistant claims some third party software is
running the network and halts. I tried it with the firewall software
disabled, but still got the same results.

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Tom Stiller - 20 Feb 2005 22:52 GMT

> > Follow the instructions in the "Connecting to an Existing Wireless
> > Network " section of the setup manual for the AirPort Express. Visit
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> running the network and halts. I tried it with the firewall software
> disabled, but still got the same results.

Didn't you say that you were using a D-Link DI-624 wireless router?
That would seem to imply that some third party software is running the
network.

You might try connecting the AirPort Express and the Mac directly with
an ethernet cable and configuring the AirPort without the third party
network in the loop. All macs sold in the last couple of years have
auto-sensing ethernet ports, so a "crossover" cable is not required.

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Tom Stiller

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Neill Massello - 20 Feb 2005 22:53 GMT

> I am helping my brother-in-law set up his Airport Express Base
> Station, but we are not having any luck. We are trying to set up the
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> wireless network but must be paired with a computer with a wireless
> card. Is this correct?

The AirPort Express base station only functions in client mode -- as a
node -- on another base station's wireless network for purposes of
iTunes audio streaming or USB printer sharing. It cannot be used to add
wireless connectivity to a computer connected to its Ethernet port. In
client mode, its Ethernet port is only used for configuration. See
<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=108040>.

If the Express is showing up as a separate wireless network on that
other machine with a wireless card, that means it's not operating in
client mode but as a base station. To connect wired (Ethernet) computers
to an existing wireless network, the Express must be used in WDS mode.
Unfortunately, WDS is not yet standardized and generally works only
between access points of the same brand. AFAIK, the Express can only do
WDS with Apple Express or Extreme or Buffalo Technology base stations.

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Andy - 20 Feb 2005 23:24 GMT

Thanks again for your replies...

I'm a little confused, so please bear with me! The D-Link router is
running the network since it's the router. I have a Linksys at home and
it functions the same way. I'm not aware of any other way of setting up
a network (wireless or not). The computer which my brother-in-law wants
to use in conjunction with the Airport is a PC running XP. I'm not sure
if it has SP2. This PC does not have any wireless capability.

I gather from your replies that the Airport should be configured in
client mode (which makes sense). Since my b-i-l doesn't have an
ethernet cable to hand (I would have taken one of my spares over if I
had known) is it possible to set up the Airport as a client over the
wireless network? What program would he use for this? I'm assuming the
setup program would do the trick, but I'm not certain.

Many thanks for your help, it is greatly appreciated!

Spigi

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Neill Massello - 21 Feb 2005 00:37 GMT

> Thanks again for your replies...
>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> wireless network? What program would he use for this? I'm assuming the
> setup program would do the trick, but I'm not certain.

You can configure the Express over its wireless connection if you have
joined its wireless network and if the configuring computer has a recent
version of AirPort Admin Utility installed. It can also be configured
via its Ethernet port, which is a more reliable method. Note that once
the Express has been put into client mode, its Ethernet port will only
be usable for configuring it.

Assuming that the PC has an Ethernet connection to the D-Link router,
the Express running in client mode should appear in iTunes (recent
versions) and should also show up in the D-Link's list of wireless
clients.

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Des O'Donoghue - 21 Feb 2005 16:29 GMT

>>Thanks again for your replies...
>>
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> versions) and should also show up in the D-Link's list of wireless
> clients.

Make sure its the admin utility you use and not the express setup. If
you have WEP that can cause issues - I had to download (just before
Christmas) a newer firmware that improves wep capability.

It may be useful to disconnect your setup PC from your home wireless
network and let it connect to the Express wirlessly, configure the
express to be a client and let it reboot and conenct to your home
network. Its a trivial matter then for your XP machine to connect back
in to your home network (just go to wireless connections).

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Mac Forum / General / Hardware / February 2005

Airport can't connect