question on Airport Extreme Base connection

[California]

Trying to hook up a refurb AEB station.

I am confused. WHy does Apple continue to ship phone lines with their computers and, now, this base station?

Frankly, I gave away my last ethernet cord to a friend and, from the looks of it, i can't set up this base station to my DSL wireless station without one? I'm just trying to hook up a printer to it.

What good is that phone line? I don't get it and there is no place to plug it in on the DSL station. There is a reverse usb port out and an ethernet port on the wireless DSL station, but that's it.

Anyone got anything as I don't have an ethernet cable!!! Just the dumb phone cable from Apple!

 

[skunk]

The stupid phone cable is for when you're using the base station as a modem. It's not really a router at all. Why do you need it as well as the wireless set-up you already have?

 

[California]

The stupid phone cable is for when you're using the stupid base station as a stupid modem.

The base station is not dumb or stupid, it's lovely.

Any hints on how to do this tonight?

 

[mad jew]

You shouldn't need a cable. If you connect to the AirPort, you can then configure it using either AirPort Setup Assistant or AirPort Admin Utility in the Utilities folder.

 

[skunk]

True enough. That would work for the printer.

 

[California]

You shouldn't need a cable. If you connect to the AirPort, you can then configure it using either AirPort Setup Assistant or AirPort Admin Utility in the Utilities folder.

I think I'm confused and tired.

I just realized, I think I can hook it up to any phone line in the house because it has the internet connection in the phone (DSL) lines?

 

[skunk]

I think I'm confused and tired.

I just realized, I think I can hook it up to any phone line in the house because it has the internet connection in the phone (DSL) lines?

I think that's what I was trying to say: the AEB is a modem. If it's the right kind, you should be able to use it instead of the present wireless set-up, unless that has extra ethernet ports you need.

 

[mad jew]

Nah, you'll need a DSL modem between the compatible phone line and the base station. The internal modem in the AirPort is only for dialup connections, not broadband. Maybe we should start at the beginning.

Are you replacing a current wireless router? Are you wanting this router to redistribute your internet connection? Once we've got this established, setting the printer up should be a piece of cake.

 

[California]

I think that's what I was trying to say: the AEB is a modem. If it's the right kind, you should be able to use it instead of the present wireless set-up, unless that has extra ethernet ports you need.

Yes, thx, it does have the ethernet ports needed but I don't have the ethernet wire. (Gave my 100 foot one to my sister for her G3 iMac).

I just plugged in the (maybe not dumb now) phone cord into the special dsl plug my phones have to use. I have no idea if this will work until I try to hook up the printer.

 

[skunk]

Nah, you'll need a DSL modem between the compatible phone line and the base station. The internal modem in the AirPort is only for dialup connections, not broadband. Maybe we should start at the beginning.

Are you replacing a current wireless router? Are you wanting this router to redistribute your internet connection? Once we've got this established, setting the printer up should be a piece of cake.

There is an AEB model with an ADSL modem in it, isn't there? We need to know which model it is.

 

[mad jew]

Don't worry about the printer just yet. You need a DSL modem if you're going to use your DSL connection with the AirPort. Do you have one? How do you usually connect to the 'net? The AirPort will connect to the net in a similar way to your current computer(s), so if they use a standalone modem, then the AirPort needs one too. Plugging the phone cable directly into the router will just let you use your dialup connection only, unless you have a modem inbuilt into your house somewhere.

There is an AEB model with an ADSL modem in it, isn't there? We need to know which model it is.

I'm pretty sure that's just a regular dialup modem.

 

[skunk]

You're right. I'm talking bollocks.

 

[California]

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore?productLearnMore=M8799LL/A

That's it. I am completely dumb about this stuff. All I know is I hooked up my mom's airport extreme base station (with an ethernet cord) to her cable internet connection that did not have wireless.

I have DSL wireless from SBC now AT&T. If I had my old ethernet cable, I'd be doing fine, I think. I have no idea if the Airport base station can be used off the phone line or not, too tired to figure it out... but it is all plugged in that way now.

 

[mad jew]

Mate, how do you currently get the internet? What is your current setup? If you have DSL, then I'm guessing there's a modem somewhere with an ethernet cable plugged into either a wired router or a computer. Is there?

 

[California]

Mate, how do you currently get the internet? What is your current setup? If you have DSL, then I'm guessing there's a modem somewhere with an ethernet cable plugged into either a wired router or a computer. Is there?

I've got four macs here currently. One powermac G4 733 with an airport card, one mac mini with ae, one powerbook 12" with ae, one iMac G3 with no connection (tho I could hook it up to the DSL router thing with the usb connection it has and a usb cable.)

I'm on the mac mini now, wireless.

Well there is no "bonjour printing" option on the printer page, so I guess I just need to pony up for an ethernet cable tomorrow.

 

[dextertangocci]

You can plug a regular telephone line in to it, and then go into airport admin utility, and go under the internet settings and change it to "connect with v90 modem". If you want dsl, you need to connect an ethernet cable from your dsl router to the AE base station. You can also use it to bridge the signal from another AE base station.

You can connect a USB or ethernet printer to it

 

[mad jew]

So you have a wireless network already? If so, don't worry about connecting the AirPort to the wall, just try connecting it to the current wireless network. Run the AirPort Setup Assistant and it'll guide you through quite nicely.

 

[California]

I got it. Thanks guys. Now I know why I did call my sister to try to get the 100 foot ethernet cable back from her. (It may have been a 50 footer, it was long.) And she had it all installed nicely by her cableguy around doorways and such. Will have to get another one to make this worthwhile...

Thanks and g'night guys. MJ, you need to get paid for all the Macadvice you give.

 

[mad jew]

Mate, I don't reckon you need the cable. Hook the router up to your current network and you'll be able to surf the 'net and print from any of the computers that are connected (wireless or wired). Here's the guide for doing it with an Express. The method is very similar for an Extreme (I think).

 

[California]

MJ! this is what I THOUGHT AEBS's were all about originally. Just never had one to play with. So I don't need the ethernet cable if I configure it as a client of the wireless router! YEA!

 

[mad jew]

Yeah, that's how my second Express is set up. If the original wireless router on the network is an Apple or a Linksys, then it'll extend the range of the network too.

 

[California]

Well, it's a phone company wireless router, but I just wanted to get my printer in a safer place, so happyday. Thanks MJ!

 

[mad jew]

No worries mate.

Add the printer this way, and install Bonjour for Windows on the PCs to ensure they can also connect to it easily.

 

[California]

No worries mate.

Add the printer this way, and install Bonjour for Windows on the PCs to ensure they can also connect to it easily.

PCs?

I have not touched a PC, but for one time last year with a Dell, since the mid 80s.

No PCland here. Having trouble with Apple.com's instructions. They make it clear on the A Express page but not so clear on the Airport Extreme base station as a client.

 

[mad jew]

Cool.


Adding the printer should be as simple as this:

• Connect the printer to the USB port on the base station.
• On a computer on the AirPort network, open Printer Setup Utility, located in Applications/Utilities, and select your printer from the list.
• If the printer is not listed, click Add, and then choose Rendezvous from the pop-up menu.
• Select your printer and click Add.
• All computers on the AirPort network select the printer the same way.