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nickamat · Mar 12, 2003, 05:06 PM

Hi.
I'm just about to buy a new 12" PB, which will be my first Mac. However, I have a couple of networking questions. I would like to create a wireless network between my Windows XP Home PC, and the new PB. First of all, which WAP should I get, to go with my Airport extreme card in the PB? My internet connection (dial up, rural area)is on my XP box, and it needs to be accessed from the Mac wirelessly. And, the WAP will be connected to my PC by ethernet. How is this configured in OSX and XP? Plus, I have a Canon S520 printer connected via USB to my PC that I would like to share.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

Matthew

jdhindes · Mar 12, 2003, 07:17 PM

I have almost the exact same scenario you describe (the only exception is the type of printer). I have a Pc running Windows XP Home, a Pc running Windows Me, and a 12" Powerbook with 2 printers connected to the 2 Pc's all working wirelessly through an Airport Extreme Base Station. My new Powerbook has an Airport Extreme Card in it. I live in a rural area that ONLY has dial-up. The airport was easy to set-up so that when one of the Pc's tries to access the internet, it dials for them. The printers were set up using IP Printing--the IP address of each of the PC's they are connected to. I also have been able to share files all across my home network back and forth. All of this took a little research, but it does work and works well. I highly recommend the Airport for its ease of use and very easy to setup. One of the Pc's is connected directly to the airport with a Cat V patch cable and the other Pc is connected wirelessly using an USB wireless box made by Compaq.

Good luck - hope this helps you. It can be done and will work!

nickamat · Mar 12, 2003, 08:19 PM

Hey jhindes:

What model of the Airport Base Station do you have?

Thanks.
- Matthew

Originally posted by jdhindes:
I have almost the exact same scenario you describe (the only exception is the type of printer). I have a Pc running Windows XP Home, a Pc running Windows Me, and a 12" Powerbook with 2 printers connected to the 2 Pc's all working wirelessly through an Airport Extreme Base Station. My new Powerbook has an Airport Extreme Card in it. I live in a rural area that ONLY has dial-up. The airport was easy to set-up so that when one of the Pc's tries to access the internet, it dials for them. The printers were set up using IP Printing--the IP address of each of the PC's they are connected to. I also have been able to share files all across my home network back and forth. All of this took a little research, but it does work and works well. I highly recommend the Airport for its ease of use and very easy to setup. One of the Pc's is connected directly to the airport with a Cat V patch cable and the other Pc is connected wirelessly using an USB wireless box made by Compaq.

Good luck - hope this helps you. It can be done and will work!

jdhindes · Mar 13, 2003, 07:08 AM

Originally posted by nickamat:
Hey jhindes:

What model of the Airport Base Station do you have?

Thanks.
- Matthew

I have an Airport Extreme with a modem built-in. (Sorry I didn't give you this information the first time.)

Jim

cube4all · Mar 13, 2003, 07:53 AM

hi, I also have WinXP Home with 12"PB (This must be some trend here), and I am new to the Mac world. I have also purchased the Airport Extreme Base and Card for the PB. Now, I understand that you can access the internet through the airport with an ADSL ETHERNET modem, but is it possible for my PC to access Internet through USB, and then the PB would share the connection? I would hate to buy another modem, especially since my local BB provider is suggesting modem costing 200Bucks. Thanks for the advice in advance.

nickamat · Mar 13, 2003, 04:12 PM

Hey, thanks for the replies so far.
Ok, here's another question. Can I get by without the internal modem in the AirPort and using the one in my XP box, which will connect directly to the AirPort via Ethernet? Also, what settings need to be changed in XP to recognize Mac, and vice-versa? Any info will help.

- Matthew

jdhindes · Mar 15, 2003, 10:05 AM

I didn't have to change any settings on the Win XP machine--Just make sure the file and print sharing is turned on (in the TCIP settings on the Win machine) and also turned on in the mac. There is also a setting on the mac (I believe it's in the login under system preferences or in the network area on the mac that allows a win machine to login to the mac and vice versa.) Then on the Windows machine I just went to My network and did a search for the mac IP address that the airport assigns automatically and clicked on the icon after WinXP found the mac on the network, logged in and it worked. I even created a shortcut on my Win machine to login to my mac. I also created an alias on the desktop of the mac to login to my Win XP harddrive. (Go to connect to network under the Go menu on the finder) Again you can do a search by IP address (this time on the mac type in the IP address of the Win machine you are looking for) and it will connect. I had to work with this, but once it worked, it has continuously worked.) Of course your Win machine has to be powered up for the mac to see the hard drive and vice vesa. Hope this helps.

As far as the question about the modem, I never used my mac with any other modem except the built-in modem on the airport.

Jim