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NJRonbo · Jan 10, 2007, 04:37 PM

I just bought a Mac Pro and an Airport Express Base Station.

The reason I bought the base station was so that I could
hook up a printer located in a separate room, wirelessly.

I am a bit confused by what I see in the product link below:

Apple AirPort Express Base Station Reviews. Wireless Access Points Reviews by CNET.

It looks like ONE unit.

Shouldn't there be a transmitter that plugs into my Mac with
the receiver plugging into my printer?

Unless, the Mac transmits via my Linksys wireless router to the
base station plug-in.

Can someone explain if I bought what I should have and includes
everything I need?

mduell · Jan 10, 2007, 05:24 PM

Yes, the Airport Express is one unit. If you want to connect your Mac Pro to a wireless network, you need to buy the Airport card for the Mac Pro.

But it sounds like you already have some sort of network set up with a Linksys wireless router. Will the Airport Express be wired to the Linksys router?

As far as I know, you can't use the Airport Express as a bridge to add a printer to an existing wireless network. You'd need a wireless bridge from your printer manufacturer to do that.

NJRonbo · Jan 10, 2007, 05:30 PM

No, this is what I hope to do...

I have a Wireless network that I used for my PC. It plugged
into a Netgear router via ethernet and since the router was also wireless,
I was able to get wireless broadband for my laptop.

What I need is to add my Printer to my Mac with cables. In other
words, add a Printer to a Wireless Network.

I am *guessing* I just plug the airport base station into the USB
port of the Printer and somehow my Mac will find it?

I *hope* I don't have to buy an additional airport card.

mduell · Jan 10, 2007, 06:57 PM

Before you had a Linksys, now you're talking about a Netgear, so we're up to 3 pieces of wireless networking hardware aside from the computers?

You can't just plug the printer and power into the Airport Express and have the Airport Express join an existing wireless network. Airport Express is an access point, not a client.

You have a few options:
If you can run an ethernet cable from the router that your Mac Pro is plugged into to the area where your printer is, you can use Airport Express or an ethernet print server (from the same company as your printer) to get the printer on the network. Or you can buy a new printer that already has ethernet.
If you can't run an ethernet cable to where the printer is, you need to buy a wireless print server for the printer from the company that made the printer.

NJRonbo · 07:11 PM

My mistake. I recently switched out a Linksys for a Netgear a month ago.
I'm still referring to both. I apologize.

I have a Netgear router hooked up exactly as the Linksys was (see post above)

It's amazing all the different answers I am getting across the various
forums I have posted to.

This is one such reply. Please read:

Macs have, or at least can be configured to have wireless capabilities-- the actual wireless antenna is built into the mac's case. The airport express has a USB port, which can be connected to the printer. It also has an toslink jack, so it can be connected to a stereo.

Here is another reply:

If you already have a Linksysor Netgear wireless router, and your MacPro is networked through it, then you have all the parts. You just set up the Airport Express with the Airport utility to become part of your existing network (wired or wireless through your Linksys/Netgear router), locate it close to your printer, and plug the printer into the USB port. Once it is all done, the printer will show up on your Mac Pro as a network printer.

So, these people are saying that all I need is airport express base station
plugged into my printer and the Mac will transmit to it.

You are saying that I should run an ethernet cable (which is impossible) or buy
a separate wireless print server (I have one that is not compatible).

Which piece of advice is correct?

mduell · Jan 10, 2007, 08:49 PM

The first quote is correct. All Macs have shipped with a wireless antenna installed for some time now. However they do not all ship with the radio installed; in the case of your Mac Pro, you need to purchase that additionally (at the time of purchase or later on).

The second quote is what I disagree with. Apple has some sort of proprietary WDS that works with multiple Airport access points, but it doesn't work with other brands of access points according to Apple. You could easily verify if the second quote is correct by plugging in the Airport Express and seeing what happens. I don't think you'll be able to see it from the Mac Pro to configure it.

I think you should buy a wireless print server from your printer manufacturer rather than buy an Airport Express.

NJRonbo · Jan 11, 2007, 05:22 PM

Mduell,

Since my Mac Pro is still being configured by Apple, I was able
to call them today and add an AIRPORT EXPRESS CARD to the
configuration.

They were very confident that the combination of AIRPORT EXPRESS
CARD and AIRPORT EXPRESS BASE STATION would enable me to use
a printer wirelessly.

Do you tend to agree?

mduell · Jan 11, 2007, 09:23 PM

Yes, it will work.
You'll have two wireless networks in your house: one "hubbed" at the Netgear/Linksys that connects to the internet, your laptops, and your Mac Pro (via wired) and another "hubbed" around the Airport Express that connects to the printer and your Mac Pro.
It's a bit of a kludge, but it absolutely will work.

I think a wireless print server for your printer would be a more cost effective solution and less kludgy (e.g. you could get your laptop on the internet and connected to the printer at the same time) solution, but that's just my two cents.

jbleisure · Jan 12, 2007, 11:41 AM

Don't intend to hijack this thread but it relates to my newest networking challenge. I run a small business (running a C2D iMac) and until recently it was just me - now I have some support from an assistant who is working from my PG G4.

iMac runs through a cable to a one port router and then to the internet. ( and If I want to a separate external airport network that I am allowed access to)

PB connects to the internet via said airport connection.

I want to set up wireless printing
and if I can
a small server/shared hard drive

For wireless printing I think I can get new AirPort Extreme Base Station usb to printer and print from both printers wirelessly via the airport connection (from both computers) to the base station.

Is this so?

For the shared HD I was intending to usb a HD to the AirPort Extreme Base Station and again have both computers access that through the wireless connection to the base station.

Is that right/possible.

This is all quite new to me so the less trail and error - the better.

Thanks

mduell · 09:14 PM

Yes, both computers can access the hardware attached to an Airport Extreme.

jbleisure · Jan 13, 2007, 06:03 AM

Thank you

extramegagyro · Jan 20, 2007, 10:50 AM

http://rgbdream.com/?p=44

This is one example of instructions on how to get the airport express to join an already existing wireless network (this example uses a linksys router). You can find many more examples by searching for "airport express linksys wds"

This should enable you to print off of your airport express while only having one network which both your express and netgear are a part of. It will also act as a bridge for your network which means that it will extend the range.

It's a little tricky, but will save you the pain of switching networks and the $$'s of having to by a full-fledged airport base station from apple.

I've set this up myself as well and it works great, post back if you have any questions.