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Only one computer will connect to Airport
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placebo1969
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Apr 30, 2004, 05:29 PM
 
Help. I'm at my fiances school (small private) trying to help their computer guy. They have 20 new G4 iBooks with a new Airport Extreme Base Station. The base station is connected to their network which is run by an xServe. This iBook is connected to the Airport, but I can't add any new computers. I noticed that in the Internet Connect program, it says "Connected to SPES Airport". However the other computers say they're connected to Airport, but then in the status is says "Connected to SPES Airport" and "Connect to the Internet via Ethernet" In the Network pane of System Preferences, this computer that works has a IP addy of 192.168.x.x when connected DHCP in the TCP/IP tab. However the computers that don't connect have an IP addy of 10.1.0.x. The Ethernet connection is in the LAN port of the base station. However, when I hook it up the WAN port, I lose the connection on this computer.
     
f1000
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Apr 30, 2004, 05:47 PM
 
1. Plug the Network Ethernet cable into the WAN port.
2. Plug your iBook into the LAN port (turn off the iBook's AirPort card for now).
3. Adjust the settings on your iBook to work with Ethernet, and then see if you can access the base station.

Post back after you've done this.
     
placebo1969  (op)
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Apr 30, 2004, 05:49 PM
 
Originally posted by f1000:
1. Plug the Network Ethernet cable into the WAN port.
2. Plug your iBook into the LAN port (turn off the iBook's AirPort card for now).
3. Adjust the settings on your iBook to work with Ethernet, and then see if you can access the base station.

Post back after you've done this.
I will try this. I think the Ethernet cable into the base station is going through some other router which may be messing things up. Thanks. BRB (hopefully)
     
placebo1969  (op)
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Apr 30, 2004, 05:59 PM
 
Nope, it didn't/wouldn't connect. I even restarted the laptop. Looking at his setup, I see a bunch of Ethernet cables hooked up to an Astante hub (I think), but I don't know where the main network connect is, I guess. I think the school wants to use Airport most of the time, but still have the ability to connect with Ethernet. He's in class right now. Any other suggestions. Thanks.
     
f1000
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Apr 30, 2004, 06:01 PM
 
You might not be able to connect to the Internet, but you should still be able to access the AirPort base station.

You can connect the AirPort base station to any port on the hub (except the uplink port), but the network Administrator may have turned MAC address filtering on somewhere.

Plug your iBook directly into the Asante router and see if you can get the Internet.
     
placebo1969  (op)
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Apr 30, 2004, 06:04 PM
 
Originally posted by f1000:
You might not be able to connect to the Internet, but you should still be able to access the AirPort base station.

You can connect the AirPort base station to any port on the router (except the WAN port), but the Administrator may have MAC address filtering turned on.

Plug your iBook directly into the Asante router and see if you can get the Internet.
Doh!! I forgot to check the Base Station. Will try again.
     
placebo1969  (op)
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Apr 30, 2004, 06:26 PM
 
I give up for now. I found the main connection back to the server/router. When it's in the WAN port of the base station, I can't connect to the Internet. I tried looking for a base station and seems to find it fine (full signal), but the IP addy is 10.0.x.x or something. As soon as I hook the cable to the LAN port, everything works again. Any suggestions or websites would be great. I'm going to enjoy the sun.
     
aaanorton
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Apr 30, 2004, 06:33 PM
 
The AEBS should be connected via its LAN port to any avail port on the switch. Connect to it wirelessly from the iBook. The 10.x.x.x is the default AEBS address range. Once connected to the AEBS, launch the admin tools. Then turn off DHCP serving (I think Apple calls this "share a single IP address" or something). Now the iBook should get an IP in the 192.x.x.x range and you should be set.
     
f1000
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Apr 30, 2004, 06:49 PM
 
Originally posted by aaanorton:
The AEBS should be connected via its LAN port to any avail port on the switch.
According to Apple: The base station uses your Ethernet network to communicate with the Internet through the Ethernet WAN port.

Does using the base station with an Xserve make any difference?
     
aaanorton
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Apr 30, 2004, 08:55 PM
 
No, not using it with a Xserve per se, but there is an existing network there I reckon. He wants to set his AEBS up in bridge mode. This means that it acts basically like an access point. Doing so will mean that the wireless devices get their IPs from the DHCP server at the root of the LAN, be it the Xserve or whatever. The WAN port is for really only for connecting directly to the internet. If there is a LAN or anything else between a router/AP (like the AEBS) and the cable/DSL/whatever modem, the LAN port should be used.
     
f1000
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Apr 30, 2004, 09:55 PM
 
I appreciate the info.
     
placebo1969  (op)
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Apr 30, 2004, 11:56 PM
 
Thanks for the help everyone. I messed with it for a while and gave up. Whenever the other computers had that IP of 10.x.x.x, I couldn't connect. I'm not sure if there where that main Ethernet cable goes to. I believe it goes to a router which may assign its own IP??? I'm not really sure and it's frustrating because this isn't your typical Mac experience. According the AEBS manual, it said to connect to the WAN port, but of course as I already mentioned, that doesn't work.

So why am I able to connect with just the one laptop then? Maybe with a clear mind, I'll be able to figure it out next week.
     
aaanorton
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May 1, 2004, 01:35 PM
 
Originally posted by Karl Snyder:
Thanks for the help everyone. I messed with it for a while and gave up. Whenever the other computers had that IP of 10.x.x.x, I couldn't connect.
Can you be more specific? Couldn't connect to what? The internet? The LAN, a printer? The AEBS?

I'm not sure if there where that main Ethernet cable goes to.
Stop worrying about the "main ethernet cable" because:
a. There's no such thing.
b. If configured properly, any port on any switch on the LAN is perfectly fine. They are all the same.

I believe it goes to a router which may assign its own IP??? I'm not really sure and it's frustrating because this isn't your typical Mac experience. According the AEBS manual, it said to connect to the WAN port, but of course as I already mentioned, that doesn't work.

So why am I able to connect with just the one laptop then? Maybe with a clear mind, I'll be able to figure it out next week.
This really isn't too difficult, considering what you're setting up. Just stop going by the manual, because you are doing a more advanced LAN than what you are reading about. I'd advise you to not use the WAN port on the AEBS. And since you say the WAN port doesn't work anyway, this seems prudent. Try following the instructions in my last post.
     
placebo1969  (op)
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May 1, 2004, 05:10 PM
 
Originally posted by aaanorton:
Can you be more specific? Couldn't connect to what? The internet? The LAN, a printer? The AEBS?



Stop worrying about the "main ethernet cable" because:
a. There's no such thing.
b. If configured properly, any port on any switch on the LAN is perfectly fine. They are all the same.



This really isn't too difficult, considering what you're setting up. Just stop going by the manual, because you are doing a more advanced LAN than what you are reading about. I'd advise you to not use the WAN port on the AEBS. And since you say the WAN port doesn't work anyway, this seems prudent. Try following the instructions in my last post.
Thanks for all the help. Unfortunately, I won't get a chance to look at it until early next week, but I'll work with him on it. Sorry to sound so ignorant. (I guess I am)
     
   
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