airport express

ene

hi,

i just bought a airport express to connect my printer to my wireless network.

i have a macbook air and i have been trying to set it up to use the existing network (my current wifi)

i was wondering have i been doing this completely wrong?

it keeps saying a error has occurred, i have reset it and taken the power off it a couple of times and still i cannot figure out how to connect it right!

can anybody please help? its doing my head in!

Type 17

What's your current router, that's providing the wi-fi network?

If it's not an Airport unit, then you'd be better off bridging it (assuming it's a broadband modem/router unit), or at least turning off its wi-fi and connecting the Airport Express to it by Ethernet.

If you bridge the modem, set the AEX to Connect via PPPoE and set the Wi-fi mode to Create a Network, and if you don't bridge it, set the AEX to Connect via Ethernet and Connection Sharing mode to Bridged.

ene

i was trying to connect it via wifi as the actual broadband modem is downstairs and the printer is upstairs

is this possible?

Type 17

In theory, yes, but whether you can use the AEX to connect your laptop to the printer depends on whether the router:

Has the right ports open
Can have the right ports opened, if they're closed now
Wants to play nicely with the AEX
etc…

Set the AEX to Join a Network, and tick the Allow Wireless Clients box to improve coverage upstairs.

ene

sorry for being a idiot, but can you explain the steps step by step

Type 17

The best thing to do is let someone else do it with pics - link. The set-up is for adding an AEX to an existing network, here's another one, describing setting up an Airport device to create a new network of its own.

I've used a links to old set-ups, showing the older hardware and the older Airport Utility App - the older version (5.6) is better than the current dumbed-down rubbish (version 6.1), which doesn't give you half the options that the hardware is capable of.

Link to Airport Utility 5.6

ene

ok i downloaded airport utility 5.6 and went through all the steps to join a new network, i have the printers usb plugged into aex and still no joy

any other hints or have i just wasted 100euro?

Type 17

Suggestion: delete any instances of the printer off your Mac, plug the printer in to the Mac and add it to the print setup while it's connected via the cable, and then plug the printer back into the AEX and then try printing.

ene

sorry fpr being annoying, how would i do that??

i thought i knew lots about computers and now i am having my doubts!