Airport express problem

RATM

Got an Airport Express and seem to be having a few small problems. So I connected it to the router with a yellow data cable (lan cable I think) and then set up the network via the iPad and also set up the iPhone on it too.

So the Airport Express sets up its own wifi signal. When I connect to this and play Youtube I get the symbol to play through the speakers which it does without problem. But then if I navigate to another app like a news site or similar it is not refreshing the stories, i.e. it is behaving as if it is offline. To get back online I have to switch the wifi network back to what is coming from the router but the problem now is the music going to the speakers via the Airport then knocks off. I must mention that the ethernet cable is no connected between the router and airport unit, I only used it to set up- is it supposed to be connected all the time ?

The other problem is printing, I connected the USB cable from the printer to the Airport express, then opened Safari and go to print but it only searches for an Airprint printer. Is it not possible to print from the ipad using USB from the printer to the airport express ? Is there a workaround or an app that will facilitate it ?

Thanks for any help, scratching my head here

flyguy

Just to be clear you have an airport express, not a time capsule?
I don't really get what you want from it, an airport express is a router, how do you expect it to work if you don't have it connected to modem/router that you already have? If you do this with using wifi you can only use it as a printer server; Plug in your printer and print over the existing network, as usual printer needs to be compatible and setup can be found on apple.com or use google.
What you probably want to do is put the router/modem that you have in bridged mode and connect it (yes with the cable) to the airport express. Then you can use this as your new wifi network (and print server).
I've recently done this myself with the new 3TB time capsule and a upc modem. Have greatly improved stability and WIFI.
Just to clear up the confusion, what you have now is 2 wifi networks; one connected to the Internet but not to your airplay devices so AirPlay won't work, the other one is connected to your AirPlay devices, but not to the Internet....
Btw from what I understand is you can't use the airport express as a wifi repeater (that would solve the problem) unless its repeating from another apple router....

Zcott

flyguy wrote: »

Btw from what I understand is you can't use the airport express as a wifi repeater (that would solve the problem) unless its repeating from another apple router....

This is correct.

OP, what do you want to achieve with the airport express?

keith_d99

Zcott wrote: »

This is correct.

OP, what do you want to achieve with the airport express?

Not entirely .... it does work as a repeater with some routers.
Apple say it doesn't but it is known to work with some makes of router

OP sounds like you got an express for Airplay. You have 2 wifi networks going at the mo .... one with internet access (the original one) and one without internet access.

You can either:
1. Run an ethernet cable from your original router to the airport express. This will bring internet access to the aiport wifi network. You can disable wireless on your old router/modem

2. Try set up the airport express in repeater mode (extend a wifi network). This may or may not work based on the make and model of your router.
If it doesn't, you are left with option 1

Graham

Option 3, a pair of cheap powerline adapters to relay an ethernet connection over your domestic power cables. Works really well when wireless isn't an option and you don't want ethernet cables dragging across the house.

RATM

Thanks for the replies lads. Yeah what I'm hoping to achieve is to be able to print a page from an ipad mini to a Canon printer via the Airport Express. And also the ability to play music wirelessly onto the main house speakers.

So I get what you guys are saying about me now running 2 wifi networks. But will connecting the lan cable between the router and the airport express on its own bridge the signal or is there something I need to do to put it onto bridging mode ?

Also regards the printing- should I just go to Canon's website and download their printer driver onto the Ipad, the connect the USB cable from printer to Airport express- am I missing any other steps here ?

Sad Professor

You can't install third party drivers on the iPad. So unless it is an AirPrint compatible printer, no.

Zcott

The slightly more expensive option is to replace your current router with an AirPort Extreme so you can use the express as a repeater. Also, Sad Professor is right, your printer will need to be an AirPrint enabled one, and if it is, you won't need to wire it in. It'll work wirelessly.

culabula

RATM wrote: »

Thanks for the replies lads. Yeah what I'm hoping to achieve is to be able to print a page from an ipad mini to a Canon printer via the Airport Express. And also the ability to play music wirelessly onto the main house speakers.

So I get what you guys are saying about me now running 2 wifi networks. But will connecting the lan cable between the router and the airport express on its own bridge the signal or is there something I need to do to put it onto bridging mode ?

Also regards the printing- should I just go to Canon's website and download their printer driver onto the Ipad, the connect the USB cable from printer to Airport express- am I missing any other steps here ?

First of all, it's best to connect the Airport Express (APX) by cable to your router and then make the APX your default wifi network. This avoids all problems with Apple gear and ensures that Airplay and other facilities just work.

You can then choose to either simply turn off wifi on your existing router or put it into "modem mode" if such is offered.

Your new and only wifi network is that offered by the APX.

As for wifi printing you need to look at the following: either your printer is an AirPrint printer in which case you can go ahead and print or Canon offer an app that effectively enables same (the likes of Epson do this).

If neither of these apply to you, there are 3rd-party solutions which you install on you Mac or PC and which then enable de facto AirPrint -the only thing is that your computer must be up, running and connected to the same wifi network.