08-24-2009, 10:03 PM

Need a bit of advice. I have a wired PC - PC connected to my cable modem (Cox is the ISP) via ethernet cable - and I'm trying to hook up my new iMac.

I've purchased Airport Express and understand it is a wireless router.
The instructions explain to hook the ethernet cable from the cable modem to Airport Express.

The modem has only one ethernet cable port.

How do I get the PC and iMac to connect to the internet via my cable modem?

I'm obviously new to Macs and new to wireless ... so keep it simple please.

Thanks.

08-24-2009, 10:47 PM

Is the PC wireless capable? if not then the best deal is get that set up for wireless and run both PC and iMac wirelessly off the Express, as the single ethernet lead will connect modem to express.

08-24-2009, 11:24 PM

If your talking about the Airport Extreme Base Station (AEBS), you want to connect your cable modem to the port on the back marked WAN/Internet. This is the first ethernet port on the left (going from left to right).

For your PC (and Mac if you want to run wired), they can be plugged into any of the four ports to the right of the port you used for your cable modem.

For wireless you would need to create a wireless network when you configure your AEBS, then, you would simply connect each of your wireless clients to the new network you just created.

The AEBS setup instructions are pretty straightforward on how to create/setup the network.

So, what you are doing is removing the direct connection from your PC to the cable modem and plugging in the AEBS base station to the cable modem. The AEBS then provides connectivity to the machines on your network.

08-25-2009, 03:03 AM

Originally Posted by Collin Bl

Is the PC wireless capable? if not then the best deal is get that set up for wireless and run both PC and iMac wirelessly off the Express, as the single ethernet lead will connect modem to express.

Thanks Collin. Yes my PC is wireless capable ... I thought intuitively that would be a solution ... just wanted someone more hardware tech-savvy to confirm it.
best, pen

08-25-2009, 03:07 AM

Originally Posted by wmprice1240

If your talking about the Airport Extreme Base Station (AEBS), you want to connect your cable modem to the port on the back marked WAN/Internet. This is the first ethernet port on the left (going from left to right).

For your PC (and Mac if you want to run wired), they can be plugged into any of the four ports to the right of the port you used for your cable modem.

For wireless you would need to create a wireless network when you configure your AEBS, then, you would simply connect each of your wireless clients to the new network you just created.

The AEBS setup instructions are pretty straightforward on how to create/setup the network.

So, what you are doing is removing the direct connection from your PC to the cable modem and plugging in the AEBS base station to the cable modem. The AEBS then provides connectivity to the machines on your network.

Hi. No didn't get AEBS - got Airport Express - seemed like it would do the trick for my needs. You seem to know your way around this issue tho ... so thanks for your help.
best.

08-25-2009, 05:30 AM

Originally Posted by penaz

How do I get the PC and iMac to connect to the internet via my cable modem?

I'm obviously new to Macs and new to wireless ... so keep it simple please.

Thanks.

When doing set up best to connect iMac to Express with ethernet cable to complete the config - if u got it used then do a factory reset and start from there. It can take a while for express to show up in Airport Utility when u are doing config so don't expect instant action. Go into Sys Prefs/Network/ and airport to select airport icon to show in menubar