Using Airport Extreme instead of Airport Card

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Hello,

I would like to know if it is possible to use the Airport Extreme instead of an internal Airport Card to connect to the internet.

Here is the step-up I have and here what I'd like to do.

My DSL connection is in the living room of my apartment. Connected to the modem in that room is the "kiss-shaped" Airport. My wife uses this as her wireless internet connection for her laptop around the apartment. (This Airport is not physically connected to any computer).

I have my desktop in another room where I work. It is an Intel Mac without a Airport Card. I purchased a new Airport Extreme to use to receive an internet signal from the Airport that is connected to the DSL modem in the other room to have internet on my desktop however I have not been able to receive a signal through the new Airport Extreme. Can this be done and how do I set it up?

I have gone through the Airport Utility settings five times and there is no connection. I'm usually pretty good at figuring these things out however this has me stumped.

I pretty much would like to use the Airport Extreme that I have connected to my desktop as I would an internal Airport Card. Possible? It seems that it should be.

Can anyone help me?

Thank you.
 

dtravis7


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What Intel Mac do you own? All Intel Macs except some Mac Pros have an Airport Extreme card built in. You said Desktop Mac. Is it a Mac Pro?

What is this Airport Extreme you purchased? A Card? A Router with lights on the front and jacks on the back?

If you bought the Airport Extreme router (new N Base Station) the only way it could work for you in that way is either if it was wired to the old Apple Spaceship looking one, or you set it up as a Wireless Bridge. I know for sure you can use an Airport Express as a Wireless Bridge but not sure on the extreme.

Edit: Very few normal routers allow you to set them up as a Wireless Bridge that I have messed with. I converted a older Linksys WRT54GL using DD-WRT Firmware to a Wireless Bridge. It picks up the Wifi signal from the main router and connects to the computer next to it. Like I said, I the Airport Express (The little one for sharing music all over your house) according to all I have read will work at a Wireless Bridge.

Do write back and let us know if you are doing what I think you are trying to do.
 
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My Mac Pro is a Dual-Core Xeon 2.66 GHz - about two and a half years old. I purchased the new Airport Extreme - white, short square box with the green, amber lights on the front.

Yes, I believe that I'm trying to do what you wrote - to be sure:

- The DSL connection is in one room.

- My old Airport is in another room connected to a DSL modem which feeds a signal to our laptops wirelessly (no other computer is connected via DSL cables).

- My Desktop is in a third room connected to the extreme Airport Extreme (not connected to the DSL modem) - this is the system I'd like to receive the wireless internet connection.

I'd like to have the two Airports communicate (bridge them together), the Airport in one room (connected to the modem) with the Airport in the other room (connected to my Desktop.)

Thanks for your reply and hope this works!
 
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Mac Pros do not necessarily come with an Airport Card fitted as standard. Go into Apple System Profiler 'About this Mac" > More Info > Network > Airport and see if an Extreme card is actually fitted.
 

dtravis7


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Ivan, Here in 10.5.8 Leopard the Airport Utility is a bit different in the location of things like WDS. Here is from the help file. Have not checked Snow Leopard as yet but here is the info just in case his Airport Utility is like this one..... One quick question, which OSX are you running? The Airport utility in the URL Ivan so kindly provided looks like Tiger. Things are different in Leopard. That way if you get stuck one of us can help you.


Extending the range of an 802.11n network
AirPort Utility makes it simple to extend the range of an 802.11n network if you’re connecting another 802.11n base station or a Time Capsule. Connecting two 802.11n devices greatly simplifies the WDS setup process.

To extend the range of an 802.11n network:

Open AirPort Utility and select the base station or the Time Capsule that will connect to the Internet.

Click Manual Setup. Enter the base station password if necessary.

Click AirPort in the toolbar, and then click Wireless.

Choose “Create a wireless network” from the Wireless Mode pop-up menu, and then select the “Allow this network to be extended” checkbox.

Next, select the device that will extend this network, and then click Manual Setup. Enter the password if necessary.

Choose “Extend a wireless network” from the Wireless Mode pop-up menu, and then choose the network you want to extend from the Network Name pop-up menu.

Enter the network and device password if necessary.

If you are extending the range of a wireless network that’s using 802.11g or 802.11b, check the Apple Support Website.
 
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dtravis - That is an older version but it does show that "kiss" setup. I actually haven't found an update on the apple site.

Good point about OS versions. I checked Snow Leopard 10.6.4 and your updated instructions are still valid.

Also - I noticed in later versions of Airport utility (I'm running 5.5.1) - you can double click on the device - instead of clicking manual setup. This will open a new window for that device. This is useful when configuring multiple devices - such as when you are setting up a WDS.
 
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Is there a phone jack in the room where you have the desktop? You could just move the dsl modem into that room and use the new airport extreme for both of your computers.
 

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