Comcast Internet, wireless network with Airport Extreme and Airport Express(es)

[mtimberg]

My goal is to have two sets of wireless speakers and a hard drive set up on a wireless network so I can access them from my MacBook. The problem that I'm running into is that the internet is first running through my wireless router provided from Comcast, AND I have people in my townhouse that use the wireless internet also. The way I thought it should be set up was as follows: cable wire to Comcast wireless router, ethernet cable from Comast router to Airport Extreme and Airport Expresses connected to their necessary speaker systems. The Airport expresses have been formatted to connect to the Airport Extreme, but I've understood that Comcast has a maximum allowable "units" at 5. When I connect the Airport Extreme to the Comcast router, am I just checking off each of the 5 "units" as they communicate with the Extreme.

I've thought that I can't connect to the Comcast internet wirelessly AND the Airtunes at the same time, so is there a installation format for the extreme that would allow me to do all of this at once?

 

[eric]

comcast would have no idea how many machines are accessing the network. they just know the MAC address of your modem, and the bandwitdth allowed and used. there might be a limitation in the airport. unless your comcast equpiment is different than mine, but i'm guessing you have a coax cable going to the back of a modem that has an ethernet and maybe usb connection on it, and that the ethernet cable from the modem goes directly to your airport - and that should be the bottleneck as that is actually your router.

how many others are using your wireless?

 

[mtimberg]

I have a PC desktop hardwired from the comcast router (yes, I'm slowly transitioning off the PC), then there's my MacBook via wireless, and there's a pc desktop and pc laptop upstairs accessing via wireless.

My landlord was on the phone with the Comcast help desk and Comcast had listed off the names of my airport expresses and my airport extreme, so they must know who's on the network.

 

[mr.tedean]

I also have a problem with my Comcast modem + airport extreme. If I plug my airport extreme right into my modem - it does seem to connect (light turns green), but my computers don't find it - no internet access.... however, if I plug a router into the Comcast modem and then the airport out of the modem - no problem!! Any suggestions?

 

[kilo15]

I have the express plugged into my comcast modem and it plays itunes not problem. I can also surf at the same time. In fact thats what I am doing now.

BTW I have never in my life seen customer service as bad as comcast. They know nothing. They think I have 2 modems and three routers.

 

[kilo15]

any updates?

 

[jaynorris]

cable wire to Comcast wireless router
ethernet cable from Comast router --> Airport Extreme and Airport Expresses.

The Airport expresses have been formatted to connect to the Airport Extreme, but I've understood that Comcast has a maximum allowable "units" at 5.[\QUOTE]

I see a problem possibly. Typically the Comcast device is a "Glorified Ethernet Modem", with input of COAX, and output of Ethernet. Does you Cable Modem have more than one Ethernet port?

Even so, NAT should fix all this... Say even your Comcast Modem has more than one port, you can assign the AP Extreme to use the gateway or static IP of the modem, or set the AP Extreme automatically with DHCP. Might have to try to restart the Modem then AP Extreme to ensure the DHCP is being sent to the AP Extreme. If this does not prove to work manually input the IP of the Comcast modem... Mine was 192.168.1.100, but that was a long time ago - Motorolla Surfboard 6200. Hopefully at this point your AP Extreme should be talking to Modem. Then have the AP Express to use the gateway of the AP Extreme (192.168.1.1). This should almost be automatic, but might be required to be plugged in.

Unless I'm missing something, or lost the concept of what your trying to do this fore mentioned would be my starting point.

Good luck,
-Jay