Airport Express

[webby]

Hi,

I've just bought an Airport Express and have had a few little problems setting it up. After getting no signal being plugged into the 4 way under my hifi rack, I relocated it to behind and to the side and Bingo, it worked!

Then, the next day, there was no signal. I'm limited as to how far I can move it cos of the length of my interconnects, but no matter which way I turned it, it just refused to connect again.

I've got a Monitor Audio i-deck downstairs and was intrigued as to whether I could use the AE with that, so while it wasn't connecting upstairs I moved it downstairs. I wasn't expecting it to work. For one, it's further away from the Mac and it's between the side of a bookcase and a wall. Anyway, it booted up and connected! Brilliant.

I took it back upstairs and tried it there again. No luck. I wondered if there were some other networks around interfering with it. My router is on channel 6. I believe the AE is on channel 1, so that shouldn't be a problem. iStumbler tells me there are 2 networks close by using channel 1 and 6. I changed my router to channel 11 and the AE connected straight away! :scratch:

I don't know what to conclude from this, and it's working now, but I have a couple of questions:

Is it possible to change the channel on the AE? Edit: I've just noticed that the AE is on the same channel as the router, 11, which probably answers question 2.
Does the AE connect to the Airport card in the mac, or to the router?
I set it up to join my existing network. What is the idea/point of creating a new network?

[Themis]

If you don't have an Airport Base Station, there's no point in creating a new network. The AE should be on your existing network, if you want to connect it easily.
So, the AE should connect to the router, not to the mac's Airport card.

The point/idea of creating a new network is valid only if you have a separate hub/router (like the Airport Base Station).

[SteveW]

You should be able to alter the settings within yor AE.
Go to finder -> utilities-> Airport Utility

Follow the instructions, after highlighting the Airport Express that the utility detects.
If it doesn't detect it, try attaching using a usb cable for the initial set up.

Somewhere along the way it should ask you which router you want the thing to join..and also what you want it to do (ie tick the share airtunes box) and don't tick the printer box if you don't want to use it for this at present.

I have found more reliable by connecting it via cable to start with, and I have 3 running, all connecting to one mac either for itunes or better still for Airfoil where you can play Cog, Spotify etc

good luck

[webby]

Thanks Steve, I think I'm sorted now.

I think changing the router channel from 6 to 11 helped. I think that upstairs the AE is somehow closer to the neighbours network on channel 6, whereas downstairs it wasn't a problem.

Solid connection now since last night.

[Themis]

nice. ;)

11 is a good channel, indeed. A default, usually.

[Werner Berghofer]

Steve,

try attaching using a usb cable for the initial set up
I fear this won’t work. For the initial setup an Ethernet cable should be used to connect the Mac and the Airport Express.

[Labarum]

My son's iPhone has developed a fault but still works as WIFI box.

I have been experimenting with iPeng and it works beautifully with my Squeezebox.

He has an Airport Express, so I thought I might experiment further. I can direct the output form iTunes on my Windows Laptop to the Airport, but would like to direct the audio stream from any Windows program to it. I think there is a free utility that does that? Have I remembered correctly? Where may I find it?

[Beechwoods]

I have found that introducing an AE (and, more recently, a Time Capsule) to my existing network and using it as a wireless extender caused my wireless network to become unreliable. More often than not my laptop would give a 'failed to find wireless network' error, when waking from sleep, and then present my network in a list to choose from. Disabling wireless on the AE / Time Capsule and plugging them in via ethernet resolved the issue. Bit of a PITA with an AE given that being wireless is pretty much the point of it! AE probably plays better with an Airport Base Station but my Netgear router is all set up with encryption, static IP addresses and port forwarding which I'd have to set up again if I were to switch to an Apple wireless router...

[webby]

Try changing the channel your network is on Beechy.

[Beechwoods]

At the mo' I'm not using the AE, but if I do again I will! Time Capsule is quicker via Ethernet anyway, so no wireless extender is OK at the moment :)

I love the Time Capsule by the way. We lost a laptop HD when the laptop was dropped, and while my main machine is backed up to a firewire time machine drive the laptops weren't :( Cost a pretty penny to recover the data. Wireless backup is very cool, and quick, providing the first backup is via Ethernet.

[Alex_UK]

I think there is a free utility that does that? Have I remembered correctly? Where may I find it?

Are you thinking about Twonky Beam which I posted about a couple of months ago, maybe?

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4024&highlight=twonky

Not sure if it works with the Express, of the top of my head... I know it doesn't (yet) do FLAC - not that I use it anyway.

[SteveW]

Steve,

I fear this won’t work. For the initial setup an Ethernet cable should be used to connect the Mac and the Airport Express.

Werner, we have an expression in this country.
'What a plonker'.
Me that is...of course.

You are 100% right, initial connection should be by ethernet.

Another 'senior' moment I fear.

cheers.