Airport Extreme Base Station -- Dialing in to get files

[larry98765]

Hi All,

I'm stumped. Apple's docs on AEBS reports:

Modem
If you plan to install your AirPort Extreme Base Station in a location that does not have
a cable or DSL modem for Internet access, you?ll want to get the model that contains
a 56K V.90 modem.

The AirPort Extreme Base Station also lets you dial in to your wireless network.
Suppose, for example, that you?re on the road and you need a file from your desktop
Mac. If your home computer is turned on, ready to share files, and connected to the
Internet via DSL or cable through the WAN port on your modem-equipped base station,
you can simply dial in to the dedicated number for your base station, log in to
the Mac, and retrieve the file. You can also access any other computer on your home
network that?s set up for file sharing.

My question is: If I'm dialing in through the modem to get the file, why does it matter if the AEBS is connected to broadband internet?

 

[g3joel]

Because if it's not connected to broadband, and someone on the other end is using the net via the built in modem, then all you'll get is an engaged signal when you try to call your AEBS.

 

[larry98765]

I guess since I'm the only user of my machine, I didn't interpret Apple's statement the way you did, g3joel. But that would make sense.

But I still feel a bit in the dark about what exactly is possible. Maybe this hypothetical situation will explain what I'm thinking:

I go away while my home machine is in sleep mode, but my DSL modem is on and my AEBS's modem is attached to a phone line. If my home DSL PPoE connection is closed, can I dial in, open the DSL connection, determine my dynamically assigned IP address (not sure how I would do that), then log off of my dial in connection and THEN using an Internet connection, use the determined IP address to log in again, thus avoiding long distance charges, and possibly using broadband if available.

Is this approach all wrong?

 

[g3joel]

To be honest with you I'm not really sure, I've never used DSL or set up a Mac network before, but I agree that Apple could be a lot clearer as to exactly what is and is not possible.