Spend up on a Airport Extreme Base Station, or try to find a second hand older one?

Hypernate

Hypernate

McGeek
Firstly, I'll start by saying I'm buying an iBook, so I don't need Airport Extreme as such. What are the differences between the snow base stations and the extreme ones, apart from the speed?

Also, what are the main problems that affect second hand stations? I know that the graphite ones don't have the same security features, so I'd be trying to find a snow one. I did work experience at an AppleCentre, so maybe I can try to get a deal on old stock throgh them or something...

Another problem... I'm not entriely sure my parents would appreciate me having internet access in my bedroom (they had the phone line in there removed beacuse of this) and so I'm tryign to work out whether or not it would be possible to set it up with as little interference to them as possible :P

On this iMac, we have an ADSL modem connecting through Ethernet. Do the Graphite and Snow ones have the WAN port? I'm assuming that to connect it all up, since this iMac doesn't have an AirPort card, I'd connect the modem to the WAN port, and the iMac to the LAN/Ethernet port on the Airport, right? If I did that, would I have to set up the PPPoE client on the Modem, or could I still use Mac OS's built in client? If I used the built in one, would that cause problems with sharing the connection between the iMac and the iBook (and possibly my sister's XP laptop with WiFi)?

Would it be a better solution to buy an AirPort card for this iMac? The only problem with that is that this computer is often not on when I need to use the net (i.e. the middle of the night when I can't sleep or wake up remember I have a massive assignment due for school the next day :P)

Sorry about all these questions!
 
First, if you have ADSL, all you would need is to connect the Airport base station to the ADSL modem via Ethernet. You don't need the other computer on when using it.
Second, get an airport card for the iBook. The reason for airport is to eliminate the cables.

Now my mother cap is on. Do you think your parents would not know about the base station? They took away your phone jack for a reason and now you are trying to figure out a way to get on line without them knowing. Not a good plan. :(

{mother cap is off}
 
Thanks, Mom. ;)

You can always connect a router to the DSL modem, then route one line into the main computer and one into the Base Station (if you don't need AE, an older one will suit you just fine). Then hide the Base Station where your parents are unlikely to find it.

I don't see why you'd have any need for a Wide Area Network (WAN) connection at home. Simply connect the DSL (or router, if you get one) to the Base Station, install an Airport card in whichever computer you want to use it with, and you should be able to configure it from within the OS.
 
What I mean is, my ADSL modem only has one ethernet port, and this iMac doesn't have an AirPort card, so for the net to work on this, I'd have to connect this to the Base Station with a wire, yeah? But I don't have enough money to buy a base station AND a router....
 
You plug the phone line into the phone jack on the modem, and the Ethernet cable into the Ethernet jack on the Base Station. If you had a router, you would plug the Enet from the modem into the router, then from the router into your various devices (probably a computer and a Base Station). So yeah, either your whole house goes wireless, or you need a router.
 
So you need to buy a router or ethernet hub, the base station, and an airport card for your book.

Anyway you look at it, you will need to save up your money to make this plan work. :)
 
And start scouting hiding locations, because your parents probably won't be happy to learn that you were messing with their network (oh wait, they don't have a network!).
 
For the gadgets, I mean. Not for you.

Though don't take it completely out of the picture.
 
Rather than get a Base Station and Router, just get a wireless Router. Plug the Modem into the Router. Plug the iMac into the Router and use the iBook in your room wireless.
 
Why would he buy a router - hes already got one - Save money, buy an airport card but the access point doesnt have to be apple, get some cheap belkin one. Then config the PPOE to go over the wireless connection. Be caeful in perth though, theres heaps of wireless lans, I get lots of interferance, especially east perth
 
So... what the hell does the WAN port do then?! hehe


Hmm, so would a second hand router be ok.. or are they often dodgy?
 
ALso, I jsut foudn this on the APple website (sorry about spelling, my hands are frozen)

"If you have an Internet account that uses a device such as a DSL or cable modem, connect the device to the Ethernet wide area network (WAN) port on the AirPort Extreme Base Station the same way it was connected to your computer."

SO does that mean the new stations are routers, or am I jsut REALLY confused? (BTW I got parental permission for it now :P No hiding in alaska for me!)



Bing: You live in Perth? Do you knwo of any public access point in the city at all? I've been trying to find if we have any here...
 
Scott Kevill, creator of Gameranger, also lives in Perth. Why don't you ask him? ;)

AFAIK, LAN and WAN both require the same Ethernet for use. Either way, just plug it in and set it up, and it should work fine.

Will you still need a router, or will you be able to use your parents' computer with Airport?

BTW: I like your quotation about black holes. ::ha:: ::ha::
 
You said you already had an ADSL connection, that means you have a router - the airport acts as a switch, same as any wireless access point I believe. I think the wan is just a built in modem for dial up access - not sure though. Most routers that use the adsl connect either straigt to your machine or a switch, over ethernet, authentication then uses the PPOE protocol to authenticate. OSX has this built in to them.

This is a free wireless network, and I think theres guides for connecting too - WA uni has one, theres a girls school near kings park, in claremont that does too, pretty easy to crack but that would be wrong.... very very wrong!

WA Freenet
 
Um, a DSL modem is not a router. It simply transforms your phone signals into data, like any other modem. In case the point of confusion is the ADSL, the A stands for "asynchronous," meaning upload speeds are slower than download speeds. If Hypernate's DSL connection goes straight into the iMac, like it does at our house on this G3, then there is no router involved.

Nate: You either need to get an Airport card for the iMac (if possible), or you need a router to split the line between the iMac and the Base Station, or whatever you decide to get.
 
Originally posted by bing
You said you already had an ADSL connection, that means you have a router - the airport acts as a switch, same as any wireless access point I believe. I think the wan is just a built in modem for dial up access - not sure though. Most routers that use the adsl connect either straigt to your machine or a switch, over ethernet, authentication then uses the PPOE protocol to authenticate. OSX has this built in to them.

This is a free wireless network, and I think theres guides for connecting too - WA uni has one, theres a girls school near kings park, in claremont that does too, pretty easy to crack but that would be wrong.... very very wrong!

WA Freenet
Click to expand...

That girl's school is PLC... my best friends go there :P And they use an Apple AirPort network :P I COULD just ask if I can look at their network settings :P But that woul dbe wrong :P
 
I think I saw a notice about a wireless hotspot at the local Starbucks the last time I passed through.

No, I don't know how this is relevant either.
...
 
yeah sorry my mistake about the router - yeah dont need one for one person. Ive set up too many adsl concetions for multiple users and uses routers.

So where are you at now?

Have you had the iBook connected to the adsl at all?
 
Nah, I haven't got the iBook yet. I have to sell my bass guitar before i can buy the iBook. I think I'll buy an AirPort card for the main computer, and then a base station when I can afford it. At least I will be able to use the internet while the other computer is on, and then when I ge tthe base station I won't need a router.
 
How much are you selling the bass for (and are you including the amp)? I've got a friend who might possibly be interested, though Australia is a long way to ship something like that.
 
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