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AirPort Express
Setup Guide
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Contents
4Getting Started
9Plugging In AirPort Express
11Using AirPort Express
12Using AirPort Express With Your Broadband Internet Service
14 Using AirPort Express With AirTunes to Play iTunes Music on Your Stereo
20 Using AirPort Express to Share a USB Printer
22 Extending the Range of an Existing AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express Network
25 Using the AirPort Express Assistant
31Setting Advanced Options
32AirPort Express on the Road
34 Tips and Troubleshooting
42 Learning More, Service, and Support
44 AirPort Express Specifications
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Getting Started
Congratulations on purchasing AirPort Express. Read this guide to get started using it.
You can use AirPort Express to share your broadband Internet access with wireless computers on your network, play iTunes music on your home stereo, and much more.
Your AirPort Express comes with AirTunes, a way play iTunes music through remote speakers.
With AirPort Express, you can:
•Create a wireless network in your home, then connect to the Internet and share the connection with up to ten computers simultaneously. An entire family can be connected to the Internet at the same time.
•Connect AirPort Express to your home stereo or powered speakers and use AirTunes
to play your iTunes music on your home stereo from a Macintosh with an AirPort or AirPort Extreme Card, or a compatible Windows XP or 2000 wireless computer.
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•Set up a wireless connection to your Ethernet network. AirPort and AirPort Extremeequipped Macintosh computers or Windows XP or 2000 computers can then have access to an entire network without being connected with a cable.
•Extend the range of your network by adding AirPort Express to your existing AirPort
Extreme or AirPort Express wireless network (this is called a Wireless Distribution System, or WDS).
•Connect a USB printer to your AirPort Express. All of the computers on the AirPort network, both wireless and wired, can print to it.
•Create custom profiles so you can store settings for up to five different locations.
Getting Started |
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About AirPort Express
AirPort Express has three ports, located on the bottom side:
•Ethernet port (G) for connecting a DSL or cable modem, or for connecting to an existing Ethernet network
•Analog and optical digital audio stereo mini-jack (-) for connecting AirPort Express to a home stereo or powered speakers
•USB port (
) for connecting a compatible printer to AirPort Express
Status light |
AC plug adapter |
|
|
USB port |
Reset button |
Ethernet port |
Line Out port |
|
(Analog and optical |
|
digital audio mini-jack) |
Next to the ports is a reset button, which is used for troubleshooting your AirPort Express. The status light on the side of AirPort Express shows the current status.
6 Getting Started
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About the AirPort Software
AirPort Express works with the AirPort software included on the AirPort Express CD.
AirPort Express Assistant
Use the AirPort Express Assistant to set up your AirPort Express to connect to the Internet, play iTunes music on your home stereo or powered speakers, and share a printer. You can also bridge your AirPort Express to your existing AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express wireless network to extend the range of your network (WDS).
AirPort status menu in the menu bar
Use the AirPort status menu to switch quickly between AirPort networks, monitor the signal quality of the current network, create a Computer-to-Computer network, and turn AirPort on and off. The status menu is available on computers using
Mac OS X.
AirPort Admin Utility
AirPort Admin Utility is an advanced tool for setting up and managing AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express base stations. Use AirPort Admin Utility to adjust network, routing, and security settings and other advanced options.
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What You Need to Get Started
To set up AirPort Express using a Macintosh, you must have the following:
•A Macintosh computer with an AirPort or AirPort Extreme Card installed
•Mac OS X v10.3 or later
•iTunes 4.6 (included on the AirPort Express CD) or later
To set up AirPort Express using a Windows PC, you must have the following:
•A Windows PC with 300 MHz or higher processor speed
•Windows XP Home or Professional
•iTunes 4.6 for Windows (included on the AirPort Express CD) or later
You need iTunes 4.6 or later to play audio from your computer to a stereo connected to AirPort Express. To be sure you have the latest version of iTunes, go to www.apple.com/itunes.
You can use AirPort Express with any wireless-enabled computer that is compliant with the IEEE 802.11b or 802.11g standards. To set up AirPort Express, your computer must meet the requirements listed above.
Note: If you are using Windows 2000, use AirPort Admin Utility for Windows to set up your AirPort Express. The AirPort Express Assistant is not compatible with Windows 2000.
8Getting Started
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Plugging In AirPort Express
Before you plug in your AirPort Express, first connect the appropriate cables to the ports you want to use, including the Ethernet cable connected to your DSL or cable modem (if you will connect to the Internet), the audio cable connected to your stereo (if you will use AirTunes to play music from iTunes) and a USB cable connected to a compatible USB printer (if you will print to a USB printer).
Once you have connected the cables for all the devices you plan to use, connect the AC plug adapter if necessary. Plug AirPort Express into the wall. There is no on switch.
AC plug adapter
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When you plug AirPort Express into the wall, the status light flashes green while it starts up. Once it has started up completely, the status light glows solid green.
AirPort Express Status Lights
The following table explains AirPort Express light sequences and what they indicate.
Light |
Status/description |
Off |
AirPort Express is unplugged. |
|
|
Flashing green |
AirPort Express is starting up. |
|
|
Solid green |
AirPort Express is on and working properly. |
|
|
Flashing yellow |
AirPort Express may be out of range, or there may be a problem |
|
with your Internet service provider. |
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What’s Next
After you plug in AirPort Express, you use the AirPort Express Assistant to set it up to work with your Internet connection, stereo, USB printer, or existing network.
See “Using AirPort Express” on page 11 for examples of all the ways you can use AirPort Express, and information about how to set them up.
Then see “Using the AirPort Express Assistant” on page 25 to find out more about the setup process.
10 Getting Started
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Using AirPort Express
In this chapter you’ll find explanations of the different ways you can use AirPort Express.
This chapter gives examples of how your setup might look, depending on how you use AirPort Express. It also gives a brief explanation of what you need to do to
get your AirPort Express network up and running quickly.
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Using AirPort Express With Your Broadband Internet Service
When you set up AirPort Express to provide network and Internet access, Macintosh computers with AirPort and AirPort Extreme Cards and 802.11b and 802.11g wirelessequipped computers can access the wireless AirPort network to share files, play games, and use Internet applications like web browsers and email applications.
What It Looks Like
DSL or cable modem
G Ethernet port
to Internet
12 Using AirPort Express
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How to Set It Up
1Connect your DSL or cable modem to your AirPort Express using the Ethernet port (G).
2Use the AirPort Express Assistant to create a new network. (See page 25 for more information.)
During the setup process, the AirPort Express Assistant looks on your computer for your current Internet settings, and asks you to confirm them and add any additional information you may have received from your service provider.
Computers using AirPort and computers using other wireless cards or adapters connect to the Internet through AirPort Express.
Wireless computers communicate with one another through AirPort Express.
Using AirPort Express |
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Using AirPort Express With AirTunes to Play iTunes Music on Your Stereo
You can connect your AirPort Express to your stereo with a Toslink-to-mini digital fiber optic cable or a mini-stereo-to-dual-RCA cable, and use AirTunes to wirelessly play music from iTunes.
What It Looks Like
Optical digital audio input port |
RCA-type left |
|
and right audio |
|
input ports |
or
Line Out port
Computer with iTunes
Stereo receiver 
Toslink digital fiber optic cable
or
Mini stereo to
or
dual RCA cable
14 Using AirPort Express
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How to Set It Up
1Connect your AirPort Express to your home stereo or powered speakers using a digital fiber optic cable or analog mini-stereo-to-dual-RCA connected to the stereo mini-jack
(-).
2Use the AirPort Express Assistant to create a new network. (See page 25 for more information.)
3Open iTunes on your computer and choose your stereo or speakers from the speakers pop-up menu in the lower right of the iTunes window.
Wireless computers within range of AirPort Express can wirelessly stream music to it using iTunes 4.6 or later. Only one computer at a time can stream music to AirPort Express.
Using AirPort Express |
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Using AirPort Express on an Existing Wireless Network to Stream Music to Your Home Stereo
You can also connect AirPort Express to a wireless network and use AirTunes to play music on your stereo from iTunes. Connecting AirPort Express to your existing network allows you to place AirPort Express in another room, within range of your network.
What It Looks Like
Line Out port
Stereo receiver
AirPort Extreme |
DSL or cable |
Base Station |
modem |
to Internet
to Ethernet port
Use the AirPort Express Assistant to join your existing wireless network.
16 Using AirPort Express
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