AirPort Extreme
Setup Guide
Contents
3 Chapter 1: Getting Started
11Chapter 2: AirPort Extreme Networks
12Using AirPort Extreme with Your Broadband Internet Service
14Using AirPort Extreme to Share a USB Printer
16Using AirPort Extreme to Share a USB Hard Disk
18Using AirPort Extreme with Your AirPort Network
20 Chapter 3: Setting Up AirPort Extreme
25 Chapter 4: Tips and Troubleshooting
33 Chapter 5: Learning More, Service, and Support
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Getting Started |
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Congratulations on purchasing AirPort Extreme. Read this guide to get started using it.
AirPort Extreme is based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) draft 802.11n standard, the fastest wireless standard, which provides better performance and greater range than previous IEEE 802.11 standards. AirPort Extreme is compatible with computers using 802.11b and 802.11g, as well as computers using the 802.11a wireless standards.
With AirPort Extreme, you can:
ÂCreate a wireless network in your home, and then connect to the Internet and share the connection with multiple computers simultaneously. An entire family or office can be connected to the Internet at the same time.
ÂConnect AirPort Extreme to your Ethernet network. Wireless-equipped Macintosh computers or Windows XP computers can access an entire network without being connected by a cable.
ÂConnect a USB printer to your AirPort Extreme. All of the compatible computers on the AirPort network, both wireless and wired, can print to it.
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ÂConnect a USB hard disk to your AirPort Extreme. All of the compatible computers on the AirPort network, both wireless and wired, can access the information on the hard disk.
ÂConnect a USB hub to your AirPort Extreme, and then connect multiple USB devices, such as printers or hard disks. All of the computers on the network can access those devices.
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About AirPort Extreme
AirPort Extreme has five ports, located on the back side:
ÂOne Ethernet Wide Area Network (WAN) port (<) for connecting a DSL or cable modem, or for connecting to an existing Ethernet network
ÂThree 10/100 Ethernet Local Area Network (LAN) ports (G) for connecting Ethernet devices, such as printers or computers, or for connecting to an existing Ethernet network
ÂOne USB port (d) for connecting a compatible USB printer, hard disk, or hub
Status light |
Internet WAN port |
Ethernet ports Reset button |
Power port |
USB port |
Security slot |
AC adapter |
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Next to the ports is a reset button, which is used for troubleshooting your AirPort Extreme. The status light on the front of AirPort Extreme shows the current status.
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About the AirPort Software
AirPort Extreme works with the AirPort software included on the AirPort Extreme CD.
AirPort Utility
AirPort Utility helps you set up your AirPort Extreme to create a wireless network, connect to the Internet, and share a USB printer or hard disk. You can also connect your AirPort Extreme to your existing AirPort Extreme or AirPort Extreme wireless network to extend the range of your network using a Wireless Distribution System (WDS). Use the setup assistant in AirPort Utility to quickly and easily set up your AirPort Extreme and your wireless network.
AirPort Utility is also an advanced tool for setting up and managing AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express Base Stations. Use AirPort Utility to adjust network, routing, and security settings and other advanced options.
ZAirPort 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.
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What You Need to Get Started
To set up AirPort Extreme using a Macintosh, you must have the following:
ÂA Macintosh computer with an AirPort or AirPort Extreme Card installed to set it up wirelessly
ÂA Macintosh computer connected to AirPort Extreme with an Ethernet cable to set it up using Ethernet
ÂMac OS X v10.4 or later
ÂAirPort Utility 5 or later
To set up AirPort Extreme using a Windows PC, you must have the following:
ÂA Windows PC with 300-MHz or higher processor speed
ÂWindows XP Home or Professional (with Service Pack 2 installed)
ÂAirPort Utility 5 or later
You can use AirPort Extreme with any wireless-enabled computer that is compliant with the IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g standards, or with draft 802.11n. To set up AirPort Extreme, your computer must meet the requirements listed above.
Install the AirPort software that came on the CD and follow the instructions on the following pages to set up your AirPort Extreme and your AirPort wireless network.
Plugging In AirPort Extreme
Before you plug in your AirPort Extreme, first connect the appropriate cables to the ports you want to use, including:
ÂAn Ethernet cable connected to your DSL or cable modem (if you will connect to the Internet) to the Ethernet (WAN) port (<)
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ÂA USB cable to the USB port (d) and to a compatible USB printer (if you will print to a USB printer), a USB hard disk, or USB hub
ÂAny Ethernet devices to the Ethernet LAN (G) ports
After you have connected the cables for all the devices you plan to use, connect the AC plug adapter, and plug AirPort Extreme into the wall. There is no “on” switch.
Power port |
Ethernet activity light |
AC adapter
Important: Use only the AC adapter that came with your AirPort Extreme.
When you plug AirPort Extreme into the wall, the status light flashes green for one second, and then glows amber while it starts up. After it has started up completely, the status light glows solid green.
8 Chapter 1 Getting Started
When you connect Ethernet cables to the Ethernet LAN (G) ports, the lights above the ports blink when there is network activity.
AirPort Extreme Status Lights
The following table explains AirPort Extreme light sequences and what they indicate.
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Status/description |
Off |
AirPort Extreme is unplugged. |
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Flashing green |
AirPort Extreme is starting up. The light flashes for one second. |
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Solid green |
AirPort Extreme is on and working properly. If you choose Flash |
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On Activity from the Status Light pop-up menu (on the Base |
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Station pane of AirPort settings in AirPort Utility), the status light |
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may flash green to indicate normal activity. |
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Flashing amber |
AirPort Extreme cannot establish a connection to the network or |
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the Internet. See “Your AirPort Extreme Status Light Flashes |
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Amber” on page 28. |
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Solid amber |
AirPort Extreme is completing its startup sequence. |
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Flashing amber and green |
There may be a problem starting up. AirPort Extreme will restart |
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and try again. |
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What’s Next
After you plug in AirPort Extreme, use the setup assistant in AirPort Utility to set it up to work with your Internet connection, USB printer or hard disk, or an existing network. The AirPort Utility is located in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder on a Macintosh, and in Start > All Programs > AirPort on a computer using Windows XP.
See “AirPort Extreme Networks” on page 11 for examples of all the ways you can use AirPort Extreme, and information about how to set it up.
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See “Setting Up AirPort Extreme” on page 20 to find out more about using AirPort Utility to set up your base station and wireless network.
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AirPort Extreme Networks |
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In this chapter you’ll find explanations of the different ways you can use AirPort Extreme.
This chapter gives examples of the different kinds of networks you can set up using AirPort Extreme. It provides diagrams and explanations of what you need to do to get your AirPort Extreme network up and running quickly.
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Using AirPort Extreme with Your Broadband Internet Service
When you set up AirPort Extreme to provide network and Internet access, Macintosh computers with AirPort and AirPort Extreme Cards, and 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n wireless-equipped computers can access the wireless AirPort network to share files, play games, and use Internet applications like web browsers and email applications.
It looks like this:
DSL or cable modem |
< Internet WAN port |
to Internet
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To set it up:
1Connect your DSL or cable modem to your AirPort Extreme Ethernet WAN (<) port.
2Open AirPort Utility (located in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder), select your base station, and then click Continue.
3Follow the onscreen instructions to create a new network or join an existing one. (See “Setting Up AirPort Extreme” on page 20.)
Computers using AirPort and computers using other wireless cards or adapters connect to the Internet through AirPort Extreme. Computers connected to AirPort Extreme Ethernet ports can also access the network and connect to the Internet.
Wireless computers and computers connected to the Ethernet ports can also communicate with one another through AirPort Extreme.
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