Apple A1264 Users Manual
AirPort Express
Setup Guide
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Contents
5 Chapter 1: Getting Started
6 About AirPort Express
About the AirPort Software
What You Need to Get Started
Plugging In AirPort Express
AirPort Express Status Lights
What’s Next
13 Chapter 2: Using AirPort Express
13 Using AirPort Express with Your Broadband Internet Service
Using AirPort Express on an Existing Wireless Network to Stream Music to Your
Home Stereo
Using AirPort Express to Share a USB Printer
21 Chapter 3: Setting Up AirPort Express
23 Using the AirPort Utility
Creating a New Wireless Network
Configuring and Sharing Internet Access
Connecting to an Existing Wireless Network
Allowing Wireless Clients Access to Your Network
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Setting Advanced Options
31 Chapter 4: Tips and Troubleshooting
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AirPort Express Placement Considerations
Items That Can Cause Interference with AirPort
39 Chapter 5: Learning More, Service, and Support
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Online Resources
Onscreen Help
Obtaining Warranty Service
Finding the Serial Number of Your AirPort Express
41 Appendix: AirPort Express Specifications
42 AirPort Express Safety Tips
Avoid Wet Locations
Do Not Make Repairs Yourself
Regulatory Compliance Information
4 Contents
1
Getting Started
1
Congratulations on purchasing AirPort Express. Read this
guide to get started using it.
AirPort Express is based on an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
draft 802.11n specification and provides better performance and greater range than
previous IEEE 802.11 standards. AirPort Express is compatible with computers using
802.11b, and 802.11g, as well as computers using the 802.11a and 802.11n wireless
standards.
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 share a USB
printer.
Your AirPort Express comes with AirTunes, a way to play iTunes music through remote
speakers.
With AirPort Express, you can:
 Create a wireless network in your home, and 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.
5
 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 Windows 2000 wireless
computer.
Â
Set up a wireless connection to your Ethernet network. AirPort and AirPort Extremeequipped Macintosh computers or Windows Vista or Windows XP computers can
then have access to an entire network without being connected with a cable.
Â
Connect a USB printer to your AirPort Express. All of the compatible computers on
the AirPort network, both wireless and wired, can print to it.
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
6 Chapter 1 Getting Started
 USB port (d ) for connecting a compatible printer to AirPort Express
Status light
AC plug adapter
USB port
Ethernet port
Reset button
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.
Chapter 1 Getting Started 7
Z
About the AirPort Software
AirPort Express works with the AirPort software included on the AirPort Express CD.
AirPort Utility
AirPort Utility helps you set up your AirPort Express to create a wireless network,
connect to the Internet, and share a USB printer. You can also connect your AirPort
Express to your existing AirPort Express or AirPort Extreme wireless network to
extend the range of your network using WDS. Use AirPort Utility to quickly and easily
set up your AirPort Express 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.
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.
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 v10.4 or later
8 Chapter 1 Getting Started
To set up AirPort Express using a Windows PC, you must have the following:
 A Windows PC with 300 MHz or higher processor speed with a compatible 802.11a,
802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n wireless adapter
Windows Vista or Windows XP with service pack 2
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You need iTunes 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 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n standards. To set up AirPort Express, your
computer must meet the requirements listed above.
Chapter 1 Getting Started 9
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).
After you have connected the cables for all the devices you plan to use, plug AirPort
Express into the wall. There is no “on” switch.
AC plug adapter
10 Chapter 1 Getting Started
When you plug the AirPort Express AC adapter 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 flashes amber until it is updated with new settings. The
status light glows solid green after AirPort Extreme is properly set up and connected to
the Internet or a network.
AirPort Express Status Lights
The following table explains AirPort Express light sequences and what they indicate.
Light
Off
Flashing green
Solid green
Status/description
AirPort Express is unplugged.
AirPort Express is starting up.
Note: If you choose Flash On Activity from the Status Light pop-
up menu in the Base Station pane of AirPort settings in AirPort
Utility, the status light may flash green to indicate normal
activity.
AirPort Express is on and working properly. If you choose Flash
On Activity from the Status Light pop-up menu in the Base
Station pane of AirPort Utility, the status light may flash green to
indicate normal activity.
Chapter 1 Getting Started 11
Light
Flashing amber
Solid amber
Flashing amber and green There may be a problem starting up. AirPort Express will restart
Solid blue
Status/description
AirPort Extreme cannot establish a connection to the network or
the Internet, or is encountering a problem. Make sure you have
installed AirPort Utility and use it to get information about what
might cause the status light to flash amber. See “Your AirPort
Express Status Light Flashes Amber” on page 34.
AirPort Express is completing its startup sequence.
and try again.
The base station is ready to allow a wireless client access to the
network. See “Allowing Wireless Clients Access to Your Network”
on page 24.
What’s Next
After you plug in AirPort Express, you use AirPort Utility to set it up to work with your
Internet connection, stereo, USB printer, or existing network.
See “Using AirPort Express” on page 13 for examples of all the ways you can use AirPort
Express, and information about how to set up your wireless network.
Then see “Setting Up AirPort Express” on page 21 to find out more about the setup
process.
12 Chapter 1 Getting Started
2
Using AirPort Express
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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.
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 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, or
802.11n wireless-equipped computers can access the wireless AirPort network to share
files, play games, and use Internet applications such as web browsers and email
applications.
13
What It Looks Like
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DSL or cable modem
Ethernet port
G
to Internet
How to Set It Up
Connect your DSL or cable modem to your AirPort Express using the
Ethernet port (G ).
Use AirPort Utility to create a new network. (See “Setting Up AirPort Express” on
page 21 for more information.)
Computers using AirPort and computers using other wireless cards or adapters connect
to the Internet through AirPort Express.
Wireless computers communicate with each other through AirPort Express.
14 Chapter 2 Using AirPort Express
Using AirPort Express on an Existing Wireless Network to
Stream Music to Your Home Stereo
You can also connect AirPort Express as a client to an existing wireless network.
Connect AirPort Express to your stereo or powered speakers and use AirTunes to play
music 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
AirPort Extreme
Base Station
DSL or cable
modem
to Internet
Line Out port
Stereo receiver
to Ethernet port
Chapter 2 Using AirPort Express 15
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