Simultaneous Dual-Band
AirPort Extreme
Setup Guide
Contents
4Chapter 1: Getting Started
5About AirPort Extreme
7 About the AirPort Software
7 What You Need to Get Started
10 AirPort Extreme Status Light
12Chapter 2: AirPort Extreme Networks
13Using AirPort Extreme with Your Broadband Internet Service
15Using AirPort Extreme to Share a USB Printer
17Using AirPort Extreme to Share USB Hard Disks
19Chapter 3: Setting Up AirPort Extreme
19Using AirPort Utility
20Creating a New Wireless Network
21Configuring and Sharing Internet Access
23Setting Advanced Options
24Allowing Wireless Clients Access to Your Network
25 Chapter 4: Tips and Troubleshooting
25 You Can’t Connect to the Internet
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25You Forgot Your Network or Base Station Password
26Your AirPort Extreme Isn’t Responding
27Your AirPort Extreme Status Light Flashes Amber
28Your Printer Isn’t Responding
29Updating AirPort Software
29AirPort Extreme Placement Considerations
30Items That Can Cause Interference with AirPort
31Chapter 5: Learning More, Service, and Support
33 Appendix: AirPort Extreme Specifications and Safety Guidelines
Contents 3
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Getting Started |
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Congratulations on purchasing AirPort Extreme. Read this guide to get started.
The new AirPort Extreme provides simultaneous dual-band wireless 802.11n networking. When you set up your Time Capsule, it creates two high-speed Wi-Fi networks:
ÂA 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) network for 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n devices, such as iPhone, iPod touch, and older computers
ÂA 5 GHz network for 802.11n and 802.11a devices, such as newer computers and Apple TV
Wireless devices join the network that provides them the best performance and compatibility, and the AirPort Extreme shares your broadband Internet connection with computers and devices on your network.
With AirPort Extreme, you can:
ÂCreate a password-protected wireless home network, and then connect to the Internet and share the connection with other computers and Wi-Fi devices, such as iPhone, iPod touch, and Apple TV. You can also share files among computers connected to the network.
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ÂCreate a guest network with or without password protection, to provide Internetonly access to wireless devices, such as computers, iPhone, iPod touch, and Apple TV.
ÂConnect AirPort Extreme to your Ethernet network. Wireless-equipped Macintosh computers, Windows XP, or Windows Vista computers can then have access to an entire network without being connected by a cable.
ÂConnect a supported USB printer to your AirPort Extreme. All of the compatible computers on the AirPort network, both wireless and wired, can print to it.
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 have access to those devices.
Important: Install AirPort Utility 5.4 from the CD that came with your Simultaneous Dual-Band AirPort Extreme Base Station, or download it using Software Update, and use it to set up your base station. Previous versions of the AirPort Setup Assistant and AirPort Admin Utility are not compatible with this base station.
About AirPort Extreme
AirPort Extreme has five ports, located on the back:
ÂOne 10/100/1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet Wide Area Network (WAN) port (<) for connecting a DSL or cable modem, or for connecting to an existing Ethernet network
Chapter 1 Getting Started |
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ÂThree 10/100/1000Base-T Gigabit 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 for connecting several devices
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.
6 Chapter 1 Getting Started
About the AirPort Software
AirPort Extreme works with the AirPort software included on the AirPort Extreme CD.
Install the AirPort Utility 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.
Note: You must use AirPort Utility to set up this base station. The Simultaneous DualBand AirPort Extreme Base Station is not compatible with previous versions of AirPort software.
AirPort Utility
Use AirPort Utility to set up your AirPort Extreme to create a wireless network, connect to the Internet, and share compatible USB printers and hard disks. You can also connect your AirPort Extreme to an existing AirPort Extreme wireless network.
AirPort Utility is also an advanced tool for setting up and managing the AirPort Extreme, AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Express Base Stations. Use it to
manually 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.
What You Need to Get Started
To use AirPort Extreme you need a wireless-enabled computer that is compliant with the IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, or 802.11g standards, or with an IEEE 802.11n draft specification. To set up AirPort Extreme, your computer must meet the requirements listed below.
Chapter 1 Getting Started |
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To set up AirPort Extreme using a Macintosh, you need the following:
ÂA Macintosh computer with an AirPort or AirPort Extreme Card installed to set it up wirelessly, or a 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 5.4 or later
To set up AirPort Extreme using a Windows PC, you need the following:
ÂA Windows PC with 300 MHz or higher processor speed and a compatible 802.11a, 802.11b, or 802.11g wireless card, or a wireless card that complies with an IEEE 802.11n draft specification
ÂWindows XP Home or Professional (with Service Pack 2 installed) or Windows Vista
ÂAirPort Utility v5.4 or later
Plugging In AirPort Extreme
Before you plug in your AirPort Extreme, first connect the appropriate cables to the ports you want to use, including:
ÂConnect the Ethernet cable that is connected to your DSL or cable modem (if you will connect to the Internet) to the Ethernet (WAN) port (<).
ÂConnect a USB cable connected from the USB port (d) on AirPort Extreme to a compatible USB printer (if you will print to a USB printer), a hard disk, or a hub.
ÂConnect an Ethernet cable from any Ethernet device to the Ethernet LAN ports (G).
8 Chapter 1 Getting Started
After you have connected the cables for all the devices you plan to use, connect the AC plug adapter to the power port, and plug AirPort Extreme into the wall. There is no power switch.
Power port |
Ethernet activity light |
AC adapter
Important: Use only the AC adapter that came with your AirPort Extreme.
When you plug the AirPort Extreme 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 your AirPort Extreme has been updated with the correct settings. The status light glows solid green after AirPort Extreme is properly set up and connected to the Internet or a network.
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When you connect Ethernet cables to the Ethernet ports, the lights above them glow solid green.
AirPort Extreme Status Light
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, or is encountering a problem. Make sure you have |
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installed AirPort Utility and use it to get information about what |
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might cause the status light to flash amber. See “Your |
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AirPort Extreme Status Light Flashes Amber” on page 27. |
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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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Solid blue |
The base station is ready to allow a wireless client access to the |
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network. See “Allowing Wireless Clients Access to Your Network” |
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on page 24. |
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10 Chapter 1 Getting Started
What’s Next
After you plug in AirPort Extreme, use AirPort Utility to set it up to work with your Internet connection, USB printer or hard disk, or an existing network. AirPort Utility is located in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder on a computer using Mac OS X, and in Start > All Programs > AirPort on a computer using Windows XP or Windows Vista.
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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 provides some 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.
See Chapter 3,“Setting Up AirPort Extreme,” on page 19 to find out more about using AirPort Utility to help set up your network.
See the document “Designing AirPort Networks Using AirPort Utility” for detailed information about AirPort networks and AirPort Extreme. The document is located on the AirPort CD and at www.apple.com/support/manuals/airport.
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