Apple AirPort Extreme 802.11n User Manual

AirPort Extreme

Setup Guide

Contents

3 Chapter 1: Getting Started

10 Chapter 2: AirPort Extreme Networks

Using AirPort Extreme with Your Broadband Internet Service

Using AirPort Extreme to Share a USB Printer

Using AirPort Extreme to Share a USB Hard Disk

Using AirPort Extreme with Your AirPort Network

19 Chapter 3: Setting Up AirPort Extreme

24 Chapter 4: Tips and Troubleshooting

29 Chapter 5: Learning More, Service, and Support

31 Appendix: AirPort Extreme Specifications

Getting Started

Congratulations on purchasing AirPort Extreme. Read this guide to get started using it.

AirPort Extreme 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 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:

Create 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.

Connect AirPort Extreme to your Ethernet network. Wireless-equipped Macintosh computers or Windows XP computers can then have access to an entire network without being connected by a cable.

Connect a USB printer to your AirPort Extreme. All of the compatible computers on the AirPort network, both wireless and wired, can print to it.

Connect 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.

Connect a USB hub to your AirPort Extreme, and then connect multiple USB devices, such as printers or hard disks, and all of the computers on the network have access to those devices.

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Getting Started

About AirPort Extreme

AirPort Extreme has five ports, located on the back:

One 10/100 Ethernet Wide Area Network (WAN) port (< cable modem, or for connecting to an existing Ethernet network

Three 10/100 Ethernet Local Area Network (LAN) ports (G devices, such as printers or computers, or for connecting to an existing Ethernet network

One USB port (d

) for connecting a compatible USB printer, hard disk, or hub

Status light Internet WAN port

) for connecting a DSL or

) for connecting Ethernet

Ethernet ports Reset button

Power port USB port

AC adapter

Security slot

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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Getting Started

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 WDS. Use 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.

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 Extreme using a Macintosh, you must have the following:

A Macintosh computer with an AirPort or AirPort Extreme Card installed to set it up wirelessly

A Macintosh computer connected to AirPort Extreme with an Ethernet cable to set it up using Ethernet

Mac OS X v10.4 or later

AirPort Utility 5.0 or later

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Getting Started

To set up AirPort Extreme using a Windows PC, you must have the following:

A Windows PC with 300 MHz or higher processor speed

Windows XP Home or Professional (with Service Pack 2 installed)

AirPort Utility v5 or later

You can use AirPort Extreme with a wireless-enabled computer that is compliant with the IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g standards, or with an IEEE 802.11n draft specification. 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:

The Ethernet cable connected to your DSL or cable modem (if you will connect to the Internet) to the Ethernet (WAN) port (<

USB cable connected to the USB port (d print to a USB printer), a USB hard disk, or USB hub

Any Ethernet devices to the Ethernet LAN ports (G

Chapter 1

Getting Started

)

) and to a compatible USB printer (if you will

)

Once 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. Once it has started up completely, the status light flashes amber. The status light glows solid green once it is set up and connected to the Internet or a network.

When you connect Ethernet cables to the Ethernet LAN ports (G

), the lights above the

ports glow solid.

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Getting Started

AirPort Extreme Status Light

The following table explains AirPort Extreme light sequences and what they indicate.

Light

Off

Flashing green

Solid green

Flashing amber

Solid amber

Flashing amber and green

Status/description

AirPort Extreme is unplugged.

AirPort Extreme is starting up. The light flashes for one second.

AirPort Extreme is on and working properly. If you choose Flash On Activity from the Status Light pop-up menu (on the Base Station pane of AirPort settings in AirPort Utility), the status light may flash green to indicate normal activity.

AirPort Extreme cannot establish a connection to the network or the Internet. See “Your AirPort Extreme Status Light Flashes Amber” on page 26.

AirPort Extreme is completing its startup sequence.

There may be a problem starting up. AirPort Extreme will restart and try again.

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. The 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.

See “AirPort Extreme Networks” on page 10 for examples of all the ways you can use AirPort Extreme, and information about how to set it up.

Chapter 1

Getting Started

AirPort Extreme Networks

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.

See Chapter 3, “Setting Up AirPort Extreme,” on page 19 to find out more about using AirPort Utility to help set up your network.

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 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, and IEEE 802.11n draft specification 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:

Chapter 2

DSL or cable modem

AirPort Extreme Networks

Internet WAN port

to Internet

+ 25 hidden pages