Really Need Help with Apple Airport Express Wired Connection to Router

[kysrsoze]

Hi all.

I'm hoping someone can help me here - I'm ready to rip all my hair out. I gave up on connecting my Airport Express (old model) to a combo wireless N/G network using WPA2. It just wouldn't work.

So I moved my router down to my basement and now am trying to connect my Airport Express directly to my router using an ethernet cable. I don't need it to create another network, just to join my router's network via a wired connection, so all computers that are connected wirelessly to the router can also stream to the Airport Express via its wired connection to the router.

I've tried to create a network which I won't use, act as a bridge, etc. I'm just stumped at this point. Tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Stinky The Clown]

1. I have an Airport Extreme that I need to get working. Here's what I have been told

I have a Verizon Small Business connection. It has static IP addresses.

I am told that the block of internal Verizon IP addresses can be changed but that the Airport Extreme IP block is hard coded. The solution, I am told, is to change the Verizon IP addresses.

I. Am. Scared. To. Death. To. Try. This!

Between computers, faxes, copiers, printers, plotters, etc., etc., etc., there are 14 devices connected to the Verizon router. I can't begin to imagine the grief if just one little thing goes wrong in changing IP addresses.

If you have a smaller network, it might be worth the risk to you.

I'm going to grab the kid across the street and offer him money to set up my system. He works at the Apple store! :)

[ChromeFoundry]

2. Not sure how helpful this will be...

because I am not familiar with the Apple AirPort Express hardware. But it should be similar to other wireless routers I have configured.

If the AirPort Express is also a router and not just an access point, I presume it will have a WAN and LAN ports.

You will need to disable DHCP (or Distribute IP Addresses - i think they call it) on the AirPort Express.
A Static IP address should be assigned to the AirPort Express that is outside the range of DHCP addresses assigned by your wired router.
No connection to the WAN on the AirPort Express.
Connect a cable between the LAN and LAN ports from AirPort Express and Wired Router.
Set the AirPort Express WAN address to 127.0.0.1, if available. - this is a loopback address and will not pass packets to the WAN side.
If an default gateway address is available, set it to the IP address of your router... usually 192.168.1.1. (if it supports getting its config via DHCP, do that instead)

Finally, configure your SSID, WPA security and such.

This should be enough for you to connect and get an IP assigned via your wired router over the wireless network.

If you can supply a link to the exact model with some shots of the configuration screens, I should be able to help you out a little more.

On Edit: If the AirPort Express has a "Bridged Mode" option, that should effectively do the same as above.

[kysrsoze]

3. Thanks. That jus might help me. I'll try it out. Bridge mode doesn't seem to work though.