Airport Express w/ Airtunes

[Modeps]

It claims to work with PCs, and it's got several cool features. Fairly cheap too at $120. The range extender is a nice added bonus, but I'm totally into the Airtunes part of it so this spring and summer I can play some nice music by poolside.

How's setting it up with WEP? I had the Linksys Range Extender, and it sucked ass for getting it going... not to mention it didnt work well at all.

 

[blurredvision]

Would like to know this as well (would also like an invite to the pool ).

 

[ScottMac]

I've got THREE of 'em ... and two systems with Itunes sharing a common music folder on my server (plus my laptop, for three systems).

It's a very good thing. Works great.

The "profile" stuff is kinda of glitchy (one profile for travel, one for home, one for work .....) "less than perfect" but usable once you get used to the routine.

I've also given a couple away for Christmas presents (niece in college, good friend).

I like 'em.

Now, go get one. No kidding.

Scott

 

[Modeps]

Originally posted by: ScottMac
I've got THREE of 'em ... and two systems with Itunes sharing a common music folder on my server (plus my laptop, for three systems).

It's a very good thing. Works great.

The "profile" stuff is kinda of glitchy (one profile for travel, one for home, one for work .....) "less than perfect" but usable once you get used to the routine.

I've also given a couple away for Christmas presents (niece in college, good friend).

I like 'em.

Now, go get one. No kidding.

Scott

Wow, that's quite a review. :thumbsup: Thanks for the info! Do you have WEP? (and how was setting it up if you do?)

 

[Modeps]

Originally posted by: blurredvision
Would like to know this as well (would also like an invite to the pool ).

It's a little cold in the pool right now

 

[ScottMac]

I forgot to mention that the FIRST THING you should do is go to the Apple site and download the firmware and application updates (and the newest version of iTunes).

Setup is fairly painless. I use WPA PSK and EAP-TLS (WPA is one of the things I needed via the update).

The PCs are wired and sends to the AEs via access point (I don't use the AEs for anything other than wireless mp3 receivers). One PC is in the "computer room" upstairs and (usually) feeds the upstairs unit. One PC is on the main floor (three floor townhouse) and (usually) feeds the main floor and the downstairs unit.

The laptop sends directly (well, via the AP) to (usually) the main floor.

When you install the AE, there'll be a drop-down window in the lower right corner of iTunes that let's you select where to send the music (local PC, or any visible AE). So if I'm working upstairs and am heading down, I can re-direct the sound to the main-floor AE.

It'd be nice if I could multicast to all the units at once for a (semi) cheap whole-house (mp3-only) music system ... maybe a later release.

My AP is a Cisco AP1231 a/b/g so coverage (so far) has not been an issue.

Good Luck

Scott

 

[chuckywang]

What cool features does it have? Why can't I just stream my music over the network using shared folders?

 

[Goosemaster]

I have one and love it.

You can only stream music using itunes....the quality is great, as in my lossless stuff sounds great. It also has an optical output, but you have to buy a special cable.

BTW, mine is used in the dinning room for when we have guests over ( happens a LOT). I am usign a Linksys Wrt54GS as the AP, and the Airport Extress is a WPA client....works really well.

 

[chuckywang]

So Airport Express works with any wireless router or just Apple Base Stations?

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: chuckywang
So Airport Express works with any wireless router or just Apple Base Stations?

Airport express is an AP or a client. I have it set as a Client on my wireless network. It works with any b/g device.

 

[ScottMac]

Originally posted by: chuckywang
What cool features does it have? Why can't I just stream my music over the network using shared folders?

The Airport Express does a couple things:

It can be an Access Point
It can be a gateway router (10/100 Ethernet) for wired or wireless clients.
It can be a client to an existing access point (any manufacturer, 802.11g)
It can act as a "WDS" node (not the Cisco kind, the everyone else kind)
It can connect to your audio amp so you can send music from your PC to your stereo system
It supports audio as either analog (RCA red/white) or digital (optical / toslink)
It can be a wireless print server (USB only)

It allows profiles to be set up so you can "take it with you" without having to reconfigure at each site

It's pretty slick. It's also about the size of two cigarette packs side-by-side.

If you buy one, can probably also want the monster cable kit. The Monster kit has analog audio cables, digital audio cables, and a power extension cable (the AE comes out of the box with fold-out power prongs - it hangs off of the power recepticle.

Here's the link:

Good Luck

Scott

 

[Modeps]

Thanks for all the info fellas!
Anyone tried out that crazy remote that you can get for it as well?

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Modeps
Thanks for all the info fellas!
Anyone tried out that crazy remote that you can get for it as well?

:Q

 

[Modeps]

Originally posted by: Goosemaster

Originally posted by: Modeps
Thanks for all the info fellas!
Anyone tried out that crazy remote that you can get for it as well?

:Q

Dont be shocked, it's not THAT crazy.

 

[Inspector Jihad]

hey guys, i'm reviving this thread cause i dont wanna start another one for no reason. I need some advice. first of all i needed a device to stream music to my stereo as well as a wireless print server cause our printer now is on my sisters comp and everytime we wanna print something, we have to put it on a flash drive and take it to her comp. So i know that the AE does that. But my other question was that my router and adapters are 802.11b. the AE runs 802.11G rite, so i can connect that to my cable modem and make my router a access point. but since my router is 'b' will that slow the whole setup down?

and how well does AE work with windows and how well does it function as a router? thanks for any input

 

[Inspector Jihad]

?

 

[ViRGE]

No, the Extreme(and all other AirPorts) can be set to run in B mode, resulting in no performance loss to the network.