Apple Airport Express question [Archive]

adsl3g

18-09-2006, 07:24 AM

Morning Maccies :)

A question for you..

My system at home currently consists of 2 WRT54G/L routers (DD-WRT Firmware) linked via WDS (802.11b or 802.11g).

I am interested in this little gadget to stream iTunes library music to my HiFi. My PC runs Windows XP SP2. My question is - will this gadget be compatible with my Linksys WRT54GL wireless setup or will it only 'talk' to the AirPort Extreme Base Station.

Anyone who has tried this?

bwana

18-09-2006, 07:37 AM

Morning Maccies :)

A question for you..

My system at home currently consists of 2 WRT54G/L routers (DD-WRT Firmware) linked via WDS (802.11b or 802.11g).

I am interested in this little gadget to stream iTunes library music to my HiFi. My PC runs Windows XP SP2. My question is - will this gadget be compatible with my Linksys WRT54GL wireless setup or will it only 'talk' to the AirPort Extreme Base Station.

Anyone who has tried this?Not tried it myself but I came across this - http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20060609053254368 - which explains how to use the AE as a extender for the WRT54G. It also links to http://rgbdream.com/?p=44

Maybe you'll find something useful there. :)

Rewind

18-09-2006, 08:21 AM

In my experience the answer is no but I'm sure you can find some sort of homebrew links online.

Like I said, have tried it briefly and it didnt work.

adsl3g

18-09-2006, 10:26 AM

Thanks Bwana - will look at those links tonight - I hope it will work - just think of the coolness factor in that setup :)
@ Rewind - i hope you wrong and i can get it up - bit of an outlay just to try and get it going though.

bwana

18-09-2006, 10:34 AM

Thanks Bwana - will look at those links tonight - I hope it will work - just think of the coolness factor in that setup :)
@ Rewind - i hope you wrong and i can get it up - bit of an outlay just to try and get it going though.It should be a nice little setup - I was holding off on getting another AE until Apple announced what they'd be doing in that direction - which they did last week with the iTV - so I'll be ordering another of the little beauties soon.

ernstn

18-09-2006, 10:38 AM

Of course for roughly the same price as Airport Express, you can buy yourself a PSP, connect it to your hifi through a cable and stream your PC's music via PSP to your hifi!. And you can play games on your PSP etc!

bwana

18-09-2006, 10:50 AM

Of course for roughly the same price as Airport Express, you can buy yourself a PSP, connect it to your hifi through a cable and stream your PC's music via PSP to your hifi!. And you can play games on your PSP etc!A PSP costs at least r500 more (r1800 for the psp vs r1200 for the AE), only uses 802.11b (http://playstation.about.com/od/psp/a/PSPSpecs.htm), doesnt interface with iTunes, cant be used as a print server, and is nowhere near as reliable.

ernstn

18-09-2006, 11:08 AM

No bwana, with a small download, itunes does stream music to the PSP and they are nowadays +-r1500 at some shops.

I have done the streaming successfully from my PC through a Billion and it works really well!

But it really was a tongue in cheek suggestion!

bwana

18-09-2006, 11:15 AM

No bwana, with a small download, itunes does stream music to the PSP and they are nowadays +-r1500 at some shops.

I have done the streaming successfully from my PC through a Billion and it works really well!

But it really was a tongue in cheek suggestion!Got a name for that download - wouldnt mind giving it a shot if it works that well. I've got a psp somewhere gathering dust. :)

Problem for me is the speed though - if it only supports 802.11b its going to be too slow for much of anything else but it still might be fun to play around with.

BTW - just saw I can get the AE for under r1k ;)

ernstn

18-09-2006, 11:28 AM

http://blogs.zdnet.com/ip-telephony/?p=1036 contains a full description of it. It is called iTunes-PSP-Server.exe

It needs firmware version 2.6 upwards

Have Fun

adsl3g

18-09-2006, 11:43 AM

BTW - just saw I can get the AE for under r1k ;)

PM details PLEASE :o

bwana

18-09-2006, 11:49 AM

PM details PLEASE :oNo big secret - Amazon - fortunately I've got someone coming down to visit soon ;)

BobJones

18-09-2006, 12:02 PM

I've used the airport express to link to netgear and gigabyte wireless routers.
Setup using the Airport Setup Assistant or the Airport Admin Utility is a breeze.

adsl3g

14-11-2006, 08:02 PM

WHOOhOOp FINALLY THEY ARRIVED :D - ordered one from ZA Store tonight. Can't wait to see how it works - will also help in increasing my wireless range to me neighbour.

Now to seriously ponder about getting an Mac Mini... :rolleyes:

bwana

14-11-2006, 08:11 PM

WHOOhOOp FINALLY THEY ARRIVED :D - ordered one from ZA Store tonight. Can't wait to see how it works - will also help in increasing my wireless range to me neighbour.

Now to seriously ponder about getting an Mac Mini... :rolleyes:Mine arrived last week so I decided to test the range on it. Surprisingly I managed to get about 100m down the road and still have a useable signal.

Told another neighbour he was more than welcome to have bridged mode access to the isp of his choice gratis.

adsl3g

14-11-2006, 08:22 PM

Mine arrived last week so I decided to test the range on it. Surprisingly I managed to get about 100m down the road and still have a useable signal.

Told another neighbour he was more than welcome to have bridged mode access to the isp of his choice gratis.

That sounds good, I have 2 WRT54GL's linked together (have 'nt upped the power output though) and my neighbour struggles during the day to access the internet - this little baby should sort it out hopefully and get my music library to the HiFi :p :p

bwana

14-11-2006, 08:49 PM

That sounds good, I have 2 WRT54GL's linked together (have 'nt upped the power output though) and my neighbour struggles during the day to access the internet - this little baby should sort it out hopefully and get my music library to the HiFi :p :p

Before you buy one you might want to make 100% that the AE will work as a booster for the WRT54GL's - if thats your intention. I've got my second working in that capacity feeding off the first and its great.

EDIT - had a look and found this which might help - http://rgbdream.com/2005/09/06/linksys-wrt54g-airport-express-and-wds/

adsl3g

15-11-2006, 07:17 AM

Before you buy one you might want to make 100% that the AE will work as a booster for the WRT54GL's - if thats your intention. I've got my second working in that capacity feeding off the first and its great.

EDIT - had a look and found this which might help - http://rgbdream.com/2005/09/06/linksys-wrt54g-airport-express-and-wds/

Thanks for that bit of info Bwana - don't think I will have a problem, the main use is to get my iTunes streaming to the HiFi secondary will be to give my neighbours son better wireless internet access. I have WDS running on both my routers via DD-WRT.

bwana

15-11-2006, 08:21 AM

I hope they've got a decent amount of stock - I've got an old Airport Base station (Snow) thats going to need replacing soon.

Ok perhaps need is an exaggeration. ;)

adsl3g

20-11-2006, 02:36 PM

Bugger this lot - phoned them this morning and they said they 'out of stock'. On enquiry as to how come my order says 'in stock' they replied that the shipment they received from o/seas were all faulty and had to be returned - waiting for them to come back to me as to sourcing it for me asap. Only prob is that they already charged my credit card - will give them till tomorrow then they must cancel and refund my payment. I don't as a rule buy things if they not 'in stock' - maybe I should amble over to Yello Peter??

bwana

20-11-2006, 02:38 PM

Bugger this lot - phoned them this morning and they said they 'out of stock'. On enquiry as to how come my order says 'in stock' they replied that the shipment they received from o/seas were all faulty and had to be returned - waiting for them to come back to me as to sourcing it for me asap. Only prob is that they already charged my credit card - will give them till tomorrow then they must cancel and refund my payment. I don't as a rule buy things if they not 'in stock' - maybe I should amble over to Yello Peter??I'm sure it would have been in the same shipment as the one mine was.

adsl3g

20-11-2006, 02:49 PM

Well I hope they can sort it out - hate waiting for stuff I 'need' desperately. BTW, don't know where you are Bwana (CT I think) but I understand a new Apple Store has opened at Menlyn in Pretoria. Anyone got contact details???

adsl3g

21-11-2006, 05:06 PM

I'm sure it would have been in the same shipment as the one mine was.

Oh well, thats it then... Order canceled. No ETA on new stock.

bwana

21-11-2006, 06:33 PM

Oh well, thats it then... Order canceled. No ETA on new stock.Sucks dude - but now you got me worried about what's wrong with the one I just got! :eek:

LandyMan

22-11-2006, 05:08 PM

a new Apple Store has opened at Menlyn in Pretoria. Anyone got contact details???

quite a nice shop ... got my Wireless MM there 2 weeks ago.
They are right next to Parrots Restaurant, across from the Green Cross store.
Tel: (012) 348 6555

adsl3g

23-11-2006, 12:57 PM

quite a nice shop ... got my Wireless MM there 2 weeks ago.
They are right next to Parrots Restaurant, across from the Green Cross store.
Tel: (012) 348 6555

Thanks for that info - I only get to Menlyn about once a year - then its a day trip - will have a look there.

Oh and I managed to source the Airport Express from Look and Listen at Menlyn - a colleague is picking it up for me tonight...... :D R20 more than ZAstore.

LandyMan

23-11-2006, 04:55 PM

Thanks for that info - I only get to Menlyn about once a year - then its a day trip - will have a look there.

Oh and I managed to source the Airport Express from Look and Listen at Menlyn - a colleague is picking it up for me tonight...... :D R20 more than ZAstore.

Hmm, I wonder if Look & Listen sell memory :) Need to go to Menlyn tomorrow, so I might just go ask :p

bwana

23-11-2006, 05:15 PM

Hmm, I wonder if Look & Listen sell memory :) Need to go to Menlyn tomorrow, so I might just go ask :pYeah - you wouldnt believe the difference having 2gb makes ;)

LandyMan

23-11-2006, 08:18 PM

Yeah - you wouldnt believe the difference having 2gb makes ;)

I have a fairly good idea. The company notebook I have now is a Core Duo 1.8 I think, with 2gb of ram (running Winxp) and that thing flies! Plus when I can start using my MBP for work, I will be running a WinXP VM constantly, so an extra 1Gb will come in very handy

bwana

23-11-2006, 09:50 PM

I have a fairly good idea. The company notebook I have now is a Core Duo 1.8 I think, with 2gb of ram (running Winxp) and that thing flies! Plus when I can start using my MBP for work, I will be running a WinXP VM constantly, so an extra 1Gb will come in very handyStandard ram you could perhaps pop in the mbp? ;)

adsl3g

24-11-2006, 07:10 PM

Oh and I managed to source the Airport Express from Look and Listen at Menlyn - a colleague is picking it up for me tonight...... :D R20 more than ZAstore.

Ahhh... Airport Express up and running - iTunes playing on the HiFi in the living room over the wireless network. :cool:
Have not set up WDS yet - only using it as a client at this stage... still savoring the coolness!!
Also very easy to set up - just changed the IP and password and set the security key and it works. :)
I assume with WDS its a question of only inputting the MAC addresses in the WRT54G and the Airport - running DD-WRT on the WRT.