So I thnk my little airport express will become more useful with the ipad. But I still need to configure it with a mac. I think we should get a aiport config tool on the ipad. That way we can just grab the ipad and AE.
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Airport express app for ipad
- Thread starter jeffkempster
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If Airport express requires a mac for configuration then it sucks. Normal wireless routers don't require a computer for configuration. I recently had a hotel room that had wired connection only. I plugged in a wireless router, logged into it with my iPhone and 30 secs later I had wireless Internet. No computer involved. If airport express works differently, then it is pretty sad.
Mm
Apple's Airport Express/Extreme require an application to configure them, whereas most other routers let you login using a browser. Maybe Apple will change this, or maybe release an app for the iPad.
I really believe Apple are looking at the iPad as a future replacement for computers for a large number of people, so I expect them to solve these sorts of problems as it gets more popular.
I really believe Apple are looking at the iPad as a future replacement for computers for a large number of people, so I expect them to solve these sorts of problems as it gets more popular.
Do you people really own mac stuff? I mean the Airport routers have only been out for years now and have always required a software application on the mac or pc. This isn't really the ideal situation but it now new.
The point of my thread was to spur some interest in apple developing a ipad app to configure the router, not to let people get on their soapbox about how "sucky" some product is.
The point of my thread was to spur some interest in apple developing a ipad app to configure the router, not to let people get on their soapbox about how "sucky" some product is.
This has been discussed here before. In short: You set up your Airport Express for DHCP once at home with your Mac. Then you can just grab your iPad and AE and it will work in almost every hotel room with wired Internet.
I do agree that a specific Airport app would be great for those rare occasions when more specific setup is needed. But in >90% of cases this is not a problem.
I do agree that a specific Airport app would be great for those rare occasions when more specific setup is needed. But in >90% of cases this is not a problem.
I'm new to the Apple world, so I'm glad I saw this thread. I was already figuring on buying the Airport Express to help with hotel rooms that only have hard wired access. I thought that you could just plug it in and go... and didn't realize that you had to have a software element on the receiving device to make it work.
Again, you only need software once and then the AE will work forever and ever with any wireless device without further software setup.
Edit: How do other wireless only routers work? Most routers have a designated IP-adress to access the setup menu but that requires a wired connection. I don't think I can access my D-Link via WiFi out of the box. Remember that there is no way to connect an ethernet cable to the Airport Express.
Again, you only need software once and then the AE will work forever and ever with any wireless device without further software setup.
Edit: How do other wireless only routers work? Most routers have a designated IP-adress to access the setup menu but that requires a wired connection. I don't think I can access my D-Link via WiFi out of the box. Remember that there is no way to connect an ethernet cable to the Airport Express.
So if I am understanding you correctly -- I could set it up on my PC and then use it with my iPad?
Absolutely!
And, yes....I find the wireless setup with the AEBS far and away better than having to run an ethernet cable to the router and setting it up that way.
Both Apple and other brands require some first-time setup with either a browser-based program or other such utility program, but Apple makes it much easier without requiring a hard-wired connection.
Are these things as good as a standard Linksys wireless router? I ask because I currently have an N network card in my PC (and will in my ipad obviously) but have a G linksys router. If I buy this, could I also use it at home? Or would I be better off getting a full blown linksys or netgear N router to use as my permanent base?
I've always been able to plug an AE in and use it's default settings to connect to the internet.
I guess what I'm asking is if I would be getting better performance from an at-home router situation from a full blown router, or if this device could play jack of all trades and I could use it as my home router and also when I travel?
I can say that a full-blown Airport Extreme Base Station will be a very good choice for home use...full-n access and ease of use: I had to cycle power twice in three years of owning mine....it's THAT reliable.
I don't have experience with the Express, but I understand it's similar although it does not allow printer connection or sharing of HDDs wirelessly via direct USB connection like the AEBS does. It also doesn't have multiple LAN ethernet ports like the AEBS does. Don't know how important these items would be to you.
At first glance, it seems like this could be both a home and travel solution. The AEBS certainly could although it has a much larger footprint.
I don't have experience with the Express, but I understand it's similar although it does not allow printer connection or sharing of HDDs wirelessly via direct USB connection like the AEBS does. It also doesn't have multiple LAN ethernet ports like the AEBS does. Don't know how important these items would be to you.
At first glance, it seems like this could be both a home and travel solution. The AEBS certainly could although it has a much larger footprint.
That sounds like the ticket then. I will get a full blown N router at home, and use the Airport Express both for hotel rooms and also for a connection at work. here's why:
We have a network connection at work that is outside the firewall, but it's on a Wireless G router. The connection is slightly weak when stretched down to the break room. I thought I might get an express and walk over to plug it into the connection around lunch each day to hopefully get a stronger signal in the break room.
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7E18 Safari/528.16)
Airport express will work out of the box but if you want to enable security you will need to do some setup.
Airport express will work out of the box but if you want to enable security you will need to do some setup.
I stand corrected! And thank you very much - I was just able to hook up my blu-ray player to the Airport Express behind my TV. Now I have access to Youtube, Netflix and Pandora that way. I had no clue this was possible and always thought the ethernet port on the AE was 'internet in' only.
Thanks again!
Background: I travel a great deal, stay in hotels constantly, and have used the Airport Express and Extreme in various iterations since they were first sold. My current home setup has the Airport Extreme as main access point, with a G-model Express connected to the network wireless solely to stream music to the bedroom. I travel with an N-model Express.
It is important to note that quite a few hotels are realizing that some travellers are using wireless access points, and are configuring their networks to not allow a sub-net to be created. In other words, you can use your Airport Express in "Bridge" mode, to allow a wired connection to become wireless, but you cannot use it create a wireless network. I don't know how they do this, I suspect it takes some low-level network trickery but I would only expect this to increase in the future.
Now, I prefer to create a network so that I can network my iPhone with my MB Pro and transfer files wirelessly, update stock prices on my iPhone, etc. But in certain places I have to switch the AE configuration to Bridge mode so that I can at least be wireless. This would of course be absolutely necessary with the iPad, it not having a wired connection.
So why would hotels do this? They want to charge per user...for example, I work as an airline pilot so the two of us in adjoining rooms can share one connection and split the cost if it isn't free. Heck if we bring in a few flight attendants within range a whole bunch can surf for the price of one!
My point of all of this, is that configuring it once at home and then expecting it to work everywhere is not correct. But the default settings will work most of the time, for many people.
Until Apple devises a way to configure wireless devices from the Ipad, I will have to travel with the MB Pro. Which defeats the purpose of getting an iPad to replace the MB Pro as travel machine. Ergo, I will not be getting an iPad yet. Or if I do will have to go with a non-apple travel router that can be configured in a web browser. (NOOOOooooooo!!)
Frankly I'm surprised they haven't already, an iPad, bluetooth keyboard and AE would be a no-brainer.
It is important to note that quite a few hotels are realizing that some travellers are using wireless access points, and are configuring their networks to not allow a sub-net to be created. In other words, you can use your Airport Express in "Bridge" mode, to allow a wired connection to become wireless, but you cannot use it create a wireless network. I don't know how they do this, I suspect it takes some low-level network trickery but I would only expect this to increase in the future.
Now, I prefer to create a network so that I can network my iPhone with my MB Pro and transfer files wirelessly, update stock prices on my iPhone, etc. But in certain places I have to switch the AE configuration to Bridge mode so that I can at least be wireless. This would of course be absolutely necessary with the iPad, it not having a wired connection.
So why would hotels do this? They want to charge per user...for example, I work as an airline pilot so the two of us in adjoining rooms can share one connection and split the cost if it isn't free. Heck if we bring in a few flight attendants within range a whole bunch can surf for the price of one!
My point of all of this, is that configuring it once at home and then expecting it to work everywhere is not correct. But the default settings will work most of the time, for many people.
Until Apple devises a way to configure wireless devices from the Ipad, I will have to travel with the MB Pro. Which defeats the purpose of getting an iPad to replace the MB Pro as travel machine. Ergo, I will not be getting an iPad yet. Or if I do will have to go with a non-apple travel router that can be configured in a web browser. (NOOOOooooooo!!)
Frankly I'm surprised they haven't already, an iPad, bluetooth keyboard and AE would be a no-brainer.
Like winglet69, I travel quite a lot with two laptops (pc for work, MBA for personal) and iPhone. I have been taking a designated APE for two years. I also noticed that more and more hotesl require some initial "set up" to have the room internet service to work, such as registration, etc. More and more often, I have to plug my laptop first with the wire, and enable the room internet service. But after that, most of the times, the APE can just "plug n play" for wifi creation. So as long as you configure one at home. You should be all set. I use a base APExtreme at home and two APE as "extenders" (bridge for the main base) in basement and family room. They are all super stable as the travel one. However, that brings up another headache. I have been trying to be MBA free, but I do like iChat to webcam with my kits. So until a new iPad with webcam coming along, I guess I have to bring MBA with me (Yes, I only have 3G iphone, not 4G yet.)
(Yes, I only have 3G iphone, not 4G yet.)
Not if you have (a very common) DSL/PPPoE setup that you use at home. My AEBS is configured to forward my username/password through my DSL modem so I can connect to the internet. You'd have to change the configuration to get this to work at a hotel.