Airport Express Questions

[EJBasile]

Hi everyone,

Tomorrow I might go out an buy myself an airport express for my home office. I would like to print wirelessly, have better wifi reception, and I like the iTunes streaming feature.

I was wondering through is it possible to use the iTunes streaming feature without the airport being plugged into an ethernet plug? Also how long does what is the response time of the basestation- like if I'm playing a song, but I decide to switch to another song, how long will it take to switch the song?

Additionally- does anyone know if Airport Expresses are sold in Target stores? I know they sell the online but do they sell them in the physical stores. Tomorrow I'll be near a target so I'd rather not drive 1hr to the nearest Apple store and I hate having things shipped to my house (I'm never home so they bring it back to the Fedex or UPS warehouse).


Thanks,
EJB

 

[mad jew]

I was wondering through is it possible to use the iTunes streaming feature without the airport being plugged into an ethernet plug?

The Airport has an audio out port which is unrelated to the ethernet port. As long as the Airport is on your network, it'll be able to do Airtunes.

Also how long does what is the response time of the basestation- like if I'm playing a song, but I decide to switch to another song, how long will it take to switch the song?

Depends on your computer and your reception. Generally the Macs I've used have been pretty much instant unless they're down to very limited reception but the PCs struggle a bit with it, just as they do with iTunes generally.

Do you have a current wireless network that you're planning on having the Express join? If so, is it Airport based already?

 

[EJBasile]

The Airport has an audio out port which is unrelated to the ethernet port. As long as the Airport is on your network, it'll be able to do Airtunes.





Depends on your computer and your reception. Generally the Macs I've used have been pretty much instant unless they're down to very limited reception but the PCs struggle a bit with it, just as they do with iTunes generally.

Do you have a current wireless network that you're planning on having the Express join? If so, is it Airport based already?

I do not have an airport network but I do have a linksys basestation located in my basement. I get reception throughout my whole house but in on the 2nd floor on rooms located at the ends of my house the signal is usually 1 to 2 out out of 5 bars

 

[mad jew]

I think Linksys stations will work with Expresses but it's not supported and I have no experience to back it up. I think people on these boards have talked about it working but I can't find any of the threads, sorry. I'm not a huge fan of the Macrumors search function, never seem to be able to find anything.

 

[Applespider]

Also how long does what is the response time of the basestation- like if I'm playing a song, but I decide to switch to another song, how long will it take to switch the song?

Mine used to find and connect within a few seconds. Now, if I stop playing music, it takes about 10 seconds to reconnect again (seemed to start being slow around 10.3.7). But once the sound is streaming, changing tracks is pretty much instantaneous. It's just if you let the stream stop entirely that reconnecting takes a while.

 

[joshysquashy]

It's just if you let the stream stop entirely that reconnecting takes a while.

Does that include pausing the sound?

 

[Applespider]

Does that include pausing the sound?

Yup, pausing a song makes it need to reconnect too. If I'm listening to clips from iTMS, I listen through the PB speakers since it's so annoying listening through the stereo and waiting for it to connect. It wasn't like that to start with.

I wondered if it was the WPA encryption since I think that was introduced around the same time. Perhaps I should try that sometime.

 

[U2Rules!]

Can you use Airport to access AirTunes while at the same time accessing the internet through another wireless connection?

 

[mad jew]

Can you use Airport to access AirTunes while at the same time accessing the internet through another wireless connection?

I'm almost certain the Express will have to be on the same wireless network.

 

[macbaseball]

I was wondering through is it possible to use the iTunes streaming feature without the airport being plugged into an ethernet plug?

That's how I use it, but it was a huge pain to set up. It had a lot to do with the fact that my network is really complicated, but IMO it will be a pain to set up. It's still worth it, but just be aware that it may take some time to set up.

 

[sphereboy]

Can you use Airport to access AirTunes while at the same time accessing the internet through another wireless connection?

I was actually looking for an answer to this same question. My first gut reaction is to say that it can't be done. At the moment, i'm connected to a separate wireless connection, and i am unable to use Airport Express. Technically, what i'm doing is changing Airport antennas so automatically you get disconnected from whatever Airport connection you were on.

Has anyone found a way to have a simultaneous connection from the Airport Extreme card out to a separate wireless connection and Airport Express at the same time?

 

[Will Cheyney]

I was so gutted when I found out Airport Express wasn't compatible with my D-Link Wi-Fi router - they work as signal boosters too!

 

[Will Cheyney]

Stolen: TiBOOK800MHz [REWARD IF FOUND]

*reaches for dear stalker and magnifying glass*

 

[jayscheuerle]

I'll sell you mine if you want it.

I get no reception in my S. Philly rowhome. Too much cordless phone interference (I'm guessing) from all the neighbors.

Make an offer!