Router iMac Airport + Ethernet, which one?

[britpop]

I have my iMac connected to my wireless router via ethernet, but also airport is on. At the top right I can see I am connected to my network.

How can I chose the faster ethernet to connect without turning of airport?

How can I be sure the connection is with ethernet and not wireless?

 

[britpop]

I forgot to say I have an AAE connected to my Hi-Fi and one with the printer. Both configured to join my existing Network (Netgear wireless router).

 

[Big-TDI-Guy]

Don't entirely understanding your wording here but...

Well, you can just click on the airport icon to toggle it on and off from the Apple menu. (not too time consuming)

I don't know what the mac chooses first (if both couple to the same router), my guess is whatever linked up during boot/login. (likely the ethernet, because it's faster than wifi)

If you type "network" in spotlight, or access it through system prefs. It will show under "status" which you are using.

Downloading the Istat Pro Widget will give you network information at the push of a button. (for dashboard)

 

[gr8tfly]

In the Network preference pane, you can enable/disable an interface, or re-order the connection priority.

When connected through Ethernet, the Airport menubar icon will just be the outline of the connections bars (empty). If you're not going to be using the Airport at all, you can remove it from the Menubar through Network preferences, or cmd-drag it off the Menubar.

You'll still have access to the Express through the router, since it's on the same LAN.

 

[britpop]

I'll try and explain it again. ALSO I AM USING OS X 10.5 LEOPARD

I have a wireless Netgear router and an iMac with built in Airport.
I also have 2 airport express.

I would like to connect wirelessly to the Airport Express (1 for Hi-fi & 1 for printer). Not a problem, already can do that.

I want the iMac to connect to the internet via the ethernet cable connecting them.

I dont want the iMac connecting to the wireless router via airport because I am guessing it is a slower connection, but still connecting to my Airport Express at the same time.


Hope I have made it clearer?

 

[britpop]

I tried to turn Airport OFF.
I could connect to the internet with it OFF but I couldn't play iTunes through my Airport express any more or print.

Both Airport Express's are joined to the existing Netgear Network but dont stream Airtunes without the iMac Airport being on.

 

[britpop]

I used iStat Pro.
With Airport ON, I opened Safari and selected a website.
iStat Pro showed the activity in the ethernet section and nothing in the Airport section.

Therefore:- with my iMac connected to my router via Airport & Ethernet, the data is transfered via Ethernet.

Thanks

 

[nungman36]

Your High Class Problem

Britpop, I can't solve your high class problem but it sounds like you could solve my simple one.

I just purchased an old AirPort Base Station (Graphite) to go with my old iMac. The object is to utilize the wireless feature on a new printer. I just got connected to the internet through built-in AirPort and a Westell DSL modem/router. (That connection is plenty fast enough for me.)

The computer refused to "recognize" the Base Station though I ran the Airport Admin Utility a dozen times, pressed the little reset button with a paper clip end, etc. The reason why is that with AirPort on, ethernet is off. The Base Station is physically connected to the iMac with a yellow ethernet cable but electronically dead.

You somehow have managed to have both ethernet and Airport working at once.
Please, how did you do it?