What cables for Airport Express

[admin_exported]

My airport express arrived today from Amazon, but like an idiot I havent researched what cables I would need to make it work (or maybe I assumed I would just have a spare one in my "big spare cable bag").

Anyway it appears I need a toslink to 3.5mm Mini jack cable.

Do I also need an ethernet cable?

My Pioneer AV amp is in the lounge downstairs my apple mac is upstairs.

 

[John Duncan]

No need for ethernet - it has wireless built in so set it up to join your existing wireless network (assuming you have one). And yes, you need a mini-toslink-to-toslink cable (or an adapter for a normal optical cable) to plug it into your AV amp.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the prompt response John. Yes I do have an existing wireless network.

Ah an adaptor! That would be cheaper. I do have a couple of spare optical cables. Thanks very much, I just didnt think of that.

What's on the disc then that came with the AE? I thought it might contain a set-up program.

 

[John Duncan]

Yep it should have the airport configuration utility on it. When you run it, make sure you join existing network and give it the credentials. Do you use WPA or WEP for security? AE can have trouble with WEP...

 

[Anonymous]

Yes I read in other posts about AE having trouble with WEP. Whatever that is.

Tbh I have absoloutly no idea what either of them are or indeed how I find out (shocking thig to admit for an ex-computer programmer I know). I assume they are both some sort of security protocol?

Whilst I am waiting for my adaptor, how do I find out which one I use please?

 

[Anonymous]

Ok I believe my network is WPA. I got my adaptor, plugged in the AE, waited for the flashing amber light, ran the set-up utility, then went into the airport utility.

Howver the airport utility cant find the AE. I get a message when running it which says "Airport utility is unable to find any airport devices........."

I tried plugging it in right next to my mac but that made no difference.

The manual says to make sure my computer (mac in my case) has n airport card or airport extreme card installed"

Whats all that about? This is most un-apple like. Usually stuff just works.

 

[JonnyD]

Hi,

on the apple website it says to connect via ethernet to a DSL/cable modem for initial setup.....

http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/setup.html

after that it should connect to your existing network wirelessly....I think!

 

[Anonymous]

Cheers Jonny. Yes I have it working now.

I stole my xbox ethernet cable and plugged that in, re-ran the set-up and hey-presto it works.

Just to check I then removed the ethernet cable and it stopped working. Plugged it back in...working again.

My router only has two ethernet connections. One used by my amp, the other by my xbox (now my AE). I assume its possible to buy some kind of splitter, which lets me have both my xbox and AE feed the same ethernet connection on my router?

 

[John Duncan]

Hmm. JonnyD's right - you shouldn't need an ethernet cable, despite the fact that some have found it's easier to get it running to begin with with the cable in place. I would do a hard reset (which if I recall is paperclip in the little button whilst powering up) and try to reconfigure with ethernet cable in place from the start, then removing...

 

[JonnyD]

Hi,

glad that's helped so far.

Next I'd go with what John's suggested, try a hard reset, then initial setup again with the ethernet connected. In the Aiport utility then it should be easy to select to either join, or extend an existing wireless network, although I'm not sure which option (join or extend) will be best for you.