Problems connecting Airport Express to iMac

[Highmac]

AE was a birthday gift. Was assured in the Apple Store that it was simplicity itself to set up, but...

What I have - iMac G5 linked wirelessly to Netgear DG834G modem/router through Airport.
What I want to do - connect the AE wirelessly solely so I can run iTunes to the stereo in another room, but without losing my internet connection through the Netgear. To give an indication of the level of tech ignorance you're dealing with, I'm not even sure whether I'm trying to "Add to an existing network" or "create a new network". And does the Mac use the Netgear to broadcast iTunes, or does AE get it direct from the iMac?

Yesterday, I loaded the software from the CD, plugged in the AE to a mains socket. Airport Utility found it, but when I tried to add the Express, the Netgear set-up was replaced in the menu-bar list by the AE and I lost my internet connection. I then had to turn off the AE at the wall socket and relaunch Airport to get the Netgear back in the list. After several circuits like this, trying different things, I gave up for the night. The fact AE broadcast its ID to the iMac suggests there's no fault in the new device.

What I'd appreciate is a simple-English guide for a tech ignoramus

[chriskleeman]

Neil,

As I understand the Airport Express, it piggy-backs on top of your already existing network. What it does is allow you to use iTunes to send music anywhere you want it, but you have to connect the stereo you'd like to send the music to, physically to the AE. If I understand the directions I looked up on the Apple website, you need to plug in the AE to an electrical outlet near enough to your sound system, or stereo, and run an audio cable from the AE to the stereo receiver. I don't think you want the AE plugged into your router, because you've already got an Airport ... and one of the functions of the AE is to extend your already existing wireless network, as I understand it. The AE can function as a base station, but that's not what you want here because the existing Airport.

Now, I'm hoping Mayo will stop by with more information! But he's probably not awake quite yet!

HTH,

Chris K

[Highmac]

Thanks Chris - Sorry, I did realise I needed a cable to the stereo  

Problem is getting the iMac and the AE to connect. Yesterday, Airport Utility scanned and found it; today it finds nothing, which makes me think I may have a faulty Express. In which case it will be on its way back to Leicester Apple Store on Thursday!

[Mayo]

Neil, you can elect to create either a new network with the AE as its "base station" or you can join your existing network with the AE acting as a kind of "repeater."  I have done it both ways but the nice thing about adding the AE to your existing network is that it extends the range of your network. The basic instructions are in the AE manual.

The wild card is the Netgear router; I have no idea if there are problems associated with adding an AE to a Netgear network. A little Googling should clear it up if it seems to be a problem...

I doubt that there is something wrong with the AE... Connecting to a new AE wirelessly in order to set it up has always been a hit-or-miss affair in my experience. I have found that connecting to the AE via an Ethernet cable is the most reliable method. When you are done configuring the AE just move it to its new location near your audio system.

An Airport Express is just a small wireless gateway/router like your Netgear. If you elect to have the AE join your existing network the music will be sent to the AE from your Mac via the Netgear router.  If you create a new network then the Mac will be sending audio directly to the AE.

In order to greatly improve the utility of your new Airport Express I highly recommend getting Airfoil. Airfoil makes it possible to stream audio from any source on your Mac, not just from iTunes. As I am typing this I am streaming Gregorian chant playing on Pandora throughout our house. It is streamed from Safari via our Airport Extreme Base Station to the AE connected to our living room sound system. A Recoton transmitter connected to the receiver sends audio to wireless speakers in various rooms. Airfoil even makes it possible to stream audio to other Macs.

It's too bad that you aren't running Leopard... If you were we could connect via iChat and I could not only see in real-time what your settings are, I could input the settings myself! Transcontinental hands-on tech support is a reality in 2008. It's even possible to drink a pint or two together via the Internet, although it isn't quite the same as sitting by the fire in a cozy pub...  

(Of course, those not running Leopard can use LogMeIn to remotely control Mac via your Web browser. I think that the LogMeIn plugin only works with Macs running 10.4 or higher.  You can even control a remote Mac using an iPhone. And the basic service is FREE!))

[Highmac]

Thanks, Mayo, for that response and for taking the time to make it! Much appreciated and it has cleared a lot of things in my mind.

The tip about using ethernet cable may well help (though it won't be tonight!); I recall now that the Netgear itself had to be connected by ethernet cable for setting up before it could be used wirelessly.

Transcontinental hands-on - now there's a thought. It's spooky enough at work when you call IT and then watch your cursor whizzing across the screen and hurtling through menus.... and when I was a kid I found it fantastic that my dad made me a cat's-whisker crystal set and I could listen to radio without mains power or batteries. Once I'd scratched the right bit of the crystal.... I guess trying to get AE to work is, for me, the modern equivalent    

Thanks again, and I'll be back later to let you know how I get on.

[Paddy]

Neil, I second Mayo's comments about the AE and the sometimes hit-or-miss business of setting it up. I've got two of them - both currently set up to extend the network. I swear there's voodoo involved at times. Both are behaving themselves right now, but that's not without a fair bit of hair-pulling and muttered oaths.

Let us know how you get on with it. I've sometimes had to move the AE into the same room as the base station to get it to connect at first - and I've also used an ethernet cable when all else seemed to fail and it was that or take it back to the store.

[Highmac]

Well, finally cracked it (just before I cracked...). Like most of these things, I'm still not absolutely sure what I did in the end. However, since I've got a day off and it's raining and the wife's at work, I could just keep plodding until it worked!

Eventually, I did a factory reset, which is not just pushing the button - see here for soft, hard and factory resets. Had the Express in an extension socket right next to the desk and got Airport Utility to scan - several times - until it picked it up. Moved Express into the lounge and connected it to stereo and can now listen to iTunes in there.

The connection started a bit flaky but seems to be settling down. I'm using 'interference robustness' to see if it helps.

Thanks for all the help and advice. It is much appreciated.

[Paddy]

Just don't turn on the microwave now....

Kills the connection dead in our house. As did the old remote phone. Got some DECT 6 phones and that fixed that, but there's no fixing the microwave problem. Usually have to restart the connection from iTunes, though occasionally it comes back by itself.

[Highmac]

Update - Couldn't get lounge stereo to keep playing as it kept dropping signal although connection light on AE remained green. Have now moved the Netgear to under phone table in the hall and in middle of house. It means the signal doesn't have to go through three 4.5in brick walls, and the iMac in the study is still working fine.
I'm now on track 6 of the Best of the Doobies and it hasn't broken connection yet (I'm going to wish I hadn't said that!)

Don't think missus will be too impressed with how the new arrangement looks, but it gives us an idea of what works and we can take it from there.

By the way, a poster on another forum saved me a lot of head-scratching by mentioning that he had found if you unplug the AE but leave iTunes running, when you plug it in again, next time you try to play something it usually gives an error message that it can't be found. Restarting iTunes reconnects it.

I'll remember the microwave tip....

[Mayo]

"Best of the Doobies?" That brings back memories! When I lived in Sanity Cruise in the early 70s I would run into Patrick Simmons on the Pacific Garden Mall... skinny as all heck and ALWAYS wearing his snakeskin cowboy boots. (I wonder how he kept his weight down?) I got the definite impression that life is Real Good when you are a Rock Star.