AirPort Express
Category: Apple/Mac OS...
Posted Thursday, August 19, 2004 at 04:28 PM [GMT-6]

My latest toy arrived via FedEx yesterday morning, completing the unholy upgrade ritual that began just more than a week ago.

The plaything is an AirPort Express, which looks at first glance exactly like the a/c adapter for a new PowerBook, and very similar to the power adapter for an iPod (gee, do you think Apple realized what they were doing?). The AirPort Express, which we'll call "AEX" just for fun, is a palm-sized wireless base station that plugs into any standard electrical outlet.

[Permit me an aside here, as I compliment Apple for its use of hackable URLs. Want to jump directly to Apple's webpage for, say, GarageBand? Just type "apple.com/garageband" and you're there. Interested in the scoop about the new iPod Mini? Yeah, that's right: "apple.com/ipodmini." Contrast this with certain other manufacturers who use a hierarchy worthy of the federal government: "www.computergiant.com/products/consumer/music/players/mp3/cheapplayer.html." If you build websites, learn a lesson (and I confess that it's one that I don't always remember).

There are three main reasons for getting an AEX. One, you can use it as a standalone wireless base station for any internet connection. Two, you can use it to extend the range of an existing wireless network. Three, you can use it to stream music wirelessly from a computer running iTunes to any home stereo system with the right audio-in connections. The AEX has several more interesting capabilities but these are the main uses.

I'm using it for the second reason, so that I can roam the vast expanses of my 0.1 acre, disproportionately-taxed lot, notebook in hand, surfing the net au naturel, as it were. And it works admirably for that purpose. Now that I have it working.

I won't lay out the gory details of what I went through to get this "plug-and-play" device plugged and playing. I'll just leave you with this little tip, in case you're contemplating the purchase of an AEX to extend your network: don't mount the remote unit too close to the base station.

I'm not sure you'll find that instruction in any other documentation, and it's a glaring omission, in my opinion. But if the remote unit is placed near the outer edge of the existing network's coverage, your laptop will be much happier. And we like for our laptops to be happy, don't we?

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I have sent a link of this entry to the associate pastor of my church who is also a MAC guy. He ahs been telling me about this thing for months and wants me to set one up in the church. We shall see.

BTW - thanks for the blogroll upgrade. Glad to see someone is reading.

Posted by: shannon at August 21, 2004 09:12 AM
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