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Configure Apple Airport Extreme through Windows XP with a LInksys Wired Router

I'm trying to connect an Airport Extreme wireless router to a Linksys wired router. It doesn't seem to be getting the internet connection but I can pick up a "hollow" wireless signal from the Airport.

First, the stupid Linksys router had to have my computers connect through static IP addresses otherwise it wasn't working.
So I got the wired computer working, now I guess the Airport needs to have its addresses static too? I only have Win XP pcs at the moment how can I configure the right address for the Airport Extreme?

More details:
DSL Modem has been tested independently and works fine.
Linksys EtherFast Wired Router initially worked hooked up to only one other computer.
Other computers had to have thier IP made static, then they worked.
Airport extreme is not working to provide wireless internet, but it does send out a wireless signal.

Modem -> Wired Router -> Airport Extreme

Thanks

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

scrathcyboy

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bbrunning

If you have a bellsouth dsl modem it's ip is most likely 192.168.0.254
You need to setup your router to use a local ip of 192.168.1.1 range, then it will dhcp the ip's to all the computers correctly without needing static.

Then using the airport to find the wifi using system settings/network on the mac.

Find the wireless via the name you either specify or the default which on linksys is "linksys" and click connect.

Everything should work fine.

polkadot

ASKER

I'm kind of a networking newbie, I need more details, Im not sure exactly how to do this:

"configure the Linksys wired router to give IPs by DHCP (it is in the setup)"
actually, it wasn't in the setup ...

"Then go into the Airport and configure it to GET (GET, not give) an IP from DHCP"
How? I'm on a windows xp machine, I initially setup the airport from a mac, but I no longer have that Mac. This was the initial problem.

scrathcyboy

You will have to use some program to configure the Airport to get an IP and not give out DHCP, otherwise it will not work with another wired router in the default configuration.

See here -
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=108049
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120273

The second link is a file you can download. When you run it on the XP system that has a wireless networking card (to connect to the airport), you will see the setup I am talking about.

Now press the reset button on the linksys while it is powered on (paperclip into a small hole on back or front).

Now you have reset the linksys to default, use the utility for Airport to change it to NOT give out DHCP, and set it to GET an IP from DHCP. You will find these settings somewhere. Then save the configuration, now all should work.

polkadot

ASKER

The program is not letting me connect, it says "an error occured while trying to access the base station. Make sure your network connection is valied and try again. error code -4."

I don't see anything wrong with the connection, my Windows XP shows that its connected to at 54.0 mbps per second to the wireless device. I've entered the correct password for he device. I cant see anything else wrong.

scrathcyboy

Look for a reset on the AIrport, as on a Linksys, some hidden button you press to reset it. Also, you might have to disable the linksys from the Airport, and plug in the airport ONLY to your DSL router for this to work, until you configure it correctly, then you can hook up the linksys again --

DSL modem --> linksys (gives IPs by DHCP)--> Airport (gets an IP from DHCP) --> wireless laptop (gets IP too).

scrathcyboy

Oh and by the way, if the DSL modem is ALSO trying to give out IPs by DHCP, you have to disable this feature on the linksys too -- only ONE box can give IPs by DHCP on the above chain. Check the DSL modem setup too.

polkadot

ASKER

I've reset the airport ... I know this because its changed its name to a defualt name like "Apple Network 279888".. I'm still geting the same error

Could this have something to do with the fact that I've installed a new version of firmware from the apple web site?

Your help is really apreciated

polkadot

ASKER

Also, how would I setup the modem, I have no software for it...

scrathcyboy

The DSL modem IP number will be given by your DSL service provider. But just use your browser and in the address bar at the top, type in http://192.168.0.1

Is the screen that comes up for the DSL modem, or the linksys?

polkadot

ASKER

http://192.168.0.1 gives me page cannot be displayed..

ok, I got a working version of the software for airport for windows http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/airport41forwindows.html

I have no idea how to : "Airport to change it to NOT give out DHCP, and set it to GET an IP from DHCP. " There isn't a setting exactly like this in the configuration utility.

scrathcyboy

It sounds like this configuration is beyond you. Why not just plug in the DSL modem, and if it has an antenna on it, use that to connect. Forget the Linksys and the Airport, it takes more configuration than you seem to be able to handle to get 3 devices to work together that are all competing for the same "dominance" of IP and DHCP.

polkadot

ASKER

Then I guess it is beyond you as well, are you giving up?

polkadot

ASKER

Okay, I got it to work.

All I did is a reset on both devices, set my linksys router with the isp info, and configured the wep security with software from apple:

http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/airport41forwindows.html

Thanks for all your help scrathcyboy

scrathcyboy

Glad you got it working, all 3 devices were conflicting as you had them, and it is not always easy to fix it. Glad a reset did it, as I suggested.