Okay, I have a 2Wire modem and service through AT&T. I also have an Airport Extreme base station for a computer n the other room where I cannot run a wire nor support a wireless card.
I cannot get the two to talk to each other. I can go wireless from my main computer (G4) to the 2Wire DSL (by unplugging the DSL's ethernet connection to the G4. I can access the internet wirelessly from the G4. I can see and configure the Airport base station (albeit not while connected to the other wireless network). I have configure the base station to go WDS and have the MAC address from the 2Wire in there as well.
When connected to the base station (as a client), it indicates that the IP is self assigned and does not connect to the internet.
How can I get my base station to act as a repeater/slave/client of my 2Wire DSL so that my other computer can surf/
TIA
--ddtm
sometimes you have to have the same brand of gear to be able to connect the 2 together by wifi.
have you looked at one of those ethernet to wifi adapters. maybe the 2wire modem will only accept one internal IP. maybe the 2 computers are trying to use the same internal IP.
i dont like those wifi DSL combo modems. i would rather own a normal ethernet modem hooked to a stand alone wifi router. the combo modems are sometimes very limiting.
So what about using the airport card in my g4 as a base station? Could I then set up the real base station to talk to the airport card and have my g4 farm out the ip adresses?
I know I can do this in Classic, but my two attempts in OS X have failed.
Also, the G4 is a bit of a toaster in this room so it gets put to sleep when not in active use - will this kill the internet connection to the other room if I am using the G4's airport card as a base station (assuming I can get that to work)?
i use to share the wifi signal my DA G4 receved to my PC over ethernet (since my PC didnt have wifi)and all worked well.
i would think that you could do the same in reverse (share your connection from ethernet over wifi). but i think this ability is only in OS X, before you can do this in OS 9 you have to have something called IPnetrouter http://www.sustworks.com/site/prod_ipr_overview.html to share a internet connection. i also did this with my dialup connection in OS 9 over ethernet, if yout wifi card is supported in OS9 then this should work as well, it is a PITA to set up tho but once its done its a awesome app.
it took me a while to get things set up properly to work.
What's the deal with the "other computer" that keeps it from supporting a wireless card? I think the simplest solution would be to get some high-gain antennas on your wireless router (your 2Wire device, presumably) and get a wireless card working on that computer. You may need to switch the 2Wire back into being a "dumb DSL modem" and add on a router that supports external antennas (e.g. Linksys WRT54G), but this wouldn't necessarily be the worst thing (those combo modem-router units may be jacks of all trade, but masters of none).
If the other machine really, truly cannot support a WiFi card, then one of those ethernet-over-power devices that you plug into an electrical outlet at each end will probably serve you best. Trying to mesh two WiFi networks together, especially from different brands, is tricky at best.
thanks for confirming what i said, i was trying to get my belkin to taklk with a linksys before i found out that its better to use the same brand, if not necessary.
yea like i said i do not like those combo DSL/cable modems no matter who makes it.
I have to second Dr. Webster's observations, here. There are all sorts of options, but I don't think any of them are doable with the equipment you have.
What is this other computer, again? Knowing might help with giving advice. If it's anything remotely modern running a real OS then USB wifi cards are cheap, particularly if you can find a closeout-table 802.11b model. Although... I'm going to use my prognostication skills and say this other computer is a beige Macintosh running OS 9. That will make your life harder, as if someone makes a USB wireless dongle with OS 9 support I don't know about it*.
*EDIT: Apparently there were USB wifi cards with OS 9 support. Google "USB wireless OS 9" for some model numbers. If this is what you need, consider that as "Option 0".
However, there are still many solutions.
The first is getting a Wireless-to-Ethernet bridge adapter and accessing your 2Wire network with it. Unfortunately you *cannot* use an Airport Extreme AP as a bridge like that. (Well, actually, I'm slightly lying, but I'll get back to that.) However, many companies make dedicated dongles. They're mostly sold for use with game consoles, but they'll work with anything. Here's an example. And here's another one.
Second option: Read this page:
Using the AirPort Admin Utility to create a WDS network with multiple base stations
Then determine if your 2Wire access point supports WDS. I'm betting it doesn't, and if even if it does it won't interop with Apple. But, well, if it does, try to figure it out. This is the only way you can use an Extreme base station as a bridge. If I'm right and the 2wire doesn't support WDS, then...
Third Option: Buy an Airport Express
The Airport Express has very easy to use bridge functionality when running in WDS mode with an Airport Extreme as the master unit. See this page in addition to the other one. In this scenario you *disable wireless* on the 2wire unit. Shut it off. Kill it. Then connect your Airport Extreme base station to the ethernet port on it. (The 2wire unit has an ethernet port, right?) Either set up the Airport as a simple wireless AP or a router, depending on how you configure the 2Wire. Then configure the Airport Express as a WDS remote on your Extreme network and plug your wireless-less computer in the other room into it.
Or, if that's all too complicated, Dr. Webster's suggestion of Powerline ethernet converters is a way to sidestep WiFi entirely.
Hopefully something here helps.
--Peace
I would get a dedicated wireless ethernet bridge for the computer that can't use a card. Linksys used to make a nice one ( I have the wet-11, 802.11B) can be used in standard mode or switch to crossover so you can plug it into a switch/hub.
I have my mirrored G4 connected directly (ethernet) to the 2-wire DSL.
In a different room, I have my 8600PM. Not having a PCI-based wireless card to stick in there (something I will look into now), I am using what I have on hand - am AP Extreme. So the AP Extreme is plugged into the 8600PM in the other room.
Running wires is not an option as much as i would love to do it.
The short of it is I am trying to make things work with what I have.
If your G4 is running OS X with a little thought I could give you a recipe that would work to at least get you on the internet with the 8600. (Appletalk and other file sharing is likely to be a problem.) But it's completely halfa**ed, you'd have to set up your G4 to *never* go to sleep, and it would really be tough to explain over the Internet to someone who doesn't know FreeBSD. I'm sorry but you'd be much better off with doing it the "right way". Which in the case of a desktop machine running OS 9 is one of these options:
1: 802.11 PCI card
2: Ethernet-to-Wireless adapter. (just an example, you should be able to get one cheaper.
3: Airport Express + Airport Extreme as master unit.
4: Two of these and a network hub.
I'm sure you could sell the Airport Extreme AP for enough money to cover one of the other options.
--Peace
I really do appreciate the offer and would like to learn, but this one is the deal breaker as the G4 warms the room all nice and toasty on a cold night and is pure hell on a warm day even with the AC running.
I will choose option #1 and most likely mothball my AP Extreme or set it up as the main wireless hub off of the 2-Wire DSL (killing its wireless hub when I do).
Thanksabunch!
If it's not too late and you haven't ordered it yet I'd suggest going with option 3, Airport Extreme master + Airport Express. If you go to the Apple Store and buy a refurb you can get an Airport Express for only $80. (Which is the same price as that MacOS 9 compatible PCI wireless card I pointed you at.) It's a more flexible solution (you can hang a hub off it and run multiple computers if you want, for instance), and there are severe limitations to that PCI card. (It *only* works with OS 8.1-9, it doesn't support encryption other then WEP, it's 802.11b, not 802.11g/n, etc.)
Just my two cents.
--Peace
(Actually at $80 I'm thinking of getting one myself. That's no more then a wireless USB print server, which would make my life easier...)
...I like the idea, but the bigger attraction for the PCI card is that I do not need a AC plug to use it. The intended computer (the 8600) already has a rats nest of SCSI drives, extra monitors and the printer. One more plug may not be a big issue, but an internal card buttons that piece up nicely for my tastes.
Since this Mac will only ever run OS 9, I think the trade-off is acceptable. WEP and 11b are fine for my needs in this case.
I will look into the Express, but the deal breaker may be if I can get the PCI card for less than the Express. If I can swing both, I will since I still have a small fleet of OS 7 machines in the garage...
Okay, whatever floats your boat. Just wanted to make sure you're aware that you've committed to the hardest to find and least flexible solution. ;^)
--Peace