AirPort Extreme Setup Guide

AirPort Extreme

Setup Guide

Contents

5 Getting Started
7 About the AirPort Extreme
8 About the AirPort Software
9 What You Need to Get Started
11 The AirPort Extreme Status Light
AirPort Extreme Networks
14 Using the AirPort Extreme with a Broadband Internet Service
16 Using the AirPort Extreme to Share a USB Printer
18 Using the AirPort Extreme to Share USB Hard Disks
Setting Up the Airport Extreme
21 Using AirPort Utility
22 Creating a New Wireless Network
22 Configuring and Sharing Internet Access
24 Setting Advanced Options
25 Allowing Wireless Clients Access to Your Network
Tips and Troubleshooting
26 If You Can't Connect to the Internet

26 If You Forgot Your Network or Base Station Password
28 If Your AirPort Extreme Isn't Responding
29 If Your AirPort Extreme Status Light Flashes Amber
30 If Your Printer Isn't Responding
31 Updating AirPort Software
32 AirPort Extreme Placement Considerations
33 Items That Can Cause Interference with AirPort
34 Learning More, Service, and Support
35 AirPort Extreme Specifications and Safety Guidelines
36 Regulatory Compliance Information

Getting Started

Congratulations on purchasing your simultaneous dual-band AirPort Extreme Base Station. Read this guide to get started.

AirPort Extreme provides simultaneous dual-band wireless 802.11n networking. When you set up your AirPort Extreme Base Station, it creates two high-speed Wi-Fi networks:

• A 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) network for 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n devices, such as iPhone, iPod touch, and older computers

• A 5 GHz network for 802.11n and 802.11a devices, such as newer computers, iPad, and Apple TV

Wireless devices join the network that provides them the best performance and compatibility, and the AirPort Extreme shares your broadband Internet connection with computers and devices on your network.

With your AirPort Extreme, you can:

Create a password-protected wireless home network, and then connect to the Internet and share the connection with other computers and Wi-Fi devices, such as iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and Apple TV. You can also share files among computers connected to the network.

Create a guest network with or without password protection, to provide Internet-only access to wireless devices, such as computers, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and Apple TV.

• Connect your AirPort Extreme to your Ethernet network. Wireless-equipped Mac computers, Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 computers can then have access to an entire network without being connected by a cable.

• Connect a supported USB device, such as a printer or a scanner, to your AirPort Extreme. All of the compatible computers on the AirPort network, both wireless and wired, can access the device.

• Connect a USB hard disk to your AirPort Extreme. All of the compatible computers on the AirPort network, both wireless and wired, can access the information on the hard disk.

• Connect a USB hub to your AirPort Extreme, and then connect multiple USB devices, such as printers or hard disks. All of the computers on the network have access to those devices.

Important: Use AirPort Utility to set up your simultaneous dual-band AirPort Extreme Base Station. Previous versions of AirPort Setup Assistant and AirPort Admin Utility are not compatible with this base station.

AirPort Utility is installed in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder on a computer using Mac OS X, and in Start > All Programs > AirPort on a computer using Windows. If AirPort Utility isn't installed on your computer, you can download it from www.apple.com/support/airport.

Apple periodically updates AirPort software. It's recommended that you update your software to keep your AirPort Extreme up to date.

Note: To download a copy of this setup guide in your language, open AirPort Utility and choose Help > AirPort Service and Support, and click Manuals.

About the AirPort Extreme

The AirPort Extreme has six ports, located on the back:

• One 10/100/1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet Wide Area Network (WAN) port (⚖) for connecting a DSL or cable modem, or for connecting to an existing Ethernet network

• Three 10/100/1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet Local Area Network (LAN) ports (↔) for connecting Ethernet devices, such as printers or computers, or for connecting to an existing Ethernet network

• One USB port ( $ \downarrow $) for connecting a compatible USB printer, hard disk, or hub for connecting several devices

• One power port for connecting the AC adapter to a power source

Status light

Internet WAN port Ethernet ports Reset button Power port USB port Security slot