How to Add Airport Express to wired router?

[Christia]

Hello people, I need a little help in configuring a small wireless network. I have a desktop which has Windows XP on it and I recently got an iBook and a Airport express as a gift. I access internet on the desktop using a Wired Dlink router which is connected to a cable modem. Now I want to share the same connection on my iBook and hence want to know How to Add Airport Express to wired router so that I am able to access the Internet via Wireless. Any suggestions/solutions regarding the topic are welcome. Thanks in advance.

[Sabastiaan]

You will not require the Airport express for accessing Internet on the iBook. You can directly connect the iBook to the wired router and configure the IP address for the iBook if required or if DHCP is running on the router, the iBook will automatically get the IP address assigned. For connecting the iBook to the router you will require a CAT 5 straight cable. Connect the iBook to the router and see if it works.

[Visala28]

The wired router which you are using must be having an Ethernet port which is empty, connect the Airport express to the empty slot of the Wired router. If DHCP on the router is enabled, the Airport express will get the IP assigned automatically or else you will have to configure the Airport express manually. Once the Airport express is connected to the router, you will be able to access internet on the iBook using wireless.

[Christia]

As suggested I connected the Airport Express to the empty Ethernet port on the wired router and I was able to access the Internet on the iBook. I also connected the printer to the Airport express and now the iBook can print using the printer but my desktop computer running on Windows XP cannot access the printer. Is there any special configuration required for sharing the same printer on the two computers? Please help.

[Sabastiaan]

There must be some problem with the configuration of the Airport express due to which you are not able to print using the Windows Xp computer. Airport express should work as a print server for all the Mac OS X which are later to 10.2 and for Windows XP if it is configured in the same subnet. Hence check if all the devices are in the same subnet or not.

[Carley]

In order to add the Airport express to the wired router, the Airport express should be configured in the bridge mode. When the Airport express is configured in the bridge mode, you will be able to use Airport express as print server for both the computers easily. The function of the wired router will be to provide internet connection to both the computers.

[Christia]

Thanks for helping out in connecting the Airport express to the wired router. I disabled the DHCP on the Airport express as suggested and now I am able to use the Airport express as the print servers for both the computers running on Mac and Windows. There were some problems faced earlier while configuring the Airport express which were later solved by disabling the DHCP on the Airport express express.