Airport Extreme question

[Mr Pants]

Hey guys,

Just got Airport Extreme and my net now seems to be working perfectly. Getting 19.3 MB/s speed at the moment on 20MB package so very pleased.

I need to get the old Windows laptop set up to use AE too. I need to install the Airport Utility but I can't because I need the Vista service pack 1. Now stupidly I can't connect to the net on the Windows laptop to download the SP1.

I tried connecting the ethernet cable to the Vista laptop but it only showed a limited connection. Can I download the SP1 from the Mac, burn to disc and then set up on the Vista laptop?

 

[Tom]

You shouldn't need to use the AU with the windows pc. Just connect and go.

 

[Mr Pants]

You shouldn't need to use the AU with the windows pc. Just connect and go.

I can't get a full connection. I tend to just get local only.

I got SP1 and installed the AU on the laptop but it just says can't find any wireless devices. Silly old Windows tosh.

 

[BS3CLIO]

Apple Engineer here. If the AE is set up correctly giving out a wireless network, any wireless device should be able to connect in. If you don't usually have an issue connecting the PC laptop to a wireless router then I would suspect the setup is slightly wrong on the AE.

 

[BenWall]

Share the wireless connection from your Mac to you PC with a ethernet cable, easy.

Turn on internet sharing in preferences and then hook the PC up with a ethernet.

 

[Mr Pants]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

I've set up the AE for the MacBook obviously which is working great. On the Vista laptop I can find the networks and connect. It's weird though. I don't get prompted for a password and I can only get connected to 'local only' which is no good.

I've joined the wireless network on my iPhone no problem.

@BenWall that's not an option due to location. Not practical to hook up via ethernet.

 

[BenWall]

Wouldn't have thought location would be an issue as it would be wireless.

 

[Mr Pants]

Wouldn't have thought location would be an issue as it would be wireless.

Perhaps I'm not fully understanding what you mean then?

I was under the impression I'd have to connect to the net on the laptop with the ethernet cable going from the laptop to the AE?

(Sorry if I'm being a newb).

 

[BenWall]

I made you a diagram

 

[Mr Pants]

Thanks. Do I need to connect the Windows laptop to the Mac via an ethernet cable then? And will this cable have to be connected to the both of them for me to be able to use the net on the Windows laptop?

 

[BenWall]

Yes. Once connected you can download your service pack then it should be good to go on the wireless.

 

[Mr Pants]

Ah. Different issue now. I downloaded the service pack and it messed up my wireless. So I reverted back to before the service pack was installed. Wireless works again and finds the networks created on AE via the MBP however I don't get a full connection on the old laptop it just goes local only.

No idea what to do. Perhaps get a modern wireless adapter for the old laptop?

 

[Mr Pants]

Okay so this is weird.

As said I can find the wireless networks I have created. (My main network and my guest network). If I connect to the guest network it either connections with limited access or local only. I just tried changing a few things in the Airport Utility. I selected the guest network and removed the password protection. This now makes the laptop downstairs connect fully to the net. And it's not a case of me putting the wrong password in downstairs that was all correct.

So at least you can surf the net on the old laptop now, but I don't particularly want to leave a wireless network unprotected.

Thoughts please?

 

[ChrisH]

Sounds a bit daft but what security options do you get on the AE, WPA, WEP, etc? Some vista laptops depending on the driver and wireless card don't like WEP. So try changing to WPA 2 which is more secure anyway and see if that works.

 

[Mr Pants]

I had it set to WPA2 Personal on the AE. Put in a simple password I've used before many times. I then right clicked the network on the Vista laptop changed the properties to WPA2 Personal and put the password in and it would only connect limited or local.

Really strange issue.

 

[ChrisH]

What happens if you delete all the saved networks from within network and sharing centre, then refresh the network list, click connect, let the computer detect the security type, enter the network key and see what happens that way. Rather than going through the connection properties.

 

[BS3CLIO]

Had an issue at work on a clients site with a Windows Vista laptop not connecting to a Time Capsule properly (same as an AE, with a HD). The main issue was the security, Vista would only connect using WEP! The guy who I was configuring it for got so p****d off with it in the end, he bought a new MacBook off my colleague. Unfortunately Vista is subject to a lot of unanswered questions.

 

[ChrisH]

Might be worth updating the wireless card drivers, if its an Intel 2200BG (i think that was the model), they had quite a few issues with the original driver, it may or may not help, but worth a go.

 

[Mr Pants]

I'll have a few more plays with it later, thanks for the advice guys. The Vista laptop isn't used much so for now I can just remove password protection when it needs to be used then add it again afterwards til I can figure this out.