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24 January 2009

Mac networking question Here's the situation:

Currently there is a wireless network running off a Linksys WRT54G Router that's plugged into a cable modem→[More:]

On the network there are 4 (currently) Macintosh computers. 3 are running off the wireless, one is plugged into Linksys router via Ethernet. This comptuer is an older model G4, not really capable of moderm Wireless speeds

There is an unused Airport Express lying around and a 500gb USB drive.

Can these things happen:

1. Use the Express router to serve the main wireless network...
a. ...with the USB external drive attached it

2. Use the Linksys router as a wireless connection to the network for the non airport capable Mac

3. Have the USB drive available to all as backup drive that the main computers can copy stuff to

Bonus round: If #2 is possible, could I hang TWO non airport capable macs (a G4 and a G3, both 400mhz) off of the Linksys bridge?

post by: Brandon Blatcher at: 16:23 | 6 comments

more inside, pls!

posted by Stewriffic 24 January | 16:24

What version is the WRT54G? (pdf for ID here). If it's one which can be upgraded, X-wrt makes using it as a client fairly easy. So (2) should be OK.

For 1a: I don't know about airports at all, but, having used APs as servers before (actually still do, to some extent), I'd be inclined to use the G4 to serve up the external drive. Though, if you're using time machine, perhaps the airport would be better (unless the G4 is running 10.5).

(3) should be a direct consequence of (1). (Bonus Round) should be a direct consequence of (2).

posted by pompomtom 24 January | 17:09

X-Wrt link

posted by pompomtom 24 January | 17:12

It's 8.2 which looks like one of the more recent releases (note, the version is also on the router homepage)

posted by Brandon Blatcher 24 January | 18:26

Is there a desktop Mac that is connected to the wireless network, but close enough to the G4 that you could run an Ethernet cable between them?

If so, consider skipping the Linksys and setting up Internet Sharing on the desktop Mac:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.5/en/8156.html

On the desktop Mac, share the Airport service to Ethernet. Then run an Ethernet cable from the desktop Mac to the G4. You will not need a cross-over Ethernet cable to do this.

posted by AlexReynolds 24 January | 18:38

I don't really understand the motivation for point #1. The APE is not really superior, except in terms of ease of configuration, to the Linksys you have. And since the Linksys is already set up and working, the Airport really has no advantage. Why not just leave the Linksys where it is right now?

You can accomplish #2 without taking the Linksys out as the main router; you just use the Airport Express in "bridge mode." An article describing how to set it up is here.

The way I'd set up your network, if I were you, is something like:

[Cable Modem] - [Linksys] (wireless link) [APE] - [Older Mac]

And then have all your other Macs connect wirelessly. If you do it this way, the APE will basically extend the range of your wireless, in addition to providing service to the wired-only machine. It's quite slick.

At some point I'd blow the firmware on the Linksys away with something better, but for now you can keep it -- you should be able to do the APE bridge trick with the stock Linksys firmware, per that article I linked above.

posted by Kadin2048 26 January | 22:49

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