Apple airport express wan port description. Airport express - step-by-step setup. Remotely access Time Capsule and create iPhone backups to Time Capsule

Today we will do short review Wi-Fi router AirPort Express, the youngest of Apple's routers. It often remains in the shadow of its bigger brothers AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule and therefore is not taken seriously by many. In fact, this modest router has far from modest capabilities and, when fully used, can become the brain center of your wireless network. The word network here should be understood not just wireless Internet, but also wireless printing, wireless music and more. And if in the case of another router here you would have to go to system administrator courses, then AirPort Express, like any other Apple product, understands instantly what you want from it and meekly carries out its service three times longer than its competitors.

What is AirPort Express?

At its core, AirPort Express is wireless router, supporting the IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n standard and working simultaneously in two frequency ranges: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Operating on two frequencies is a definite advantage in the eyes of any practical person: the vast majority of Wi-Fi routers around you, Bluetooth devices, microwave ovens - they all operate on the 2.4 GHz frequency, creating interference on channels of this frequency, so the ability of the AirPort Express to switch if necessary, at a frequency of 5 GHz - a very useful feature.

Again, most modern network cards support the IEEE 802.11n standard, which means that almost any device - be it an iPhone, iPad or MacBook - can work with this frequency. The number of simultaneous users on the network is limited to 50, which is ideal for home or even small office. In addition to the Ethernet WAN port, AirPort Express has one LAN port, into which, for example, you can plug in your desktop PC that does not have a Wi-Fi module. Initial setup The station is really very simple. Creating a network, setting a name and password is done in three clicks, both on a Mac and on an iPhone or iPad without using any special programs.

What's the benefit?

But that's not why we love AirPort Express (or rather, not only that). Look at the picture below and you will understand that this bastard makes everything he touches wireless.

Specifically, on the back there is a USB output for a printer and a 3.5 mm jack for speakers.

I tested both options and the verdict is clear: everything works great. After some simple setup, the printer even started printing documents from an iPhone, and setting up the speakers didn’t require any special effort at all. Let me make a reservation right away that AirPort Express only supports AirPlay technology and will broadcast sound to speakers only from a limited number of programs. And while iOS is almost completely compatible with AirPlay and outputs audio from any application that has video/music, then on OS X or Windows it will only be iTunes. Therefore use speakers paired with AirPort Express is not recommended - neither play games nor watch movies on the Internet. But some big old audio system in the living room would be perfect.

Appearance

Praise Apple for Beautiful design It has already become bad manners, so we just look at the pictures and enjoy.

Nice little thing

It is impossible not to mention such an excellent feature as the “guest network”, when enabled, an additional network is created that can be left password-free without compromising security. The guest network provides Internet access, but does not provide access to AirPlay, a printer, or other network settings. The guest network saved me from having to dictate my 45-character password with uppercase, lowercase, and Greek characters to guests, and also made me feel altruistic when I left my neighbors with password-free 100 Mbps Wi-Fi when I went on vacation.

The guest network saved me from having to dictate my 45-character password with uppercase, lowercase and Greek characters to guests, and also made me feel altruistic when, on vacation, I left my neighbors with password-free Wi-Fi with 100 Mbps

Are there any downsides?

One of the serious shortcomings is the inability to work with VPN - AirPort Express only supports transit data transfer. Therefore, if the provider awarded you VPN connection(For example, home Internet Beeline), then AirPort Express will not suit you. It’s worth dispelling the myth about the station’s strong heating - you won’t be able to fry eggs, unless you warm up the tea a little.

During the year of owning AirPort Express, the author has never encountered the need to reboot the station, which distinguishes it from its classmates, which require periodic reconfiguration and reboot. AirPort Express maintains a stable signal and does not slow down the speed (at least up to 100 Mbsec).

Bottom line

Overall, the AirPort Express deserves a solid A+ and is one of the best routers for home use. Many will be upset by the price, but it is better to buy a good router once that will last 5 years than to change cheap ones every 1.5-2 years.

As a member of the Dom.ru Club affiliate program, you can use your accumulated points to pay for Dom.ru services. This can be done in the Personal Account of the Affiliate Program: Go to the “Spend points” section and select the replenishment section...

As a participant in the Dom.ru Club affiliate program, you can use your accumulated points to pay for Dom.ru services. This can be done in your Personal Account of the Affiliate Program: You can pay partially or fully for the cost of Dom.ru services...

To find out what kind of router you have, look at the model on the bottom of the case. Instructions OR FROM THE OFFICIAL SITE ES...

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To configure PPPoE, open your browser and enter 192.168.1.1 in the address bar Enter authorization data: Username SuperUser Password Beeline$martB0x Click the “Continue” button. Click the "Advanced Settings" button. . In the expanded us...

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To find out what kind of router you have, look at the model on the bottom of the case. Instructions for setting up route...

Most users modern devices prefer to use devices that are designed by Apple. This kind of preference is most likely due to the quality, performance and style of the products. True, they also have several disadvantages, because of which many amateurs and professionals refuse to purchase the unit. First of all, it should be noted the high cost of gadgets and the unique approach that, for example, the Airport Express router requires.

To configure the device you need to install a proprietary utility

This device is a full-fledged Wi-Fi router, adapted to almost all domestic providers.

Features of the American unit

Today, two versions of the Airport Express router are sold around the world. The new device has an updated body and a more advanced form factor. Latest version Airport Express can support more than 50 devices connected via Wi-Fi, operate at 5 GHz, and also connect to a USB printer and print documents without the use of cables. The case is not equipped with outputs for direct connection of flash drives and modems. Another difference of the new router is the presence of AirPlay and an additional LAN port.

Apple Airport Express does not have a personal web interface, and user configuration requires the proprietary Airport utility. You can download it from the official website, then install it via the AppStore on your iPhone (iPad). Computers and laptops running MacOS are pre-equipped with this extension.

In today's article we will look at step by step instructions, allowing even novice users of this American product to easily connect the device.

Setting up a router from Apple

The specialized website apple.ru, although adapted to the Russian consumer, has several significant drawbacks. The fact is that the “simple” described on the web resource three steps”, which seem to provide quick and unhindered configuration of the unit, are in fact not enough. The user often faces various difficulties and tasks that cannot always be solved on their own.

Airport Express will be configured within the framework of one of the largest Moscow providers - Speedyline.

At the initial stage, we will take an access point, connect to it a power cord from the network and an Internet cable from the provider serving the user. The last wire must be inserted into the WAN connector (several small circles are drawn above the round hole). If the user is holding not a new device, but a previously connected device, you should reset previous settings via the reset button.

The following manipulations will help you restore your Apple Airport Express to factory settings:

When disconnecting from the power supply, you need to turn the router over and find a small hole in it into which you can insert the end of a straightened paper clip or a toothpick. After pressing the reset button, you should not let go of your hand for several seconds, and then, while holding reset, turn the unit back on to the power supply so that the indicators indicating the operation of the access point are located in front of the eyes of the connector.

Removing previous settings

Setting up Airport Express is not possible without resetting the previous parameters that were set during the previous connection. The owner of the gadget should wait a few minutes until the router starts “blinking” the status indicator. It is this signal that indicates the need to release the held reset button. This simple manipulation allows you to reset old data and start connecting the device almost from scratch. The access point will remain lit exclusively until setup is completed. yellow, and only after connection the indicator color will change to green.

Continue setting up the router

Using the Explorer (Finder), in your favorites you should find programs - utilities, among which is the necessary AirPort application. Using this program, further configuration of Airport Express will be carried out, so there is no point in trying to connect the unit via a web interface, which cannot help the user due to its absence.

After opening the application, AirPort base stations will not be instantly found; a specialized notification will notify us about this. Therefore, you need to click on “Other AirPort base stations (1)”, and in the menu that opens, choose AirPort Express aa0406. The selected position opens the settings window.

The router needs to indicate the name of the network and the name of the base station, so in certain lines the user needs to indicate the names that he prefers. It is worth noting that in this section you can leave the default names. The only thing you need to come up with is a password consisting of at least 8 characters (you will have to enter it every time a new gadget tries to connect to a Wi-Fi access point).

So, that's where the simple ends. If the owner of the device, by going to any browser and typing the site address, gets to the desired page, it means that the provider chosen by the user is able to provide settings that allow him to connect AirPort Express “in just three steps.”

If someone is less fortunate, and your Internet provider only issues IP addresses via DHCP, you can resort to a few more simple steps. True, they can only help if the provider does not regularly check all connections by MAC address, that is, by the identification number that each network device receives at the manufacturing plant.

Please note that some units are equipped with addresses that cannot be changed or renamed later. Such devices include Apple Airport Express. American developers assign unique MAC addresses to most of their manufactured products, including network cards, adapters, routers, phones.

If your Internet provider filters all connections, you will have to contact its operators for services. When you call technical support, you should indicate that you purchased a new router with an unchanged MAC address. Employees of the provider company will need to help with adding a new MAC address to the user’s table of allowed connections. As a result, the user will only have to configure AirPlay and a network printer.

Setting up a router when renting an external IP address

If technical support reported that the user is a tenant of an external IP address, and the router still lights up yellow, you need to configure Airport Express using a static ip.

The previously mentioned Speedyline company disables MAC address protection, so the device owner needs to download (open) the AirPort application again, click on the access point and the “Change” property. In the “Internet” subsection, the first line “Connect via” should be filled with the word “Static”. The fact is that a static address, unlike a dynamic one, is unchanged. Further configuration involves specifying the IP address, subnet mask, router and DNS server in certain columns. The information must be known to every consumer of a particular provider. If this data is missing, you need to contact technical support, where they will tell you everything.

At the moment when you configure the router, you must enter the gateway address in the “Router” section. And then, after entering all the parameters, you need to press the “Update” button and wait for the process to complete.

Once the procedure is complete, you can close AirPort Utility. The Internet access device will light up with several green circles, which will indicate the presence of the Internet.

Conclusion

Basically, basic setup The router from the American manufacturer is completed and the Airport Express consumer can happily reap the fruits of his labor.

I’ll say right away that Planet, in my opinion, is the easiest provider to set up, but it has one pitfall that can be a little unbalancing if you don’t know about it (details below)! I did the setup at a friend's place where I was able to take a bunch of screenshots and get a great photo from ! So, let's get started (there are a lot of pictures under the cut)!

AirPort Time Capsule

The first thing to do is turn on the access point to the network, connect the cable from the provider to the WAN connector and launch the AirPort Utility (Programs/Utilities). If the access point was already configured with a previous provider, then it is better to reset it by pressing and holding the special button on the back of the AirPort for 10 seconds and configure it from scratch. Please note that the data on the disk (in the case of Time Capsule) is not deleted, only the network and WiFi settings are reset!

After all the conditions from the previous paragraph have been met, we proceed to the setup. First we must select our access point from the list of available networks.

Immediately after this, the AirPort Utility may open, with the Capsule pre-configured. If this does not happen, feel free to launch it!

The access point will be prepared for configuration, and if you have already configured other AirPorts from your computer, the system will automatically go through them to check the settings.

After going through all the previous options, the Utility will give you fields for entering basic settings.

I’ll make a reservation right away that I selected the Other parameters option, as this will give a little more customization options. As a result, we see this window:

In this case, I had to configure the Time Capsule as new, and I chose the first option. I think you will need the same one. Feel free to click Next!

Here we prescribe the main parameters of the future network. Network name is how the network will be seen by your devices, Base station name is the identifier of the access point itself (will later be displayed in the Finder side menu when accessing the disk), Password is the password with which you will connect to AirPort. The first and second names can be made the same. By the way, to access the network and its settings, you can do different passwords. You will need this if you want to protect your network from unauthorized reconfiguration, for example, in an office or public place (cafe). After filling out all the fields, we boldly move forward.

In a new window you can activate the guest network. For example, you need it if you want to share the Internet and be on the same network with someone, but you don’t want someone to have access to the built-in disk (or connected to USB in the case of Airport Time Capsule and Extreme ). If you skip this step and do not configure the guest network, you can activate it later, from the advanced settings of AirPort Utility. Go ahead.

At this stage, the settings are applied and the access point is rebooted. After everything we have done with the access point, it should accept all this.

After rebooting, we see a globe icon representing the Internet and our AirPort Time Capsule. If you click on it, we will see a small menu where you can enter fine-tuning of the access point. To do this, click on Change.

The first tab allows you to configure the Base Station.

Here we see fields that are already familiar to us, in which we will not change anything unless there is an urgent need. You can also configure it when Apple help ID, if you click on the plus and enter your ID and password. Let's go to the Internet tab.

In this window, you will need to enter your Internet details provided to you by your provider. I remembered several providers that AirPort works with - Planet, ... Maybe there are others, but I won’t say that right off the bat. Why these particular providers? Yes, simply because they do not use tunneling (VPN), which is not supported by Apple access points. Kabinet, Dom.ru, MTS, Beeline, Akado use VPN, and to configure AirPort Express/Extreme, you will first need a VPN router that will connect to the provider, and only then distribute “clean” (via DHCP or static) Internet to Apple access point.

As for the pitfall of Planet (Convex and Ruskom) - they have a binding by MAC address, and if you change the router, you will need to call the technical support service and ask to rebind the point (you may need passport data). After a successful conversation with the TP, you will be able to access the Internet.

By the way, if the provider automatically issues the details, then leave Connect via in the DHCP state. If some other parameters are used (static IP or PPPoE), then select it:

After selecting the connection type and entering the details, you can move on to the next tab.

At this stage, you can slightly change the operation of the access point itself, if it is a continuation of an existing wireless network. In this case, in the Network Mode menu, select Advanced. wireless network. A similar case may occur in a large house or office, where the range of one point may not be enough.

You can also change the network encryption method WPA, WPA 2 and others. By the way, if you didn’t create a guest network at the initial AirPort setup stage, you can do it here.

If you click on the Parameters... button, another interesting field will open before us:

In this window, you can activate the 5GHz network, as well as select a channel for the wireless network. Now we won’t dwell on this in detail; you can try to experiment on your own and decide which operating mode suits you best. If there are no questions here, click Save and go to the next tab - Network:

I would be happy to talk about all the points in detail, but in most cases you won’t need them. And if you need it, you can always :)

Let's go to last tab- Disc.

If you configure Tima Capsule, you will see the built-in disk, its volume and free space on it. Here you can clean the disk, or transfer all data to external drive by clicking the Archive disk button. We won’t touch other settings - everything works as it should!

If you have gone through all the steps and selected the settings that suit you, then feel free to click on Update and agree to the update. After rebooting your AirPort, you can connect to it again and enjoy the Internet!

Let me remind you again that AirPort Express, Extreme and Time Capsule do not support VPN! I strongly recommend that you take this fact into account when choosing an access point to your home, or when choosing a provider! If you still find yourself in a situation with a VPN, don’t despair - a simple “layer” between the provider and your AirPort can serve as the TP-Link TL-WR841, for example. Personally, for me, a similar router takes care of all communications in the apartment :)

Remotely access Time Capsule and create iPhone backups to Time Capsule

Dear readers, as an afterword I would like to clarify something else. I very often receive emails of the following nature:

• the ability to remotely access Time Capsule from the Internet (without using a permanent IP address);
• interaction with Time Capsule disk and iPhone/iPad. How to backup your phone to a capsule.

AirPort Express/Extreme/Time Capsule - home, amateur devices! They are very easy to configure, as you saw above, but their functionality is very poor! They cannot be loaded with Padavan firmware, dd-wrt or anything similar, thereby expanding the potential of AirPort... These access points are more suitable for a home or small office, but not for geeks who want to get the most out of the device...

Remote access access to Time Capsule is carried out only through your Apple ID. In the first tab “Base station” you can enter your Apple ID below and then your capsule will be visible on your Mac from anywhere in the world, as long as there is Internet. No, this won't work with Windows. And it doesn’t matter what method you use to connect to the network: DHCP, static or PPPoE.

How to watch movies from Time Capsule from iPhone/iPad? No way, no crutches... This access point only works well with computers. Yes, you can install a program like or on your iPhone/iPad and connect a drive from Capsule in it. I’ll be honest: I tried these solutions and they don’t work at all. user-friendly. In short, in one place...

How to backup iPhone/iPad to Time Capsule? Almost nothing. That is, directly, so that by pressing one button a copy would be created, or even automatically - no way! There is a workaround, but it’s impossible without a computer: a very ordinary backup copy is created in iTunes, and then either the folder ~/Library/Application Support/Mobile sync/Backups is transferred to the capsule by hand, or we wait for the next update of the copy via Time Machine, so that local copy from iTunes got onto the capsule. And then we go to the iTunes settings and delete the backup copy so that it does not take up space on the built-in disk... I’m telling you that this was done in one place...

By the way, regarding the photograph that I wrote about at the very beginning, here it is:

Many thanks to Nikita Polosov for such a cool shot and for providing access to his AirPort Time Capsule!