Office Cafe

Extend Wireless Range with AirPort Extreme

Is your wireless network area just too small for comfort? Are you always walking your laptop just out of range? If you have an AirPort Extreme router, your problem can be solved by adding another AirPort Extreme to your network.

It is a simple matter of getting the settings right. For reliability and maximum range, I chose to “wire” them together, even though you should be able to extend them wirelessly.

I put my AirPort Extreme base stations at opposite ends of the house, making it easy to use our laptop computers anywhere in the house, with range to spare onto the back patio.

The trick is to make the second one (the one NOT connected to your DSL or Cable Modem) a “bridge” connection.

First, get the “main” base station set up and running correctly. Make sure you have enabled the encryption scheme of your choice (choose the most secure encryption algorithm that all of the computers on your network can connect to).

AirPort Extreme Wireless Settings

Once your “main” AirPort Extreme base station is running and all of your computers can connect to it, connect the “extension” AirPort Extreme to the first one. Mine are connected through a “Network Switch” (similar to the network “hubs” of a few years ago).

AirPort Extreme Main Base Station Settings

Set up the Internet Connection Sharing to “Off (Bridge Mode).” The Wireless Options should be the same as on the “main” base station.

AirPort Extreme Network Extension Settings

Note: Name the network the SAME on both AirPort Extreme routers. Also, use the same password for both stations. This way, your computer can connect to either base station with only one “key” in the keychain. It worked for me.

Set up each base to choose its wireless channel automatically. 

When you are at one end of the house and move to the other end of the house, momentarily “turn off” your laptop’s AirPort:

and turn it right back on again:

It will find the base with the highest signal strength automatically:

Any questions?

USB727 on a Mac: How to Connect Using System Preferences

Connecting with the USB727 on a MacBook

If you are using Verizon Wireless’ USB727 to connect your MacBook to the Internet, it is easy to connect using system preferences. But before connecting, you must download and install Verizon’s VZAccess Manager software. The latest version can be found here:

Verizon Wireless Software Download Site (vzam.net)

Once you have installed the software properly, you do not need to use VZAccess to connect your MacBook. Instead, you can simply use System Preferences. The main reason I use System Preferences to connect is that VZAccess Manager takes over your network connections, and as long as it is running, you cannot use the built-in AirPort Wireless connection on your Mac. However, if you use System Preferences to connect, both are available simultaneously.

Before Step 1:

Make sure you have installed the software from Verizon Wireless. Get the latest available, especially if you are using Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5). Use the link above to get the latest software.

Step 1:

Click on the “Apple” in the upper-left portion of the OS X menu bar, then click on “System Preferences…”

Step 2:

Click on “Network”

Step 3:

Choose the USB727 modem

Step 4:

Press “Connect”

This is what you will see once you are connected:

Once connected, you can surf the ‘net, email, SSH, FTP, etc., all using the cellular connection you have just opened.

You can even share this connection with those around you.

To Share The USB727 Connection:

If you want to share this connection, I recommend creating an encrypted network using Mac OS X’s built-in Internet Connection Sharing. Instructions for creating an encrypted network can be found in another post:

MacBook Internet Connection Sharing

The USB727 has performed very well for me as I travel around the US. It is a great tool to have while at your local coffee shop, too. It works great on the MacBook Air. I detailed my experience in this post.

MacBook Air and the USB727

To Disconnect:

When you are done, simply press “Disconnect” and remove the USB727 from your Mac. It’s that simple.

AirPort Express Internet Connection Sharing

In my travels, I am often in the situation where I need to share a wired internet connection in my hotel room. Although a MacBook laptop running Mac OS X can share its wired connection via its built-in wireless airport (how? see this post), it can be much more convenient to use an AirPort Express for internet connection sharing.

I throw the AirPort Express in my bag whenever I am going to be at a hotel. It is light, easy to pack and very convenient to set up and use. Your friends, associates and family will enjoy a wireless connection in a wired room. Even if you are alone in your travels, having this device will make it so you can move your laptop around the room, securely surfing, while losing the tethered feeling of working at the desk.

It is easy to set up using the AirPort Utility software, which is included with the device. And at $99.00 (USD), you really can’t go wrong.

You can set up a secure network for your family or associates in a matter of minutes. And once you have set it up, each time you travel in the future, your MacBook or Windows machine will remember the network, so all you need to do is plug the AirPort Express into the wall and plug it into the wired Internet connection point in your room. You can share all of the same devices (printers, files, etc.) that are available to you at home.

All in all, this is a great device to have. It is easy to set up; and easy to use again and again, every time you travel. Go out and get this device and turn your wired hotel room into a secure wireless hotspot all of your own!

MacBook Internet Connection Sharing

A great feature of Mac OS X is the ease of sharing your Internet connection. For example, you are in a hotel with your family or coworkers, you have wired or cellular Internet access (this includes EVDO cards, USB cell cards, etc.), but more than one of you needs to be connected at the same time. With your MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air (with optional USB-Network connector), you can share your connection safely and securely!

First, open System Preferences: Click on Apple -> System Preferences… 

Second: Click on Sharing

Next, you will see the sharing preferences. In the list on the left side, click on the Internet Sharing line, but don’t click on the box to enable it just yet.

Now click on the button labeled AirPort Options…

Here, you want to name your network (I don’t suggest any self-identifying names here… something very generic is best: my_network, private_net, etc.). Spaces are okay when sharing with all Macs. Just to be sure you can share with everybody in your group, you can replace spaces with underscores as shown in the above examples.

Put a checkmark in the box to Enable encryption.

Choose a password, confirm it and choose your preferred WEP key length. See the explanation in the box to help you make your choices. Your choices will depend on the other computers in the network that you are creating.

Click OK

You will get this warning:

Click Start

In a moment or two, the icon in the menu bar will change to look like this:

When you are done sharing, just turn it off:

1) Go to System Preferences again

2) Click on Sharing

3) Click on the Internet Sharing checkmark box to “uncheck” it.

That’s all there is to it.

Note: in another post, I explain how easy it is to use an AirPort Express for this purpose. It is an even better solution because you can leave it plugged in and enabled, even when you want to shut your laptop down or take it with you. Your family can stay behind and surf or check email without you. The AirPort Express is inexpensive, easy to carry and very easy to set up. I usually bring it along. However, in a pinch, this solution, which is built right into Mac OS X, has saved so much time and frustration. When we get to the hotel, everybody can surf on just one wired connection.

Also see:

• Connecting Your MacBook with USB727 
• MacBook Air with USB727 from Verizon Wireless

Info Select with Crossover Mac (Update)

I have been using Info Select on my MacBook Air since April 2008. It is great to have years and years worth of life’s little details at my fingertips. For the step-by-step details of my installation (which was painless), please see my post on the topic:

Info Select Installation on MacBook Air

Since writing that tutorial, Crossover Mac has been updated. With a healthy fear of the unknown, I updated my MacBook Air with the latest version (Version 7.0.2).

[Edit: The same procedures should be followed for Version 7.1]

Here’s how to do it: