jmlandru

Q: Can I connect an external hard drive to my Airport Express and share it to store files on between two machines via the usb port. The machines are a MacBook and a fairly new Win machine. Printers and Airplay as well as wifi work perfect.

Wondering about the above.

MacBook, iOS 6

Posted on Oct 11, 2012 11:20 AM

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Q: Can I connect an external hard drive to my Airport Express and share it to store files on between two machines via the usb port. T ... more

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  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Oct 11, 2012 11:22 AM in response to jmlandru
    Level 8 (49,787 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 11, 2012 11:22 AM in response to jmlandru

    No.

     

    Question: What is an AirPort Express?
    Answer: An AirPort Express is a Wi-Fi base station. Besides acting as an Internet access point, it has several specialized features which make it ideal for specific needs.

    • ...
    • Printer - Act as a wireless interface for one printer connected to the USB port, making it available to your network

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2421

  • by CRMDVM,Helpful

    CRMDVM CRMDVM Oct 11, 2012 11:23 AM in response to jmlandru
    Level 4 (1,365 points)
    Oct 11, 2012 11:23 AM in response to jmlandru

    Sorry but the USB drive on the Express can't be use for a hard drive - the Extreme can be used for that purpose

  • by jmlandru,

    jmlandru jmlandru Oct 11, 2012 12:00 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 11, 2012 12:00 PM in response to John Galt

    I have it hooked up to my modem by ethernet and my printer is on wifi. can I use it connected to one of the machines and access it through the network? I was told by an associate at the Apple store I purchased it at that it has wireless capabilities.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Oct 11, 2012 1:54 PM in response to jmlandru
    Level 8 (49,787 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 11, 2012 1:54 PM in response to jmlandru

    jmlandru wrote:

     

    I have it hooked up to my modem by ethernet and my printer is on wifi. can I use it connected to one of the machines and access it through the network? I was told by an associate at the Apple store I purchased it at that it has wireless capabilities.

     

    What is "it" in the above? A wireless NAS?

     

    I thought you were asking about a USB hard disk attached to the Express. That won't work.

  • by jmlandru,

    jmlandru jmlandru Oct 12, 2012 3:44 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 12, 2012 3:44 AM in response to John Galt

    OK. Thanks. Just out of curiosity, do you teach on some level? I am new to this. I have no idea what a(n) NAS is. At first I was trying to get my Airport express to work and this forum was very helpful. Then I went on to try to hook up my hard rive through the wifi. You see, I am a music fan. I have hundreds of CDs and digital recordings. I wanted to put them all in one place and be able to play them at will. I bought a hard drive at an Apple store because they told me I could hook it up through my Airport express. Now I find I can't. Oh well.

  • by CRMDVM,

    CRMDVM CRMDVM Oct 12, 2012 4:48 AM in response to jmlandru
    Level 4 (1,365 points)
    Oct 12, 2012 4:48 AM in response to jmlandru

    It means Network Attached Storage - it could be USB or ethernet or wireless drive - you cannot connect the USB type to the Express but you could connect one or both of the other 2 types - you can ony attach the USB type to an Extreme or Time Capsule - which type did you buy?

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Oct 12, 2012 7:38 AM in response to jmlandru
    Level 8 (49,787 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 12, 2012 7:38 AM in response to jmlandru

    ... I bought a hard drive at an Apple store because they told me I could hook it up through my Airport express.

     

    Bzzt. Nope. Bring it back.

     

    Read: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2421

     

    Question: What is an AirPort Express?
    Answer: An AirPort Express is a Wi-Fi base station. Besides acting as an Internet access point, it has several specialized features which make it ideal for specific needs.

    • ...
    • Printer - Act as a wireless interface for one printer connected to the USB port, making it available to your network

     

    "Hook it up" - in the sense that a wireless device may be wirelessly "hooked up" to an Express - is a different matter; like "hooking up" with a friend.

     

    Words mean things. Imprecise words mean imprecise things. That generally doesn't end well.

     

    Apple ought to read this stuff once in a while.

     

    John Galt wrote:


    I thought you were asking about a USB hard disk attached to the Express. That won't work.

     

    I thought right. That won't work. An Extreme or Time Capsule will.