Setting up an Airport Extreme without internet

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Level 1

15 points

Setting up an Airport Extreme without internet

OK, so here's what I'm trying to do...

1. I already have an airport extreme that's connected to T1 line, with an attached USB HDD

2. I have a 2nd airport extreme that I'd like to set up with a USB HDD so 14 lab computers can have shared access to the HDD.

3. I don't want the 2nd Airport to be connected to the internet in anyway.

4. Set up seems to run fine, but the 2 networks "conflict" with each other, and now computers connecting to the 1st (internet enabled) airport are unable to connect to the internet.

Any ideas on how to set up the 2nd, so 14 computers can share a HDD but not have internet access?

Thanks for any ideas...

MacBook Pro 2.16, Mac OS X (10.6)

Posted on Sep 1, 2009 5:58 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 1, 2009 7:43 AM in response to Ouijet

Ouijet wrote:
OK, so here's what I'm trying to do...

1. I already have an airport extreme that's connected to T1 line, with an attached USB HDD

2. I have a 2nd airport extreme that I'd like to set up with a USB HDD so 14 lab computers can have shared access to the HDD.

3. I don't want the 2nd Airport to be connected to the internet in anyway.

4. Set up seems to run fine, but the 2 networks "conflict" with each other, and now computers connecting to the 1st (internet enabled) airport are unable to connect to the internet.

Any ideas on how to set up the 2nd, so 14 computers can share a HDD but not have internet access?

What do you mean when you say "the 2 networks 'conflict' with each other"?

You should set up the second AirPort unit as a separate network with a different network name. In the "Internet" pane, configure it with the "Ethernet WAN Port" set to "Ethernet Disabled".

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Answer 2

Ouijet Author

Level 1

15 points

Sep 1, 2009 10:50 AM in response to William-Boyd-Jr

Sorry, I should have been more specific....

The first network, let's call it Apple Network (never changed the default name), has been up and running via Airport Express for about 2 years. It's plugged into the wall via Ethernet, and into a USB hard drive. I can connect to this network easily, access the shared drive, etc.

The second network, called Lab (it's in a computer lab), went up about 2 days ago. I work in a very PC-centric school district, and the only way we could talk them into letting us have an Apple Lab was to not connect the computers to the internet, which is fine. However, we wanted to have them able to access a shared drive for class projects, etc. So we set up a network with a 2nd Airport Extreme called Lab. It has no Ethernet cord going anywhere, only an attached USB hard drive.

Ever since the 2nd network went up, I've had trouble connecting to the internet. According to my airport, I'm connected to the Apple Network, but no online services will work. If I plug an ethernet cable directly into the notebook, all is well.

I did change the setting on the Lab network as you described in your post, but nothing has changed. Again, thanks for your time and any thoughts anyone has.

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Answer 3

Sep 1, 2009 11:06 AM in response to Ouijet

Ouijet wrote:
Ever since the 2nd network went up, I've had trouble connecting to the internet. According to my airport, I'm connected to the Apple Network, but no online services will work. If I plug an ethernet cable directly into the notebook, all is well.

First, I'd be sure the two networks are using different channels (AirPort pane, Wireless tab, Radio Channel Selection). Second, to reduce the chances of "interference" even more, you might try setting the new unit to create a "closed network" (same place, "Wireless Options" button). This means that the "Lab" network name won't be broadcast, so each "Lab" computer will have to have the lab network name entered manually. The advantage is that no computer can unintentionally connect to the "Lab" network.

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Answer 4

Sep 1, 2009 7:56 PM in response to William-Boyd-Jr

Without regard to the "apple network" (except channel) are the two should not be physically connected. Many building co-exist with many wi-fi running at once. Just don't plug in the internet cable to the "Lab" router.

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Answer 5

Sep 1, 2009 8:03 PM in response to Rikk Desgres

Rikk Desgres wrote:
Without regard to the "apple network" (except channel) are the two should not be physically connected. Many building co-exist with many wi-fi running at once. Just don't plug in the internet cable to the "Lab" router.

How do you account for the original poster's observation that "Ever since the 2nd network went up, I've had trouble connecting to the internet. According to my airport, I'm connected to the Apple Network, but no online services will work."

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Answer 6

Sep 2, 2009 5:06 AM in response to William-Boyd-Jr

It was late when I posted that. All I was asking is if the two networks were connected. They should not be. And yes they should be on different channels if wi-fi is going to be used. If the router is in the vicinity of the lab, he could just Ethernet the computers to the router. So the router is essentially just being a switch.

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Answer 7

Sep 2, 2009 7:55 AM in response to Rikk Desgres

Rikk Desgres wrote:
If the router is in the vicinity of the lab, he could just Ethernet the computers to the router.

Agreed.

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