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User profile for user: Steven Jones
Steven Jones Author
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AirPort Extreme and Ethernet printing - Can it be done?

Because of a re-arrangement of my office work area, the printer and photocopier which were next to my iMac (OS X 10.13.6) and connected via Ethernet are now on the other side of the room. A wired connection to them is not an option so I have used AirPort Utility to set up a wireless connection using an Apple AirPort Extreme model A1354 in bridge mode. As depicted in the following diagram, printing works OK if the printing devices are connected to the AirPort Extreme via USB, but not via Ethernet. I have spent a lot of time in AirPort Utility trying many variations of static IP addresses, DHCP with and without NAT, IP address ranges, subnet masks, DNS servers, router addresses, etc., including making the IP address range and subnet mask on the AirPort Extreme the same as for the LAN, but all to no avail. Using software such as Apple Remote Desktop, IP scanners, Terminal, etc. to scan the network, the IP addresses of the printer and copier just do not show up. All versions of firmware and software are the latest which are applicable. The copier and printer are not AirPrint-compatible.




My complete lack of success leads me to believe that this model of AirPort Extreme base station is probably not designed to handle printing over Ethernet. The manual specifically indicates that USB-connected printers can be printed to over wireless - as mentioned above, I have tried that and it works without any problems, both to the printer and to the photocopier when they are connected to the base station via USB.


The AirPort Extreme has Ethernet ports on the back and the manual states: "Three 10/100/1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet Local Area Network (LAN) ports for connecting Ethernet devices, such as printers or computers, or for connecting to an existing Ethernet network". However, I cannot print through its Ethernet ports, unless the AirPort Extreme is itself connected directly to the wired network through one of the Ethernet ports. That does not suit my situation as the base station needs to be "stand-alone" on the other side of the room with the only wired connection being from it to the printer and/or the photocopier.




It would have helped if the manual had been a bit more precise and said something like "printing over wireless to a USB-connected device is fine, but printing to an Ethernet-connected device is only possible if the base station itself has a wired connection to the network (so don't spend a day and a half trying to print via Ethernet if the connection from the computer to the base station is wireless)". Having said that, does anyone know if there actually is a way of achieving it with this particular AirPort Extreme? I have searched the internet and the results range from: "Yes" through "It should work" to "No". Of the various suggestions given, none worked. Do other models of Airport base stations do what I need?


If it simply can't be done with the gear I have then, even though USB is not my preferred way of doing things, if it's the only way that's what I will have to do.


As it is always possible that I have missed something (usually something obvious), I am quite happy to listen to any thoughts, comments, ideas, suggestions, words of wisdom, etc.



Posted on Dec 10, 2020 4:32 PM

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User profile for user: Bob Timmons
Bob Timmons
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Posted on Dec 10, 2020 7:00 PM

When I set it up, I chose the option to create a wireless network rather than extend a wireless network.


"Create a wireless network" assumes that the AirPort Extreme will connect back to your main WiFi router using a permanent wired Ethernet cable connection.


If you want the AirPort Extreme to connect to your main router using a wireless connection......your main router will need to be another Apple AirPort router.


My way of connecting to it is simply via the built-in Wi-Fi on the iMac - turn on the AirPort Extreme, wait for it to show up in the Wi-Fi menu on the iMac and then connect to it. I noticed in the iMac's Wi-Fi menu is the option "Create Network…". Do you know if it is possible to use that to make a network which I can then extend with the AirPort Extreme?


Unfortunately, no.


Namely, is the iMac's built-in Wi-Fi considered to be "another Apple AirPort router"?


Unfortunately, no


I find it interesting and a little confusing that a device which has Extreme in its name seems to be of lesser capability than one labelled merely Express.


Welcome to Apple's way of thinking. The Extreme will far outperform the Express, but the Express can do some things that other AirPorts cannot.


If you do have an AirPort Express, you can connect it using wireless to "join" the WiFi network that your Mac is providing and then connect an Ethernet device to the Ethernet port on the Express. The AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule cannot do this.



















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User profile for user: Bob Timmons
Bob Timmons
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Dec 10, 2020 7:00 PM in response to Steven Jones

When I set it up, I chose the option to create a wireless network rather than extend a wireless network.


"Create a wireless network" assumes that the AirPort Extreme will connect back to your main WiFi router using a permanent wired Ethernet cable connection.


If you want the AirPort Extreme to connect to your main router using a wireless connection......your main router will need to be another Apple AirPort router.


My way of connecting to it is simply via the built-in Wi-Fi on the iMac - turn on the AirPort Extreme, wait for it to show up in the Wi-Fi menu on the iMac and then connect to it. I noticed in the iMac's Wi-Fi menu is the option "Create Network…". Do you know if it is possible to use that to make a network which I can then extend with the AirPort Extreme?


Unfortunately, no.


Namely, is the iMac's built-in Wi-Fi considered to be "another Apple AirPort router"?


Unfortunately, no


I find it interesting and a little confusing that a device which has Extreme in its name seems to be of lesser capability than one labelled merely Express.


Welcome to Apple's way of thinking. The Extreme will far outperform the Express, but the Express can do some things that other AirPorts cannot.


If you do have an AirPort Express, you can connect it using wireless to "join" the WiFi network that your Mac is providing and then connect an Ethernet device to the Ethernet port on the Express. The AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule cannot do this.



















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User profile for user: Bob Timmons
Bob Timmons
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Dec 10, 2020 5:16 PM in response to Steven Jones

So, the AirPort Extreme A1354 is configured to "extend a wireless network" connecting via WiFi to another Apple AirPort router that is providing your main WiFi signal?


That is the only way that the Ethernet ports will be active on the AirPort Extreme A1354.


In other words, if you have configured the AirPort Extreme to "join" the WiFi network provided by a 3rd party WiFi router, the Ethernet ports on the AirPort Extreme are NOT enabled in this type of setup. Nature of the beast here, since the AirPort Extreme cannot be configured to "extend a wireless network" provided by a 3rd party router.


So, the printer won't work this way......and neither will any other Ethernet device that you might connect to one of the LAN Ethernet ports on the AirPort Extreme.


Ironically, an AirPort Express can be configured to "join" a third party wireless network and the Ethernet port(s) will be enabled in this type of setup.......a special feature of the AirPort Express that is not found on the AirPort Extreme or AirPort Time Capsule.

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User profile for user: Steven Jones
Steven Jones Author
User level: Level 2
199 points

Dec 10, 2020 6:34 PM in response to Bob Timmons

When I set it up, I chose the option to create a wireless network rather than extend a wireless network. This seemed to be the advice offered in the many sources of information which I read (manual, internet posts, etc.). Plus, it worked for printing to a USB-connected printer, so it obviously solved the initial step of establishing a connection with the AirPort Extreme.

My way of connecting to it is simply via the built-in Wi-Fi on the iMac - turn on the AirPort Extreme, wait for it to show up in the Wi-Fi menu on the iMac and then connect to it. I noticed in the iMac's Wi-Fi menu is the option "Create Network…". Do you know if it is possible to use that to make a network which I can then extend with the AirPort Extreme? Namely, is the iMac's built-in Wi-Fi considered to be "another Apple AirPort router"?

I find it interesting and a little confusing that a device which has Extreme in its name seems to be of lesser capability than one labelled merely Express.

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User profile for user: Steven Jones
Steven Jones Author
User level: Level 2
199 points

Dec 10, 2020 7:16 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Thanks for your very informative replies. Not the news that I wanted to hear, but at least I can explore other options armed with some clear and definitive information. Uncertainty and not knowing can lead to much wasted time and effort, compared to a clear-cut Yes or No answer.

It seems that the Ethernet ports on the Extreme would be handy for connecting devices if the Extreme itself is connected to the LAN via Ethernet and is acting as a base station for wireless devices to connect to, rather than my situation where I was attempting to use the Extreme as one of those wireless devices connecting to the built-in Wi-Fi on the iMac. For the time being I will print through the Extreme using a USB connection at the printer end. It works and it quite possibly won't have a speed penalty compared with Ethernet. I might investigate other methods, but for the moment it is a viable solution, even if it is not the preferred one.

Thanks again.


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User profile for user: Bob Timmons
Bob Timmons
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Dec 10, 2020 7:33 PM in response to Steven Jones

It seems that the Ethernet ports on the Extreme would be handy for connecting devices if the Extreme itself is connected to the LAN via Ethernet and is acting as a base station for wireless devices to connect to.....


That is one option.


But, users often don't want to run the Ethernet cable to another part of the house. If the user has an Apple AirPort router acting as his/her "main" router, then another AirPort Extreme can be configured to connect to the network using wireless with the "extend a wireless network" setting.


Then, the WiFi signal is extended for much better coverage......and......the Ethernet ports are enabled on the AirPort Extreme as well, if users need to connect Ethernet devices.



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User profile for user: Steven Jones
Steven Jones Author
User level: Level 2
199 points

Dec 10, 2020 7:36 PM in response to Bob Timmons

As I mentioned originally, a cable across the room is not an option - trip hazard (it's a bit of a thoroughfare), appearance, etc. As the Extreme and the iMac are all that we have at the moment and USB connection via the Extreme is usable, that will solve the printing issue for the time being. We should be quite happy with that, but we will definitely look into your last suggestion. It does offer advantages.

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User profile for user: Steven Jones
Steven Jones Author
User level: Level 2
199 points

Jan 6, 2021 10:02 PM in response to Steven Jones

Bob,

Over the Christmas/New Year period I obtained another Apple AirPort Extreme model A1354 and managed to successfully set up the scenario you described. The first AirPort Extreme is connected to the iMac through an Ethernet hub, and the copier is connected to the second AirPort Extreme via Ethernet. Printing occurs over this wireless bridge without any issues.

Thank you for your assistance and for the helpful explanations about how and why.

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AirPort Extreme and Ethernet printing - Can it be done?

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