Ethernet splitter or router for Airport Express?

Im using my Express to connect my DirecTV DVR to the internet but also want to use it to stream my media files to my Xbox. Only problem is that the Express has only one ethernet port. I rarely use either Xbox or the DirecTV for the above listed functions so I usually just switch the ethernet cable from one to the other when I am actualy using one of them.

I never need them simultaneously so dont need another express and I know that I can only use one at a time and not both at the same time....so will a splitter be fine? I have been reading online that a splitter splits the 8 wires in two so that each side only gets 4....is this right? Will this slow down the connection when I am actually streaming media?

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.7), 3.00 GHz Quad Xeon, 8GB RAM, ATI Radeon X1900 XT, 4x500GB WD Cav

Posted on Jul 11, 2011 9:12 AM

17 replies

Tesserax

Level 10

158,388 points

Jul 11, 2011 8:57 PM in response to The3rdMan

For the D-Link DI-604, to reconfigure it as a bridge you will need to disable both its firewall and DHCP service. Both of these can be accessed from their web-based administration interface.

The3rdMan Author

Level 1

1 points

Jul 11, 2011 10:41 PM in response to Tesserax

Holy ****....thank you. This was a nightmare for someone who lnpws nect to nothing about networks.

Just as a follow up for anyone else who has to go through the same thing: I reset the D-Link router, connected it directly to my dsl modem and my mac, went to http://192.168.0.1 and ran the setup wizard (even though the wizard states it retsarting the router, it doesn't). Then I followed Tesserax's instructions above (for the firewall section you need to type in source and destination IP ranges - I used 192.168.0.100 to 192.168.0.199 for both) as well as the TCP port range (just use any random numbers).

Disconnected everything and restrated my Extreme and connected the express to a lan port on the D-Link and the xbox and DVR to two other lan ports. Went into the system setting for the xbox and DVR and reconnected...voila, they all work simulataneosuly.

Thanks for all the help. What a headache for someone who didn;t know what he was doing.

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Ethernet splitter or router for Airport Express?