Can I use my Aiport Express like this?

Interesting discussion of possibilities using a WRT-54G router: http://www.wirelessforums.org/alt-internet-wireless/linksys-wrt54g-repeater-extender-1561.html

Oh, and here’s one for Airport Express: http://weblogs.java.net/blog/inder/archive/2004/10/using_airport_e_1.html

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I’ll lay off the links now… and sit back hoping someone here has first-hand experience that can chime in.

@robmandu Thanks. However, if I’m reading this correctly it is still assuming that you are going to connect the Airport Express wirelessly. I want to connect the Mac Mini to the Airport Express with an Ethernet cable. Can the Ethernet port on the Airport Express be used like this?

Oh, apparently it’s important… is your Airport Express new enough to support 802.11n?

@robmandu, raises a good point. If your airport express is not up to snuff to deal with 802.11n, then it may not connect. As I understood it, the airport express should be able to act as a “wireless card” kinda sorta for your mac mini. Can you see the airport express from a computer hooked up to the Time machine router?

supposedly older Airport Express will work, but you’ve got slow the Time Capsule down to g speeds and jigger ‘round with a bunch of settings, light some black candles, wait for a north wind, etc.

The issue seems to lie in whether or not the AE you have supports WDS. The WDS protocol supports bridging to the wired connection when extending (bridging) the wireless network. It probably suffices to say that newer AEs support WDS out of the box, while older ones may not (but try updating firmware first, you may have luck):

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8292347

It would be important to note that, even if your AE supports WDS, it would downgrade the signal to 802.11 b/g when in bridged mode.

Here’s an example of a recent Slingbox support article detailing a similar setup:

http://support.slingmedia.com/get/KB-005602.html

Although it’s not Apples-to-Apples (pun intended), bridging to a Mac Mini would seem plausible (mini only has 10BaseT Ethernet).

Apparently, you can set this up using the Airport Utility; First, you need to do a hard reset on your AE; get the paper clip, hold in the reset button, while plugging in, and continue to hold until the LED blinks Amber;

Next, launch Airport Utility, then check to see the AE appear in the router column on the left; once you see it, select it, then go click on manual setup;

-Next under the Airport tab, select the wireless tab, and then under Wireless Mode, select Participate in a WDS Network; You should then be prompted to configure the AE to connect to the main (Time Capsule/Airport Extreme) network, etc. in a series of pop-up windows:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2044

This article describes a similar setup, only using Airport Base stations…

Lastly, there is a way to find out if your AE supports WDS mode, if you click on this link:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2044?viewlocale=en_US

Lastly, some additional tips regarding testing the IPv6…as many of the posts indicate (and robmandu), it’s definitely in the “black arts” realm of networking. Worse comes to worse, get a USB wifi adapter and connect to the mini and you’re set…good luck!

http://tech.kateva.org/2005/10/fixing-broken-wds-wired-to-wireless.html

It’s possible, yes.

I second Wilhel. When I set up my AE I remember seeing internet sharing as an option to enable, seperate from WDS? Will try and remember to have a look tonight.