#SETUP APPLE AIRPORT EXPRESS SETUP SERIES#
#SETUP APPLE AIRPORT EXPRESS SETUP MAC#

Next, under DHCP Reservations, click the “plus” button to create a new static IP assignment. This allows us to use an value between 10.1.10.2 and 10.1.10.19 for our assigned IP address. To do that, simply change the last value of the first address to something higher than 2. Let’s raise the minimum address up a bit to create room for our assigned IP addresses. When we assign an IP address to our Mac, we want to pick a number outside this range, so that the router won’t attempt to assign it to another device. Next, we need to look at the “DCHP Range.” This is the range of addresses that are available to the router for assignment to network devices. Note: If your router mode is set to “Off” or “Bridge Mode,” that means another device on your network, such as an integrated modem and router from your ISP, is handling DHCP within your network and the Airport Extreme is simply passing the connection along via wireless and Ethernet. Select the “Network” tab and make sure your “Router Mode” is set to DHCP Only or DHCP and NAT. Apple recently changed AirPort Utility’s interface quite a bit, so if you’re using version 6.0 or higher, select your primary router from the network chart and press “Edit.” Jot it down or highlight it and press Command-C to copy it.

#SETUP APPLE AIRPORT EXPRESS SETUP MAC#

Your MAC address will be listed at the top of this window. Next, click “Advanced” in the lower right corner, and then select the Hardware tab on the right. Head to System Preferences > Network and select the interface that you use to connect your Mac to the network from the list on the left. For our purposes, we’ll focus on assigning an IP address to a Mac using an Airport Extreme router, with the screenshots and descriptions referring to the most recent versions of OS X (10.7.4) and Airport Utility (6.0).įirst, we need to locate the Mac’s “Hardware Address,” a unique identifier for the computer also known as MAC address (that’s “Media Access Control,” not related to Apple Macintosh products) or, depending on the connection type, an Ethernet ID or Airport ID.

Once the basic network concepts are understood, setting up a static IP address for a device on your network is a fairly straightforward process. However, in some configurations, such as in the case of a home server, it’s beneficial for certain devices to have consistent, known, static IP addresses.

This works just fine with almost no configuration required in nearly all consumer network setups. In most consumer networks, IP addresses are assigned dynamically as needed, just as external IP addresses are assigned by an ISP, ensuring that every device has a unique address and allowing for addresses to be recycled and reused as devices come and go from the network. Once inside your network, a router, either standalone like an AirPort Extreme or one built in to a cable or DSL modem, handles the IP addresses of the devices that connect to it. That address can be dynamic, in that it changes based on the needs of the ISP, or static, meaning that it never changes once it’s assigned (static IP addresses are often available only for an extra fee).

In most situations, an internet service provider (ISP) assigns a single external IP address to a customer.

#SETUP APPLE AIRPORT EXPRESS SETUP SERIES#

The series of numbers and periods allows network traffic to be routed to and from individual devices, just like a home’s street address allows mail and packages to arrive at the correct destination. All network devices, from computers, to smartphones, to printers, to televisions, need a unique IP address.

Setup apple airport express setup