Hey everyone.. I have something I want to nut out..

I have Cable at my new home and purchased a Netgear Wireless 108mbps router recently to share my connection to my PB, an iBook and the PC that's in the study..
So far that's working okay..

What I want to know is - has anyone gotten an Airport Express to work as a repeater with an existing Wifi network that is not initiated by an Airport Extreme base station?

Reason - I want to connect the APX to my stereo in the loungeroom, join it to the existing wireless network I have running, so I can use Airtunes from my PB without having to change networks..

When I look at the APX admin utility, there is WDS to join an existing Airport network - can someone tell me if this WDS stuff *ONLY* works with Airport Extreme BS or if they have got it working with another brand of router?

Do I make sense?.. This way, the APX is a repeater, and I can use that in the loungeroom for better coverage and stream straight from PB via Airtunes.

I found that if I don't set it up that way, I get net access and Airtunes - but whenever I access the net to do the smallest task, the airtunes cuts out because the wireless bandwidth is being chewed up - and it's all going back to the netgear router and back out... not efficient.

errmm... Help?

I also found this out while travelling. I tried to use AP Express as a network extender in various hotels I was staying but unfortunately found out the hard way that using the AP Express in this fashion does not work. The wireless network must be based on an Airport Extreme basestation for the Airport Express to recognise it.

WDS may or may not work with a non-airport basestation. Also, I believe if your using WDS you only get to use WEP security if using an non apple basealso also.

I have two airport express setup in a WDS with WPA. One airport express is in the lougne room for streaming music, the other is in the study which connects to my DSL router and shares a printer

This is very interesting, as in my training I was told that WPA didn't play well with WDS! Could this be a firmware update for the Airport units that corrected this?

Back on topic, I am doubtful that your router supports the WDS, especially if it's not prominently displayed in the web setup pages or utility program. The Express needs a link back to the MAC address of the parent WDS host, so that it can reach a DHCP server for assigning addresses to connections made on the express.

Back off topic, how much bandwidth does streaming music use - does it equal the kbps of the song, of is there extra overhead for the protocol? In other words, even if Airport units are all linked together, how much surfing can you do while the music is streaming?

Yes.. the 6.1.1 firmware for the airport express allows this to work

What *is* WDS ?? Is it an Apple/Airport proprietary thing?

I am using WEP at the moment.. and I have put the MAC address in of the Netgear router, but it doesn't seem to be working.

There's no WDS setting in the Netgear router, which would make sense if it's an Apple proprietary thing.

Should've done this first- but I found some stuff on Google..

WDS = Wireless Distribution System (what I thought)..

Netgear stuff doesn't support WDS but some other brands, Billion, Linksys do.. So I'm kinda screwed with what I've got..

PS I find that Airtunes streams at approx. 120KB/sec upstream.

I have a Netgear 834G combined ADSL modem/router/wireless.

The Netgear is connected to the phone line and power, and nothing else. It transmits a wireless net protected by WPA. All garden variety -- no special configuration. The wireless clients are 2 powerbooks, 1 printer and 1 desktop pc.

I bought an Airport Express. It receives network information from the Netgear wirelessly. I can then use Airtunes from either computer onto an audio device attached to the Express. I can also print onto a attached Canon i865.

In this mode, the ethernet port is useless. I also do not think it is extending the network wirelessly.

There is no WDS enabled in this mode. The Netgear 834G does not support WDS at all.

I may be wrong here, but I way always under the impression that you can get the airport express to join an existing wireless network (yes even a non airport one) to stream music no problems.

However if you want to use it to extend your wireless network coverage, then you may need to do some re-flashing of you existing router etc..