Alright I'm going (have gone) mad.

I've got myself a NetComm NB5Plus4W ADSL 2+ Modem Router which my iBook connects wirelessly to without any fuss at all and I'm trying to connect my airport express to it so I can have my G4 connected in the other room (via ethernet to the AE, i.e. the AE acts as an access point)

Alas, I can't seem to do it.

I've searched far and wide and can't seem to find any "how to's" on the web, anyone got any ideas, has anyone done it sucessfully?

I notice some people on here with the same modem, any luck with the above setup?

Muchas gracias in advance

I'm bumping this because it's driving me nuckin futs trying to get it set up.

I just seem to struggle getting the AE to wirelessly connect to the modem, even when I put the MAC of the AE in the 'trusted addresses' in the modem settings.

Airport Setup Utility finds the Netcomm modem network name, but breaks down when it attempts to connect and doesn't ask me for the network password... (it's only WEP security too as I've read that that's the only way AE will talk to third party stuff)...

Has anyone managed to connect these two objects and can you please, for my sanity, tell me how you did it!

What you want to do isn't as strait-forward as you might think. Essentially you are trying to set up a Wireless Distribution System (WDS), which from my understanding is not something that Apple supports with anything other than multiple Apple AirPort base stations. The reason for this is that WDS isn't certified/standardised across equipment makers. Some people have had luck though with equipment from different manufacturers.

I don't know how to solve you problem, or if it is solvable with the equipment you have, but do a Google search on the terms "Airport", "NB5Plus4W" and "WDS" and see what comes up.

That's incorrect, WDS is the method of sharing wireless over a wireless distribution system.

What he's trying to do is to connect them all is run a lan cable to the Airport from the Wireless AP

What needs to be done is, in the airport admin utility first head to the "Internet" tab and change the "connect using" to "Ethernet"

Under "Network" disable the distribute IP addresses function.

Make sure WDS is turned off under the WDS tab.

I know this works, because i have the EXACT same setup at home.

What you can also do to troubleshoot is to try a different network name or SSID on the airport from the NB5 as i am not sure how well it works if both share the same name ( both of mine are different )

Let me know how you go.

To make it clear, this is basically what I want to do...

NB5Plus4W<---(wireless)--->Airport Express<===(cable/ethernet)===> G4 MDD

No problems with the Airport Express to G4 MDD side of the equation, it's the NB5Plus4W to Airport Express that I'm having problems with.

I've had the situation in the past where I had the luxury of two AE's, one connected via cable to the NB5Plus4W and the other via cable to the G4 then had both of them wirelessly talking to each other.

Unfortunately one AE has died and I don't really want to replace it, so I'm trying to get away with using the wireless of the NB5Plus4W.

There's a chocolate in it for anyone who can figure it out for me!

I guess other options are to buy a wireless card that will work in the G4, or perhaps one of those USB wireless thingamebobs (do they work??)...

I stand corrected, you DO want WDS but the problem (as stated by luke_in_tas) is that WDS is not a standard and varies across vendors and chipsets.

I'd suggest a wireless card or dongle for the G4, The MDD has an airport slot but it is the Airport 1 (802.11B 11Mbit/s) and while your Nb5Plus4W supports it, you can get an 802.11G 54Mbit/s card or dongle and take advantage of the 54Mbit/s speed of the router.

I gone a looking around the house as I've decided that it would be simpler to just move the modem into the other room next to the G4 and was thinking I'd use telephone wire running under the house to place a jack in the room next to the G4.

It'll be a total of about 15 metres of wire from the original jack to where the new one will be. Will this alter the speed noticably of my ADSL 2+ connection?

Is there any grade of wire I should use? Any telecommunications experts around here?

You need to use solid-cored single strand telecommunications cable, this will not noticeably affect speeds if installed correctly.

As far as i know installation must be carried out by an Austel approved tech else the installation is illegal.