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I'd like to improve the wifi coverage at home (from the crappy D Link router I got from Talktalk) and also print from iPad/iPhone to the existing wifi printer we have (non-airprint).
If I buy an Airport Express or Extreme is it a simple case of plugging it into the router & turning of the router's wifi then connecting the relevant devices? The blurb infers so but I'd like some real world assurance & advice please.
Yep, plug the Airport Extreme into the D-Link Ethernet output. Configure the D-link to turn off NAT and switch off the Wifi.
For wireless printing, you can plug a USB printer into an Airport Express.
Thanks.
What about a wifi printer - can I connect that to the Airport rather than using USB?
Yep.
Ahhhhh...... Apple eh? It just works!! 😉
It might be worth looking at an ASUS RT-N66U as well. I need to do something to improve the wireless capabilities of my Virgin Superhub [sic}. Looking on various forums the Asus seems to give better performance than the Apple unit with more capabilities. I've set up the apple units and it is pretty straightforward and easy to use though if you do go that route.
I've considered the Asus (or similar) but the Airport solves a printing issue.
Damn you Apple & your AirPrint nonsense! 👿
The Asus has 2 USB ports I believe so you can still plug your printer into it if that gets around the AirPrint issue.
Unfortunately not, not without buying an AirPrint compatible printer anyhow. 🙁
Youc an join any wifi printer to an airport express or the Asus jobbie. It's only if you want to use airprint you might need the apple device but I'm not sure it's required unless you want the USB option on the back of the apple.
The nice thing about the Airport Express is any USB printer becomes wireless, so you don't need a Wifi printer nor have to configure one (the only one I tried didn't seem to want to work).
The Airport Express wireless printing is not the same as AirPrint, it basically just creates a shared printer on the network that a mac or PC can connect to. For an iPad to print you would need to find an app that can print to that type of printer, and wouldn't be able to print directly to the printer.
There are some niche devices that can make a usb printer into an airport printer ( http://www.lantronix.com/it-management/xprintserver/xprintserver-t2.html) but it would probably be better to buy a cheap airprint compatible printer.
I've read and was told in the Apple store that the new gen (2012) Airport Express has AirPrint built in now so no additional widgets nor specific printer needed.
I've read and was told in the Apple store that the new gen (2012) Airport Express has AirPrint built in now so no additional widgets nor specific printer needed.
I'm afraid not.
Really?!
*goes off to consider other options*
yep. Making a printer wireless only allows you to print wirelessly from Mac or PC, not iOS