Take Control of Your Apple Wi-Fi Network

Book description

Make your Apple Wi-Fi network fast, reliable, and secure!

Updated November 20, 2015

Join Wi-Fi wizard Glenn Fleishman and learn to create a fast, reliable, and secure Apple Wi-Fi network using 802.11ac or 802.11n AirPort Extreme, AirPort Express, and Time Capsule base stations.

You'll find plenty of practical directions for working with Apple's AirPort Utility configuration software (for Mac and iOS), including steps for setting up a base station, swapping in new gear, adding base stations to extend your network's range, attaching USB drives or shared printers, enabling security, creating a guest network, and more. (For help with older gear or versions of AirPort Utility, the ebook includes a free download of any prior edition, dating back to 2004.)

You'll also learn about what's going on behind the scenes. If you better understand channels and bands, for instance, you may be able to reconfigure your network to dramatically improve performance. And, Glenn provides advice and directions for coping with tricky IP situations.

The book also provides directions for setting up a cellular iOS device as an Internet hotspot, and it discusses Apple's Instant Hotspot feature.

"If anyone knows about real-world Wi-Fi, it's Glenn Fleishman."
    —Mark Frauenfelder, co-founder of bOING bOING

You'll learn how to:

  • Create a basic Apple Wi-Fi network, and connect to it from OS X, iOS, Windows 10, Android, and Chrome OS.
  • Efficiently swap a new base station in place of an old one.
  • Extend the range of a network by connecting base stations with Ethernet or Wi-Fi (or a mix).
  • Print wirelessly to a Wi-Fi or USB-connected printer.
  • Add a USB-attached drive to a Time Capsule or AirPort Extreme, and set up user access.
  • Keep intruders out by setting up reliable and relevant security for your network.
  • Easily put visitors on the Internet with a guest network.

You'll also find information about how to:

  • Back up to a Time Capsule, and work with its internal drive.
  • Pipe audio through an AirPort Express.
  • Share files the new Apple way with AirDrop.
  • Set up a cellular iOS device as an Internet hotspot and connect other devices to the hotspot with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB.

You'll find lots of problem-solving help about:

  • Avoiding interference problems.
  • What the icon on your Wi-Fi menu means.
  • What the colored light on your base station is trying to tell you.
  • Dealing with a base station that can't be found on the network.
  • Making a base station assign an IP address to a client.
  • Finding a MAC address. (Hint, 1 Infinite Loop is not the MAC address that you seek.)
  • Updating the firmware in your base station, and reverting to an older version.

And, on the geekier side, you'll learn about:

  • Putting computers more directly on the Internet with port mapping or a default host.
  • Setting up Software Base Station.
  • Ad hoc networking.
  • Saving effort and avoiding problems by exporting a copy of a base station configuration.
  • Accessing a base station remotely, whether to get at the contents of its drive or to configure it, via iCloud's Back to My Mac service.

Publisher resources

View/Submit Errata

Table of contents

  1. Read Me First
    1. Updates and More
    2. Basics
    3. What’s New in Version 1.2
    4. What Was New in Version 1.0 and 1.1
  2. Introduction
  3. Apple Wi-Fi Quick Start
  4. Quick Troubleshooting Guide
    1. Resetting a Locked-up Base Station
    2. Wi-Fi Network Won’t Assign IP Address
    3. Device Can’t See Base Station Network
    4. Personal Hotspot Not Working
    5. Other Troubleshooting
  5. Mac Wi-Fi Iconography
  6. Light Reading
  7. Learn Wireless Basics
    1. Adapters and Access Points
    2. Wi-Fi Spectrum
    3. Wi-Fi Standards and AirPort Hardware
  8. Wi-Fi Gear from Apple
    1. 802.11n, 802.11ac, and Apple’s Choices
    2. AirPort Base Station Models
    3. Adapters in Current Apple Devices
  9. Meet AirPort Utility
    1. View Your Network
    2. Keep Up to Date
  10. Plug In Your Base Station and Get Started
    1. Unpack and Power Up
    2. Connect to a New Base Station
  11. Set Up a Network
    1. Picture Your Scenario
    2. New Network, Single Base Station
    3. Extend a Network via Ethernet or Wi-Fi
    4. Replace an Existing Base Station
    5. Create Separately Named 2.4 and 5 GHz Networks
    6. Configure IPv6 Networking
  12. Pick the Right Place and the Right Channel
    1. Spectrum Trade-offs
    2. Pick Compatibility and Set a Channel
    3. Pick the Right Place
  13. Advanced Networking
    1. Get a WAN Address
    2. Hand Out LAN Addresses
  14. Connect Your Devices
    1. Connect in OS X
    2. Connect in iOS
    3. Connect in Windows 10
    4. Connect in Android
    5. Connect in Chrome OS
  15. AirPort Express Extras
    1. Stream Audio with AirPlay
    2. Share with Airfoil
    3. Connect to Any Base Station
  16. Connect Multiple Base Stations
    1. Know the Basics
    2. Add Access Points via Ethernet
    3. Bridge Wirelessly
  17. Reach Your Network Remotely
    1. Know Your Options
    2. Map Ports for Remote Access
    3. Punch Through with NAT-PMP
    4. Set a Default Host for Full Access
    5. Access a Base Station via iCloud
  18. Set Up a Shared Printer
    1. Add a Printer with USB
    2. Add a Wi-Fi Printer Using WPS
    3. Add a Shared Printer to a Mac
    4. Add a Shared Printer in Windows 10
    5. Troubleshoot an Unavailable Shared USB Printer
  19. Set Up a Shared USB Disk
    1. Prepare Your Drive
    2. View and Manage Connected Volumes
    3. Work with Time Machine
    4. Grant Access
    5. Gain Access
  20. Connect with a Personal Hotspot
    1. Turn On Personal Hotspot
    2. Connect to a Personal Hotspot
  21. Share Files with AirDrop
    1. Configure AirDrop
    2. Share with AirDrop
  22. Secure Your Network
    1. Simple Tricks That Don’t Work
    2. Use Built-in Encryption
    3. Set Up Guest Networking
  23. Overcome Interference
    1. Do Some Basic Testing
    2. Try a Solution
  24. Appendix A: Configuration Files
  25. Appendix B: Setting up a Software Base Station
    1. Software Base Station
    2. Ad Hoc Networking
  26. Appendix C: Channels Explained
    1. 2.4 GHz Channels
    2. 5 GHz Channels
  27. Appendix D: What and Where Is a MAC Address?
  28. About This Book
    1. Ebook Extras
    2. About the Author
    3. About the Publisher
  29. Copyright and Fine Print

Product information

  • Title: Take Control of Your Apple Wi-Fi Network
  • Author(s): Glenn Fleishman
  • Release date: November 2015
  • Publisher(s): Take Control Books
  • ISBN: 9781615424382