I just got the new airport X, I have the CD,,,do I still have to purchase the 1.99 download?

No.

When you run the installer from the CD it will install the enabler, the NEW AirPort Utility and the NEW AirPort Disk Utility.

You don't have to spend the $1.99 EXTRA.

What is the difference with the USB ports on the older extreme and the new airport? Couldn't you print direct to a printer with either one?

The old one shared USB printers.
The new one shares USB printers AND USB Hard Drives.

Can I use an airport express linked to the Air X for a printer connection?

If you're asking if you can use an AirPort Express connected to an AirPort Extreme either via Ethernet or WDS and then plug a USB printer into the AirPort Express to share it, the answer is yes it should work.

It's the craziest thing,,I can set up the Express to print by itself (with a blinking yellow light even after a hard reset). I cannot get the Xpress to print when i try to add it to my base station. Neither setups will turn the express light green.

is there a backward incompatability issue with the new Airport extreme and Xpress...I tried to hook up my old airport with the new new Airport to act as a bridge fr the printer and those 2 wouldn't sync either just like the Xpress wouldn't earlier

It's kind of hard to diagnose this over the iBBS, but make sure you have them all talking 802.11 b or g. The new Extreme can do 802.11 n but none of the older equipment can.

HMMM! So are you saying the new .11n doesn't chat with .11b or g,,,because that's what it seems!
I guess I may just use express just for itunes till they get this figured out

It will if you set it up properly. If you set it up wrong, it won't. You should make sure the new unit is not set to N only, for one.

When you are setting up your airport express (thru the airport extreme utility program) are you setting it up (the airport express)to connect to your airport extreme base stationor as a new network?

See picture attached.

thanks for the replies gents,,,ack where do you set the prefs for not N only,,,????

Dave ,,I did choose that action,,but I get only a yellow light on the express.

Don't know exactly where that gets set, I don't have one. Dave, Terry or someone else who has one should be able to tell you though.

I would try and do a hard reset on the airport express and then rerun the airport utilty and try and set it up again.

in airport utilty program
double click on your airport base station icon
than click on the wireless tab
than click on radio mode


hope this helps!

So do I have to check the

allow this network to be extended box for the express to work?

It depends on what mode you're trying to use it in. The Express can extend your network or just be another access point. It can also just be a print server.

So what, exactly, do you want the Express to do?

since the airport was in another room for better reception,,,I tried using the Xprss for the extension of the network for my printer.....never could get it to go green on the light but the setup said it was all set to go...never would print. I did reset to factorydefault on the express.