I recently got myself the latest Airport Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi base station, dubbed the 5th Generation to replace it’s cousin, a 7-year old Airport Express 802.11g base station. Everything went smooth with the new Airport Extreme, setup was foolishly simple and I was up and going in less than an hour of having the base station delivered to my home.

I retired the Airport Express into my desk drawer, and told my wife that we should keep the Airport Express instead of putting it for auction on eBay. Simple reason: the Airport Express is ultra portable, we brought it together with us during our stay in an Australian share house and that made us fully connected to the internet whenever we needed to.

Everything was fine, until this noon. I was sitting comfortably downstairs in my living room, trying to use my iPhone 4. Wireless signal doesn’t seem to be that strong. It could be the way my house was built, but I decided to put the blame on the iPhone 4 simply because it’s running on a beta version of iOS. Please don’t ask which version. That’s when the thought of extending the wireless signal came into play.

After searching high and low for some official documentation from Apple regarding extending the wireless signal of the new Airport Extreme, I found nothing but pieces of information regarding setting up a WDS for my scenario. After about an hour or so putting those pieces of information together, I finally managed to get the WDS up and running.

Here’s how.

First of all, it is advisable that you reset all your Airport devices to its factory default settings. I swear I would have sat there trying to figure everything in place, but a simple factory defaults reset, and then setting up the device from scratch really helped. In my case, I actually reset my Airport Express back to factory defaults.

Launch Airport Utility and select the base station that will become the main unit. In my case, the main unit is the new Airport Extreme, which is connected to my router and will be sharing it’s internet connection with the other Airport Express unit. Click on Manual Setup. Under the Airport tab, look for the Wireless tab. Click the Wireless Mode drop down box while holding the Option key on your Mac’s keyboard. I don’t use Windows, but I believe the right key for Windows should be the Ctrl key. You will see four options: Create a wireless network, Participate in a WDS network, Join a wireless network and Extend a wireless network. If you see two options only, then try again and make sure you hold the Option (Ctrl for Windows) key while clicking. Select Participate in a WDS network.

A new tab shall appear with the title WDS. Click on it. For WDS mode, choose WDS main. Make sure “Allow wireless clients” is ticked if you want to connect to this base station. I have mine ticked because this main base station is located inside my room and I prefer connecting to this base station whenever my Mac’s in the room. Under WDS Remotes, I entered my Airport Express’ MAC address.

That’s all I did for my Airport Extreme unit. I clicked on Update and the base station restarted itself.

Next, we’ll move on to the Airport Express unit. Under the Wireless tab, click on the Wireless Mode drop down box and choose Participate in a WDS network. I didn’t hold down the Option (Ctrl for Windows) key while clicking, but you may want to do that if you don’t see the right option. A new tab called WDS shall appear. Under WDS Mode, I chose WDS relay. There’s another option for WDS remote, but that is only necessary if I’m setting up a third, fourth or fifth unit to extend the signal from this base station. Make sure “Allow wireless clients” is ticked. In the text field labeled WDS Main, I entered the MAC address of my Airport Extreme base station. Finally, as mentioned earlier, if you have more units to setup, enter their MAC address under WDS Remotes. Update and restart the Airport Express to continue.

With that, I have successfully setup WDS using my Airport Extreme 802.11n paired to my Airport Express 802.11g. Your mileage may vary, as there’s no official documentation to support this. You will need to make sure that all your units are configured to match each others settings. Things to look out for include the SSID (Wireless Network Name), Radio Mode, Radio Channel, Wireless Security as well as the Multicast Rate.

Feel free to leave your questions in the comment section if you need assistance. I’ll try my best to assist. Happy WDS-ing!

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We just got this in our mailbox. It seems like it that the rumors are very well true. iPod nano with built-in cameras. Now, if only we get confirmation of the 3rd Gen iPod touch (and whether it has got a camera or not).

You can start pre-ordering the said cases from Proporta. Head on over to their site and check it out!

The new Apple 5G iPod nano looks set to be a typically beautiful new product from the Apple stable, building on the already impressive 4G nano by adding a camera and improving the size of the screen.

But this sexy little number will need careful looking after, and a task like that should only be entrusted to the best. This is where Proporta come in, with a range of custom made accessories specially made for the 5G iPod nano offering all the protection you need. Whether it’s the handmade signature Aluminium Lined Leather Case, that features a sheet of lightweight, aircraft grade aluminium to guard against crushing and screen damage, or the uber stylish Ted Baker Leather Case, exclusive to Proporta. Everything you need to keep your 5G iPod nano looking immaculate is featured in the full selection here. From screen protectors and protective bags, to in car chargers and a wide range of cases, Proporta has got it covered.

Seriously, head over to Proporta’s site and look for 5G iPod nano!

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Hey everyone. Thought I’d share this news I got from the folks over at Proporta. They have just recently setup a Stock Clearance Store where customers can get up to 75% off some of Proporta’s products.

Having been in the mobile tech industry for over 13 years now, Proporta boasts a range of more than 2700 accessories for your iPod or iPhone, ranging from some ridiculously useful charging solutions to stylish (and protective) cases.

Hit this link and check out great discounts on accessories for your favorite iPod or iPhone. Prices start from as low as $7.75 and is valid for the month of July 2009!

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May is upon us with June just right around the corner. Proporta has been running offer after offer for the entire month and it is coming to an end. If you missed the previous offers, don’t worry. Here’s you final chance to grab them!

Starting Monday, May 25th until Sunday, May 31st, simply spend over £30 (~ $47) at the Proporta store and get a Proporta Eclipse Solar Keyring Torch (a £7 value) for free! Just place your order, ensure that it is over £30 and let Proporta take care of the rest.

And also, coinciding with the UK Bank Holiday on Monday, May 25th, get an extra 15% off all Proporta products. Qualifying is simple. Just enter the promotion code DAYOFF when you order.

Proporta’s Eclipse Solar Keyring Torch is a nifty little gadget for your pocket. Not only does it keep your keys together, it also lets you store up some of the day’s sunlight for times when you really need it. An intergrated solar panel charges the device’s three super-bright LEDs to turn this keyring into a powerful torch when darkness comes around. Suitable for camping, travelling or just finding the coin you dropped, Proporta’s Eclipse Solar Keyring Torch features remarkable charge life and comes in a robust rubber casing to protect itself from the knocks. No batteries are required so this device is as green as ever!

Check out the Eclipse Solar Keyring Torch from our very own Proporta Store, which also features over 2,700 products for your favorite device – click the banner below to get started!

P.S. Proporta’s email to me ended with a note asking readers to stay tuned in June because rumors has it that a new iPhone (or two) is on the cards. Wow!

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Proporta recently announced that May will be their month of offers.

This is the third offer so far – buy any Proporta product and get a Silicone Cable Tidy for only £1 (that’s roughly $1.50/€1.50).

To qualify, simply add the Silicon Cable Tidy into your shopping cart and enter the promotional code ARMADILLO when checking out. It’s that simple!

Nobody knows better about the turbulent relationship between people and their cables. It’s either around your neck, or looped up somewhere in your bag – there’s nothing more frustrating than wanting easy access and having to fumble around.

Regardless if its your iPhone’s earphone, or your iPod touch’s sync and charge cable, Proporta’s compact-sized Silicone Cable Tidy helps make these tedious cable management task much easier. It’s available in a range of attractive color options to match and suit your taste.

Get started by checking out our very own Proporta Store, featuring over 2,700 products for your favorite device – click on the banner below for the jump.

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