# Connecting PC to AirPort Base Station

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-pc-to-airport-base-station/110963>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 26, 2002, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-pc-to-airport-base-station/110963 "2002-05-26T22:02:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DeskMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DeskMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeskMonkey)\
**Post date:** [May 26, 2002, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-pc-to-airport-base-station/110963/1 "2002-05-26T22:02:49Z")

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Aargh! I’m trying to hook up a PC (running Windows XP) to a Mac AirPort Base Station. There are three Macs already using the AirPort, so I know it’s working. Has anyone ever done this successfully? I’ve got a wireless card from SMC, updated drivers from their website, and I spent almost two hours (including on-hold time) with their tech support (SMC’s, that is), and the damned thing just won’t work!

There’s some sort of connection going on because there’s a transfer rate showing up (11 Mpbs), but I just can’t get on to the network so the computer can access the internet. I entered the IP address, DNS address and router number that are on the original Mac the AirPort hooked up to, and that was how I got it to at least see the AirPort. Now I just can’t get in! I’ve tried everything I can think of at least three times and I’m at my wit’s end.

Anyone out there have any ideas?? (And please, no Mac vs. PC battles, I just need help to make this work) 🙂

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**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-pc-to-airport-base-station/110963/2 "2002-05-27T00:09:01Z")

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I’ve done it with W2K. Took a bit of fiddling, but nothing too bad. Do you have encryption turned on? If so, you have to give the card on the PC the password produced by the base station. The configuration utility on the card should have some method of setting that value.

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**Author:** ![Wazza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/35a633/32.png) [@Wazza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wazza)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-pc-to-airport-base-station/110963/3 "2002-05-27T06:55:26Z")

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Have a look at this web site…

[Airport](http://users.bigpond.com/jmcavoy/airport/)

He has done it and documented it well