I have a very old airport express. May I use it to create a home wifi network, without internet, to transfer files between multiple usb external hard drives and my apple devices?
alternatively, if I connect my usb external hd's to my macbook air, may I then transfer media via air drop?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
Original Title: Uses old airport express
retireD62 wrote:
I have a very old airport express. May I use it to create a home wifi network, without internet, to transfer files between multiple usb external hard drives and my apple devices?
Potentially, yes. It may depend on what your mean by "very old." There were three versions of the AirPort Express: 802.11g Express, 802.11n Express (1st generation), and the 802.11n Express (2nd generation). The first two look identical. The last one looks a bit like an Apple TV, except white.
alternatively, if I connect my usb external hd's to my macbook air, may I then transfer media via air drop?
Yes. If you plug your external hard drives into your MacBook Air, you can access the files and share them via AirDrop to other Apple devices on the same Wi-Fi network (even the one created by the Express). AirDrop works peer-to-peer over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, so as long as the devices are awake and nearby, it'll work just fine—even without internet access. Just keep in mind that AirDrop isn't ideal for massive transfers between multiple drives and devices, but it's perfect for media, documents, or selective file transfers.
retireD62 wrote:
I have a very old airport express. May I use it to create a home wifi network, without internet, to transfer files between multiple usb external hard drives and my apple devices?
Potentially, yes. It may depend on what your mean by "very old." There were three versions of the AirPort Express: 802.11g Express, 802.11n Express (1st generation), and the 802.11n Express (2nd generation). The first two look identical. The last one looks a bit like an Apple TV, except white.
alternatively, if I connect my usb external hd's to my macbook air, may I then transfer media via air drop?
Yes. If you plug your external hard drives into your MacBook Air, you can access the files and share them via AirDrop to other Apple devices on the same Wi-Fi network (even the one created by the Express). AirDrop works peer-to-peer over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, so as long as the devices are awake and nearby, it'll work just fine—even without internet access. Just keep in mind that AirDrop isn't ideal for massive transfers between multiple drives and devices, but it's perfect for media, documents, or selective file transfers.
Thanks so much. Issue resolved!
You're very welcome! I'm glad you got it resolved.
Can I use an old Airport Express for file transfers?
