It just occurred to me that when you separate AEX from the main network and create a new one, to achieve what you want all the devices which need to see each other will need to connect to it. I just tested it out to make sure it works, with or without internet access.

PS the drop outs are more likely to be the router's fault - this test will either prove or disprove it.

Edited by deleted (Wed 14-Jan-09 20:02:34)

Just finished trying it out. Had a few fits and starts and a fair bit of swearing until I worked out exactly what I was trying to do, but it works fine .

Like any wireless device, it's easier to set up via ethernet

So it's something in the router...

Main snag I can see is that the laptops can't connect to the AEX and internet at the same time, but I can live with that. If I ever need to do it, I can use ethernet cable to connect them- a quick test shows that seems to work OK.

Reasonably happy bunny now, thanks again

That's great, well done! Ethernet home plugs (on the same ring main) would solve the internet problem - they also provide an all round route so no matter which of the wireless networks you're connected to, provided they all lead back to the same router you can stream from any, to any without having to switch.

Edited by deleted (Wed 14-Jan-09 22:46:09)

I've already got part of the network running via home plugs (a PC and print server upstairs) so I thought of that as an option... but my credit card is looking a bit jaded since Christmas

I know, tomorrow is pay day for me

Something I don't understand... playing a movie (streamed) earlier and partway through the ATV lost contact with iTunes for some reason. It stopped playing and came up with the library name, greyed out. Then, without any intervention, it obviously regained contact as it reloaded the library and returned to the playlist.

I re-selected the movie, "Resume playing" and off it went... but it didn't need to re-stream anything from the iMac, it carried on playing from the "cached" file.

Any idea why it couldn't continue having lost contact? It obviously had all the data it needed stored locally...

That happens sometimes on wireless although I've yet to see it on Ethernet. Probably the wireless multicasting "are you there" type queries which run continually in the background paused briefly so it went off line. No video content beyond the buffer is stored locally, depending on the movie's file preference in iTunes it 'tags' where you left off and resumes on request. There's no delay when the network is good enough to stream real-time so that's a good sign you didn't have to wait. ATV seems to cache the file list for the connection session, until you power down so it's quick to reconnect.

Edited by deleted (Thu 15-Jan-09 20:33:59)