This article provides the default settings for the AirPort Base Station (Dual Ethernet) with AirPort 2.0 software.

1. The characters "xxxxxx" represent the last six digits of the wireless Ethernet card's MAC address. See the AirPort ID number on the bottom of the base station.

2. The Configure via DHCP setting will obtain an IP address from your Internet service provider when DHCP is available to the base station. One of these two addresses is taken when DHCP service is not available. Base stations with firmware earlier than 4.0.4 take the former address. Base stations with firmware 4.0.4 or later use the latter, link-local address. The 169.254.x.x address is the same type used by Rendezvous in Mac OS X 10.2 or later. Base station firmware 4.0.4 or later is provided with AirPort software version 2.0.4 or later. Firmware update 4.0.6 may be downloaded independently, or it may be installed simply by connecting to the base station with version 2.1 of the AirPort Admin Utility (included with Mac OS X 10.2). After AirPort Admin Utility connects, you are prompted to update the base station software. To download the firmware independently, see software download document 120140, "AirPort 4.0.6 Firmware Update: Information and Download". For more information on link-local addressing, see technical document 107225, "AirPort 2.0.4: About Using Link-Local Addressing".

3. The AirPort Base Station is set up properly out of the box (and after a forced reload) to work with a cable modem or DSL modem that obtains its IP information from a DHCP server. On the wireless side, it is set up as a DHCP server with network address translation (NAT) turned on and network encryption off. The default base station password is "public". If you are trying to use the AirPort Base Station in a Microsoft Windows environment, it may not be necessary for you to run the AirPort Setup Assistant. You need only plug in the base station and set up your Windows-compatible computer to access the base station.

4. Wireless Internet access requires an Internet service provider (fees may apply) and AirPort (or AirPort-compatible) wireless Ethernet card and base station. Some ISPs are not compatible with AirPort. For more information, see technical document 106590: "AirPort: Requirements for Wireless Internet Access"