" Not enough good information on the web to confirm whether the X-Box 360 usb wireless modem can connect to the Apple Extreme N router. I finally figured out how to do it successfully.

Here's my setup for the local network: two Apple Extreme 802.11N routers. First connects wired to HP laserjet 2300 USB for 24/7 Bonjour printing, cable modem, Mac Pro and second Apple Extreme N router and long ethernet to basement for Windows notebook. It is also set up for wireless N Macs with WPA2 security.

Second Apple Extreme N router set up "bridged" with wired to first Apple Extreme N router, Vonage modem and now an Apple Airport Express. It is also set up for wireless G Macs with WPA2 security.

Everything works flawlessly. Since I connected the Express to the second Apple Extreme N router my son's X-Box 360 now connects to X-Box Live and the internet with music streaming from his MacBook Pro including photo and video. I chose to set up that Express creating a new network with WEP 128bit security. (Granted WEP isn't very secure though.) So in Airport the choices become three networks but the x-box will only use the Express part of the network.

I did not try WDS. I did try Express upstairs "joining" the bridged G network. That did not work until I figured out I had to have that Express show up as its own network.

I do think that the x-box could connect to the Apple Extreme router if no security. I did not try it because I didn't want to go that route. I do know that with WEP or WPA of any kind it will not connect Wireless to wireless, but I did not try WDS. (Note: See below for another reader's notes he was able to use his X-Box 360 wireless with WPA/WPA2 using an Apple Extreme N base set to 5GHz (802.11a compatible) mode. The Apple base has two 5GHz modes, one .a compatible, the other N only, as well as 2.4GHz modes. (But 2.4GHz mode required if using the base with B/G clients or with 3rd party 802.11N adapters that don't support 5GHz band.)-Mike)

Hope this helps all who need to know about this problem. Airport Express works. In the manual for the X-Box 360 wireless modem it does state b/g but no mention of N. (also supports 802.11a - see notes below-Mike)
-Don"

Never owned an Xbox 360, but most N routers/bases have modes compatible with G or B (with performance hit compared to pure-N mode at least if any non-N client is active). Apple's 802.11n base has both 5GHz (which 802.11a also operates in) and 2.4GHz 802.11N modes also (2.4GHz mode required for G/B compatibility and even many 3rd party 802.11n adapters don't support 5GHz band, only 2.4GHz.)
I wasn't familiar with the X-Box 360 modem, but after this mail did a web search and found it's dual-band (802.11a and 802.11G/B). This reader notes he's using 802.11a mode for his X-Box 360 wireless:

" Just thought I would let you know that you can actually setup the XBox 360 to use the "a" band 802.11, which according to the literature from microsoft it is recommended for media transfers due to the increase throughput of the "a" band.

I struggled with setting it up at first, my solution was finally found in the "use wpa/wpa2" settings. Once I set it up the Xbox 360 connected with no problems at the "a" band with speeds around 108Mbps, enough to stream 1080p material to my Xbox 360 without any trouble or hiccups at all... by converting my eyetv recordings via visualhub I can have my free HD TV even on my XBox 360!
(I asked what base/routers he was using, as the Apple N base has a 5GHz 802.11a compatible mode)
I use two Airport Extreme Base Stations, One for N (mac mini) and A (XBox 360). The other one is for B/G (iPhone and old legacy laptop)
-Jeff"

The Airport Extreme 802.11N bases are 802.11a compatible (but in that 5GHz mode you sacrifice B/G compatibility). I've never owned an 802.11a adapter but have owned literally dozens of 802.11b and g cards (Apple airport cards, 3rd party PCI/PCMCIA and USB adapters). This AL iMac has 802.11n as does the Apple TV, although for B/G compatibility with other machines here I run the 802.11n base in 2.4GHz mode. The Airport N base has two 5GHz modes - one is 802.11n only (max performance), the other is 802.11a compatible. Another plus of 5GHz is less interference/crowding (not just from other wireless networks but also microwave ovens, older model cordless phones, etc.) I had read some docs early on about 5GHz 802.11 having less range than 2.4GHz, but I've seen some reviews claim the opposite. (And IIRC the FCC limits on 5GHz power was lower, although that might have been from the 802.11a era.) Here's one Wifinetnews.com article on the subject. But it's a moot point for me, as I have to stick with 2.4GHz for backward compatibility with some 802.11G/B clients.

Theory/specs aside, I asked Jeff if he'd done any (practical) range tests with 5GHz (802.11a compatible) mode vs 2.4GHz:

" As a matter of fact I have. I live in a 2000 sq ft house with both Base Stations located on the main floor about middle of the house and I get awesome reception no matter what band I use (N and A modes). I connect at 108Mbs with the Macmini and the XBox360 (the slowest connect rate caused by the XBox 360).

As for the B/G clients, the iPhone connects at 27Mbps (Sounds like B) and the laptop and legacy equipment I assume are the same, those connections aren't mission critical so I have never tested them but I know I get great connections (full bars), no drop outs and my network has been stable and reliable for the past 2 years (or close to that anyway).
The Base Stations are both Extreme (802.11N), one is the original one with 100BaseT ethernet, the other one is the later model w/Gigabit ethernet ports.
Hope this helps, Jeff"

I live in a similar size house (total sq for 2 levels). Downstairs the G5 tower (w/stock T stub antenna) didn't have great signal strength (2.4GHz Airport G base upstairs appx front/center area of house) - it seems a bit better lately though with the later model 802.11N base. (running in 2.4GHz mode of course, required for G client compatibility.)

" I got my MS Office 2008 copy today (the academic version) and I've had nothing but problems! I'm trying to install it on my wife's new iMac (24"/2.8GHz) and it seems that Microsoft has taken great pains to give this version a complicated install/registration process. The real kicker is this stupid application won't accept the PID that it generates and installs by itself! I've tried to send an E-mail message to MS support, but even THAT doesn't seem to be working right now! It tells me to try later...I'm not a happy camper. I'd be interested in hearing how others are making out with this new release.
Regards, Dave S."

I asked Dave if they had a phone support number to call. If you've received Mac Office 2008 let me know if you've had any similar problems (or a suggestion) . Thanks.
Update - I originally thought Dave's problem was that the install would not complete (ID/key not recognized) but after this reply I wrote to ask him if the problem was just "registration" related:

"I have installed the new office on several computers, having purchased two home/student packages for my wife and kids. I can confirm that the product IDs generated by the installer are universally not recognized as valid when attempts are made to register them. I just stopped trying to register them. No big deal. Less information for Microsoft about me.

The installs went fine on a dual G5, a MacBook Pro, and some older upgraded G4s all running Leopard with one exception. On one of my G4s, the installation claimed to be successful but the help system did not seem to be installed and I could not generate a default template for word for a non-administrative account. I uninstalled to program using the uninstaller, repaired permissions, and successfully reinstalled the program which now runs fine.
-Steve S."

Two earlier readers replied they had no problems with their Office 2008 install, and I later wrote to ask about "registration":

" Mike, I don't have the academic version of MS Office 2008, so I can't directly address your reader's specific issue, but I do have a retail Home & Student version. (are they really different? I don't know.-Mike) No trouble at all installing on a MacBook Pro (Core Duo, 10.5 Leopard) and a 2.66GHz Mac Pro (also running Leopard). Home & Student includes three licenses, by the way.
(I wrote to ask about registration)
Ah. I actually hadn't tried registering yet since I find it annoying that Microsoft requires a 'MS Live' (or whatever they call it) account to register - even though I've had an account for a while now. So just now I tried registering, and I too get an 'Invalid Product ID' error and cannot register. Again, this is with the retail boxed Home & Student edition. Looks like an error on Microsoft's part.
-Cadaver "

And another reply:

" I installed Home/Student version on two different machines today, a Macbook and a Mac Pro. No installation issues to report! Definitely faster, too.
(No Rosetta emulation needed with Office 2008 on intel-CPU Macs. I used Office X (a fire-sale $99 upgrade disc many years ago, upgraded from a $99 office 98 deal bought long before that.) On this intel-based iMac I decided to try (donationware) NeoOffice as my Office app needs are light.-Mike)

(I wrote to ask about 'registation')
The steps to install and use are relatively simple: run the installer, put in the product key, it generates the Product ID, hit finish, and there you go. I'm not sure what he means by "register." I haven't "registered" my copy with Microsoft because it requires a Windows Live ID, and I just don't want to get one. The software still runs and installs fine without this registration process, so I'd ask him again for some more specifics as to what stage the installation fails.

In my case(s), after the input the product key, things installed fine, and that was that.
- Yaser H."

I assume registering is not equivalent to a permanent activation (so to speak) that some software used (i.e. where you could use it for say 30 days before being required to 'register' it.) Personally I really dislike having to register/sign-up for any software.
FYI: See the readme file included with Mac Office 2008 for notes on issues importing from pre-2004 Office versions.

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