[tasar]

Recently settled in a wireless area. Go fiqure. I have 2010 Mini with Snow Leopard that retrieves lossless files from HD and plays to DAC etc. I tried controlling Tunes earlier thru a router( remember, NO WIFI) and found too much latency between commands. Since, I am hard wired to a Snow Leopard capable MacBook. Nice and quick but old school. Am I missing something ? LAB(low and behold) ATT constructs LTE tower nearby. 21st Century arrives !! Iphone 5 (don't bet against Apple) now "in hand". Still no modem or cable, what's next? How best to exploit 4G using what's at hand and control Tunes. Further, given previous, what's the best avenue to bring lossless downloads(and soon to be streaming) into my room.
Go SLOW, I'm old !

[Crimson]

If I understand you correctly, you have internet via a cellular link? No hardwired connection via cable, DSL, or FiOS? If that's the case, read on:

Control iTunes from your iPhone: The wireless card in your Mini (called an Airport card) can create a wireless network. Go to 'Preferences' and then 'Network' and create a peer-to-peer (computer to computer) network. Download the 'Remote' app on your iPhone from the App Store, then join the wifi network you created on your Mini. You'll then be able to use the Remote app to control your iTunes library. You should not experience any latency issues.

Downloading Streaming/Lossless Content: The only connection you have to the internet is via your iPhone (a cellular connection). You can create a hotspot with your iPhone (pricing varies with carrier). This means your iPhone can create a wifi network and share the internet connection with other computers. On your iPhone, go to 'Settings' and then 'Personal Hotspot'. Enable the hotspot, and then join it from your Mini. Now you can access the internet from your Mini.

As you can see, it's doable. Unfortunately, you won't be able to do both simultaneously as the networks are different in each instance.

[tasar]

Thank you Crimson. Question, I download the free "Remote" app and it shows as a right pointing triangle icon on my Iphone 5. Covering the bases here, as there were a gazillion remote apps. Further, I went to download this app on my MacBook, but frankly don't see it. The one I tried required the 64 bit processor. Surely there's another "remote " app ?

Should I decide to use the MacBook to control Tunes(not sure my tired eyes can handle phone screen), I assume with "Remote" installed, it will work just like the phone ? One caveat, I'm not sure it would make a difference, but my Book airport card went bad long ago and is replaced by a USB wireless key that works flawless. My assumption is it will connect to my "peer to peer" configured Mini and allow control of it's screen ?

Thinking ahead, my audio cave is basement bound, and though 4G seems robust, it's strength could be best described as sinusoidal, so I wanted to ask here if anyone has had success implementing a 3G or 4G home amplifier. I tried a Shack item once and it did nothing. I'm told the Wilson signal boosters are exemplary ? Any ideas ?

I ask the above in the event 4G tower strength proves to be intermittent and I'm forced to reconsider a router. Again, with no WiFi, what is (is there?) the best way to configure a router to intercept my Mini server with Macbook and/or Iphone5 ?

[Crimson]

The Remote app (the correct one is published by Apple, and it's icon is the play symbol) is only available for i-devices (iPhone, iPad, etc.). It's purpose is to control a remote library, in your case the Mini. Once installed on your iPhone, you need to pair it with the library on your Mini.

I have no experience with signal boosters.

[tasar]

Thanks again Crimson. Let's backup.

I share the Mini server screen thru ethernet cable to my Book using screenshare.
Went into Mini preferences network and turned on Airport. Then named my network in the dropdown under "Create Network" under "automatic ch11". No password used. Click "ok" and Airport connects. So it seems to me it effectively connects to itself ie a network as "one" .... The "MacMini Audio" network as named.
Then clicked "Advanced" and added the network just created, in the "preferred networks" pane, again no password. Clicked "Ok" then "Apply". I noted the Airport icon" field" of bars is grey with an exclamation-like within. Anyway i can now remove the ethernet cable at my MacBook and if I reboot ITunes, able to control from it's keyboard. Because I ran hardwired to the Mini, it was set to load Itunes thru BitPerfect, at "Startup" and worked flawlessly. Now with Airport "on"( I always shutdown between use) and restarting, the " network" can't be seen by the MacBook, so though it appears to be "on" based on the "icon", it's not broadcasting ?

I'd like to solve the network issue before moving on to "remote". I realize now you don't need a remote app for the Macbook so long as it can see a network.

[tasar]

Okay , I'm not sure what you mean by peer-to-peer. I went in to Airport preferences and created a wireless network and named it my audio server. Downloaded remote and once I set up my Apple account with the mini server, the remote app works flawlessly with the newly created network. However when the mini goes to sleep or powered off, as I typically do , when powered back up the network is gone. I have to re-create the network and then everything is fine. The question is how can I set these parameters to hold this network?

[tasar]

Ok.... In the airport Network and with Itunes loaded the Iphone app works great!

One problem. I prefer shutting Mini down. When doing so or when it simply sleeps, the created "network" drops out and needs to be recreated. Now i'm back to my Macbook to do so which i'd prefer to avoid. If the "network " wood boot on startup all i'd need would be the Iphone  control

Any solutions ?

[tasar]

So, no "core" answers to the above ?