How can I use an AirPort Extreme to expand a normal Wi-Fi router range?

I used to use my AirPort Extreme as my router, connecting it to an old modem I had. Recently, I had some problems with that modem and had it changed. Now, the new one is also a router, so I decided to use it instead of the AirPort Extreme. However, I don't want to let such an expensive router not doing anything, so I decided I would use it to expand the range of my new router/modem. Is it possible to expand the range of a non-Airport Extreme/Express router, like mine? I tried configuring it to "Expand a network", and it was even in "Bridge Mode", but even with those configurations, it's yellow light kept blinking and AirPort Utility said that it the AirPort Extreme wasn't being able expand the network, and told me to check if the normal router was on and if AirPort Extreme was within its range, and the answer is an obvious yes for both (I can assure you it's within range). Am I doing something wrong, or is it simply not possible?

Is it possible to expand the range of a non-Airport Extreme/Express router, like mine?
Yes, if you connect the AirPort Extreme to one of the LAN <-> ports on the modem/router using a wired Ethernet connection.
Extremely unlikely if you are asking about having the AirPort Extreme connect wirelessly to the modem/router and extend or repeat the signal in that manner.
The reason for this is that Apple designs their routers to only the extend the signal from another Apple router wirelessly.

Similar Messages

  • HT4145 How can I use an Airport Extreme to act as a Range Extender for an Alcatel One Touch Y800Z WiFi modem/router? I get a message saying it cannot be extended. Thank you. Arup

    How can I use an Airport Extreme to act as a Range Extender for an Alcatel One Touch Y800Z WiFi modem/router? As we live in a rural area and our landline broadband speeds are awful, I have moved on to a 3G provider in the UK (EE/Orange) and set up the wireless modem which is working very well with an iMac. I have an Airport Extreme base station which was previously connected with an Ethernet cable to the landline router, and two Airport Express stations as Range Extenders. I would now like to use the Airport Extreme and the two Express stations to extend the range of the Alcatel WiFi device. I have tried automatic and manual set up with the Airport Utility but at the crucial step for selecting a network to extend, although the WiFi device is recognised, I get a message saying it cannot be extended.
    Thank you for any help you can provide.
    Arup

    This is a problem with a lot of cheap end wifi hotspot like devices.. sometimes you can just swap the sim out to a real 3G wireless router.. that is a better approach IMHO than wireless repeater ever will be.
    In the meantime..
    Have a go with the suggestion.. place the express as wireless bridge. With a computer connected to the wifi from alcatel unit.. (I am amazed Alcatel still are in domestic market.. I thought they sold out). Set the express to join the wifi.. you do this in the airport utility.. old one is easy.. but in v6 you have to trust to luck so to speak and hope the auto setup works.. tell us if you have trouble.
    With the Express bridging.. you can then plug it by ethernet into the TC.. which will be in router bridge..
    ie
    You can then run the connection from wireless or ethernet on the TC.. and it will relay back to the alcatel for internet.. all a bit dodgy but who knows.. it may give you what you need.
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  • (How) can I use my Airport Extreme to send FLAC files/iTunes to my stereo?

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    (Not interested in iOS devices doing this - just, effectively, in using my 'mid-2011'  2.7 iMac (10.7.3) as a music server
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    Yes, add an AirPort Express and convert FLAC to Apple Lossless and iTunes will be able to play them. VLC will not help since you need iTunes to connect to the AirPort Express and VLC will not work with iTunes.
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  • How can I use an airport extreme to extend my wireless network?

    I have a Verizon FIOs router with both wireless and ethernet capability. I also have an airport extreme base station, which is currently connected to the Verizon router by Ethernet and provides wireless to a MacBook in a distant room upstairs. Practically, I have two wireless network now. I have two G4 Sawtooth, which do not have wireless PCI card and require ethernet connection for internet. One of them is in the upstairs study room and connected to the Verizon wireless router by Ethernet. The other is in an downstairs room has not wireless connection.
    Can I relocate the airport base station to downstairs and connect it to the Sawtooth there for receiving wireless from the Verizon router and broadcast further to its wireless network? If so, how do I set up the airport station downstairst? If not, I know that I have get a PCI wifi for the Sawtooth downstairs.
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    Robert

    Can I relocate the airport base station to downstairs and connect it to the Sawtooth there for receiving wireless from the Verizon router and broadcast further to its wireless network?
    Sorry but no the AirPort Extreme base station (AEBS) will not wirelessly connect to the network provided by the Verizon FiOS router.
    What you could do is get another AEBS, an AX, or a Time Capsule and place that downstairs. Then use that device to wirelessly connect to the wireless network provided by your current AEBS. If your current AEBS is not 802.11n capable then you would need to use WDS to make this happen. One bad thing about WDS is that each WDS link cuts your affective wireless bandwidth in half.

  • How can I use my airport extreme to connect a windows machine to the internet? I don't have the software disks anymore...

    I no longer have any disks for my airport extreme (its pre-time capsule)... how can I connect my windows machine to it in order to get to the internet?

    You can directly download the AirPort Utility for Windows from Apple Support here.
    Once the AirPort Extreme is properly configured for Internet access you can connect your PC to the Extreme either by a wired or wireless connection.

  • Can I use an Airport Express Base Station to extend non-Apple router range?

    We have a Netgear 802.11n router in our house. I just bought a MacBook Pro and now am accessing out wifi from the other end of the house along with my iPod Touch 4g. Both seem to show at best about half strength signal strength. House is small and nearly all devices on same floor.
    Can I use the Apple Airport Express Base Station as a bridge to extend our wifi network giving me stronger signal for my Apple devices or will it only work with Apple routers? Netgear and others like Hawking make wifi range extenders and those are still under consideration.

    It would be extremely unlikely that an AirPort Express would "extend" the wireless network produced by the Netgear router using wireless only. Apple's "extend" feature appears to be proprietary among Apple "n" routers. As far as we know, it does not work with any other manufacturer's products for the purpose of wireless only extension.
    If you are planning to connect the AirPort Express to the Netgear using an ethernet connection, then it could be configured to extend that way.

  • How do I use my airport extreme with my FIOS router?

    How do I use my AirPort Extreme base station with my FIOS Router to extend my network?  I have hard disks connected to my AirPort Extreme and would lik to access them.

    Probably can't answer all your questions - but.... I use a Linksys (wired and wireless) router as my primary entry point for FIOS. I use a Time Capsule and an Airport Express as a common wireless connection. So I have two visibile wireless networks and use them both depending on where I am in the house. Both the TC and AEx can be seen either wirelessly or wired from the entire network. Note - the Linksys provides all the DHCP - you set the apple routers as "bridge mode."

  • Silly question, maybe. I want to change from Verizon DSL to cable, but cable company doesn't supply router.  can I use my Airport Extreme as wireless router?

    We currently have the following wireless home-network configuration, powered by Verizon DSL. 
    2 macbook pro’s
    1 emachine
    HP PhotoSmart 6122 all-in-one printer
    Apple TV
    Apple Airport Extreme Base Port A 1408
    Westell 7500 router
    Thinking I’d get wider wireless coverage throughout my 2 bedroom home, I purchased the Airport Extreme. It is connected to the router via its sole usb port.  The result was only a tiny increase in speed, and no increase in coverage, so I don’t know why I have it.
    We now want to change from DSL to cable, thus ditching Verizon.  Our new cable provider supplies the cable box, but no router for wireless networking. 
    Here are my questions.
    Can I use the Airport Extreme (AE) as a wireless router? 
    If so, how should I hook it up?  Should the usb cable go from the AE to the cable box, and all the other devices connect wirelessly?
    If not, how should I be using the AE to some advantage?  What can I get out of the investment?
    Thank you very much for your help!  Beatriz

    What I wrote has nothing to do with what the cable company charges for their installation. And, usually they will help with the router setup even if you supply your own router. I don't know what they will charge for the modem.
    Note that you need to get just a modem. You don't want a modem/router combination. That will make using an AEBS effectively nearly impossible. You will need to ask specifically for just a standalone modem, and that you will supply your own router.

  • How can i enable the airport extreme that is built-in on my mac mini model 2010

    I need some help in how can I enable the airport extreme that is built-in my mac mini 2010 model ?   I tried and download the airport extreme 802.11n enabler for mac and it tells me Your computer does not meet the hardware requirements for this update.  please help me

    Wireless is already enabled. Just turn it on using the Finder's menubar icon or using Network preferences.

  • Can I use an airport extreme to extend the range of my wireless modem

    Can I use an Airport Extreme to extend the range of my wireless modem?
    At one end of my house I have a dual band wireless ADSL modem which provides my internet connection and I want to extend (improve) the wireless coverage to the other of the hosue where my Apple TV (2nd gen) is located. I have being trying to extend my wireless network with an Airport Extreme but so far without success. I can get the Airport to join the wireless network, but I suspect that it is only acting as another client and not actually extending the wireless range. There is a setting in the Airport configuration to "extend and existing network", however when I choose this option the Airport no longer connects to my existing wireless network and I am beginning to suspect that this fuction only works with another Apple device (Airport Extreme or Express).
    Has anyone been able to extend the range of a third party wireless router / modem with an AirPort Extreme? If so, any advice that you can offer wold be appreciated.
    Regards
    Michael

    Thanks Tesserax,
    Your answer has confirmed my suspicions.
    Option 1 from your suggested solutions is not a goer because the modem and Airport Extreme are in different parts of the house making it impractical to run a cable between the two devices. 
    I did try option 2 and bought a Netgear range extender, which according to Netgear it would work with my D-Link modem - not.
    However I have managed to work around the problem (sort of) by using the Airport Extreme to create a wireless network between my iMac 27 and my Apple TV. The idea is that the iMac will act as a router between ethernet connected ADSL modem and the wirelessly connected Apple TV.
    The good news is that I am now able to play the content from my iTunes library on my Apple TV without interruptions due to a poor wireless connection . Although the connection from the Apple TV to the internet is not working I think this is most likely just a configuration issue and for me it is not really a show stopper.

  • How can i use the airport time capsule as a external hard drive?

    how can i use the airport time capsule as a external hard drive?

    Why do you recommend not place things like iTunes libraries or photo libraries on the drive? It was what I am looking for...
    I suggest that you ask the experts over in the iPhoto Support Community about their opinions on placing an iPhoto or Aperture library on the Time Capsule....even if you plan to use a wired connection for your Mac and the Time Capsule.
    But, if Terrence Devlin answers, be prepared for a lecture about why you should not ever do this.
    If you place the iTunes library on the Time Capsule, be prepared for iTunes to give you messages about not being able to find the library.
    In addtion, LaPastenague has the answer for you in a nutshell......corruption problems.
    Bottom line....the Time Capsule is for your backups.....not "everyday" files and especially not libraries.

  • Can i use an airport extreme card in a powerbook 400MHz ?

    i have an older powerbook 400MHz which is second hand and i have no manual for it. does anyone know if i can install an airport extreme card?
    powerbook G4   Mac OS X (10.3.9)  

    wcslingsby, Welcome to the discussion area!
    No you can not use an AirPort Extreme card with your PowerBook.
    Your PowerBook G4 400 MHz requires the original AirPort card.

  • Can i use my airport extreme as a modem with comcast

    can i use my airport extreme as a modem with comcast cable

    No, since there is no modem on board an AirPort Extreme, so you will need to use an outboard modem if you want the AirPort Extreme to have Internet access.

  • Can I use my Airport Extreme as a wireless bridge?

    Can I use my Airport Extreme as a wireless bridge?

    When you say "wireless bridge", I assume that you want the AirPort Extreme to receive a wireless signal and provide an Ethernet output, correct?
    If you have another Apple router providing your "main" wireless network, the AirPort Extreme could possibly be configured to "Extend a wireless network".
    In that setting, the Extreme provides more wireless coverage and Ethernet ports are enabled, so you could connect an Ethernet device that way.
    But, the AirPort Extreme cannot do this with a product from another manufacturer.
    So, in order to answer your question specifically, can you provide the make and model number of your "main" router?

  • Can I use two airport extreme base station on the same network

    Can I use two airport extreme base station on the same network

    Here is my network setup:
    D-Link DCM-202 simple cable modem (DOCSIS 2.0 compliant)
    attached via ethernet to
    5th generation AirPort Extreme Base Station - Main (Bought last week)
    attached via ethernet to
    4th generation AirPort Extreme Base Station - Remote (Bought about 11 months ago)
    The main AEBS is set to:
    AirPort Section:
    Base Station Tab -> Allow setup over WAN is CHECKED
    Wireless Tab -> Wireless Mode: Creat a Wireless Network, Radio Mode: 802.11a/n - 802.11b/g, Radio Channel Selection: Automatic, Wireless Security: WPA2 Personal
    Internet Section:
    Internet Connection Tab -> Connect Using: Ethernet, Ethernet WAN Port: Automatic (Default), Connection Sharing: Share a public IP address
    TCP/IP Tab -> Configure IPv4: Using DHCP
    DHCP Tab -> DHCP Beginning Address: 10.0.1.2, DHCP Ending Address: 10.0.1.200, DHCP Lease: 24 hrs
    NAT Tab -> The box following 10.0.1. is left blank, Enable NAT Port Mapping Protocol box is CHECKED.
    The remote AEBS is set to:
    AirPort Section:
    Base Station Tab -> Allow setup over WAN is CHECKED
    Wireless Tab -> Wireless Mode: Creat a Wireless Network, Radio Mode: 802.11a/n - 802.11b/g, Radio Channel Selection: Automatic, Wireless Security: WPA2 Personal
    Internet Section:
    Internet Connection Tab -> Connect Using: Ethernet, Ethernet WAN Port: Automatic (Default), Connection Sharing: Off (Bridge Mode)
    TCP/IP Tab -> Configure IPv4: Using DHCP, IP Address: 10.0.1.2, Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0, Router Address: 10.0.1.1, DNS Server(s): 10.0.1.1  (Everything else under this tab is blank)
    Hope this helps with info needed.

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