Adding a TC into an AT&T U-Verse network - will this scenario work?

Question

Hi all - my current setup is as follows ...
DSL service is AT&T U-Verse, provided via a 2WIRE modem/router located in the basement. The house is extensively hardwired with CAT5 cables that all terminate at the 2WIRE location, so I have strong wired support wherever I need it. But the 2WIRE is a poor wireless device, and its location in the basement further limits its usefulness.
My main machine, a MacBook Pro, is in a 2nd floor office hardwired to the 2WIRE for performance reasons.
I have been using a Buffalo LinkStation NAS for my Time Machine backups. This was not easy to setup and has had a few hiccups over the past year so I've been thinking of using something else for TM and retask the Buffalo for archiving video and RAW files. Right now I use a Cisco switch to split the office Ethernet run to service the Buffalo and the MBP.
My first inclination was to purchase an inexpensive 1TB drive for TM and hardwire it to the MBP. This is ok since this machine is normally hooked up to other peripherals when in the house (I only use it as a laptop when I travel). But there are two other mobile MBs in the house, plus an iTouch, and they all suffer from the 2WIRE's poor wireless so I've been thinking of going the TC route instead to solve both problems at the same time.
Here's what I'd like to do - does this make sense?
I'd keep the 2WIRE in place, serving the hardwired locations as it does today and leaving it's radio on for the non-Apple devices. I would connect the run from the 2WIRE to the office (which currently feeds the Cisco switch) to the TC and configure the TC in bridge mode so it basically extends the 2WIRE network.
I would be able to use the TC's wireless for the Apple devices in the house.
I would hardwire the TC-MBP connection for TM purposes to get better performance, and also run the Buffalo off the TC via wire.
Does this make sense and, more importantly, will it work? My goals are a) have a more reliable solution for TM, and b) improve wireless support in the house.
Thanks!
Message was edited by: PTDiMarzio
A diagram of what I'd like to have ...
2WIRE --> various existing wired and wireless devices
|
--> Time Capsule
| | |----> various wireless devices
| |
| ----> hardwired to MBP for TM use
|
|----> hardwired to Buffalo NAS, visible to MBP
Message was edited by: PTDiMarzio

Answer 1

Welcome to the discussion area, PTDiMarzio!
I'd keep the 2WIRE in place, serving the hardwired locations as it does today and leaving it's radio on for the non-Apple devices. I would connect the run from the 2WIRE to the office (which currently feeds the Cisco switch) to the TC and configure the TC in bridge mode so it basically extends the 2WIRE network.
This should work very well. For the TC, you'll need to configure the wireless with exactly the same wireless network name, security and password as the 2Wire to create a seamless "roaming" network. Devices will be able to "roam" from area to area without having the change networks in this type of configuration.
I would be able to use the TC's wireless for the Apple devices in the house.
The TC will create a dual band network, so you'll have the advantage of both 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands for your wireless devices. Since the TC will be in bridge mode, it will not be possible to enable the separate Guest Network feature on the TC...a possible downside depending on your plans.
I would hardwire the TC-MBP connection for TM purposes to get better performance, and also run the Buffalo off the TC via wire.
You will be able to take advantage of the Gigabit ethernet capability of the TC and your devices. I'm not sure if the Buffalo drive has Gigibit ethernet ports or not.
Does this make sense and, more importantly, will it work?
Should work very well. The only tricky part will be matching the wireless security settings on the TC with the 2Wire. If the security settings don't match exactly, you will wind up with two separate networks, each requiring their own log in.
I helped a neighbor recently with a similar setup on a 2Wire and Apple router. The 2Wire was using WPA-PSK-TKIP encryption and we found that choosing the WPA/WPA2 Personal option on the AirPort matched up nicely. The two routers now provide in effect, one large wireless network. Works great.