Airport Express Transmits To Airport Extreme Base Station Intermittently

I have an Airport Extreme set up as my base station wirelessly.  I also have an Airport Express set up to extend the range of my network.
The reason I have the air port express is that the walls of my house are very thick, so I thought that if I have an Airport Express, then I can jump the signal from one signal strength room to a week signal strength room.
The length of the house is within the 30m range.  Airport Utility occasionally can not see the AExtreme or AExpress but if I put both in the same room it picks both up.   At the low signal strength end of the house my MacBook or MacBook Pro Air Port Utility only picks up the AExpress located at this end of the house.  If I restart the AExpress then Airport Utility picks up both airports in the week signal room, then the Extreme drops out.
Q1 - Why does this happen i.e. only showing the nearest / clearest signal air port?
What I have established is that the connection to the internet is always through the wireless signal from the AExtreme (ADS Router connected directly to this).  I established this by switching off the AExpress at the week signal end of the house and finding a spot where the signal could be picked up.
Q2 - If the AEtxreme and AExpress are within the nominal 30 m range why cant my lap tops just pick up both Airports on Airport Utility.
Q3 - Can you set up both Airports such that one will boost the signal and if so how.
Q4 - When running AExtreme only why does the signal strength vary - even when sitting right next to the extreme?
Thanks
Alastair

On this same topic;
We have a new Extreme base station that connects 1 MBP, (wirelessly), 1 HP Laptop (wirelessly) and 2 PC (via ethernet) to the internet.
All of the computers can see and use the Extreme base station and the printer connected to it via USB.
We also have an Airport Express that the two laptops can see. This has a printer connected to it as well via USB. (both are new Canon printers and all of the software for each, and their drivers are loaded on all computers).
Both the Extreme and Express have a steady green light, their own names and are set up on the same network.
Though my MBP can see both the Extreme and Express, neither "see" each other as far as I can tell. And, the printer connected to the Express cannot be seen in either Bonjour Printers, or anywhere else.
Also, in order to "attempt" to find the printer connected to the Express, I have to disconnect from the Extreme Base Station and connect to the Express.
How can I get the printer (connected to the Express) to show up in my pick list of printers WITHOUT having to disconnect from the Extreme and connect to the Express. Also, how can we get the Express to be connected to the internet via the Extreme?
All searches here and documents I have poured though do not address this issue and we'd really like to get this straightened out. I am willing to take a lot of time to do this, but do it right.
Can someone please help me with this?
Thank you in advance,
~ J

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    v.) I left the "Options" button alone - no settings there.
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    iii.) pick a Radio Mode. I'm using b/g compatible. You'll want to do the same, unless you are on the new gigabit AEX. I'm pretty sure about this, but not 100% -- others post if I'm wrong.
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    v.) I have wireless security set to WPA/WPA2 Personal.
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    vii.) Click the "Wireless Options" button. I have my multicast rate set to 2mbps, transmit at 100%, timeout at 1 hour, and i have checked the "Create a closed network". This last step keeps your network from advertising itself to the outside world. Users can only find it by explicitly typing the network name into their wifi settings (e.g. AirPort -> Other... then enter Network Name, Security and Password). I leave interference robustness unchecked.
    c. Under the "WDS" sub-tab:
    i.) the AEBS should have it's WDS Mode set to "WDS main".
    ii.) Check the "allow wireless clients" box on the AEBS; this lets you connect client machines to it directly too.
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    i.) Connect Using: Ethernet
    ii.) Configure IPv4: Using DHCP
    iii.) Ethernet WAN Port: Automatic (Default)
    iv.) Connection Sharing: Share a public IP address
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    i.) DHCP Beginning Address: 10.0 . 1 . 2
    ii.) DHCP Ending Address: 10.0.1.200
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    c. Under the "NAT" sub-tab:
    i.) nothing should be checked;
    ii.) nothing under Port Mappings either
    3. Under the "Printers and Advanced" tabs up top:
    Nothing special needs to be configured there.
    THAT'S IT.
    =============
    I. Configure your AEX(s)
    Select the AEX from AU, and choose "Manual Setup"
    1. Under the "AirPort" tab up top:
    a. Under "Base Station" sub-tab:
    i.) pick a unique name for this unit, same logic as for AEBS
    ii.) pick a password specific for accessing this unit, same logic as for AEBS
    iii.) Set time automatically: be sure to use the same settings used on your AEBS
    iv.) Options: no need to set any
    b. Under "Wireless" sub-tab:
    i.) Wireless Mode: Participate in a WDS network
    ii.) Network Name: same name used for AEBS, this is the name of your wifi network
    iii.) Channel: same as AEBS
    iv.) All settings here (those above, plus Security and Password & in Options button) should be the same as for AEBS settings on this tab
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    i.) WDS Mode: WDS relay
    ii.) Allow wireless clients: check (unless you only want to bridge between the edges without letting folks connect on this AEX in the middle)
    iii.) WDS Main: set to the AirPort ID (aka MAC address) for the AEBS. You can find it on the bottom of the AEBS, either labeled as such or at the bottom beside the logo of a wireless signal (square logo, with semi-circles mimicing a radio signal).
    iv.) WDS Remotes: click the '+' to add any AEX's that will connect to this relay rather than directly to the AEBS. Same deal as above, use the name in the description and use the AirPort ID from the side of the AEX (not the Ethernet ID).
    .....if AEX is connecting to a relay ("on the end", as above) or if there is no relay and AEX connects directly to the AEBS:
    i.) WDS Model: WDS remote
    ii.) Allow wireless clients: checked
    iii.) WDS Main: if connected to a relay, use the AirPort ID of the relay AEX. If connected to the AEBS directly, use the AirPort ID of the AEBS
    d. Under the "Access" sub-tab:
    i.) MAC Address Access Control: Not Enabled (for now, you can change later)
    2. Under the "Internet" tab up top:
    a. Under the "Internet Connection" sub-tab:
    i.) Connect Using: AirPort (WDS) -- should be selected and gray'ed out.
    ii.) Configure IPv4: Using DHCP
    iii.) Ethernet WAN Port: Automatic (Default)
    iv.) Connection Sharing: Off (Bridge Mode)
    3. Under the Music, Printers and Advanced tabs up top:
    Nothing special needs to be configured there. You can worry about AirTunes settings later...
    That should be it. I'd recommend setting up the AEBS first, then the relay (if applicable), then the remotes. Initially, you can bring each unit in the same room with you for configuring. After configured and restarted the AEX should blink then turn solid green. If it turns green you should be good to go.
    HOPE THIS HELPS. As noted above, I did not config through AirPort Utility 5.3.1 so I haven't tested this procedure through that app. However, after getting my network to work I went back and transposed all settings into this post to help others. Please provide feedback on whether or not this is working, so we can collectively try to move towards a setup procedure that works for everyone....
    Good luck!
    Message was edited by: b.byrd

    I'm not convinced that the problem lies in Airport Utility. This same thing was happening to me, nearly exactly as you describe it. The thing is that with me, the problems clearly started when I updated the firmware in my Airport Express (n). That's when all the wacky stuff started happening. Sometimes it would show up in AU, sometimes it didn't and even if it didn't, I could still access the internet through it.
    But as you said, the problems got really bad when another Express (b/g) was put on the network with it. Even when it did work, the (b/g) would make it impossibly slow.
    You know more about this than me, and clearly have more patience if you've restarted the network fifty times. I gave up at about ten.
    In any case, your solution is more of a work around and if you're still having that slow connection problem, I'm not sure you've got it. But thanks for your reporting of this. At least I know I'm not crazy.

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    Best,
    Benjamin

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    I have a WiFi system in the house that uses the Airport Extreme for a hub and an older Express for sending music from my Mac to my sound system. Everything worked great till yesterday. When I go to Networks I see the Extreme and I see the Express but the Express is no longer connected and I get an error message "this version of AirPort Utility doesn't support this base station".  Any ideas?

    This sounds as if you have an older AirPort Express that is no longer supported by the newer Mavericks operating system.
    To check and see if  that might be the case, locate the model number on the side of the AirPort Express. It will start with an "A" followed by four numbers. Hard to see in the faint print.....so you may need reading glasses or a magnifying class to see the model number clearly.
    Model numbers A1084 and A1088 of the AirPort Express are no longer supported by AirPort Utility in Mavericks.
    You will need to use a Mac running Leopard, Snow Leopard, or a PC to be able to administer the older AirPort Express.

  • Airport Extreme Base Station to Express via Ethernet?

    I have both a new Extreme (n) and Express (n) and am trying to set up a network between two buildings. I have been successful with the wireless network, yet the wireless signal between buildings is not strong enough for streaming video. The current configuration is the Extreme in one building connected to the cable modem. This is where the strongest signal is found. The express is in the main house and the signal is much weaker.
    My question: If I run an ethernet wire from one building to the next, can I connect these two Airport devices via ethernet to strengthen the signal? How would I configure this in the Airport Utility?
    I made an attempt to plug the ethernet into both and the Utility stopped seeing either device and I lost the internet connection.
    I may not understand the way these devices communicate with each other. If anyone can point me in the direction of a solution I would be grateful. My goal is to have a signal strength strong enough to stream Netflix videos in the house with the Express. I am thinking that if the Express is wired to the base station via ethernet then the wireless signal from the Express would be sufficient to stream wirelessly to a new Macbook... Possible?
    Thanks for any suggestions.

    A couple of questions. First, at AirPort>Wireless>Wireless Mode should the selection be "Join a wireless network" or "Off"? I currently have Join a the wireless network selected.
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    When I am at Internet>Internet Connection the screen is muted, which means I can't change anything. The two items on the page say "Connect Using: Wireless Network" and " "Connection Sharing: Off (Bridge Mode)" - as you mentioned. This is correct, right?
    For both AirPorts, Connect Using = Ethernet; For the AEBSn, Connection Sharing = Share a public IP address; For the AXn, Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)
    The Extreme (connected to modem) and Express (ethernet cable will connect to port on Extreme) have different names. And each is configured to participate in the same network.
    Both would be correct.

  • I am trying to stop my Xbox from connecting to my Airport extreme base station and only connect to my airport express extender.  Anyone have any ideas?

    I have an aiport extreme base station in my living room and an airport express in my bedroom extending the network.  For some reason my xbox along with some other devices always connects to the extreme base station in the living room which has a very low signal.  Is there a way to setup a seperate network for my express extender so that I can connect only certain devices?  HELP

    You would probably want your Express to join the network if an extender isn't required. Reset to factory settings and join the network.
    If you do want your Express as an extender run an Ethernet cable between the Express and the Verizon router and set the Express up to be in bridge mode, with the same WiFi network name and password as your Verizon router.

  • I am trying to hook up my Airport Express to my current network and AirPort Extreme but keep getting the same error message: "This version of AirPort Utility doesn't support this base station. Go to AirPort Service and Support for more information."

    I am trying to hook up my Airport Express to my current network and AirPort Extreme but keep getting the same error message: "This version of AirPort Utility doesn’t support this base station. Go to AirPort Service and Support for more information." Any thoughts?

    This sounds as if you have an older AirPort Express that is no longer supported by the newer Mavericks operating system.
    To check and see if  that might be the case, locate the model number on the side of the AirPort Express. It will start with an "A" followed by four numbers. Hard to see in the faint print.....so you may need reading glasses or a magnifying class to see the model number clearly.
    Model numbers A1084 and A1088 of the AirPort Express are no longer supported by AirPort Utility in Mavericks.
    You will need to use a Mac running Leopard, Snow Leopard, or a PC to be able to administer the older AirPort Express.

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