Correct Configuration for extending a wireless network

I live in a brick and mortar double story house. Its built like a farady cage and radio signals really have a hard time. unfortunately, I also live in a 3rd world country where running ethernet through the house is not an option.
I have bought 2 X Airport Extreme (simultaneous dual band II) firmware version 7.5.1 and one time capsule (simultaneous dual band II) also firmware 7.5.1 with the intention of wirelessly etending the network throughout the house.
The internet access is provided through a huawei e920 3g HSDPA router in the garage with a high gain antenna on the roof (full signal, HSPA).
The wireless on the huwai is disabled and it connects to the first Extreme with port 1 on ethernet. The Huwaei is set to provide DHCP.
Question:
1) What should be the first device in sequence? An extreme or the time capsule, i.e which of the three should connect directly to the Huawei via ethernet?
2) When setting this up, i am asked questions about bridged or NAT, while I have some technical knowledge, I don't know the correct answer to this.
3) What is a reasonable coverage are to expect? If all devices are on the ground floor, how many feet could I expect in range as a minimum (I wont hold you to any specifics
4) If I use the extend network feature, do I still halve the available throughput for each device I add, as is the case with standard WDS on other brands?
5) What is the maximum number of extremes of the same specification I can add to extend the network through the house?
The reason I am asking, is that I have tried some configurations, however, I can never seem to get higher throughput than 600kbs.
Please help.

Welcome to the discussions!
+1) What should be the first device in sequence? An extreme or the time capsule, i.e which of the three should connect directly to the Huawei via ethernet?+
Your choice here. If the Time Capsule is going to be centrally located, then it would make sense to make it the "main" router.
+2) When setting this up, i am asked questions about bridged or NAT, while I have some technical knowledge, I don't know the correct answer to this.+
If the Huwaei is set to provide DHCP services, then the correct setting for the device that is connected to it is "bridge mode".
+3) What is a reasonable coverage are to expect? If all devices are on the ground floor, how many feet could I expect in range as a minimum (I wont hold you to any specifics+
In general, with line-of-sight available between the devices, you could position them 25-40 feet apart. With obstructions, you may need to place them closer to maintain signal strength.
+4) If I use the extend network feature, do I still halve the available throughput for each device I add, as is the case with standard WDS on other brands?+
The "extend" setup will maintain "n" wireless speeds with a bandwidth loss of perhaps 10-15% per device on average. WDS will drop the entire network down to "g" levels and halve the bandwidth for each "remote" device that you use. You would not want to use WDS.
+5) What is the maximum number of extremes of the same specification I can add to extend the network through the house?+
Apple does not furnish documentation on this, but a good hint might that AirPort Utility, the application used to configure all the devices, will display a total of 5 devices. If you think about the fact that you will be losing 10-15% bandwidth with each extending device, I would not exceed a total of 5 devices including your main router unless you plan to connect them using ethernet, not wireless.

Similar Messages

Instructions for extending a wireless network through a wired connection

These are the instructions for extending a wireless network by wiring two airports together.
The benefit of this is to provide a strong signal in more locations in your home or business.
The advantage of this technique over WDS is that the wired connection is faster and more reliable.
These instructions assume you have a) an existing wireless network setup using an airport , b) a new airport that you want to add to your network, c) you can run a cat 5 cable between the two airports, and d) you are familiar with the airport utility.
If while using these instructions you are prompted to update your airport firmware please do so.
1) Gather the following information from your existing Airport on the Summary tab of Airport utility:
a) Wireless Network Name
b) Wireless Security
c) You will also need the password, which hopefully you just know.
2) Plug in your new Airport, connect it to the existing Airport using a cat 5 cable.
3) Reset the new Airport using the tip of a paper clip. On my Airport Express that is next to the audio out.
4) After a short wait the new Airport should appear in Airport Utility with a generic name.
5) Click the new airport and click "Manual Setup". You may have to cancel out of some popups to get to the Manual Setup button.
6) On the "Base Station" tab set a "Name" that does NOT equal the the name of your old Aiport. Also set the password. This us the password that one uses to make changes to the setup of the Airport.
7) On the "Wireless" table set a "Wireless Network Name", "Wireless Security", and "Password" to exactly match that of your old Airport. This is the password that one uses to gain access to the network.
8) On the "Internet->Internet Connection" tab set connection sharing to "Off (Bridge Mode)".
9) Click "Update" at bottom right of Airport Utility.
10) Test by using "Advanced->Logging and Stats->Wireless Clients" to see which clients are connecting to which Airport.

viafax999 wrote:
coolhwhip wrote:
Thanks for the reply. Like I said, I am pretty new to this. So I need to buy something like this to put in my media center then?
http://www.amazon.com/Hawking-HWREN1-Hi-Gain-Wireless-300N-Extender/dp/B001DMEYCY/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie...
Do I even need the Wireless N router at all, or will the Westell do the trick? I'd be looking to stream HD from my main home PC, so I need good wireless speed.
I assume that there is a tv in your media center so what would make much more sense would be to get a coax splitter and split the coax at that tv and then move the vz westell router to the other side of the splitter. It really makes no matter where the westell router is on the coax setup and doing this should allow you to connect your devices directly to the router.
So the coax feed from the ONT comes in through the garage into the office and is connected to the Westell in the office (which is hard-wired into my office PC). If I move the Westell to the entertainment center I'll be in the same boat w/ my office PC then, i.e. needing a wireless connection to the Westell to get internet access. Am I missing something here?

Setup for extending Sky wireless network using Airport Express or Time Cap

Hi,
Hi,
I have three Mac computers/laptops (iMac, MacBook Air and G4 PowerBook), all currently functioning via airport on a sky wireless network (Sky HD Sagem router) all backing up wirelessly to a Time Capsule 1TB which is also connected to the same wireless Sky network. At the top of my house signal strength is weak as you would expect. I would like to be able to extend the range of the sky routers signal which is on the ground floor (3 storey house). My original idea had been to setup a AirPort Express on the 2nd floor to extend the network, but I am unsure what steps I have to follow and whether I need to create a WDS network or not? I've seen some comments that say Sky & Apple hardware are not compatible and it's not possible to extend a Sky router/wireless network using a Apple Airport Express or Time Capsule. Can someone provide me with a step by step set of instructions on what I need to do to set this up? If a work around is required, again any advice would be very much appreciated!
Many thanks,
Eugene

Welcome to the discussions!
Sky and Apple products are not compatible for the purpose of extending your network using wireless only.
If you could connect an ethernet cable from your Sky router to the AirPort Express, or if it's not possible to run an ethernet cable...take a look at a pair of ethernet powerline adapters to accomplish the same task by using the AC wiring in your home to transmit the ethernet signal.
If you configure the AirPort Express to "create a wireless network", this would in effect, extend your network by adding an AirPort Express that would be configured with the exactly the same wireless network name, security settings and password as your Sky router. The AirPort Express would also need to be configured as a "bridge".
Post back if you need more details about something like this.

How do I use airport express to extend my wireless network?

How vcan I extend the range of my wireless network using Airport Express?

It appears that you may have "join a wireless network" and "extend a wireless network" mixed up a bit.
The Express can "join" virtually any wireless network produced by any manufacturer's router if it is provided with the correct settings:
name of the wireless network
the correct wireless security settings
and correct password.
"Join" is normally used for AirTunes or to connect a USB printer to the Express for remote printing.
But, the Express does not provide any additional wirless coverage when it "joins" another wireless network.
Apple's "Extend a wireless network" feature, which was introduced about 5 years ago, allows the Express to connect to another Apple "n" wireless router and then "repeat" or "extend" the wireless signal....providing more wireless coverage in the area where the Express is located.
This is a proprietary setting. Apple says it will not work with devices from other manufacturers. To our knowledge, this is correct.
Prior to 2007, Apple used a setting called WDS to allow the Express to be configured to provide more wireless coverage. Attempts were made by a number of manufacturers to standardize the WDS settings, but things were never finalized.
The result is that Apple's older "b/g" routers were sometimes compatible with WDS settings from another manufacturer. There were a handful of products....5 or 6, as I recall....that were said to work. Some did, some didn't. Linksys had a couple of models, Netgear had one, SMC another, etc. Extremely limited.
Since WDS was never adopted as an industry standard, manufacturers developed their own WDS settings. Compatibility was extemely limited and unreliable. That continues to this day with WDS.
Bottom line....It is always best to stick with the same manufacturer throughout your network as far as routing is concerned.
If you have an newer "n" Apple router like an AirPort Extreme, the Express can extend the wireless as can along Extreme. If your Extreme is dual band, and you want to extend both bands, then you need another Extreme.
Another responder suggested to someone that they could connect the AirPort Express to a router via Ethernet. What exactly would that achieve?
That is a completely different subject since this discussion is about extending a wireless network using wireless only.

Extend existing wireless network (long house) with Airport Express

Help !! I am trying to reconfigure my airport express to extend my wireless network (Long House)through my wireless ISP (Bigpond)modem (2701HGV-W Gateway) following the sudden and unexpected death of my Time Capsule, whose router was doing this job previously.
I am not technically savvy, but can follow simple, idiot proof instructions. All I seem to be able to do is join a wireless network....is this the same as extending it?

Bob Timmons wrote:
Hi Jolly Giant,
+what you could do is run a (long) Cat5 ethernet cable from the Gateway to your Airport Express (AE) in the far away location. if you then join the AE to your wireless network, wireless clients could access it via the wireless access point the AE provides.+
Sorry, but this is not correct. The "join" setting is only used if the Express will be connecting to the wireless network by +wireless only+.
With the Express connected by ethernet, the correct setting is "create a wireless network". The wireless must be configured with exactly the same name, radio mode, security, password, etc as the Gateway's network. But, the channel on the AirPort Express should be set to a value that is at least 5 settings away from the channel that the Gateway is using to minimize distortion. This type of network is known as a "roaming" network.
Connection Sharing on the Express must be set to "Off (Bridge Mode)".
okay, got it. thanks for letting me know - i'll keep that in mind ! (:-)
my apologies to the OP for having been confusing

Extend FiOS wireless network with Time Capsule

I have a FiOS wifi router and a 1TB TC (with latest firmware 7.6.3). I'd like to extend the wireless network to cover some dead zones. I've run ethernet from the LAN port on the router to the WAN port on the Time Capsule, and it's getting an IP and internet connectivity. However, when I follow the Apple instructions to extend a wireless network, I get the warning error "unable to extend network" and the flashing orange light. I've confirmed the SSID and password are correct and match the FiOS SSID and password, and I've confirmed that the TC is in bridge mode. I've also logged into the FiOS router and confirmed it's assigning IPs to the wired and wireless componets of the TC, and recognizes the wireless is in bridge mode. Any suggestions?
I've got it working currently as a separate SSID, but it's just a pain to have to jump from weak-network1 to TC-network2 whenever I'm in a dead zone. Thanks in advance!

Check to make sure that you have the TC configured to.....
Create a wireless network (not "extend".....as that is only used for wireless extension and you are using Ethernet)
Use the exact same wireless network name (SSID) as the FIOS router
Use the exact same type of wireless security that the FIOS router is using (Make sure that this is not WEP) It should be WPA2 Personal or WPA/WPA2 Personal.
Same wireless password as the FIOS
Bridge Mode configuration
Unless everything matches up correctly, you will have two separate networks that require two separate log ons.
Configured correctly, you will have a "roaming" network. Your Mac will automatically switch over to the wireless access point with the best signal quality as it moves from one area to another.

Extending my wireless network using a Time Capsule (U-Verse)

I am trying to extend my wireless network but every time I make a change on my Time Capsule I lose all connections and have to start over....
Here is my setup:
My internet provider is AT&T U-Verse
Router - 2Wire (I do have access to the router)
Connected to the router is a netgear 8 port switch used for all of the wiring in the house.
In my family room at the wall jack I have attached a Cisco 8-port switch.
To the switch are several AV devices including my 3TB Time Capsule.
My wireless setup is controlled by the 2Wire router.
What I am trying to do is to use the Time Capsule to extend my wireless network so portions of my house will receive a stronger signal.
I attempted several do configurations but after reboot it either can't find the network, I lose my Internet (from the time capsule) or some other error.
I usually have to connect a cable to the TC and my MacBook Pro to reset everything back to what it was.
Can anyone offer me any suggestions on how to configure this properly?
Thank you
Elliot

Open AirPort Utility, select the Time Capsule and click Manual Setup.
Click the Time Capsule tab at the top of the screen and check the settings on this page for correct name, Time Zone, etc. My TC looks like this:
Next, click the Wireless tab to the right of the Time Capsule tab.
The Wireless Mode is set to Create a wireless network.
Wireless Network Name would be the exact same name as your 2-Wire wireless network.
If the 2-Wire is using WPA2 Personal security, make sure the Time Capsule is set the same.
Enter the same password as the 2-Wire for the Wireless Password
Settings should look like this:
Next, click the Internet icon, then click the Internet Connection tab
Connect Using = Ethernet
Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)
Click Update to save the settings and allow a minute for the Time Capsule to restart to a green light
Very Important....
Next, power off the entire network....all devices, 2-Wire, Time Capsule, computers , printers, etc.
Wait a full minute
Start the 2-Wire first and let it run a full minute by itself
Start the Time Capsule next the same way
Keep starting devices one at a time until the entire network is back up
You should be in business now

Extending TC wireless network with AP Express

I just set up a brand new TC last week, and am thinking about buying a new AP Express to extend my wireless network into the basement. I've read through some of the threads here and it seems pretty straightforward, esp. since both devices will be 802.11n compatible.
The one question I have pertains to MAC access control, which I have enabled on my TC. Does the AP Express' AirPort ID need to be added to the MAC access control list on the TC if I'm setting up the AP Express to extend a wireless network? I assume that any devices that connect wirelessly to the AP Express will need to have their MAC addresses added to the access control list as well, just as if they were to connect to the TC, correct?
Also, do I need to make an Ethernet connection from the TC to the AP Express for the initial setup, or is it all done wirelessly? I will have the AP Express in the same room as the TC when I set it up and then gradually move the AP Express to its final location, somewhere between the TC and the basement (probably in the basement hallway near the door).
Message was edited by: plarkin

Welcome to the discussions!
+Does the AP Express' AirPort ID need to be added to the MAC access control list on the TC if I'm setting up the AP Express to extend a wireless network?+
Yes
+I assume that any devices that connect wirelessly to the AP Express will need to have their MAC addresses added to the access control list as well, just as if they were to connect to the TC, correct?+
Yes, you will need to compile a MAC control list for the AirPort Express
+Also, do I need to make an Ethernet connection from the TC to the AP Express for the initial setup
It's quite a bit simpler and usually more reliable if you do it this way
+or is it all done wirelessly?+
It can be, but this is sometimes confusing for users because the AirPort Express creates a default wireless network that you must log onto to be able to communicate to the device using AirPort Utility. This usually requires you to "switch" wireless networks for the configuration, then switch back again to your normal wireless network after the configuration is completed.
There's no switching involved if you simply temporarily connect an ethernet cable from your computer to the AirPort Express for the configuration and then disconnect it once you have updated the device with its new settings.
+I will have the AP Express in the same room as the TC when I set it up and then gradually move the AP Express to its final location, somewhere between the TC and the basement (probably in the basement hallway near the door).+
That's an excellent plan

Can I use a Time Capsule to extend my wireless network.

Hi, I have just bought a 3TB time capsule as my old (flat style) 500GB TC is reaching full capacity. The old style TC will then be surplus to requirements as a data storage unit, at least for myself, though it might be useful for my son to use as his Time Capsule.
Ideally, as we have a wireless 'blind spot' out in the rear extension of the house, it would be useful to use the unit to extend my wireless network (and also use it as a separate TC if possible). Is this possible? If it is how would I go about it?
Hope someone can help . . . .
Cheers
John

Is it possible for you to consider connecting the Time Capsules together using a wired Ethernet connection?
Here is what Apple has to say in their support document about extending:
Adding Wi-Fi base stations when it is unnecessary can reduce Wi-Fi throughput because the Wi-Fi network will require more data management overhead. The network configuration also becomes more complex. In the case of a wirelessly extended network, throughput may be reduced to less than 60 percent of that of a single device. The general rule is to keep the Wi-Fi network as simple as possible. You can accomplish this by using the minimum number of Wi-Fi base stations required to service the physical network area and by using Ethernet wherever possible.
Extending the range of your Wi-Fi network by connecting Wi-Fi base stations together using Ethernet is always the best option, and will provide the best throughput.
Wi-Fi base stations: Extending the range of your wireless network by adding additional Wi-Fi base stations

What is the best way to extend a Wireless network?

Hi,
We have 3 devices,
1) Our Primary Network Router (which creates our office Network and has DHCP enabled).
2) We have and Airport Extreme, which is used to create our Wireless Network (THIS IS SET TO “Create Wireless Network”), it has DHCP Enabled, its DHCP IP Scheme is set to 192.168.2.x, where the IP Scheme of our Primary Network is set to 192.168.181.x.
3) We have an Airport Express that we are trying to use to EXTEND our Wireless Network.
The most important thing we are trying to accomplish is to isolate the Wireless Network from our Primary Network, so Wireless Clients can access the Internet, but CAN’T SEE or ACCESS the Shared Network Volumes AVAILABLE ON THE PRIMARY NETWORK.
At the moment, the Wireless Clients can access the Internet and receive an IP in the range of 192.168.2.x from the DHCP Server in the Airport Extreme. That part of it is working, but the Wireless Clients can unfortunately still SEE and ACCESS the Network Volumes available on the Primary Network. WHICH IS NOT WHAT WE WANT!!
Question 1: How can we have the Airport Create a separate Network, so the Wireless Clients CAN’T SEE or ACCESS the Network Volumes from the Primary Network, but can still get access to the Internet through the Primary Network?
Question 2: What is the best way to use the Airport Express to “EXTEND” the Airport Extreme’s Wireless Network? I have tried WDS “Main” for Extreme and WDS “Remote” for Express, but all that doesn’t allow you to use the Extreme to Create a Separate Network, it uses the DHCP Server built into the Primary Network’s Router. Also tried to set the Express to “EXTEND WIRELESS NETWORK”, which seems to work, but I am not sure why. Because I don’t have a cable from the Extreme to the Express, which is sounds like you have to when it is setup that way!!
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks
Kalagan

Question 1: How can we have the Airport Create a separate Network, so the Wireless Clients CAN’T SEE or ACCESS the Network Volumes from the Primary Network, but can still get access to the Internet through the Primary Network?
There is no way to do this. Any of the wireless clients of the AirPort Extreme base station (AEBS) can see any device connected to the AEBS's WAN port. Clients of a subnet can see anything on the supernet.
You could configure you network like this:
Internet-> (WAN) AEBS (LAN) -> Primary router
As long as the Primary router was providing DHCP/NAT the things on the LAN side of the Primary router would be hidden from the AEBS clients.
A better solution may be to have 2 completely separate networks OR invest in some type of network security firewall device to actively isolate your Primary network.
Question 2: What is the best way to use the Airport Express to “EXTEND” the Airport Extreme’s Wireless Network? I have tried WDS “Main” for Extreme and WDS “Remote” for Express, but all that doesn’t allow you to use the Extreme to Create a Separate Network, it uses the DHCP Server built into the Primary Network’s Router. Also tried to set the Express to “EXTEND WIRELESS NETWORK”, which seems to work, but I am not sure why. Because I don’t have a cable from the Extreme to the Express, which is sounds like you have to when it is setup that way!!
WDS is 802.11g's method of wirelessly extending a network.
"Extend wireless network" is 802.11n's method of wirelessly extending a network.
Neither of them require the AirPort Express (AX) to be cabled to the AEBS.

Can I create a unique subnetwork when extending a wireless network using Airport Extreme?

My office building has an Airport Extreme to provide wifi to our individual suites. I would like to create a sub-network using my Airport Extreme for my suite only that uses the wifi signal from our office building and provides internet to the computers (both wired and wireless) in my suite but have it protected so that other suites in my building can't see my computers. Is this possible and how do I do it? I have currently set up my Airport Extreme in wifi-mode "extending a previous wireless network" and have the router with its unique router name. But once I extended the wireless network, I could not find the network name of my router, only the office name (the one I was extending). The computers connected via ethernet to my Airport have internet access but none of my wireless computers see my airport name, it sees the office building network name. I'm assuming they are connecting to my Airport since the signal level is much higher than before and it appears that my Airport is rebroadcasting the network name of my office building. Is there a way to have my Airport broadcast its unique identifier for wifi, still connect to the internet via wifi signal to the Office building airport and maintain segregation between my computers and the rest of my office building?
Also, when I use the Airport Utility on my Iphone, I see the internet -> the office airport extreme -> and then 2 different base stations connected in a Y. Mine and my neighbors (who is probably doing the same thing as I am). But there is a dotted line to my base station, does that mean I'm connected to the internet via my neighbor's airport?
Any thoughts?

I would like to create a sub-network using my Airport Extreme for my suite only that uses the wifi signal from our office building and provides internet to the computers (both wired and wireless) in my suite but have it protected so that other suites in my building can't see my computers.
It is not possible to configure a single Apple AirPort router in this manner using wireless only, but it would be possible to do this with a single AirPort if you connect your AirPort Extreme to the "main" router using a wired Ethernet connection.
As for wireless only....you could probably do what you want by using two Apple routers....an AirPort Express to join the wireless network and provide an Ethernet signal to the AirPort Extreme's WAN port. Then the AirPort Extreme could then be configured to provide a separate network using a different subnet.
Users on the "main" network would not be able to "see" any devices on your "private" network and vice versa.
I use the two router set up all the time at hotels that only provide a wireless signal. The first Express "joins" the wireless network and feeds an Ethernet signal to the second AirPort which is configured to "create a wireless network" in router mode.
This way, I can connect multiple devices to my "private" network, but only pay the hotel for one connection since the hotel router only "sees" the AirPort Express that joins the network.

Can I use my airport express to extend a wireless network with a non-apple router?

I have been trying to extend my wireless network in my house. Right now I have a dsl modem/router provided by Century Link and an older AirPort express (not sure how old but it uses AirPort utility v5.6). I want to be able to share my printer and use AirTunes. Currently I have the AirPort plugged into the router and setup to create a new wireless network. I would like to combine them so I don't have to switch between to print and play music. I am not really sure where to start or if it even possible. Any info would be great!

If you keep the Express connected using Ethernet and configure the Express to "Create a wireless network" using exactly the same wireless network name, exact same wireless security and same wireless password as the Century Link network.....everything will behave as one "big" network, and you will have additional wireless coverage near the Express.
If you do not need extra wireless coverage, you can turn off the wireless on the Express.
The Express must be in Bridge Mode.
Most users know the name of their wireless network and password, so the really tricky part of doing this is that you must know exactly what type of wireless security settings the Century Link router is using....and then match up the same settings on the AirPort Express.
If the settings do not match up exactly, then you wind up with two separate networks that will each require their own log on.
If you can check the setting for wireless security on the Century Link router and provide that information to us, we can tell you how to set things up the way that you would like.

I have installed Airport Extreme on my iMac, but want to extend the wireless network with Airport Express. Everything is fine until I try to select Extend the wireless network. I select Extend Wireless network but have no success. Ideas?

I have installed Airport Extreme on my iMac, but want to extend the wireless to rooms with a weak signal. The internet connection is fine with the basic setup. As soon as I go into Airport Utility to select Extend Wireless Network and fill in what I believe is proper information, I get an error message that Airport Extreme no longer has an IP address, the internet connection is broken, and under Wireless, that there is a wireless network in existence that can't be found. Rebooting the modem only brings the Airport Extreme back to the starting gate so that the internet is once again available. I assumed (naively) that with the All Mac All-the-Time context, adding Airport Express would truly be Plug and Play. I got the plug, but no play. I asked a Comcast technical specialist about it and he said that I needed to reset the Airport Express settings back to their default, factory status. I looked that process up online and found out that the way to do that was to hold down the reset button, then plug Airport Express into the socket and wait for the green light to flash four times. Then wait 45 seconds and the default settings will return. I did all that, only to find out that after the initial flash of green, green never appeared again. I got a fast flashing yellow light, followed by the light going off. Apparently this didn't reset it properly. So, after hours trying to get this system to work, I appeal to someone who can see through this mess and provide the key to success!
highFly376

Let's see if I can get this straight.
You have an Airport Extreme base station that is set to "Create a wireless network" and you have the box checked for "allow this network to be extended"....
Then you have an Airport Express that is set to "Extend a wireless network" which you selected the name of your network in the box...
Correct?
See this Apple document:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4259?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US
The wireless unit on the right of the diagram can be either of the newer Apple base stations.
Extreme, Express, Time Capsule

Using Time Capsule to extend a wireless network

I have an office in the top of my house (2nd floor roof conversion) and as a result the wireless signal from the ground floor is very weak. i would like to boost the signal using my Time Capsule, placing it on the 1st floor, shortening the distance the signal has to travel.
Is this possible? In the AirPort settings I can seen an option to 'extend a wireless network using an ethernet cable' but if that is the only option I may as well just move my wireless home hub to the 1st floor.
Can the network be extended wirelessly?
many thanks!

Thanks for the clarification.
Unfortunately, the "extend a wireless network" feature of the AirPort Express is only compatible with an Apple base station.
Therefore, you will not be able to use the TC to extend the wireless network that has been created by the BT Home Hub. You might check to see if BT offers an "extension device" or "remote" that would allow you to expand your wireless signal.
The TC will need to be configured to "Join" the wireless network that you have there.

This AirPort base station was unable to extend the wireless network.

I have an AirPort Extreme in the lounge connected to BT infinity.
I also have an airport express in the kitchen connected to a stereo system.
I have had this set up for around 12 months.
The airport express will not extend the wireless network.
I reset it, restart, factory reset etc and it will work fine for around 3 days, then I get the same error message saying
This AirPort base station was unable to extend the wireless network. Make sure the wireless network you’re trying to extend was set up and is working correctly, that you entered a matching wireless network password into this device, and that this device is in range of the wireless network.
The express is situated easily within range of the extreme. And the airplay between those two, my iMac and two apple tv's works pretty much as it should.
Can someone please shed some light on this?
Maybe I have it in a wrong setting or summut....

G Beach wrote:
I am also experiencing a recent failure in my Airport devices no longer extending my wireless network.
My Aiport Express and second Airport Extreme were extending my wireless network for more than a year
The only change that has taken place lately is that the firmware for both devices was upgraded to 7.6.4, however the upgrade was only in response to trying to resolve this problem. Needless to say, the firmware upgrade did not resolve anything.
If I didn't know better, I'd have thought I wrote the above.
I have a TC from a few years ago (last one before the tower, I think), plus the older AEBS that it replaced extending the network, plus a 1-year-old Express also extending. I had upgraded them all to 7.6.3/4 when it came out, but reverted them all to 7.6.1 when everything went crapways (others having the same issues of the LAN regularly croaking), and didn't bother upgrading again since.
Today I just tried 7.6.4 on all of them, and it seemed OK at first with green lights all around in Airport Utility. Then I made one change, which was to enable 5Ghz on the main AEBS/TC only (the express doesn't need it, and the older AEBS can't do it).
The latter two started flasing amber and giving the "unable to extend wireless network" error message.
So I'm wondering if you are similarly using 5Ghz?

Correct Configuration for extending a wireless network

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