Extend public wlan range with Express/Extreme?

I'm connecting a public wlan network from home with the iBook. Unfortunately the wlan signal strength is ok just close to the windows. I'd like to have a device to pick the incoming signal, strengten it and spread it to the appartment. Could I use one of the Airport products for this? The public wlan expects the clients to be configured to use dhcp. The wlan is open with no excryption. To enhance the signal quality it might be necessary to use an external antenna placed outside the window and attached to the device with a cable, but I'm not sure if this is needed. Suggestions anyone?
iBook Mac OS X (10.4.3)

An Express/Extreme cannot extend the range of a non-WDS base station. Even with a WDS base station, it would need to be configured to know about your Express/Extreme and use it as a WDS remote base station.
About the only thing I can suggest is to get a wireless-to-Ethernet bridge and connect a directional antenna to it, which would be pointed toward the nearest WLAN base station. You could then run Ethernet from the bridge to an Express or Extreme set up as an access point using a different wireless channel than the public WLAN, which would give you coverage within your residence. It would look something like this:
<PRE>
Public WLAN ))))) bridge --------- Express/Extreme ))))) iBook
</PRE>
(")))))" represents wireless, "-----" represents Ethernet)

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Extend netgear dgn3500 range with airport express

Hello all,
I would like to extend my network range ( router netgear dgn3500) with an airport express. Is it possible?
Thank you!

I'm not sure if what I did extended the range, but I can play music from iTunes through connected speakers while connected to my Netgear WGR614v7 router (base). I tried hardwiring both my Mac and another PC in the house to the express and the computers do not find the express.
Connect (I did it wirelessly) to the express.
In AirPort Utility, select manual setup.
Under wireless, select "Join a wireless network" as the wireless mode.
The Wireless Network Name should be the same as your Netgear router's name.
Wireless security should also be the same as the Netgear router.
Type in the password for the Netgear router.
Select update.
After the AirPort Express reboots, connect to the Netgear router, and the express should still be listed in AirPort Utility. This means it is connected to the Netgear router. Now for the ultimate test. See if it extends the wireless range. If it doesn't work, it might be the router, since mine is a different model.
Good Luck!

Trying to extend the WLAN range by adding an additional Airport Extreme second gen with Ethernet as backchannel.

Hi,
I'm trying to extend the coverage of my home WLAN by adding an additional airport express. I want to use Ethernet as the back channel but whatever I do this ends up in a situation where the WLAN dies completely. I have been able to extend the range by using WLAN to WLAN extension but this reduced the bandwidth a lot.
I have an VDSL modem and uses a airport express as access router. with this unit operating by iteself everything works fine.
It is when I add a second airport express (both second gen) that I get in trouble.
Any idea of what goes wrong?

It is best to set up the extra AE to create a wireless network. You should use the same name (SSID) as you did when setting up the first one. Also use the same password and encryption.
Put the network channel selection on automatic or select different channels for both networks.

Extending network range with express device

I'm trying to determine how to improve my wifi signal at work. My office network is set up with a cisco router unfortunately and I purchased an airport express in order to try boost the signal I'm receiving. I prefer using my macbook air over my pc laptop for which I purchased a wireless adapter that is basically a plug in antenna. The signal is greatly improved on my pc. In order to accomplish the same thing for my mac, can you configure the express to boost the signal in addition to having my printer connected to it.
I have had no issue joining the existing office network and my printer, while a little on the slow side works with both my pc and macbook. Any thoughts if you can use the extreme device to improve signal strength of a non-airport network or is there something else on the market that would help?

Unfortunately, most non-AirPort routers are not compatible with Apple's implementation of Wireless Distribution System (WDS)...so it very unlikely that your non-AirPort router can be extended wirelessly with the AirPort Express Base Station (AX).

Extend range with Airport Extreme and D-Link DI-614?

Can I use an Airport Extreme and a D-Link DI-614 wireless router to extend the range of my network? If so, which router should be the main base station, and which should be the relay station?

...does anyone know the cheapest way to extend a wireless network?
Ethernet cable. Run an Ethernet cable between the 2 devices.

Extend 5 GHZ network with airport extreme 5th generation

I'm having issues extending a 5 ghz network with an airport extreme 5th generation. Here is what I have -
1 brand new airport extreme (2013) in the basement connected to the cable modem. It nearly doubled the speed I was getting over the 5th gen.
I moved the 5th generation airport extreme up to the office on the first floor. Due to the construction of the house and a mess that previous owners made with the wiring, it's cheaper for me to have multiple devices extend the network to various parts of the house than it is to tear open the walls and try to fix the coax issue. I have a 4th gen and a 2nd gen, as well as a few airport express models. So, the 4th gen extends the 5 ghz network without a problem. I use the 2nd gen to provide 802.11g (2.4 ghz) to some older devices that can't handle 802.11n. Both work fine. When I moved the 5th gen upstairs to extend the 5ghz network in the office it won't do it.
I did a factory reset on it, Set it up with a new device name, and set it to extend the 2.4 ghz network, and it works without a problem. If I change it to extend the 5 ghz network, it restarts and then flashes amber. The airport utility can no longer see it and I have to do a factory rest in order to get it working again. I downgraded the firmware, but that made no difference.
Any idea why the 4th gen works for this, but the 5th gen fails ?

At times, a Hard Reset will not completely clear all of the old settings when you reset the device, and as a result, you do not start from a true factory default.
If you have not already done so, try a Factory Default Reset this way.....
Power off the AirPort Extreme
Wait a few minutes
Hold in the reset button first, and keep holding it for 9-10 seconds while you simultaneously plug the power back into the AirPort Extreme
Release the reset button after the hold period, and allow a full minute for the AirPort to restart
Not sure what else to suggest, other than taking the device to an Apple Store.....if you have one near you....to let them take a look.

Extending N600 wireless network with Airport Extreme, wirelessly

For the past year or so I have run a Netgear N600 wireless modem router, and have extended the network with a first generation A1143 Airport Extreme Base Station (AEBS). Prior to this I have run the same extended network with an older Netgear router - successfully for 5 years.
After a recent lightning strike, the N600 router needed resetting. Everything was back to normal, however I was unable to reconnect the old AEBS to the network as before. I did this so that I could wirelessly back up the laptops to a connected HDD by Time Machine
Figuring that maybe this was the end of life for the old AEBS, I went out today and bought a new 5th generation AEBS, expecting that I could reconnect everything as I have been running with this router, and the old Netgear router before that without a problem.
Now though, with the new AEBS, I still cannot extend the network. Ive tried everything including connecting it via ethernet to the Netgear Router.
I can only surmise that there is something different in the N600 settings that have changed, than now do not allow me to connect.
Ive even reinstalled Mountain Lion, and also Airport Utility, and trashed preferences...to no avail. Can someone please help? Have I just wasted $200 on a new AEBS?
Im running a Retina MBP and a MBAir

Who wants to use WEP these days... I need apple to update the airport so we can use WPA together with wireless hardware from 3d parties like dd-wrt.
I have 2 airport expresses doing nothing atm because of the lack of SAFE encryption with WDS.

Short short range with airport extreme card

Hello,
my neighbour bought an Airport Extreme Card for his iBook, in order to connect (wireless) to my airport express base station. (our flats are adjacent). His mac is an iBook G4 with OS X 10.3.4
We installed the card, the airport software, but no network appeared in the network menu...
We had to move to my flat and take his iBook very close from the Airport Express Base Station... and then, we were able to connect. But the quality of connection was very poor.
The network works fine, my computer and the one of my Wife (a Mac and a PC) connect perfectly.
Do you have an idea of what could be wrong ?
Compatibility between the iBook and the card ?
Card with a defect ?
Software problems ?
Thank you a lot for helping.

Charles, Welcome to the discussion area!
Did you properly connect the antenna wire to the AirPort Extreme card? Look at the photos in KB 108039, Properly attaching the antenna on an AirPort Extreme Card. It can take more force than most people think to get the antenna wire properly connected.

Can I extend Time Capsule network with Airport Extreme

I have a new 2TB TimeCapsule, I would like to extend my network to the front of my house via Ethernet and an Airport Extreme basestation. The wireless reception in the front room is almost non existant, but I do have an Ethernet cable from the existing TimeCapsule connected to my iMac in the front room. I would like to add the old Airport Extreme Base Station to the front room and connect the Ethernet to the Wan port of the AEB and then connect the iMac and my Apple TV to the Ethernet port on the AEB.
I cannot connect via Airport Wireless due to metal studs, Cement block walls.
Is this possible?
Thanks

Is this possible?
Yes. This type of configuration is called a "roaming network"
Apple's instructions for this type of setup are here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4260

Poor connectivi range with airport extreme card and wireless netgear router

Hi,
Just got all this lot up and running and in order to get any wireless connectivity att all the router must be sat next to the mac?
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Using an Airport Express to extend my network range

Dear all
I live in a three storey house, my broadband modem/router is on the first floor and my Mac is on the third.
I noticed that I kept losing my internet connection and the guy in the Apple shop recommended that I buy an Airport Express to extend the range of my current wireless network (and thereby achieve a strong connection on the third floor).
I have bought the A. Express and my question is, do I need to plug my A. Express into the router or can I simply plug it into a plug socket on the third floor (with nothing wired up to it)?
What is the best way to extend my wireless network range?
Your help is greatly appreciated. I have read the user manual but it is not clear on this point.
Thank you

Dear Bob
Thank you very much for your prompt response.
No, unfortunately the Apple guy did not explain that I needed an Apple router/modem in order to extend my network range with the AirPort Express - how disappointing. I will return the product and look for an alternative.

Express--Extreme--Dlink set up

Hi'all:
I have set up my express as a base and I extended my wireless range with extreme. I can surf internet, play music with express and share my hard drive with extreme flawless. I have all set up in my basement. I have old extra Dlink WBR 2310 so I think If I can able to extend my wireless using Dlink wireless router. I like to set up like this.. Express----Extend with Extreme----Extend more with Dlink.
Is this possible? OR my dlink router won't be compatible with airport express or extreme.
Thanks in advance.!!

I like to set up like this.. Express----Extend with Extreme----Extend more with Dlink.
Is this possible? OR my dlink router won't be compatible with airport express or extreme.
Sorry, but no. Most non-AirPort routers are not WDS compatible, so the chance that you can use the D-Link router to further extend your AirPort is not very likely.
However, it may be possible if you connect the D-Link to the AirPort Extreme by wire (Ethernet).

Extending the range of my Extreme n Network with an Express n Airport

Hello,
I've been reading some of the questions but couldn't find my specific situation, so here I am posting again. Sorry for the double-post.
I currently have an AEBS 802.11n acting as my main base station and connected to our DSL modem. In a different room across the house, I have an Airport Express 802.11n which is joined to the network (not extending), and there is a printer connected to it via USB.
I tried to extend the range of my network, but since I'm using it in dual mode (2.4 & 5GHz), the Express gave me an error of "operation not supported...", or something similar, so I just gave up and instead of extending the network to solidify its strength, I just added the device as a client and hooked up the printer to it - which is working fine.
Another reason why I'd like to extend the range of the network is because I spend most of the time in the "remote" room, which is 3 rooms away from the AEBS, so I'm not receiving a very strong signal.
I thought of running an Ethernet cable from the AEBS to the Express, but that would require me to crawl in the attic... not worth the trouble because it's not my home, and I'll be moving out some day.
I'll also add that I'm somewhat tech-savvy, but wireless networks have always been my weak link (no pun intended).
How should I set up my equipment in order to get this accomplished?
Thanks!
Message was edited by: jortuno

Here's the general step by step for setting up the "extend" feature on the AirPort Express.
Because you have a dual band Extreme, you may need to assign different names for the main and guest networks to keep things straight. In AirPort Utility - Manual Setup under the Wireless tab, click on the "Options" button to do this.
The "main" network is setup as 802.11n 5 GHz by default, so that is what the Express will "extend". If you have "b" or "g" devices at your remote location, you will need to change the Radio Mode for the main network to a compatible setting like 802.11n (802.11b/g compatible).
_On the AirPort Extreme:_
Open AirPort Utility, click Manual Setup
Click the Wireless tab just below the row of icons
Wireless Mode should be "Create a wireless network"
Make sure there is a check mark next to "Allow this network to be extended"
Update to save settings
_On the AirPort Express(es):_
Open AirPort Utility, Click Manual Setup
Click the Wireless tab
Wireless Mode should be set to "Extend a wireless network". If you don't see this choice, hold down the "option" key when you click on the selection box
When you select "Extend.." your wireless network created by the TC will appear as a choice to extend. Select the main network and enter the wireless password.
Make sure there is a check mark next to "Allow wireless clients"
Update to save settings.
Whenever you plug the Express in, it will automatically "extend" the main wireless network from the Base Station. Your computer will automatically connect to the device with the strongest signal, so if you are near one of the Express devices, you will be connecting at that point.
The ethernet port on the Express is also "live" in this setup so you could connect an ethernet device to the Express if you wish.
For more info on the "extend" feature, refer to the Designing AirPort Networks guide, pages 43-44.
http://manuals.info.apple.com/enUS/Apple_AirPort_NetworksEarly2009.pdf

Extending my Extreme's Range w/ Express -- Problems with WDS

Hi, I recently purchased an Airport Express for the "express" reason of extending the range of my Airport Extreme. The extreme is located downstairs, and I've got the express upstairs. Now, I've done some research, and these are the directions I followed to get my extreme and express talking:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107454
I've got a solid green light on the express, so I know it's "working", or at least, it thinks it is. But, I'm not convinced. My connection speeds have been less than satisfactory (I'm on broadband Comcast cable - 4mbps). And, signal strength coming to my G5 upstairs is still only 3 bars - not the full 4. It bounces back and fourth, but tends to stay at 3, and even gravitates down to 2 some times. The express is no further than 10 feet away!
The way I've got this set up, all computers on the wireless network are only recognizing one network "themoores". That's fine, I haven't set up any others. I assumed the Extreme, once set up properly (and per those directions I followed) basically takes the Express under its wing and merges it into its wireless network. I can differentiate them only when I go to the Airport Admin Utility to separately configure them.
So -- what am I doing wrong? Why aren't I getting a full blast of signal? Should I have two wireless networks set up, instead of just one -- should the express be distributing its own IP addresses?
This I do know -- once I had it set up, it did acknowledge that WDS had been established successfully.
Someone help, please!
Thanks,
Jeron

Hey Jeron, I went through this with Apple Airport Express/Extreme and added in the "little" Express units until I had four of them and two of the full size Airport units in the house. Now the house was NOT huge. Only about 4000 sq feet on one level. But thanks to old lathe and plaster walls, etc., the signals could not make it from room to room. I finally bought a couple of Dr. Bott's omni directional antennas (they're $59/each for a hunk of cheap plastic!) and that helped. I added them onto the full sized Airport base stations. The other thing is to make sure when you're doing the set-up, that all units are on the same channel. It is possible during set up to put one unit on Channel 6 and the other on Channel 11 and then they don't communicate the way they're supposed to although the Wireless Distribution will still set up and confirm that it has turned on.
I do not know why but Apple Airport units (which work so great with Macs) seem to have really lousy range and power output. I have a friend who lives two doors away in an equally large old house. He gets coverage of the whole house from one single high end Linksys wireless router unit. It even covers his back yard! With Airports, you'll get no such coverage unless you spend some money and put external antennas on your Airports. (Notice the plural - I said AIRPORT S! You're gonna have a few of them!)
Next house I'm going to go with Linksys. While Apple does a lot of things very very well, building these wireless routers is something other vendors do better at a far lower cost. I do wish Apple would put some money into the R&D on these units and come up with something that was worth their premium prices that integrated fully with our beloved Macs and worked as well (if not better) than the offerings from other vendors.
Years ago, Apple got out of the laser printer business when people found that HP and Cannon had better units for a third less money. I suspect that's what's going to happen with the Networking Routers/Base Stations, eventually. I have no inside info, but I do remember the old Apple Laser printers (fondly - they were Sherman tanks of the printer business) and they were dropped when it became obvious that the price performance ratio was not there for Apple's offerings.
Today, almost any other vendor's offerings have better performance than Apple Base Stations. Very few offer the streaming audio that the Airport Express offers, but then I don't use it much anyway because we have six or seven iPods scattered around the house and any one of them can be plugged into any of our stereo systems at will. Frankly, other than the excellent software for the Airport Admin and set-up functions, I cannot think of a single justification for paying far too much and getting so little with Apple's Wireless Networking offerings. With the newer web based configuration features, if you can open a web page you can configure the router today. So, IMHO, Apple has fallen too far behind the curve on this product line and it's time to leave it to those who'll invest the time and money to do it right - providing customers with value for their money and performance too!
Mark in LA

Extending Range With AirPort Express

Hi, we recently purchased the new Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station and I want to extend the range with my older model AirPort Express. I know the new Base Station is 802.11n and my Express only supports a/b/g, I was wondering if it is still possible to extend the range, and if so, how do you do this?
Thanks!

Yes, it is possible, and here are the steps...
AEBSn - WDS Setup
(Note: To facilitate the WDS set up, place the base stations within near proximity of each other during the set up phase, and then relocate them to their desired locations when complete.)
Main Base Station Setup
- Click the AirPort status menu in the menu bar and choose the wireless network created by the base station you want to set up as the main base station.
- Open AirPort Utility (located in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder on a Macintosh computer, or in Start > All Programs > AirPort on a computer using Windows).
- Select the main base station, and choose Manual Setup from the Base
Station menu, or double-click the base station to open the configuration in a separate window.
- Enter the base station password if necessary. If the base station is using the
default password of public, you will not be prompted for a password.
- Click Wireless in the toolbar, and then choose “Participate in a WDS network” from the Wireless Mode pop-up menu.
- Click WDS and then choose “WDS main” from the WDS Mode pop-up menu.
- Select the “Allow wireless clients” checkbox if you want client computer to connect to this base station.
- Click the Add button and enter the MAC address of the base stations you want to connect to this base station.
- Click Update to send the new settings to the base stations in the WDS.
Remote Base Station Setup
- Click the AirPort status menu in the menu bar and choose the wireless network created by the base station you want to set up as a remote base station.
- Open AirPort Utility (in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder on a Macintosh computer, or in Start > All Programs > AirPort on a computer using Windows).
- Select the remote base station, and choose Manual Setup from the Base Station menu.
- Enter the base station password, if necessary. If the base station is using the default password of public, you will not be prompted for a password.
- Enter the same network password as the main base station, if necessary.
- Click AirPort in the toolbar and click Wireless. Choose “Participate in a WDS network” from the Wireless Mode pop-up menu, and choose the same channel as the main base station from the Channel pop-up menu.
- Click WDS and choose “WDS remote” from the pop-up menu.
- Enter the MAC address of the main base station in the WDS Main field. The MAC address is also referred to as the AirPort ID and is printed on the label on the bottom of the base station.
- Click Update to transfer the settings to the base station.
(ref: Pages 41-45 of "Designing AirPort Extreme 802.11n Networks.

Extend public wlan range with Express/Extreme?

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