Extending an Apple network using ethernet

Hello,
I apologise if this question has been asked before, and I only ask due to not really being able to follow the online guides.
Due to the structure of my house (big thick stone walls which eschew wi-fi), I want to extend the coverage of my Airport Extreme base station using one or more airport express's over ethernet.
Is this possible?
Is there an idiot guide?
I can easily run ethernet cables from the Extreme to one or more Express's at strategic points throughout the house.
Question is ... what settings are required on individual devices to facilitate this?
Any [simple, idiot proof] help much appreciated.
Many thanks
Tim

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3415 should help you if you are using AirPort Utility 6 on your Mac.
If you are using version 5, https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3414 should help you. Both are written by forum user Tesserax.

Similar Messages

When extending my wifi network using an Extreme as my main and an Express to extend.. does it help to make sure that both devices are on the same channel or does it even make a difference if they are on different channels?

when extending my wifi network using an Extreme as my main and an Express to extend.. does it help to make sure that both devices are on the same channel or does it even make a difference if they are on different channels?

Have you even tried the process in which i have described in my previous post?
Yes, many times. If you are setup to "extend a wireless network, the screen looks like this:
If you click the Wireless Options button, the screen looks like this:
Where is it on this screen that you see a setting to adjust the channel? It sounds like you are confusing "create a wireless network"....which does allow you to adjust channels.....with "exend a wireless network" which does not.
Normally, when you extend a wireless network, AirPort Utility used to always assign the same channel to the extending device. That is no longer the case. It might be the same, or it might be different. You have no control over this, so you have to accept what AirPort Utility thinks is best.

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.

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.

Can you extend a wifi network using a 2nd wired Airport Extreme ?

Hi
my cable broadbank service enters one corner of my house via a router/modem that I have running in modem mode.
I then have a ethernet cable to a new Airport Extreme (my primary router) next to it that I am using to create a Wifi network (with the same name for 2.4GHz and 5GHz)
I need to get a strong a signal as possible to opposite corners of the house.
At the moment I have a 2nd Airport Extreme (my secondary router) in the opposite corner of the house which Extends the network from the first router.
This AE also has some devices in the same room connected to it by ethernet.
Thise devices are getting very patchy internet service.
I have speeds over 100Mbps available close to my primary router, and around 7 Mbps next to the secondary.
I also have an unused ethernet cable running from the room with the primary router to a room near to the secondary router.
My question:
If I plugged my secondary router into that ethernet cable (into it's input socket) and the other end to the output of the primary router: would I be able to use the secondary router to extend the same Wifi network that the primary was broadcasting ? Or would I end up having to create a completely new network (and then worry about mobile devices switching between them when you move around the house).
Followup question:
If the idea above doesn't pan out - would I typically be better off stationing the secondary router in the middle of the house to extend the network range - or in a far corner as it currently is ?
thanks in advance.
Christian.

If I plugged my secondary router into that ethernet cable (into it's input socket) and the other end to the output of the primary router: would I be able to use the secondary router to extend the same Wifi network that the primary was broadcasting ?
Yes. Apple's set up wizard calls this "extend using Ethernet". Since there is virtually no signal loss through the Ethernet cable, the second AirPort Extreme will receive a much faster signal to extend.
If the idea above doesn't pan out - would I typically be better off stationing the secondary router in the middle of the house to extend the network range
Yes. As it stands, the wireless signal has really slowed down a great deal by the time that it reaches the far end of the house. And, the Extreme can only wirelessly extend the speed of signal that it receives from the "main" Extreme. It can make the signal that it receives stronger, but it cannot make the signal go faster.
So, locating the second Extreme about half way between the "main" Extreme and far end of the house would be the best compromise. The network speed will still slow by at least half when you do it this way, and any obstructions in the signal path will slow the signal even more.
It is easy to see why extending using Ethernet.....if possible.....provides much better performance for the network.

Extend Airport Extreme Network via Ethernet to Airport Express

I am trying to extend a gen 4 Airport Extreme by hardwiring ethernet to a 2nd gen Airport Express and will add a second Airport Express if I can get the first one to work. I have a large network with a 24 port switch and aiport utility 6.3.2 (most recent as of this date)
First question:
When expanding my network using the hardwired Airport Express can I name the new network anything I want or should it be exactly the same as the Extreme Network. I would prefer to name it differently so I can keep track of which network my devices are acturally joining but I will be happy simply to get this to work either way.
Second question:
After repeated attempts to configure my hardwired Aiport Extreme, I get the following yellow status error:
Yellow Internet Connetion
Yellow No DNS Servers
Yellow Conflicting DHCP Range
Observation:
Many of the suggestions here and the link posted in a previous post are not based upon the most recent Airport Untility software so that may contribute to my lack of success so far. I am using the most recent version.

Even though the express was hardwired to the extreme during the set up process it was choosing to "extend" the 5 ghz network which I have activated on my extreme. I assume this is okay. It seems to be. It offered me no other option during the set up.
Both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands will be extended if the extending device supports dual bands.
I configured the express by plugging it directly into the LAN port of the Extreme. Once configure, I plugged the express into my 24 port switch. It worked.
That's a good way to do things. If the Express works when connected directly to the Extreme, and doesn't when you connect it elsewhere on the network, then you know that you have a wiring or switch issue somewhere.
I choose to keep the express network name and base station name the same as those on the extreme. They worked. Since I really want to keep track of which network I am logged into, I later changed both the network name and the base station name for the express and it seems to all work under the new names.
Either will work, as long as you don't mind logging on and off of networks to switch. Most users prefer to have one "big" network. Then, they can walk a laptop from one area to another, stay on the same network and the Mac will automatically switch to pick up the strongest signal from the closest access point.
I activated the 5 ghz on the newly configured and newly named express. It seems to work.
As it should.
While configuing the express I got the error message metioned above a couple times. I kept trying the same procdure with out changeing anything and eventually it worked.
I can't duplicate that issue, but glad that things worked after a few tries.
Since my AppleTV on the second floor has difficulties connecting with the extreme, I am thinking of plugging it in to the express directly. How do you feel about this? WOuld I be better off running another separate ethernet wire off the switch?
Always the best plan to connect any network devices using Ethernet if you can. The best networks are the ones with an Ethernet "backbone". You can connect the Apple TV to the Express or the switch, whichever is easier. Personally, I prefer to connect devices to a switch if possible just to keep things simpler and make any troubleshooting easier.
This whole system with an extreme, 3 expresses, 3 appletvs, 12-14 cameras, a 24 port switch and up to 50 devices on the network at one time (computers, phones, ipads, etc, etc) works reasonably well considering the demands I put on it.
That's quite a home network. Glad that things are working. I am sure that you notice better wireless performance now with the two AirPort Express devices wired into the Ethernet backbone.
If we could get more users to set up their networks this way, most of the complaints that we get about slow wireless, intermittent connections, etc would go away.
It's not easy to run the Ethernet cable for some users, but I have yet to hear from the first user who ever regretted doing it.

How can I extend my wireless network using Airport Express and an Airport Extreme on BT Infinity?

I have BT Infinity and I am using the Time Capsule with Airport Extreme as my router. Working well (even on wireless). I want to extend the wireless network with an Airport Express, but I cannot work out the settings necessary in Airport Utility. I am using Mountain Lion 10.8.2 on a Mac Pro. Please help!

BT,
I've read several of your posts, thanks for taking the time to share your wealth of knowledge.
I'm in a situation similar to the one described by 'scoutusmaximus'. Seeking the flexibility of a standalone router, I finally upgraded my 4-yr old ATT DSL gateway (modem+router) to a Comcast standalone modem + the ASUS RT-AC66U: http://www.asus.com/Networks/Wireless_Routers/RTAC66U/
Typically, I stick with all things Apple but the ASUS router seemed fairly superior to the current-gen base station (on paper, anyway; time will tell when it comes to performance) so, for once, I jumped ship. My plan was to extend the ASUS wired/wireless network using my TimeCapsule and 2 Airport Expresses in bridge mode, however, a google search turned up several unhappy customers that claim those devices don't play well with non-Apple routers, especially when it comes to 'extending' a network.
Questions:
1. Can I successfully extend the wired/wireless network created by the ASUS router using the 3 airport devices listed above w/out negatively impacting performance? I'd rather have 1 wireless network as opposed to creating a new wireless network with the TC and then extending it with the AP Expresses... though I'd consider that option down the line if it came to that.
2. Will the LAN ports on the TimeCapsule remain functional?
Btw, my house is wired so, I can reach all 3 devices via ethernet cable coming off of a central, managed switch. Supposedly, you only lose the LAN ports on the TC if you extend wirelessly.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Extending WiFi airport network through ethernet

Dear mac users,
in a three stories house I used to have a wifi network, containing the internet provider modem-router as DHCP, an airport extreme via ethernet to it (bridge mode), and a time capsule and an airport express extending wirelessly the network in the 2 other floors respectively. As I had delays in wireless backup and some hickups in music streaming from the airport express and video streeaming from apple tv, I decided to change the topology and connect the time capsule and airport express via ethernet to my airport extreme. I took the opportunity and used a netgear switch to hardwire 3 other ethernet sockets in my house. In one of those I plugged the apple tv. I followed your guidelines and use the create a network and bridge mode guideline for setting up the devices. I also use the same name and password for my network, (name: abc, and a WPA2 password). Internet access is OK in all stories. Nevertheless I have two irrtating issues:
a) the airport utility cannot see all three airport devices simultaneously (airport extreme, airport express, time capsule), as before. It only sees the ones in range, depending on the position of my mac in the house.
b) it seems that depending on my position in the house the network my computers are joining has different name, ie. abc 2, or abc 3 or abc. In addition the remote app on my iphone and ipad, cannot see the aiport express to stream music when they are not in range to the airport express.
Could you please help me. What's wrong with my setup?
Thank you in advance for you kind support
George

+Do I need to turn of NAT for the roaming network to work?+
If your AirPort Extreme is connected to a modem (only one ethernet port on the device), then you need to configure the AirPort Extreme to handle both DHCP and NAT. This will be done for you automatically when you do the following:
Open AirPort Utility - Manual Setup
Click the Internet icon
Connection Sharing = Share a public IP address
If your AirPort Extreme is connected to a gateway (a combination modem and router that will have 3-4 ethernet ports), then you need to setup the AirPort Extreme as a "bridge"
Open AirPort Utility - Click Manual Setup
Click the Internet icon
Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)
All of your other devices...Time Capsule, AirPort Express must be configured as follows:
Open AirPort Utility - Click Manual Setup
Click the Wireless tab below the row of icons
Wireless Mode = Create a wireless network
Wireless Network Name = Exact same name as your AirPort Extreme network
Radio Mode = Your choice, but should be similar to the AirPort Extreme
Channel = Automatic*
Wireless Security = Exact same setting as your AirPort Extreme
Wireless Password = Same password as AirPort Extreme
Click the Internet icon
Connect Using = Ethernet
Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)
Update to save settings
* With a lot of devices, you may want to set the Channel manually. Set up separate channels for each device and keep the channels as far apart as possible.

Itunes Does Not Recognize Apple tv - using ethernet

I was having trouble syncing with iTunes using wireless; so I began using ethernet. The first time I connected with ethernet, everything sync'd right up; well I did have to update the firewall settings on NetBarrier to allow iTunes to connect to my iMac. Note: all of the firewall settings were working for wireless access - it was just unstable - probably interference. So I go to ethernet
1 week later and iTunes cannot see the Apple tv. Things I have tried so far:
validated firewall settings in Preferences>Security
validated firewall settings in NetBarrier
Restarted Apple tv
Restarted iTunes
Unauthorized and Reauthorized computer with iTunes Store
Restarted iMac
Powered off/on my router
Factory reset of Apple TV
Re-installed iTunes
The Apple Tv can access iTunes store but iTunes is blissfully unaware that it exists.
Any ideas what to try next?

While iTunes Music Sharing was "on" in NetBarrier, when I looked at the log I could see that the udp packets from the Apple Tv were being blocked; it indicated that the ip address was in the Stop List. When I set a rule to ignore traffic from the Apple TV ip address, it immediately connected with iTunes and sync'd up.
NebBarrier apparently thought the Apple Tv was flooding the network and put it in the Stop List.
Much better now.

HT4262 Can I extend a WiFi Network, using a 802.11n Airport Base Station with a 802.11g Airport Express?

Having a new Apple AirPort Extreme (802.11n) I need to extend the network since even the AirPort Extreme provides after about 30 Feet maximum only 50% signal strength in 2.4 GHz and maximum 41% signal strength in the 5 GHz band.
I have an Apple Airport Express (802.11g) but I am not sure that it can extend with it the network to get a better signal strength?
I know I can only use the Apple Airport Utility 5.6 to access the AirPort Express, but I can see also the AirPort Extreme though it (5.6).
Also, it seems that my "old" Wireless Motorola Cable Modem (SBG900) for the same distance (about 30 Feet), which is a 802.11g, gives still a better signal strength (62%) than the Apple Airport Extreme...
I guess I need the proper instructions how to, if it is possible.
Any intelligent answers available? Thanks.

This is very confusing. The AirPort Express Base Station has three settings (under "Wireless" in the AirpPort Utility 5.6) "Create a wireless Network", "Participate in a WDS network" and "Join a wireless network".
Whereas the first is self-explanatory the second and third seem to indicate, that a relation with an existing Network can be created. This is also indicated, when selecting as the "Wireless Mode:" "Join a wireless network" and then selecting "Wireless Network Name:" where then all available networks 802.11 b/g/n pop up you can choose which to use.
Now, it does not make any sense, that if all these settings and selections are available, that the AirPort Express cannot extend an existing network, considering that the AirPort Extreme, which is a 802.11b/g/n can be connected to. Even the AirPort Utility 6.0 sees the AirPort Express 802.11b/g but when selected alerts that "This version of AirPort Utility doesn't support this base station. Use AirPort Utility 5.6 to configure or manage this base station. AirPort Utility 5.6 is available at AirPort Service and Support." And as said, that AirPort Utility 5.6 sees everything and has said setting options.
The way as I see this it is, that if I can pickup an existing network, created with an AirPort Extreme 802.11b/g/n with an AirPort Express 802.11b/g and have the option to "Join a wireless network" such AirPort Express should be able to broadcast the picked up and joint network. Otherwise the setting options for the AirPort Express are nothing else than a distortion of reality to me.
Also, before I got the new AirPort Extreme 802.11b/g/n I had an AirPort Extreme Base Station 802.11b/g (gray) and there I was able to extend the network via the AirPort Express 802.11b/g.
So the above comments do not make sense to me.
Hope you understand that and have a better explanation available.

How to extend and Extreme network using Express

so i have the latest airport extreme and noticed that between my computers and iphones i cannot get good signal in my yard...the computers or iphones drop off the network and join again a little later! I configured the AE to extend the network but it seems the computers and iphones etc. never let go of the extreme signal to jump to the AE signal! The distance between the AX and AE are about 50 to 75 feet away from each other with the Extreme being near a window facing my shed where the AE is being used as and extender and as Airtunes for speakers in my yard. Is there something i'm doing wrong?

If the AirPort Express is setup correctly to "extend a wireless network", both the AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express will be using the same wireless network name, security, password and channel.
Apple's instructions to setup the "extend" configuration are here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4259
If you configure the AirPort Express to "join a wireless network", it will not provide any additional wireless coverage in that type of configuration.

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

Will extending a wireless network using airport express cause weaker signal?

Hoping someone can advise on the following please....
I have installed an Airport Express to extend my wireless network and have confirmed with Apple tech support that it's connected and configured properly. I'm using an Airport Extreme base station as a wireless router.
The AX does not seem to be extending the signal range at all, and since the setup the signal strenght from the Extreme base station seems to be at half previous strengh.
Has anyone experienced this please and, if so, what's the fix?
Any replies gratefully received.
Regards

Let's check the settings on your Express. Temporarily, move it to the same room or an adjacent room to the Extreme and power it back up.
Open AirPort Utility - select the Express - Click Manual Setup
Click the Wireless tab below the icons and make sure that your settings look like this:
Wireless Mode = Extend a wireless network
Wireless Network Name = Same name as the Extreme wireless network
Check mark entered next to Allow wireless clients
Wireless Security = Same setting as the Extreme network
Wireless Password = Same password as the Extreme network
Confirm Password
Update to save settings, wait for green light.
Then move the Express another room or two further away from the Extreme....and restart both the Extreme and the Express. Then perform the BSSID test again.

How do I extend my DSL network via ethernet between 2 Time Capsules?

I need specific, precise instructions. This is so frustrating!
My first time capsule is connected to my DSL modem, I have a long ethernet cable that goes from the first T.C to the second one. And then I have a hard drive plugged into the second T.C. I also need to send an ethernet cable to my remote computer from the second T.C.
Where do I plug the ethernet cables in the second T.C.? There are two types of ethernet ports on the T.C.
I'd REALLY appreciate any help!
Thanx a million!
Mark Brown

Plug the Ethernet cable into the WAN port (circle of dots icon) on TC #2.
Check to make sure that you have TC #2 configured in Bridge Mode:
Open AirPort Utility - click Manual Setup
Click the Internet icon
Connect Using = Ethernet
Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)
Upate to save settings
Power down the entire network...all devices....order is not important
Start the modem first and let it run for 45-60 seconds by itself
Start TC #1 the same way
Start TC #2 the same way
Start other devices the same way
It should be a simple matter to connect a drive to the USB port of TC #2 and a computer using an Ethernet cable. Use any of the 3 LAN <-> ports on TC #2 for this.

HT1515 extend a wireless network using my airport express

I bought an airport express back in 2006 with my macbook. I recently bought a time capsule and am now using it as my wireless router. Can I use my old airport express to extend / boost my wireless signal throughout my house? if so how?

Check the label on the side of the AirPort Express to see if the version that you have includes the feature to "extend" a wireless network.
If it does, you will see Model No A1264 there.
If you see A1088 or A1084, unfortunately this version of the Express does not have the ability to "extend" the wireless signal using wireless only.

Extending an Apple network using ethernet

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for