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.

Similar Messages

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.

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't set up Airport base stations with new MacBook Pro

i have a brand new, late-2013 15" MacBook Pro running Mavericks. my attempts, using this machine, to set up my sixth-generation, 802.11ac Airport Extreme and my brand-new, whatever-generation 802.11n Airport Express purchased yesterday at an Apple Store (that means it's the current generation, with the power cord) - these attempts all fail with Airport Utility saying it's joining the base station for about a minute and a half, after which it stops trying and says, "An unexpected error occurred. Please try again."
i can set up both of those base stations effortlessly with my iPhone.
furthermore, i seem to be able to use this MacBook Pro to set up my fifth-generation, 802.11n Airport Extreme just fine - even when it's all the way across the house and my attempts to set up the sixth-generation one, which is a foot away from my MBP, are failing.
why can i set these devices up with my iPhone and not with the newest, best, fastest, fanciest, most powerful laptop Apple makes?
thank you.

mmm...okay. thank you, Bob.
for now, i've got the base stations configured via my iPhone, and once configured, my MBP can see and use them just fine. it just irks the **** out of me that my brand-new top-of-the-line MacBook Pro can't handle this simple task, and should have to use a wired connection to set up my base stations (how archaic!). it may be the only device i have with me one day when i want to set up an Airport base station (okay, that's unlikely, but it's the principle of the thing, dammit).
are we sure this is a matter of bugs in Mavericks, and not a hardware problem with my MBP or something?
many thanks.

Is it best to extend a Wifi network using Airport Extreme 802.11ac or Express ?

I previously asked this question with a different emphasis here:
https://discussions.apple.com/message/24347878#24347878
so have re-worded to be more relevant to the subject.
I have a brand new Airport Extreme 802.11ac which I am now using as my network hub and I would like to extend the network wirelessly.
Is there a benefit to extending the network via another Airport Extreme 802.11ac versus a (cheaper) Airport Express ?
I do not have any 802.11ac clients yet, but likely will do within the expected lifespan of the routers and thus would rather buy another Extreme now if it meant extending the best signal strength.
Per my previous post i would ideally extend using my old Edimax BR-6675nD 450Mbps 2.4GHz/5GHz, however this has been problematic and some previous posts imply that mixing Apple and non-Apple routers is not recommended, if this is not correct please do let me know.
Thanks in advance.

Is there a benefit to extending the network via another Airport Extreme 802.11ac versus a (cheaper) Airport Express ?
Four possible benefits, which may or may not be benefits to you:
1) A second Extreme will extend the faster "ac" speeds of the main AirPort Extreme, while the Express will not.
2) A second Extreme uses Gigabit Ethernet ports....ten times faster than the Express....if you plan to connect devices using an Ethernet connection
3) The USB port on the AirPort Extreme will accept a hard drive while the Express will not
4) The AirPort Extreme has a much better antenna arrangement than the Express, which will provide greater coverage even if "ac" wireless is not used
On the other hand, if you do not need "ac" wireless to be extended, you only plan to use the Express to extend the wireless, and the Express will be located where it can receive a strong wireless signal, then you might save a bit of money going with an AirPort Express.
So, in questions about what would be "best", there are rarely simple answers that apply to all users. The question really is which is "best" for you. Adding another AirPort Extreme would be a no brainer for me, but perhaps not for you.
i would ideally extend using my old Edimax BR-6675nD 450Mbps 2.4GHz/5GHz, however this has been problematic and some previous posts imply that mixing Apple and non-Apple routers is not recommended
It is always the best idea to use products from the same manufactuer for the same purpose throughout the network. Obviously, an Apple AirPort Extreme will be compatible with another AirPort, while a third party device may or may not be.

Can I extend my wifi signal using an Airport Express to Airport Express?

My main wireless is an airport express that's about 6 years old. I recently purchased a new airport express (with 802.11n and airtunes) to extend my network range to the other side of the house but it doesn't seem to work. Will the airport express only extend network via a base station? I do not have base station but now I'm thinking I should have bought that instead of another express. Please advise.
Thanks,
Aaron

Welcome to the discussions, Aaron.
It can be a bit confusing, but an AirPort Express is a base station.
The issue you are having is the result of trying to use an older "b/g" AirPort Express with a newer "n" version of the product.
Whenever you have a "mix" of older and newer devices on a network and you want to provide more wireless coverage, you must use the WDS configuration on both devices.
While this will provide more wireless coverage, there are some downsides to WDS:
1) WDS operates only at "g" wireless speeds, so you will lose any advantage of having a newer "n" AirPort Express
2) The bandwidth of the network will be cut in half when WDS is configured. So, the bottom line here is that while you will have a bit more wireless "coverage", you'll also have a "g" wireless network that is running at half speed.
3) Many users find WDS difficult to configure.
If you were to consider an additional purchase of another newer "n" AirPort Express, then you could make use of the "extend a wireless network" feature which maintains "n" speeds throughout the network while maintaining close to the original bandwidth of the network. This type of configuration is also much easier to configure than the WDS type setup.
Post back to let us know if you want to try the WDS setup or whether you want to upgrade to the newer "extend" setup and we can provide you with instructions on configuration of either method.
Message was edited by: Bob Timmons

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.

Can i control airport base stations with a Motorola Extreme Networks controller?

I currently have a WLAN that uses Airport Extremes, and I am looking for a way to control these centrally. A vendor is proposing a Motorola Extreme Network with new APs. Will the Motorola controller work with existing Airports?

As far as I know, the AirPorts can only be administered by using the AirPort Utility. Unless this Motorola offering mimics the AirPort Utility, I would doubt that is would provide an ability to replace it.
However, without additional information on what & how this Motorola Extreme Network is/works, it would be hard to say, whether or not, it would play "nice" with your existing AirPorts. I would also venture to say that this would not be uniqure to Apple router, but other vendor products as well.

Extend existing wifi network?

Can the airport express extend an existing wifi network?
I am looking for a portable wifi router that I can use while traveling. I would like to be able to provide acces for my IPad to wired networks and extend a wireless network in the event of a poor hotel signal.
I have found many travel routers with these capabilities but most cannot be configured using only an iPad!
Any suggestions appreciated.
Willie

Can the airport express extend an existing wifi network?
The AirPort Express can only "extend" a WiFi network that is produced by another Apple router....an AirPort Extreme, Time Capsule or another AirPort Express.
So, the chances of an AirPort Express extending any given network while you are traveling would be just about zero.
If the hotel has an Ethernet port, it is possible to connect the Express that way and have it produce your own private network in the room.

I have an airport extreme and express, if I use the extreme as a base station connected to my old router can I use the express to extend the signal while also creating a new network that only I can use?

I have an airport extreme and express, if I use the extreme as a base station connected to my old router can I use the express to extend the signal while also creating a new network that only I can use? Essentially having two wifi connection off the same network? If so how do I set this up?

Extending using a wireless connection always results in a performance compromise.
If the Express is going to extend using a wireless connection, then the Express will need to be located about half way between the AirPort Extreme and the general area where you need more wireless coverage. The more that you have line-of-sight between the Extreme and Express, the better the network will operate.
Remember......the Express can only "extend" the quality and signal speed that it receives, so it needs to be located where it can get a very good signal from the Extreme. Although Apple cleverly uses the term "extend", a more accurate term for the Express would be "repeater".
If the Express will extend by connecting to the Extreme using a permanent, wired Ethernet cable connection......highly recommended for best performance.....then the Express can be located exactly where you need more wireless coverage. There is no signal loss at all through the Ethernet cable, so the Express gets a full speed signal no matter where it might be located.
Post back to let us know which way to you want to go.

Do I need a airport base station to extend my network or can i use my network router?

I bought a Airport express to enhance my current wifi in the house, and i can't seem to get it to enhance it. There is one room that dont have wifi and it is the room i bought it for. Now when i talked with apple they said all i needed was the express and it should enhance it, but i can't seem to get it to work. Do i need a airport base station of some sort or does my current router work fine. I just need some help and its been 3 months and its getting old. So i appreciate any help.

Do i need a airport base station of some sort or does my current router work fine.
I'm afraid that this will not help you, but at least you will have some accurate information.
Using wireless only, the AirPort Express can "extend" or "repeat" the wireless network that is provided by another Apple "n" wireless router.
Using wireless only, the AirPort Express can NOT "extend" or "repeat" the wireless signal if it is being produced by another router from another manufacturer.
In this case, you will need to connect the AirPort Express to the other wireless router using a wired Ethernet connection. Post back if you need more information about this type of setup.

I'm trying to extend my wifi network with time capsule but it can't find the existing wifi network

I'm trying to extend my wifi network with time capsule but it can't find the existing BT wifi network even though it is there with a good signal strength. The Time Capsule is connected to a Netgear router via ethernet.

You will need to start over on the setup of the Time Capsule as follows:
Disconnect any Ethernet cables that might be connected to the Time Capsule, but leave it powered on
Hold in the reset button on the back of the Time Capsule for 8-10 seconds and release. The reset button is located next to the AC power socket.
Allow a full minute for the Time Capsule to restart to a slow, blinking amber light
Connect the Ethernet cable from a LAN <--> port on the Netgear to the WAN "O" port on the Time Capsule. The Ethernet cable must remain connected at all times.
Click the WiFi icon at the top of the Mac's screen
Look for a setting of New AirPort Base Station
Click on Time Capsule
The example below shows an AirPort Express. You will see Time Capsule on your screen.
That will get the setup wizard going. It will take a minute to analyze the settings, then display a screen that looks like this, except you will see a picture of the Time Capsule
Network Name..........Type in the exact name that the Netgear wireless is using
Base Station.............Type in a name that you want to call the Time Capsule. Use something short and simple. Mine is TC, for example
Password..................Type in the exact password that the Netgear wireless requires
Verify.........................Verify the Password again
Click Next
The setup wizard will configure everything for you automatically. When you see the message of Setup Complete, click Done.
That's it. Now you have one big "extended" network. Technically, this is called a "roaming" network.

Can only apple networks be extended using airport base stations?

My ISP provides a wifi network using a Tilgin product.
I have a time capsule and I was wondering how I can integrade my time capsule (for back up purposes) into this network.
Is there a way to extend this network using my time capsule? I know the options on the time capsule is "create a new network" or "extend a network" but what networksrcan be extended?
Thanks
Pieter

Correct. You can only extend an AirPort Express, Extreme or Time Capsule network with an AirPort Express, Extreme or Time Capsule. In this case, you can only connect the Time Capsule to the modem by Ethernet to get Internet connection

Tried to use my two airport express to extend my wifi network on a windows pc but no success

Tried to use my two airport express to extend my wifi network on a windows pc but no success

My two airport express base stations are 802.11n and i am triying to use them extend my wireless network which is using a D link wirless router as supplied my my ISP connected to TalkTalk network.
Unless the D-Link wireless router has Ethernet ports for each of the 802.11n AirPort Express Base Stations (AXn) to connect to, they will NOT be able to extend the wireless range of the D-Link.
Instead, when directly connected and reconfigured for a roaming network, these base stations CAN extend the range.
Please check out this Apple Support article on how to use AirPorts to extend a wireless network.
The key is to have both AXns configured as follows:
As a bridge.
Each having a unique Base Station Name.
Both using the same Network Name (or SSID), wireless security type and password as the D-Link.
Each AXn to use a channel at least 3-5 channels apart both from each other and that of the D-Link.

How can I set up a guest WiFi network using Time Capsule and Airport Express extension?

How can I set up a guest WiFi network using Time Capsule and Airport Express extension?

Sorry, but it is not possible to "extend" the Guest Network using either wireless or an Ethernet connection.

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

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