My network, based on modem, wifi router (Airport Extreme),Time Capsule and Airport Express simply disconnects with all the lights green on the modem and Extreme, but the other components offline, 5 or so times per day. I suspect the Extreme.

Question

I have a Cisco System3 modem, feeding an Airport Extreme, which connects wirelessly a Timecapsules and an Airport Express both of which extend the network, ie send out more WiFi signal.  The system worked well for a long time, say a year and a half and then it started dropping out.  All the lights on the modem and airport Extreme stay green, but the other two components are blinking yellow. I've tried limiting the channels, but there are few sources in my neighborhood.  I have tried resetting the Extreme which worked for a week and now it's back to its random disconnect behavior.  I have read some of these blogs and no one seems to know what to do, especially not Apple.  Do I just get another router or what?  What do I lose if I use a non Apple router and what would you suggest?

Answer 1

Welcome to the discussion area, Junkcanoe!
I don't have a setup like yours, but might be able to offer some assistance.
Basically I have two jacks, a TC and an AE and I'd like to create a roaming network. Both of them are set to bridge mode with the same SSID, WPA2 security, same password, etc.
This would be the normal way to set up a roaming network, but the wild card here is that we don't know anything about how the main router that supplies the ethernet connections (valid IP addresses) to the condos might be configured.
For example, most apartments, hotels, etc that provide ethernet jacks usually limit the number of devices that can connect to each jack. Hotels tend to limit this to one or two devices. I counted six devices that you say will work properly plus a few more. Since you have two separate ethernet jacks, you may be looking at a situation where each jack is allocated a total of 4 devices, or valid IP addresses.
The bottom line here is that we won't be able to make much progress until we know more how the main router there has been configured. Is it possible for you to ask the complex manager (who will probably need to ask the IT guy) how many devices are allowed to connect per ethernet jack? Another way to ask the same question is how may valid IP addresses will each ethernet jack allow?
If you can, could I ask you to perform an experiment? Rather than have both the AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule each connect to a separate ethernet jack, can you temporarily move one device near the other and connect them together using an ethernet cable? (Or, use a long ethernet cable if you don't want to move either device) LAN <-> port on one to LAN <-> port on the other. In other words, you'll only be using one of the ethernet ports in the condo for this experiment.
Any difference in performance or number of devices allowed to connect?
Message was edited by: Bob Timmons