Relaying Airport Express to Airport Extreme

I've been having problems relaying my airport extreme signal to an airport express. I've been using my airport express as a second wireless network for printing and recently I purchased an airport extreme in which I hoped to connect my express to. After going through all the automatic setup and getting my express connected to my airport extreme network, I could no longer see my printer. I reset the express and tried it again, same problem. I then changed the settings of the express to instead of just being for printing, it'd instead extend the signal. When I connected to it, I had no internet signal. Is there something wrong with the Express or am I doing something wrong.
It's been one of the most frustrating things ever and since I'm using the automatic setup, I would imagine there'd be no problems. If somebody has any information on this, let me know please.

Ryan,
A couple of things. When you said you reset it, do you mean a factory reset? Also, when you set it up, call it a different name that the original name you applied to the Express. Once it is factory reset and you run the Airport Utility and chose scan, it should pick it up with the factory ID. From that point on have it join the WDS network. But don't forget you have to tell the Extreme that you will allow WDS clients in the WDS tab of the base station.

Similar Messages

Airport Extreme, W/an Express as a Relay/Remote

Hi, i currently have an airport express as my main wireless base station. I just got an airport extreme which i will setup as a main with WDS enabled, and i would like to use the express to stream itunes as well as extend the range of my network. Ive read the WDS docs on the apple website and it seems like this is possible. My questions are these, 1) do i need the express setup as a relay or a remote in order to extend the range of my network? 2) other than the stereo cable does the express need to be directly wired (via ethernet) to the Extreme base station, or will it sort of act as a wireless repeater.
Oh and one more thing, I want to add my external drive to the Extreme, and im running OS 10.5. I know time machine doesn't officially support network drives, but will i still be able to use the time machine feature i.e. is there a work around or something. I have a mini, and a macbook pro that will want access.
Thank you
Eric

1) do i need the express setup as a relay or a remote in order to extend the range of my network?
A remote.
2) other than the stereo cable does the express need to be directly wired (via ethernet) to the Extreme base station, or will it sort of act as a wireless repeater.
The AirPort Express Base Station (AX) does not require an Ethernet connection to receive AirTunes, whether in a WDS configuration or not.

Please Help: old Airport Extreme, new Aiport Express, want to WDS

Hi,
I'm sorry if this topic has been covered before, but I can't seem to find a post with my exact situation. I have a G4 desktop (no Airport card) connected to an Airport Extreme Base Station (about 2 years old) which is connected to a 2wire DSL model. My wife and I have been able to use the wireless network in our house for a year or two now with our laptops (PowerBook and few month old MacBook Pro). We've been able to connect to the internet and can print to our laser printer with no problem. However our living room is just out of range (one bar and usually drops out) so I thought extending the range of the Base Station with an Airport Express would allow us better access from the place we hang out in the most.
After reading the very sketchy start up manual as well as trying various combinations of steps posted here, I am still having trouble setting this thing up. Simply plugging in the AX and using Airport Set Up Assistant, I was able to create a WDS and add the AX as a remote station by entering its MAC address (it was not recognized automatically). However, when pushing "update" a message came up saying the AX needed to be set up manually.
So, I realized maybe I needed to plug the ethernet cable directly into the AX and use the Aiport Assistant. I tried that once and nothing happened. Yellow light flashing. I tried it again adjusting a setting for "Join an existing network" and named the network the same as our already established network. The light turned green! So, not knowing what to do next (Hello, Apple! Please write better instructions) I crossed my fingers and unplugged the Ethernet cable and put it back in the existing Base Station. Did that. Still green! Then I had to move the AX from the office out into the hallway toward the living room. Cross fingers, unplugged AX and ran it down hallway. Plugged it in, wait for Yellow light, hey it turned green! I took the MacBook to the living room, turned it on, 4 bars, cool! Started Safari and.... nothing. No web page loaded. No email. Nada. Great looking bars, though.
So, frustrated, I unplugged the AX and just left it a day. Last night, I moved it back to the office and tried to see if I had a setting wrong. Create new network? Join existing network? Same or different channel as Base Station? Use password security on AX? on just the Base Station? both? Why doesn't the manual mention these things? I even tried soft reset and hard reset. I could never get the green light to come on again.
Does anytone know where I find simple step-by-step instructions to help me? I thought Apple was supposed to be "easy". Am I missing something? My G4 desktop does not have an Aiport card, so I can't configure both Stations without having the Ethernet cable plugged directly into either gadget.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.8) Airport Extreme, Airport Express, PowerBook, G4 Desktop

Yeah, Duane posted the link to the good directions. The directions given in the printed manual for the base station and the online help for the base station is inadequate when it comes to WDS set up.
I have an Airport Extreme and two Airport Express. When I was setting up WDS, it did take a while because certain errors did keep coming up. But eventually it worked. I now get the hang of it.
One difference that kept me really confused but now I understand is the difference between relay and remote base station.
Picture these two diagrams
A) Airport Extreme <--> Express1 <--> Express2
B) Airport Extreme <--> Express2
The <--> signs mean wireless connection.
In picture (A), the Extreme is broadcasting to Express1 which then relays the signal to Express2. In this case, Express1 is a relay base station and Express2 is a remote base station.
In picture (B), the Extreme is broadcasting to Express2. In this case, the Express2 is also a remote base station and not a relay. There is not relay base station in (B).
I don't know why that kept me so confused but once I got it, I got it. Hope this helps for your WDS set up.

Solution to Airport Extreme Base Station + Airport Express networking probs

I've been investigating this for 3 straight days after inadvertently destabilizing my network. There are tons of posts discussing a variety of issues, all of which seem related. My goal here is to provide links to other relevant posts and explain what I ended up doing to get things to work.
First, the background. You can skip below to SOLUTION if you don't really care... However, I highly recommend you take the time to read everything, as you'll get other useful information in the BACKGROUND section. I'm guessing many of you have similar, related problems so BACKGROUND might help provide context (and solutions) to some things you are seeing...
MY SETUP:
AirPort Extreme Base Station (AEBS) of type b/g (round one, not square one), connects to the cable modem, and creates a WDS network that is then shared across two standard AirPort Express (AEX) units (100megabit, not the gigabit ones). One AEX serves as a relay unit that accepts clients, the other serves as a remote unit that also accepts clients. The intent is to show a single network throughout the house and let users log on to one network and move between networking units without having to switch from network to network.
I have a variety of networked devices throughout the house all running on the same network (2 Mac Pros, a Powerbook G4, a Mac Mini, an Apple TV, a Windows XP laptop, two iPhones, two wifi printers, and a 5-unit Sonos system, plus the AEBS and two AEXs). Yeah, I'm a geek.
The Mac Pros are both running 10.4.11, and the Powerbook is running 10.5.2.
AEBS is running firmware 5.7
AEXs are running firmware 6.3
All Macs were initially accessing configs via the recently released AirPort Utility 5.3.1. More on that later.
BACKGROUND:
I've had this network setup working for about a year now. Recently, I've been having poor network performance problems and came to the conclusion it was a LAN problem (ie. problem with my home network, as opposed to with my ISP). Upon initial investigation, I began by looking at my networking logs (via AirPort Utility 5.3.1). You get to those by selecting the unit in question, choosing "Manual Configuration", the selecting the "Advanced" tab up top with the "Logging and SNMP" sub-tab. Click the "Logs and Statistics" button therein for log details from that unit.
The first thing I noticed was "Administrative access denied to ff80::xxxxxxxxx" messages - a lot of them. I didn't recognize the ff80:: address in question, and so became concerned it was someone outside the network trying to hack one (or all) of the AEBS/AEX units. You can see threads discussing that investigation here:
"Hack or panic?" - http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1438486
"Administrative access denied" - http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1438865
Long and short of it is that the recent AirPort Utility 5.3.1 release (current as of March 13) seems to have problems (keychain) when attempting to access the AEBS and AEX units. The "Administrative access denied" logs actually refer to the client machine you are using when you try to read the logs. The ff80::xxxxxx address is simply the IPv6 address for the machine you are using; if you turn off IPv6 on your client machine, that address should switch over to begin showing a regular IP address instead (something like 10.0.1.xxx), which makes it easier to associate the IP to the machine. I explain how to deactivate IPv6 on both Tiger (10.4.x) and Leopard (1.5.x) here:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=6814978#6814978
Anyway, in the process of investigating the "Administrative access denied" problem, I began tinkering with my AEX settings. Specifically, I ended up performing a hard factory reset (unplug unit, plug back in while holding down the little button with paper click/pen for ~10-15 seconds until light flashes green 4x then reverts to amber/yellow/orange). I began reconfiguring my entire WDS network using the newly updated AirPort Utility 5.3.1, and that's when the trouble started.
(If you are having problems seeing either your AirPort Extreme Base Station or AirPort Express, read this:)
In short, each time I thought I had properly configured things and then confirmed settings (kicking off a reboot on the AEX unit) the unit would restart with new settings but not properly join the WDS and not show up in the AirPort Utility list of units. More specifically, I would start with a "wiped" AEX and see both the AEBS and the AEX in my AirPort Utility list, but upon confirm/reboot the AEX would disappear and the AEBS would remain. However, that's not 100% correct. It seems that sometimes I would end up with the AEX and NOT the AEBS. Because both the AEX and AEBS were theoretically "hosting" the same network name (remember, WDS shares the network name across units) my auto-login feature for my client computer's wifi seemed to "jump on" whichever unit it first saw hosting the default network name for my house. In other words, it seems what was really happening was that I was ending up with two separate networks in my house, both with the same name but not talking to each other (as opposed to two units sharing the same network name and internet connection). The AEX would continue to blink orange/amber/yellow (whichever color it is to your eyes ) because it could not grab an internet connection -- and if I was on the network through that AEX unit I would not get internet. But if i was connected through the AEBS I would continue to have internet access. As far as my client computer (my Mac Pro) was concerned, I was on the home wifi network even if I was on the AEX rather than the AEBS -- it would show the home wifi network name as the name of the network it had connected to. But when I opened the AirPort Utility 5.3.1 I would see only the AEX (if I was connected through it) or the AEBS (if connected through it) -- a clear indication that the units were not truly sharing the same network.
I tried rebooting and reconfiguring the AEBS and AEX about 50 times (literally). I even tracked down an older version of the AirPort Utility 5.2.1 via this thread (see Tesserax post):
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1067565
One interesting thing re: 5.2.1 is that the "Administrative access denied" errors summarized above disappeared. As explained in a post reference above, the going theory is that this a permissions/keychain problem new and unique to AirPort Utility 5.3.1. However, even though 5.2.1 does have a slightly different interface with different settings, I still couldn't get the WDS to work.
EVENTUALLY, I came across this post:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1422527
MuaddibOfArrakis walks through setting up a WDS from scratch, and the workflow is different than what is possible with either AirPort Utility 5.3.1 or 5.2.1. He's doing it with the old version of AirPort Admin Utility, which I fortunately saved a copy of many moons ago when I had somewhat-related problems with my WDS (since forgotten). In fact, it's a lot easier. What's nice about this older app is that it literally does the heavy lifting of "connecting" the AEBS and AEX units during the configuration -- it reboots both at the same time as the config is happening, and lets you choose from a list of available units to "add" to your WDS network. In short, it's a FAR SUPERIOR workflow even though some of the GUI isn't as intuitive as the newer AirPort Utilities that were designed to replace it.
SOLUTION:
If still have a copy of the AirPort Admin Utility follow the instructions from MuaddibOfArrakis here:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1422527
If not, try setting up your WDS network using AirPort Utility (hereafter AU), with these configs (take from my now-working network), as viewed through AirPort Utility 5.3.1.
I. Configure your AEBS.
Select the AEBS from AU, and choose "Manual Setup"
1. Under the AirPort tab up top:
a. Under "Base Station" sub-tab:
i.) assign a name for that specific unit, so you can later identify the specific unit from the list of units -- this is the name that will show up beside the unit in the AU list of configurable units. You can name it something like "kitchen", or "office". I have mine numbered, so XXXXXv1, XXXXXv2 etc where the XXXXX is the name of the shared network and the numbers help me tell the units apart. Just be sure you name each uniquely, and if you have several you might write the name on the unit itself.
ii.) pick a password for logging into that unit. This is different from the network password, its a security check to get in and change the configs on this unit later. Be sure to remember it in your keychain for the sake of simplicity, and write it down somewhere secure.
iii.) if you choose to set time automatically, pick a location that you will use consistently across all your units. I use time.apple.com.
iv.) uncheck "Allow configuration over Ethernet WAN port" unless you want to be able to remotely mess with settings -- which you almost certainly do not need to do.
v.) I left the "Options" button alone - no settings there.
b. Under the "Wireless" sub-tab:
i.) Wireless Mode: "Participate in a WDS network"
ii.) Network Name: this will be the name of your wifi network shared by all units, so be sure to remember what you pick. If you are already connected to this AEBS via wifi while you are making these changes, then you can use the same wifi name you already have set up -- you don't have to change it. Note that if you DO change it, after reboot your will LOSE connection to the network and have to reset your wifi settings on your client machine to match the new network/password in order to be able to access the network.
iii.) pick a Radio Mode. I'm using b/g compatible. You'll want to do the same, unless you are on the new gigabit AEX. I'm pretty sure about this, but not 100% -- others post if I'm wrong.
iv.) choose a Channel. This can be a more complicated procedure, but for now just pick something consistent across all your units. If you get everything working and find that you're having intermittent network problems, you could later try changing your Channel -- it can pick up interference from phones, microwaves, etc and changing it can help.
v.) I have wireless security set to WPA/WPA2 Personal.
vi.) Wireless Password is the password for access to your wifi network (not your unit itself). If you are connecting to your AEBS via wifi while doing this config, then you can use the same password you have already set up. Pick a good one unless you want other folks jumping on your wifi and stealing your bandwidth and/or credit card numbers . Remember it in your keychain and write it down someplace secure, because you'll need it for the other units too. As noted above, note that if you DO change it, after reboot your will LOSE connection to the network and have to reset your wifi settings on your client machine to match the new network/password in order to be able to access the network.
vii.) Click the "Wireless Options" button. I have my multicast rate set to 2mbps, transmit at 100%, timeout at 1 hour, and i have checked the "Create a closed network". This last step keeps your network from advertising itself to the outside world. Users can only find it by explicitly typing the network name into their wifi settings (e.g. AirPort -> Other... then enter Network Name, Security and Password). I leave interference robustness unchecked.
c. Under the "WDS" sub-tab:
i.) the AEBS should have it's WDS Mode set to "WDS main".
ii.) Check the "allow wireless clients" box on the AEBS; this lets you connect client machines to it directly too.
iii.) hit the plus button to add the Remote system (AEX). There are two types of configs for the AEX's - "remote" and "relay". Assuming you have 3 units like me (2 AEX and 1 AEBS) the key question is whether you will place each AEX within direct reach of the AEBS (remotes), or if you will have one AEX in the middle connecting to an AEBS on one side and an AEX on the other -- where the furthest AEX is out of reach from the AEBS (remote) and connects only to the AEX in the middle (relay). I'm using a relay setup. If you are using relay, you can still set up the AEX relay to serve client computers too -- it doesnt have to JUST relay. More on that later. For now, you want to add only AEX units that will talk DIRECTLY to the AEBS. So if you have a setup like mine, just add one (the one in the middle - the relay). If you have two remotes connecting directly to the AEBS, you will add them both here. When you hit the '+' button it will ask for both an ID and description. For description I use the name I'm assigning to each unique unit (as above, "kitchen" or XXXXXv1 or whatever you use). For AirPort ID, use the number listed on the AEX unit itself (not the number for "Ethernet", also on the AEX unit).
d. Under the "Access" sub-tab:
i.) I have it set to "Not Enabled". I'd suggest you start that way too, and you can go change it later if you get everything working correctly.
2. Under the "Internet" tab up top:
a. Under the "Internet Connection" sub-tab:
i.) Connect Using: Ethernet
ii.) Configure IPv4: Using DHCP
iii.) Ethernet WAN Port: Automatic (Default)
iv.) Connection Sharing: Share a public IP address
b. Under the "DHCP" sub-tab:
i.) DHCP Beginning Address: 10.0 . 1 . 2
ii.) DHCP Ending Address: 10.0.1.200
DHCP Lease: 4 hours
c. Under the "NAT" sub-tab:
i.) nothing should be checked;
ii.) nothing under Port Mappings either
3. Under the "Printers and Advanced" tabs up top:
Nothing special needs to be configured there.
THAT'S IT.
=============
I. Configure your AEX(s)
Select the AEX from AU, and choose "Manual Setup"
1. Under the "AirPort" tab up top:
a. Under "Base Station" sub-tab:
i.) pick a unique name for this unit, same logic as for AEBS
ii.) pick a password specific for accessing this unit, same logic as for AEBS
iii.) Set time automatically: be sure to use the same settings used on your AEBS
iv.) Options: no need to set any
b. Under "Wireless" sub-tab:
i.) Wireless Mode: Participate in a WDS network
ii.) Network Name: same name used for AEBS, this is the name of your wifi network
iii.) Channel: same as AEBS
iv.) All settings here (those above, plus Security and Password & in Options button) should be the same as for AEBS settings on this tab
c. Under the "WDS" sub-tab:
...if AEX is "in the middle" (as described above):
i.) WDS Mode: WDS relay
ii.) Allow wireless clients: check (unless you only want to bridge between the edges without letting folks connect on this AEX in the middle)
iii.) WDS Main: set to the AirPort ID (aka MAC address) for the AEBS. You can find it on the bottom of the AEBS, either labeled as such or at the bottom beside the logo of a wireless signal (square logo, with semi-circles mimicing a radio signal).
iv.) WDS Remotes: click the '+' to add any AEX's that will connect to this relay rather than directly to the AEBS. Same deal as above, use the name in the description and use the AirPort ID from the side of the AEX (not the Ethernet ID).
.....if AEX is connecting to a relay ("on the end", as above) or if there is no relay and AEX connects directly to the AEBS:
i.) WDS Model: WDS remote
ii.) Allow wireless clients: checked
iii.) WDS Main: if connected to a relay, use the AirPort ID of the relay AEX. If connected to the AEBS directly, use the AirPort ID of the AEBS
d. Under the "Access" sub-tab:
i.) MAC Address Access Control: Not Enabled (for now, you can change later)
2. Under the "Internet" tab up top:
a. Under the "Internet Connection" sub-tab:
i.) Connect Using: AirPort (WDS) -- should be selected and gray'ed out.
ii.) Configure IPv4: Using DHCP
iii.) Ethernet WAN Port: Automatic (Default)
iv.) Connection Sharing: Off (Bridge Mode)
3. Under the Music, Printers and Advanced tabs up top:
Nothing special needs to be configured there. You can worry about AirTunes settings later...
That should be it. I'd recommend setting up the AEBS first, then the relay (if applicable), then the remotes. Initially, you can bring each unit in the same room with you for configuring. After configured and restarted the AEX should blink then turn solid green. If it turns green you should be good to go.
HOPE THIS HELPS. As noted above, I did not config through AirPort Utility 5.3.1 so I haven't tested this procedure through that app. However, after getting my network to work I went back and transposed all settings into this post to help others. Please provide feedback on whether or not this is working, so we can collectively try to move towards a setup procedure that works for everyone....
Good luck!
Message was edited by: b.byrd

I'm not convinced that the problem lies in Airport Utility. This same thing was happening to me, nearly exactly as you describe it. The thing is that with me, the problems clearly started when I updated the firmware in my Airport Express (n). That's when all the wacky stuff started happening. Sometimes it would show up in AU, sometimes it didn't and even if it didn't, I could still access the internet through it.
But as you said, the problems got really bad when another Express (b/g) was put on the network with it. Even when it did work, the (b/g) would make it impossibly slow.
You know more about this than me, and clearly have more patience if you've restarted the network fifty times. I gave up at about ten.
In any case, your solution is more of a work around and if you're still having that slow connection problem, I'm not sure you've got it. But thanks for your reporting of this. At least I know I'm not crazy.

WDS Set up - Help Needed! Airport Extreme with one Relay and one remote

Hi Guys,
I need a bit of help. I am feeling quite stupid and frustrated. I am having some difficulty with setting up a WDS network with:
Base station: Airport extreme (current version)
Relay: Airport Express (current version)
Remote: Airport Express (current version)
I start by cold resetting the three units. The Base station is connected via Ethernet. The setup I wish to get going is a simple base - relay - remote.
I go through the utility manager and set up the base station, first as "create a wireless network" enter the ISP details etc etc. Its green light. Everything is fine. Then manually configure the Base Station. Hold down option key hit Participate in a WDS. I then select main enter + and add the Mac Id's for the intended Relay unit and Remote Unit (12 character and numeric string). At this stage I am only adding the intended Relay unit and Remote units MAC number.
Question 1: Do I need to add the base unit's MAC number itself under: WDS Remotes? even I am setting it up as Main?
I am careful to note the security settings and the the Wireless Network name to match these in the relay and remote set up. Under the Wireless tab I leave the Radio Mode: as Automatic (802.11a/n - 802.11b/g/n). I make sure the base has "allow this network to be extended" ticked. Under Radio Channel selection I edit it to reference channel 1 for 2.4Ghz (5 Ghz leave as Auto). I am careful when setting up the Relay and remote to match the Radio Channel. (Although I tired many channels as I thought maybe interference was a factor and denying the fact its obviously my set up skills as a factor).
Question 2: Do you need to disable Guest networks? I would think it does not matter as I have tired turning it off and has not made any difference.
Under Access Control I leave as default, Not enabled.
Next I hit update and and error message comes up. WDS Error as it can not find other units. Ok fine as the relay and remote are not yet set up. So I ignore and can get to the stage where the base unit is working and green light with an internet connection.
I then proceed to set up the Relay unit. Doing the same steps as above with a couple of differences being I add the MAC numbers and select the WDS Mode (Relay for Relay and Remote for Remote. I add the Main base station (i.e Airpot Extreme MAC No.) when prompted and then + the Remotes MAC number. The same for the Remote except I only need to add the base station's main no.
Question 3. Do I need to add the Relay's own MAC number to its own setup? This seems doubtful as with the base station but tired with and without for good measure with no success.
The 2.4Ghz channels are all set to 1. Radio mode set to Auto. Although even when I try to manually set them to all identical it doesn't seem t help.
Then the problems begin. The base unit is Green and the Relay and Remote say they are not connected to the internet. I assume since I have not seen a WDS Error message then the units are set up correctly or as I ignored it on the base unit. But when click unignore the error seems to work itself out.
Question 4. I need help to understand why I have no internet. The remote / relay says something about no IP number and I don't really understand what I should do? Do I need to go back the Airport Utility Manager and start messing about with the TCP/IP, DHCP, NAT ? The base is set up PPPoE and the relay and remote are set to Bridge.
It is really puzzling me why the relay and remote flash amber with error messages related to the IP number? I have tried turning off the base station and router and then on again but no joy.
Can anyone please enlighten me or give me a few ideas? I am doing something very obviously stupid and I guess the fix is something simple that I have overlooked.
I did spend the time and go through the threads and search online, So I am not trying to waste anyone's time I referenced the two links to get a second opinion:
http://broadcast.oreilly.com/2009/03/taming-an-airport-express-wds.html
http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/settingup_an_airport_relay_with_airportexpress/
Any help much appreciated!

Versed wrote:
I need a bit of help.
Welcome to Apple's discussion groups.
My WDS experience is limited to "main" and "remote" configurations (no "relay"), so I'm not posting from direct experience, but below is what I think would work in your case.
I go through the utility manager and set up the base station, first as "create a wireless network" enter the ISP details etc etc. Its green light. Everything is fine. Then manually configure the Base Station. Hold down option key hit Participate in a WDS. I then select main enter + and add the Mac Id's for the intended Relay unit and Remote Unit
I don't think the "main" unit needs to be told about the "remote" unit, only about the "relay" unit.
Question 1: Do I need to add the base unit's MAC number itself under: WDS Remotes? even I am setting it up as Main?
You'd never enter the MAC address of a unit into its own configuration, if that's what you mean. I also don't think that you'd need to enter the MAC address of the main into the remote and conversely.
I am careful to note the security settings and the the Wireless Network name to match these in the relay and remote set up. Under the Wireless tab I leave the Radio Mode: as Automatic (802.11a/n - 802.11b/g/n).
Five things have to match in a WDS configuration: network name, encryption type, network password, band, and channel.
I make sure the base has "allow this network to be extended" ticked.
I don't think that's important for a WDS configuration.
Question 2: Do you need to disable Guest networks?
I wouldn't think that matters.
Under Access Control I leave as default, Not enabled.
That's fine.
WDS Error as it can not find other units. Ok fine as the relay and remote are not yet set up.
Right.
I then proceed to set up the Relay unit. Doing the same steps as above with a couple of differences being I add the MAC numbers and select the WDS Mode (Relay for Relay and Remote for Remote. I add the Main base station (i.e Airport Extreme MAC No.) when prompted and then + the Remotes MAC number. The same for the Remote except I only need to add the base station's main no.
I think this should be the MAC address of the relay station, not that of the main station.
Question 3. Do I need to add the Relay's own MAC number to its own setup?
No.

Setting up a home network: AirPort Extreme & AiPort Express

I'd like to setup my home network with both my new Aiport Extreme and my existing AirPort Express.
Ideally, the setup would be as follows:
Ethernet Network Connection + External HD via USB --> AirPort Extreme
Home Speakers --> AirPort Express
I know that I want my Extreme to act at the main, then the Express to operate on the same network as a relay or remote. I've tried to follow all of the online support documentation to manually configure a WPA. No matter what configuration I use, I run into trouble.
Any advice?
MacBook 2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Mac OS X (10.4.9) 2 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM

From your post, I assume you have the new square 802.11n Extreme. Download the Airport Utility (it is not the same as the Airport Admin Utility) from the disk that was provided with the Extreme. It is a little round icon with a blue Airport Symbol in the center and is below Airport Admin Utility in your Utilities Folder. You may have to do a factory reset on the Extreme and I know you're going to have to do one on the Express.
Set your system up on the Extreme first after factory reset. Choose the type of security you wish to use. Call the system something different than your original system like putting use "New" before the system name. You can't carry forward either system names or passwords to the new system. Then when you set the password for security I'd use something different than the original password.
Once your system is built, do a factory reset on the Express by using a paper clip or ballpoint pen. Unplug the Express, push in on the reset button with the paper clip or pen point. The while still depressing the reset button, plug the Express back into the outlet. You'll get a few quick green light flashes, then several rapid blinking amber lights. Wait until the amber light stops blinking then you can stop depressing the reset button. It takes a few minutes for the Express to come on line.
Go to the Airport Utility and you should see your Extreme as the base station and then the Express will come up with the factory ID.
Configure from there.

The internet coming from my AirPort Extreme, which is extended by an AirPort Express and my Time Capsule, is being very flaky. It is dropping and I have to reconnect every few minutes. Any solutions?

To be more detailed, my AirPort Extreme needs to be extended by an AirPort Express, which then is extended to my personal Time Capsule. The internet drops on my MacBook Pro and other MacBook Pros randomly. We then reconnect with no problem and go on with what we were doing. The internet is fine. Always able to connect. We have Open DNS set up as well. But the flaky internet is annoying. Any ideas how to fix this?

The primary issue that you will need to contend with is the distance between routers. 300' would be at the fringe of the signal coming from the base station located in the house which, most likely, make it too "weak" to extend/repeat with the second base station at the shop.
There is a method to configure a relay base station between them in a Wireless Distribution System (WDS), but a WDS has two major drawbacks: 1) It can only operate in the 802.11g Radio Mode, and 2) For every base station participating in the WDS, the overall bandwidth will be cut in half .., so with a total of three (main, relay, & remote), the maximum of 54 Mbps (for 802.11g) would be more like 15-17 Mbps. If you plan on streaming HD video (either 720p or 1080p), your local wireless network may not have enough bandwidth to do so successfully.
You proposal to run the DSL line to the shop does offer another option. Instead of running a DSL line, run an Ethernet cable between the house and the shop. You would connect one end to any of the available LAN ports on the AirPort Extreme to the Ethernet port on the AirPort Express. You can then configure both base stations into a roaming network and not have bandwidth loss of the WDS.

Using an Airport Extreme with my AirPort Express as a new network?

Hello.
I am looking into buying an airport extreme as a replacement for a Netgear router that does not seem to work. I have an Aiport express already.
So let me see if I can get this straight...
I can have 6 computers (all PCs) connected (and a couple other devices like a TIVO) all connected to an airport extreme base station to the internet and 1 airport express set as a remote base station. All devices will be able to connect to the internet (3 computers plugged in via Ethernet on Airpot Extreme) and share printers/files/etc? Is there a limit to the number of computers that I can have (even if i am extending with an Airport Express?
I would appreciate any help steering me in the right direction.
Dell Laptop Windows XP

Andrew,
Yes you can do all those things.
There is a limit on the total number of connections but it is very large.
The Airport Express can be used in a number of ways.
...For music only - which is not a problem.
...Or as a wireless relay - using something called WDS. In this mode you can connect further computers to the ethernet port of the Airport Express. Or extend the wireless reach of the network.
If your ONLY use for the Express is to connect a computer, its probably better to get a wireless card for it.

Airport Extreme n, difficulty connecting to Airport Express g

Can anyone help?
I have just bought a new n rated Extreme to replace my old round one, I have 3 Airport Express , 2 connected to stereos and one acting as a relay, however I cannot set up one of the AX's to act as a relay between my imac and the other AX's that are in the other rooms of the house, I have tried setting up manually using the Airport ID of all the Airports but when I update the Extreme it reverts to participate in a network and will not connect to the internet. The annoying thing is that the system was working perfectly before! All the firmware is updated, the new Extreme has not extended the network range at all.
Thanks

Hello huddler. Welcome to the Apple Discussions!
To facilitate the WDS set up, try the following:
o Perform a "hard" reset on the AirPort Extreme Base Stations & a "factory default" reset on the AirPort Express Base Stations (AX) before setting up the WDS.
o 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.
o To avoid having to "switch" wireless networks during the WDS setup, attach each of the remote/relay base station, via an Ethernet cable, to the main base station. Of course, this would be dependent on the AirPort types used for the main/relays/remotes.
o Be sure to jot down the MAC addresses for each of the base stations to be used in the WDS as these will be required during the setup.
o When enabling wireless encryption, configure the relay/remote base stations first and the main base station last.

Airport extreme & express - I am tearing out the little hair i have left !!

Can anyone help with this problem before i am completly bald.
I have just bought a new imac (with intel chip) and i am wanting to locate it downstairs but the room is in a wireless deadspot.
I have a pc upstairs connected to a bb cable connection. I have now replaced my belkin wireless router with an airport extreme base station and an airport express to act as a booster for the imac downstairs.
i have installed the extreme base station ok and it works for the pc which is hard wired to it and wirelessly for the imac when in range. I am having problems trying to set up the airport express as a relay station.
Every time i configure the extreme to act as a wds and then add the airport express it cuts off the pc connection and the imac, I must not be doing the settings correctly in the airport admin - is it something to do with sharing ip addresses ??
I have followed the instructions on this site but still having probs - can anyone offer help or guidence please
Thanks
imac intel 2ghz 250g Mac OS X (10.4.4) extreme base station airport express

Thanks for your great advice and assistance. I have read the various articles that you linked and will try the new extended configuration using my old 4th gen as soon as my new 5th gen extreme arrives from Apple. I may also try using the express as well by going off in a somewhat different direction on the upstairs floor where the primary base unit is connected to the cable modem. My original reason for upgrading to the new 5th gen was not because the range and signal strength were inadequate, but rather to try and get some improvement in the wireless download speeds from the 4th gen extreme and the extended express. My Mac using an Ethernet connection from the extreme was delivering download speeds of 49 to 50 Mbs all the time, while the wireless download speeds to my new iPad or my iPhone 5 were only about 15Mbs coming from the extreme and 7-8 Mbs if I was downloading through the express. I have been reading lots of comments on this subject for over a year now, with many others experiencing the same problem, but Apple never really acknowledging that there was even an issue. The only solution seemed to be that people who upgraded to the 5th gen. we're getting much better performance across all performance issues. Here's hoping for success in the next few days. Thanks again for your assistance.

Airport extrem working with expresses to create a powerful network, but how

I have one extreme base station and 3 expresses in a 3 story house with a basement. My network base is on the 3rd floor and I want the base station to link from that one to others to boost the signal. I thought I had it all set but am not getting good signal at all. If some one could give me steps to doing this and also give me tips on making the signal better. Thanks. Post here or email me at [email protected]
Oh and I have 8 total computers: 4 pcs, 1 Powerbook G4, 2 Imac Intels, 1 Macmini intel.
3 Pcs are hard wired the other wireless and all the Macs are wireless.
There is a dlink systeme set up that was implace before and used for wireless but with the new Macs im switching to Airports. Should I git rid of the Dlink wireless router?
Let me know if you need more info, thanks again.

You will need to replace the D-Link with the Airport Extreme.
Step 1
Configure the Airport Extreme so it is working as a single wireless router - do not touch the WDS tab in other words where it was before you started.
For ease use a new network name and security.
If necessary do a reset.
Wait ten minutes
Step 2
Factory reset the Airport Express.
Plug the Airport Express in.
On your Mac remain connected to the Airport Extreme wireless network.
Run the Airport Assistant say that you want to configure a new base station.
It should find the Airport Express and ask you some questions, confirm that you want to extend the network of the Extreme network, in other words extend an existing network.
Once it has configured both Airports.
Wait ten minutes.
Repeat Step 2 for each of the remaining Airport Express units.
You may want to reconfigure the middle Airport Express as a relay unit instead of a remote unit.
You are good to go.
iFelix

Windows 7 machine unable to connect to WDS (Airport extreme + express)

Hi - I've just dusted down my old Airport Extreme (b/g) and Airport Express to extend the range of a Sagem Mini Livebox router (that we use because it gives internet telephone and tv feeds here in France).
The AExt has an ethernet connection to the livebox and is set up as the main WDS machine; the AExp is connected wirelessly to the AExt as a WDS relay station. It all works fine - I've set the airport wifi network up with a different name to the main livebox wifi network, and can access it using my Mac machines all over the house. But my wife has a Windows 7 machine that she uses for work ... and it fails to see the airport network (but is able to connect to the livebox wifi without any problem).
I don't know Windows 7 very well, and there seem to be very few options that you can configure. The wifi adaptor is a Dell 1390 (only b/g connections according to an online manual); but the old airport boxes only support b/g compatible connections, so that should work.
I've set up a wireless network on the W7 machine that matches the airport profile: WPA personal security ... but my understanding is that this will not change whether the W7 machine can see the airport network (but only affect how or whether it connects).
Not sure what else I can do? Any thoughts on how I can reconfigure my airport WDS network so that the W7 machine can see it (and connect to it)?
Thanks - andy

Are you trying to configure the Express to "join" the wireless network?
If yes, the message you are receiving is likely an indication that you do not have the correct security settings selected for the Express. Unless the security settings between the wireless router and Express match up exactly, the Express will display the error that "an error occurred, etc".
The easiest way to confirm if you have this problem is temporarily set the main wireless router to "no security" and try to connect the Express that way. If you can connect, then you know that it is a security issue.
Please tell us the exact setting for security that the wireless router there is using and we'll try to give you some more ideas.
The Express will connect. It's just a matter of finding the right settings.
Message was edited by: Bob Timmons

Speed issue with WDS, Airport Extreme, and Airport Express 802.11n

I have a Airport network set up using WDS and two airport base stations: an Airport Extreme 802.11n, and an Airport Express 802.11n. The Extreme is configured to be WDS main and is connected to my cable modem and other computers, while the express is WDS relay and acts as a switch.
I don't actually have any wireless clients connecting to the express. I'm using it to connect a mac with no airport card to the network by plugging it into the ethernet port on the express. For the most part, it works, and the mac gets a network address and can access the network. However, the connection speed from the Express to the Extreme seems slower than it should be.
Since both are 802.11n, and the Mac is plugged into the Express's 10/100 ethernet port, I figure the theoretical top speed that the Mac should be able to communicate with another device plugged into the Extreme is at around the same speeds as 100 mbps ethernet, since the 100 mbps ethernet connection should be the bottleneck in this case. In reality, the speeds are much slower: when I transfer files between a machine connected to the extreme (via ethernet) and my mac, the speed tops out at about 2 megabytes a second, if that.
I looked in the Airport Extreme's logs, and it indicates that the Express is only connected at 54 mbps, as though it were a 802.11g Express. I have no idea why this is! Also, the only wireless communication is between the Extreme and the Express, so one wireless device acting as a relay for another (and thus cutting the throughput in half) shouldn't be an issue.
Does anyone know why the speeds are so slow, and if there's anything I can do to improve them?

Hello Brian Kendall. Welcome to the Apple Discussions!
I looked in the Airport Extreme's logs, and it indicates that the Express is only connected at 54 mbps, as though it were a 802.11g Express. I have no idea why this is!
That is because you established a WDS which only runs in 802.11g. Since you have two 802.11n base station, you would want to take advantage of the "Extend a network" feature available with these base stations.
Here's a typical setup:
o If practical, place the base stations in near proximity to each other during the setup phase. Once done, move them to their desired locations.
o Open AirPort Utility and select the base station that will connect to the Internet.
o 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.
o Click AirPort in the toolbar, and then click Wireless.
o Choose “Create a wireless network” from the Wireless Mode pop-up menu, and then select the “Allow this network to be extended” checkbox.
o Next, select the base station that will extend this network, and choose Manual Setup from the Base Station menu, or double-click the base station to open its configuration in a separate window. Enter the base station password if necessary.
o Choose “Extend a wireless network” from the Wireless Mode pop-up menu, and then choose the network you want to extend from the Network Name pop-up menu.
o Enter the base station network and base station password is necessary.
o Click Update to update the base station with new network settings.
(ref: Page 46 of "Designing AirPort Networks Using AirPort Utility.)

HELP! AirPort Express to extend AirPort Extreme?

I'm old and stupid, lately, but I can't find clear directions to help with the following setup.
--We have a cable modem hooked into the latest iteration of the snow-white Extreme base station
--We have a wireless network in the house, which happily supports TiVo, my laptop, and two brand-new iMac 17"/2Ghz.
--My wife's older iMac is plugged DIRECTLY into the internet through the Base Station, and is out of the wireless loop for reasons to boring to detail.
I want to plug my son's printer into an AirPort Express base station upstairs, and use it to EXTEND THE NETWORK'S RANGE and also to NETWORK THAT PRINTER.
I can't seem to do it. I assume it's simple, but none of the support documentation seems to do more than to allude to the possibility.
Can anyone step-by-step me?

Here's the reply I got (I'm still having some trouble...)
Set up a Wireless Distribution System (WDS)
(Note: To facilitate setting up the base stations, place them in near proximity of each other during the set up phase.)
Set up the AirPort Extreme Base Station (AEBS) as the WDS Main Base Station, by connecting directly, using an Ethernet cable, to the LAN port of the AEBS, and then use the AirPort Admin Utility, located in /Applications/Utilities, to make the following settings.
WDS Tab
- Enable this base station as a WDS: main base station (checked)
- Enable wireless clients on this base station (optional)
- Click "+" to add Remote/Relay Base Stations.
-- Select the AirPort Express Base Station (AX) that you want to be the WDS Remote.
-- AirPort ID: <verify that this is the correct wireless MAC address for the Base Station you are adding as a Remote.>
-- Auto configure as a WDS remote base station (checked)
-- Click "OK."
- Verify that the Remote Base Station has been added to the list.
- Click "Update," and then verify the settings for the Remote/Relay.
-- Allow wireless clients on this base station (checked)
-- New network name: <verify that this is the same as the network name for the AEBS>
-- TCP/IP: Configure using DHCP
-- Base Station Password: <the Remote Base Station password>
-- Confirm: <same as previous step>
-- Click "OK."

Help: Using Airport Express to extend the range of Airport Extreme

I am trying to use the Airport Express to extend the range of the network created by my Airport Extreme. The Express works in terms of streaming music from iTunes on the PC connected to th Extreme.
However, I am trying to run a short Cat-5 cable out of the Express to a nearby PC in order to have access to the internet. If the Express is recognized by the Extreme and can play music through connected stereo cables, why can I get an internet connection through the LAN port..??
Here's a real basic representation of my connections...
Cable Modem >>-- Cat5 -->> Airport Extreme >>-- Wireless -->> Airport Express >>-- Cat5 -->>PC#2

To wirelessly extend the range between two AirPorts, you need to configure them in a Wireless Distribution System (WDS).
To facilitate the WDS set up, try the following:
o Perform a "hard" reset on the AirPort Extreme Base Stations & a "factory default" reset on the AirPort Express Base Stations (AX) before setting up the WDS.
o 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.
o To avoid having to "switch" wireless networks during the WDS setup, attach each of the remote/relay base station, via an Ethernet cable, to the main base station. Of course, this would be dependent on the AirPort types used for the main/relays/remotes.
o Be sure to jot down the MAC addresses for each of the base stations to be used in the WDS as these will be required during the setup.
o When enabling wireless encryption, configure the relay/remote base stations first and the main base station last.

Relaying Airport Express to Airport Extreme

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