Setting up TC on N (5 GHz), with older AirPort Extreme and Express on B/G

Hi there,
I've done a search through the forums (and the net) to see if I can find a solution to my query, but the answer currently escapes me so I thought I'd ask outright....
I have recently purchased a Time Capsule. Previously my wireless network relied on an AirPort Extreme Base Station (one of the older white models that looked like a UFO) over 802.11 b/g which was extended by an AirPort Express (again, non-N).
What I would very much like to do is create a setup that has the Time Capsule running 802.11 N only over 5 GHz, with the AirPort Extreme connected to it over Ethernet and still running a B/G network out with the Express.
There is a diagram here, which shows exactly what I want, but their instructions are far from complete or up-to-date with the current AirPort Utility software: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/03/31/exploringtime_capsule_wifi_802_11n_and_the_5ghzband.html
However, I can't for the life of me work out how to do this. If someone could help me out I would very much appreciate it.

For the TC, I suggest that you change the Radio Mode to: 802.11n only (5 GHz) - 802.11n only (2.4 GHz).
For the AEBS & AX, I am assuming that you still want them as an extended wireless network ... correct? If so, all that would need to change is the following for the AEBS:
o Connect the AEBS directly to one of the TC's available LAN (opposing arrows) ports by Ethernet. Connect this Ethernet cable to the WAN (circle-of-dots) port on the AEBS.
o Reconfigure the AEBS as a bridge. (ref: AirPort Utility > Select the AEBS > Manual Setup > Internet > Internet Connection > Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode))
o You may want to rename the AEBS/AX wireless network with a new Network Name (or SSID). This is totally optional, but may prove helpful as a reminder that you only want non-"n" clients to connect to it. For example, and with absolutely no imagination on my part, you could name your TC's wireless network: My Really Fast Network, and the AEBS/AX's: My Not So Fast Network.
o Finally, you will want to be sure the the AEBS/AX wireless network is at least 3-5 channels away from the 2.4 GHz network provided by the TC. This will prevent any Wi-Fi interference between them.
The WDS settings created earlier when you configured the AEBS & AX for an extended network should remain the same.

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I'm having a hard time setting up my external hard from with my AirPort Extreme and Time Machine Backups.

I have been using a Mac Mini with an external hard and Time Machine. I bought an Airport Extreme and have had problem setting up the hard drive using the USB port on the Airport Extreme. I also just recently bought a Mac Book Air and hope to have both computers back up to the external hard drive using Time Machine and Airport Extreme. I have been using the optical drive from the Mac mini to load programs into the Mac Book Air. I think I'm just getting confused in Finder. I am just not seeing the hard drive. I ended up plugging the hard drive back into the Mac Mini and that is work fine again. How do I setting the external hard drive up to the AirPort Extreme and use for both computers? Or at least to start with the Mac mini.

It's critical to understand that Time Machine (TM) stores backups differently between local and network drives. That would mean the TM backup on your locally attached USB hard drive will not be directly useable when it is connected to the AirPort Extreme Base Station (AEBS). There is a way to copy a local version to a network version, but it is not fool-proof. When you do connect this drive and point TM to it, TM will start a brand new backup, leaving your existing backup as is.
If your current backup is critical to you, you may want to consider getting a second USB drive to attach to the Extreme and use your existing one as a backup ... or use TM's multi-backup process to backup to more than one destination drive alternatively.
So, at this point, you may want to make a decision on how you want to go forward to help provide a solution for you.
To directly answer your question, when you go to select a destination for a Time Machine backup, the drive(s) that show up under "Backup Disks" are those that TM already recognizes and has backed up to. Those listed under "Available Disks" are drives (either local or on the network) that TM can back up to.

Set up DynDNS access through existing network with new Airport Extreme

Hey everyone!
I just can't seem to figure out what I am doing wrong here...
I am working with an office network which was initially set up with a Linksys router and a separate Linksys hub connecting two Macs and a network printer in one particular room. We added several new iMacs and for ease of connectivity, decided to add a new Airport Extreme base as one of the new iMacs is acting as a server for a database the other new wireless iMacs connect to. Also, all the machines need access to the connected network printers connected in various parts of the office.
What we have now is the original Linksys router -> Linksys hub -> Airport Extreme. Everything seems to be working fine this way but I do believe that both the Linksys router AND the Airport Extreme are distributing IP addresses, which I'm thinking, could be the problem. I set up a DnyDNS account just fine, assigned port # 8080 on the server iMac and also opened port 8080 on both the Linksys and Airport Extreme. I still cannot get through to the server via DynDNS however.
I am wondering if I should turn off IP distribution on the Airport Extreme and let the Linksys router handle all that? The software that the other wireless iMacs run to access the database on the server depends on the server IP address too, so will this need to be changed if the Linksys is handling IP addressing? How does the hub affect any of this... does it change or interfere with the addressing in any way?
Thank in advance for any ideas or suggestions!

maxyourmacs, Welcome to the discussion area!
I am wondering if I should turn off IP distribution on the Airport Extreme and let the Linksys router handle all that?
Yes
The software that the other wireless iMacs run to access the database on the server depends on the server IP address too, so will this need to be changed if the Linksys is handling IP addressing?
Probably
How does the hub affect any of this... does it change or interfere with the addressing in any way?
It has no affect.

Problems with Bonjour, Airport Extreme and OS 10.4.3

I have a networked, HP Photosmart 8450 printer. The printer was connected to both an iMac 20" and PowerBook G4 15" running OS 10.4.3. Yesterday, I lost the ability to print from the PowerBook. I have identified it as a problem with my Airport Extreme connection.
The iMac can see the printer just fine, and it shows up using Bonjour when I browse printers in the Printer Setup Utility. The PowerBook, however, cannot see the printer - that is, it does not show up in the browser, but only when I use the Airport connection. However, when I connect the printer to the PowerBook via USB, or when I plug a network cable in to the PowerBook, it sees the printer immediately using Bonjour.
It appears, then, the problem is with my Airport Extreme card. Has this issue been identified by anyone else/Apple? Perusing the discussion boards, it seems others have had this problem.
PowerBook G4/iMac Mac OS X (10.4.3)

Thanks for the response, however, my question remains: I'm wondering if anyone else with an Airport Extreme ("b" version) and OS 10.4.9 installed has a problem using Admin Utility 4.1.1 and/or Airport Setup Assistant 4.1.1? Specifically, the problem is, after resetting the Airport Extreme, I was able to set it up using the Setup Assistant (establish the network, set the password), but thereafter, it does not show up in the Admin Utility at all (but the Extreme's lights flash as it is being accessed) and in Setup Assistant, it shows up, but there are "errors" when trying to change settings. It is very odd.
When I was running 10.3.9, I had had no problems setting up/administering my Airport Extreme. Suspecting the Extreme itself, I even had an Apple Genius inspect it at the Apple store, but it was pronounced in working order. I might try to check the Airport card inside the G4 (by trying it in a friend's G4). If this communication problem is not shared by anyone else (ii.e., a software issue), it could be my Airport card.

Trouble with airport extreme and express

Hey all. I recently bought a new airport extreme and I'm now having problems setting up a network with the airport express. the airport express that we have is connected to a very old G3 iMac because it doesn't have an airport card and is upstairs. I have so far managed to set up the airport extreme so my G4 iBook and my MacBook Pro are both connected via wireless. The trouble seems to be that I can't get the next step set up as i'm not very experienced with networks and I can't get the express to establish a connection with the extreme. i hope somebody could help me sort out the next step. On a side note, this new airport extreme doesn't allow my xbox 360 to connect to it and i wondered if there is any way I can get it to connect again via wireless, either by changing a setting or the security?
Any help and feedback would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks.

applefan08, Welcome to the discussion area!
To continue to use the AirPort Express (AX) to give Internet access to the iMac G3, you will need to configure the 2 devices to use WDS to wirelessly connect. The instructions start on Page 41 in "Designing AirPort Extreme 802.11n Networks" (http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/DesigningAirPortExtreme802.11nNetworks.pdf).

Setting up airport extreme and express

i purchased both the airport extreme and the express. i have cable modem and use a router (to it i have connected vonage phone and an external drive). from the router, i have successfully hooked up my airport extreme.
i now want to hook up my airport express in another room, so i can use it to connect to speakers and listen to music.
when i plug in the airport express, i dont get a connextion (amber light blinking). i have not bought the speakers/system yet, so i dont have any cables hooked to it. could this be the reason as to why i am not getting a connetction?
i also thought that i did not need to hook up anything to it, since this would just extend my wireless connection (i use a macbook and ibook)
any thoughts?
g5., imac, macbook Mac OS X (10.4.8) fairly new to apple

You will want to set up the AX as a wireless client...
To set up AirTunes on the AirPort Express Base Station (AX), using the AirPort Admin Utility, connect your computer directly (using an Ethernet cable) to the Ethernet port of the AX, and then, try these settings:
AirPort tab
- Base Station Name: <whatever you wish or use the default>
- Wireless Mode: Join an Existing Wireless Network (Wireless Client)
- Wireless Network: <select the existing wireless network>
Music tab
- Enable AirTunes on this base station (checked)
- Enable AirTunes over the Ethernet port (optional)
- iTunes Speaker Name: <whatever you wish>
- iTunes Speaker Password (optional)
In iTunes:
iTunes > Preferences... > Advanced > General
- Look for remote speakers connected with AirTunes (checked)

Using an external hard drive with an airport extreme and HP computer

- I recently bought the airport extreme, and also bought a Seagate external hard drive for my music files. I can see the hard drive on the airport utility but cannot access it or find where to access it. I am using an HP computer with windows 7.
Help please!

The AirPort Extreme cannot share out the attached Seagate USB hard drive if it is formatted in NTFS or ExFat. Please check to see that it is formatted in either FAT32 or HFS+ (Apple format).
If it is already formatted in either of the latter two formats, then verify that the AirPort Utility can properly identify the hard drive by using the AirPort Utility for Windows.
Finally please checkout the following Apple Support article for details on accessing this shared drive from a Windows PC.

Can i extend the range of an airport extreme with another airport extreme and use the ports on the airport extreme i used to extend the network?

That seems like a complicated question.
I have a Time Capsule (which the HD *****, but that is matter for another discussion) and want to extend the range with an Airport Extreme because I have 2 devices in one room that do not do wireless but have Ethernet ports.
The room has iffy WiFy connectivity too.
I want to know if the 3 ports on the Airport Extreme still work after configuring it as an extender rather than a router.

The thing is that I want to know if I can put the Airport Extreme at the edge of the room where the existing Base does not reach.
This will not work.
Remember, an "extending" AirPort can only extend the quality of wireless signal that it receives. For that reason, it must be located where it can receive a strong wireless signal in order to work effectively.
For example, let's say that your "main" router was on one end of the house and you want to extend the signal to reach the other end of the house. In this case, you would locate the "extending" AirPort about half way between the main router and the other side of the house.

Help with new Airport Extreme (and network name) not recognizing Time Capsule and other Airports in the home

I had a Time Capsule running in an AV Cabinet and it made too much noise as it backed up and ruined soft/quiet music passages (and created far too much warmth as well). So, I visited the local Apple store and the guy I met worked through a few solutions with me. I decided on an Airport Extreme for the audio cabinet, and would move the Time Capsule to another room where it would not create noise interference.
So, I have the Airport up and running perfectly well. I changed my wireless network name and password.
I cannot get the Airport Express and Time Capsule to show up on my network. They both just blink that brown/orange color on the front. When I go to the Airport Utility, it does not pick up the Time Capsule or Airport Express. I have tried unplugging and plugging back in and scanning for devices, but dont know what else to do. Are they still looking for my old network? Is there a way to reset them??
Thanks for any help.

I've tried the option key on both--the AEBS offers 14 options, including Automatic, while the TC offers 8 options, and no Automatic. The AEBS lists (among others) 802.11 a/n-b/g compatible, 802.11 a-b/g compatible, or 802.11 n (5 GHz)-b/g compatible. The TC offers 802.11.n (b/g compatible), 802.11n only (2.4 GHz), and 802.11n only (5 GHz), among others...
I had already followed the instructions in the link you supplied, except that the wireless options don't quite match...
I am currently trying 802.11n (5GHz)-b/g compatible on the AEBS and 802.11 (5GHz) on the TC, which gives me a rate of 270 on my n devices and 54 on my g devices, according to the Airport Utility.
This might be the best I can do, without buying a new TC. Thanks for any advice you can give...
C.

HT4628 After installing the new OS from apple (10.8.2) my macbook pro keeps disconnecting from the internet. I am connecting with an Airport Extreme and while it shows I am connected, every 20-45 seconds its searching for a wireless connection. Any sugg

I guess I posted my question as a title but that is my issue. My airport is connected via wireless yet it keeps searching for a wireless connection, hence I am experiencing bad latency and disconnection issues. Anyone know a solution?

I have the same problem. And in my case it happens when i transfer "large" files over the WiFi. When i send an MP3 filer over Skype i loose connection. When i transfer updates between my iPhone 5 / iPad 3 and iMac with Mountain Lion i loose connection. When i have a video conference i loose connection. You get the idea.
There is usually like 30 people using their own router on the 2.4 GHz band near by. None on the 5 GHz band which i use. But when my WiFi freezes on ML i can only see my own router. And i am also connected to it. But all my neighbors WiFi routers are now invisble to me. My network stalled.
What i do is that i disconnect my WiFi and then reconnect it again. Thank fixes it. But all my transfers and what not has been dropped. And i have to start all over - and the WiFi will stall again.
While my WiFi is frozen on the iMac with ML i have no problem using the same router on the same 5 GHz band with my iPhone 5 or iPad 3.
Downgrading the AirPort Extreme to 7.6.1 from 7.6.3 helped a bit. Now i only loose connection a few times each day.
It is a software error in ML i am sure of. A driver maybe. But i am suspecting that it is either a speed-sync error or an energy saving error. Like the network card turns of in the middle of a file transfer to save enrgy - maybe.
When i stream movies from my iMac to my Apple TV or 3 there is no problem at all. It is so odd.

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.)

Apple TV often drops connection with AirPort Extreme and Express stations

Here's my setup:
- Mac Pro in basement office connected to AirPort Extreme (802.11n) station via Ethernet
- AirPort Extreme station running WPA/WPA2 security and 802.11n (b/g compatible)
- AirPort Express station across basement room connected to stereo expressly for AirTunes purposes
- Apple TV and MacBook Pro on house ground floor, both connecting to the network via WiFi
(unless specified, the software and firmware in my devices is all extremely up to date. I write about Apple news for a living so I know when the updates land and install all of them almost immediately)
Here's what's going wrong:
Since I have one of the first gen Apple TVs with a 40GB hard drive but a 100GB iTunes library, I use streaming almost 100% of the time. The Apple TV can usually connect to my iTunes library for streaming via WiFi, but if the AirPort Express (a b/g device, mind you) is active on the network, the Apple TV and even my MacBook Pro get booted off the network usually between 12-24 hours, if not 48. Sometimes WiFi seems to work itself out and I can get the MacBook Pro back online, sometimes it even needs a full restart, as Mac OS X will start giving me nothing but "there was an error trying to join this network" warnings. Just as frustrating though, the Apple TV getting booted off means I need go through the whole tedious process of connecting it to WiFi again (it doesn't remember the password for some stupid reason), and then manually surfing again through the Sources list just to get back to streaming my media.
What the heck is going on? Is it the kind of security I'm running? Should I try WEP or... none at all? I would try "downgrading" the Extreme station's network type to only b/g (excluding n entirely), but I don't see that option in the radio settings anymore; it's all just flavors 802.11n now. When I set up the AirPort Express to connect to the network just for AirTunes streaming to the stereo, I used the setup wizard that the AirPort Utility provides. Should I attach it a different way? Perhaps manually set it to "participate in a WDS network" or "extend a wireless network?"
Any thoughts or similar experiences are very, very appreciated. My wife and I love this setup, but its unreliability is really getting on my nerves. Thanks in advance.
Message was edited by: bedoughty

Firstly, the easiest bit (although I don't believe you need to do this):
I would try "downgrading" the Extreme station's network type to only b/g (excluding n entirely), but I don't see that option in the radio settings anymore
You will get additional settings if you hold down the option key while browsing the radio settings drop down menu.
Moving on: Unfortunately a dropped connections seems to be a problem with umpteen causes and not only is it difficult to troubleshoot with someone in a forum it can also be made even more difficult because many problems are associated with network settings on a router that the person who is trying to help is unfamiliar with.
However you seem to be convinced your problems arise when your express is running which may narrow things down a little if correct, if not it may actually lead us away from the answer to your issue.
Is it the kind of security I'm running? Should I try WEP or... none at all?
I use WPA and have no problems (password = 8 Characters)
Should I attach it a different way? Perhaps manually set it to "participate in a WDS network" or "extend a wireless network?
I have my expresses set to participate in a WDS network, but that's because I use them for other things other than itunes, I would have thought 'join a network' would be fine.
You could check that all your devices are using independent IP addresses and all are using the same subnet. You could also check that no two devices have the same mac address, I've been told a million times this can't happen, but I've seen it. You may be wise to check these things before and after your devices have been 'kicked off the network", you may even want to write them down to see if any are changing.

Setup Problems with New AirPort Extreme and Dell Desktop XP with ethernet

I have a Dell desktop computer at home with a cisco cable modem connected to Comcast. I am trying to setup a new wireless network using new AirPort extreme so that new iPad can use wireless.
Connections seem to work but when running the AirPort Utility, it doesn't find my base station. The Dell doesn't have wireless. Does the Airport Utility only work via wireless? Or can it work across the ethernet connection?
I'd appreciate anyone's help.
Thanks.

Hello VL Crew. Welcome to the Apple Discussions!
Does the Airport Utility only work via wireless?
No, the AirPort Utility will work whether your computer is connected to the 802.11n AirPort Extreme Base Station (AEBSn) by wire or wireless.

Can i use time machine with a airport extreme and a external hard drive

I have connected a hard drive to my airport extreme.
Now i would like to use time machine to back up my computers, and would like to do this on the hard drive which is connected to my airport extreme.
Next step is that i would like to be able to approach my external hard drive via the internet.
Is this possible or not?

Both are possible. However, Apple does NOT support Time Machine backups to AirPort Disks attached to the 802.11n AirPort Extreme Base Station (AEBSn). Doing so will potentially lead to data corruption and is highly not recommended. Please check out this excellent Pondini article for more details. This article also provides the Apple Support references that states Apple's position. Bottom line? If your backups are critical to you, then you may want to rethink your backup solution.
As far as accessing the AirPort Disk from the Internet, the following is the basic steps to do so:
Start the AirPort Utility > Select the AEBSn, and then, note the IP address shown.
Select Manual Setup.
Verify that Connection Sharing = Share a public IP address is selected on the Internet > Internet Connection tab.
Select Disks, and then, select File Sharing.
Verify that both the "Enable file sharing" and "Share disks over WAN" options are enabled.
Verify that Secure Shared Disks = With a disk password. (Recommended)
Verify that AirPort Disks Guest Access = Not allowed. (Recommended)
Select Advanced, and then, select the Port Mapping tab.
Click the plus sign to add a new port mapping.
For Service, select the "Personal File Sharing" option. (Note: This option would only allow Mac clients to access the AirPort Disks. If you want both Macs and PCs to connect, you would need to leave this field at its default value and enter the appropriate SMB ports to the mix of ports to be opened.)
In the Public UDP Port(s) and Public TCP Port(s) boxes, type in a 4-digit port number (e.g., 8888) that you choose. In the Private IP Address box, type the internal IP address of your AEBSn that you wrote down in step 1. In the Private UDP Port(s) and Private TCP Port(s) boxes, type 548. Click Continue.
In the Description box, type a descriptive name like "AirPort Disk File Sharing," and then, click Done.
Click on Update.
To connect to the shared AirPort Disk from a remote location using a Mac:
From the Finder > Go > Connect to Server.
Enter the Pubic (WAN-side) IP address of the AEBSn, followed by a colon and the Public port number that you choose in step 11 of the previous procedure. For example: afp://www.mydyndnsdomain.com:8888 or afp://123.456.789.123:8888
Click Connect.
You should be prompted for your user name and password. The user name can be anything you like; the password should be the Disk password for the AEBSn that you created in step 6 previously.
Click Connect.

Using an X-Modem M3 with an Airport Extreme and having iChat video problems

Hi,
I have been posting on the iChat section over the last week or so regarding a big problem I have with iChat4 Video. I have been getting some great help over there, but it has been mentioned to me that I may be able to pick up some help in this Topic regarding any more detailed known issues on the X-modem M3 or Airport Extreme.
I am still very new to this Discussion board use, so I hope it's ok to jump in like this and post a link to my ongoing discussion in iChat. See below.....
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1323485&tstart=0
I didn't want to copy all of my message again into here as I thought it best that if you can help you could use the link.
If anyone can help throw some light on this, then many thanks.

The X-Modem in the default modem mode has no influence over the data being transferred. It is a modem not a router so it does not block any communication ports. Your iChat problems must be either on the Airport or the computer.
Seeing as how iChat works fine when the modem is connected to the computer via Ethernet it shows that the modem is working fine and that your ISP doesn't seem to be doing any blocking that would prevent iChat from working.
It really looks like the Airport Extreme is the culprit, perhaps the firewall on the computer is not properly allowing iChat to tell the Airport what ports it should open. Have you tried switching the firewall off completely at both ends ? Seeing as how the computers are behind Airports there is no need to worry about turning the firewall off for testing.

Setting up TC on N (5 GHz), with older AirPort Extreme and Express on B/G

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