Time Capsule to Airport Express extension

Question

I have recently set up a Time Capsule and Airport Express, the latter as an extension, without trouble. Needed further extension and purchased another AE. Although I get a green light on the second AE there is no extension of the WiFi to the area where the second AE is placed. I have re-set up all the components multiple times without success. Using Airport Utility 5.5.1 on a 27" late 2009 IMac, system 10.6.4. In advance thank you for any help.

Answer 1

Ok, here is the basic steps to configure your base stations into a static WDS:
(Note: To facilitate the WDS set up, temporarily connect the remote & relay base stations to the TC by Ethernet during the set up phase, and then, relocate them to the desired locations when complete. Also, jot down the AirPort IDs (wireless MAC addresses) for each of the base stations to be used in the WDS. The AirPort ID and is printed on the label on the bottom/side of the base station.)
Main Base Station Setup - TC
o Click the AirPort status menu in the menu bar and choose the wireless network created by the base station you want to set up as the main base station.
o Open AirPort Utility (located in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder on a Macintosh computer, or in Start > All Programs > AirPort on a computer using Windows).
o Select the main base station, and then, choose Manual Setup from the Base
Station menu.
o Enter the base station password if necessary. If the base station is using the default password of public, you will not be prompted for a password.
o Click Wireless in the toolbar, and then, choose “Participate in a WDS network” from the Wireless Mode pop-up menu. Note: You will need to hold down the Option key in order to get this option on the AEBSn, 802.11n AirPort Express Base Station (AXn), or Time Capsule (TC).
o Click WDS and then, choose “WDS main” from the WDS Mode pop-up menu.
o Select the “Allow wireless clients” checkbox if you want client computer to connect to this base station.
o Click the Add "+" button and enter the AirPort ID of the base station you want to connect to this base station.
o Click Update to send the new settings to the base stations in the WDS.
Remote Base Station Setup - AX#2
o Open AirPort Utility; select the remote base station, and then, choose Manual Setup from the Base Station menu.
o Enter the base station password, if necessary.
o Enter the same network password as the main base station, if necessary.
o Click AirPort in the toolbar, and then, click Wireless. Choose “Participate in a WDS network” from the Wireless Mode pop-up menu, and then, choose the same channel as the main base station from the Channel pop-up menu.
o Click WDS and choose “WDS remote” from the pop-up menu.
o Enter the AirPort ID of the main base station in the WDS Main field.
o Click Update to transfer the settings to the base station.
Relay Base Station Setup - AX#1
o Open AirPort Utility; select the relay base station, and then, choose Manual Setup from the Base Station menu.
o Enter the same network password as the main base station, if necessary.
o Click AirPort in the toolbar, and then, click Wireless. Choose “Participate in a WDS network” from the Wireless Mode pop-up menu, and then, choose the same channel as the main base station from the Channel pop-up menu.
o Click WDS and choose “WDS relay” from the WDS Mode pop-up menu.
o Enter the AirPort ID of the main base station in the Main AirPort ID field.
o Click the Add "+" button and enter the AirPort ID of the remote base station this relay base station will connect to.
o Click Update to transfer the new WDS settings to the relay and remote base stations.
(ref: Pages 42-46 of "Designing AirPort Networks.)