Use airport extreme to extend time capsule network

I have tc and an airport extreme. I want to use the airport extreme to extend my network and because I can use it to connect my directv receiver directly by ethernet. How do I set up the second router to act as an extension?

Won't using WDS (which is harder to set up) prevent use of 802.11n mode? It's my understanding that WDS is limited to 802.11b/g modes. This would be obviated by simply using the AEBS to extend the existing network and configuring the TC to be extended, correct?
I don't know. I have 1 802.11n Airport Extreme and a Snow 802.11b/g Airport Extreme and an 802.11b/g Airport Express.
I have only experimented with WDS between the Snow and Express so I can not speak about 802.11n.
However, if the Time Capsule and Airport Extreme are still supporting 802.11b/g then they must operate in the 2.4GHz frequence range. This will limit 802.11n performance. This is why I use my 802.11n Airport Extreme in 5GHz ONLY mode servicing just the 802.11n devices, and I use the older Snow and Express in Bridge mode to support my 802.11b/g devices using the 2.4GHz frequences.
The only way I know to properly extend an 802.11n network is to create a *Roaming WiFi Network*. This involves running an ethernet cable from the Time Capsule to the Airport Extreme. Then configure the Airport Extreme and Time Capsule so they have identical SSID, WiFi encryption method, and password. In addition, the Airport Extreme -> Internet -> Internet Connection tab must have "Connection Sharing:" set to "Off (Bridge Mode)" so that the Time Capsule provides all the routing services and there is only 1 subnet in the home.
Of course I'm willing to learn new tricks, so if there is a way to wirelessly extend the 802.11n network and stay in the 5GHz frequences, I am interested, as you never know, some day I will most likely own another 802.11n base station.

Similar Messages

  • How do I add an airport extreme to existing time capsule network and be able to use the router ethernet ports?

    Good day everyone.  I recently upgraded my airport extreme network by replacing the base station with a time capsule router.  Since I now have an "extra" airport extreme router, I've set it up on the other side of the house to both extend the wireless range as well as use it's LAN ports for a home theater system in that location.  Connecting the two routers was done via ethernet.  It now appears that I need to do something "else" as the LAN ports on the now relocated airport extreme are nonfunctional.  All devices are operating well for wireless and as a review, the modem is connected to the time capsule WAN which is connected to the airport extreme via ethernet cable via LAN to it's WAN port.  What do I need to change on configurations to get the LAN ports functioning on the airport extreme?  Thank you for any help.

    Connecting the two routers was done via ethernet.  It now appears that I need to do something "else" as the LAN ports on the now relocated airport extreme are nonfunctional.
    With both base stations interconnected by Ethernet you have the basis for a "roaming" type network. If properly configured, both base stations' Ethernet ports would be enabled for wired clients.
    The key configuration items for a roaming network are as follows:
    All base stations used must be interconnected by Ethernet.
    The "main" base station; the one connected to the Internet modem, must be configured to provide both NAT & DHCP services; all other base stations used must be configured as bridges (NAT & DHCP disabled.)
    Each base station must have a unique base station name.
    Each base station must use the same wireless security type and password.

  • Airport extreme to extend time capsule range - performance degradation

    I have a time capsule - had no wireless coverage on my patio. Installed an extreme base station as an extender and the good news is I now have coverage on my patio. Bad news is the performance in my office went from good to bad. Office had thruput of 5Mb per sec before installing the extender to around 300Kb per second after installing the extreme base station as an extender. When I unplug the extreme base station performance in the office goes back to good - 5Mb per second. Of course when I unplug extreme base station I lose coverage on the patio. I thought the network on my mac book pro would pick the transmitter with the strongest signal. When moving to the office I would restart the MACbook PRO to make sure it wasn't still using the same transmitter as when I moved to patio to office. The workaround is to leave the extender unplugged unless I am on the patio - an ugly kludge. Any insight help will be greatly appreciated.
    Thanks,
    Mike

    Thanks for all your help and the explanations.
    Not looking to beat a dead horse - everything is working to my satisfaction but but my head is spinning on some of this stuff.
    Originally on the TC 'Radio Mode' was set to '802.11n (802.11b/g compatible)'.
    I changed it to '802.11n only (5Ghz)'. That resolved my issues and I am very happy about that.
    Per your post the iphone was not 802.11n capable and my poking around on GOOGLE seems to confirm that.
    However, my iphone 3g looks like it is utilizing my wireless network. I see a fan icon vs. 3g icon. When I first take the iphone off sleep, the icon is 3g but it changes to the fan icon. I can confirm it is using my wireless network through an application. The app is IPOD keeper which syncs my passwords. It shows it is picking up an DHCP ip address and port number from my private wireless network. 192.168.2.xxx.
    My wife has a first gen iphone and an Ipad - she is out of town and I can't test those devices. If the first gen iphone can't utilize the wireless network - no big deal - it's simply a phone for her. Hopefully the Ipad will work - that is a big deal for her.
    I'm always trying to learn and appreciate your time and help.

  • How do I use AirPort Extreme to extend my wifi network - have BT HomeHub 5

    AirPort Extreme is plugged into my HomeHub 5 and I have set it up as extending a network using the Airport Utility, but it isn't finding the network - the light is orange  
    Please can someone help me.
    Thanks
    Joanna

    Please check out the following Apple Support article on how to configure both devices for a roaming network. The "Extend a network" mode on the AirPort Extreme will NOT work in your setup.

  • What happens if I add an Airport Extreme to the Time Capsule network?

    It is difficult to get a signal at one end of our house. We are using TC as the network router. If I set up my older Airport Extreme to relay signals will it slow down transmission speed? I think the AE is operating at "g" frequency while TC is at "n" so having the slower router in the mix, does it make everything run slow?

    If you need to extend your TC wirelessly, you will only be able to do so via a Wireless Distribution System (WDS) with the 802.11g AirPort Extreme Base Station (AEBS). WDS only supports 802.11g, which would impact the overall bandwidth performance of the TC. Typically, the overall bandwidth decreases by one-half for each base station added to the WDS. Since the WDS is operating in 802.11g, you could expect the bandwidth to be around 54/2=27 Mbps.

  • Using an Airport Extreme and a Time Capsule at the same time

    Guys I have had an Airport Extreme and a Time Capsule running together for nearly a year now and over the last few days the TC has been behaving badly. I changed its settings and now I'm in a mess. No, I can't remember the previous settings
    Does anyone have a definitive list of the settings I need please? I have an ethernet cable modem, and the Airport Extreme is plugged into that as the main router. Two computers and the Time Capsule are plugged into the Airport Extreme using ethernet. The Time Capsule at the moment is just used as a network drive for Time Machine, but at some point I want to move it, with a long ethernet cable, and use it for extending the wifi in the house.
    1. Should I connect the TC using its WAN port or one of the other ethernet ports? At present it's one of the other ones.
    2. What TC settings should I use to have it function purely as a hard drive? At the moment there's some kind of conflict and my internet connection drops every 30 minutes.
    3. Then later, what settings will I need to get the ethernet connected TC to extend the range of my wifi?
    I read the Apple doc about WDS and tried setting the TC up that way. Then I discovered there is no WDS option in the AE Wireless settings. Only "Create a wireless network" or "extend a wireless network". The same setting on the TC has these options: "Create a wireless network" "Participate in a WDS network" or "extend a wireless network". Both devices have firmware 7.5.2. It didn't work with only the TC set for WDS, of course, but after that I can't get it back the way it was - which wasn't reliable anyway
    Any help in exactly what the Wireless and Internet settings should be would be massively useful. Thanks!

    If you use the extreme as a router then the tc should be connected via its wan port to one of the lan ports on the extreme. Tc should be set up in bridge mode. Basically you could set it up to create another wireless network beside the one created by the extreme. There is no need to use WDS or extend the other network.
    Use the same SSID and password for both machines. Computers will connect to the strongest signal.

  • Connecting Airport Extreme N to Time Capsule via ethernet to extend wireles

    Hi, I currently have 2 Airport Extreme N and a Time capsule and would like to connect all three together. I am planning to use the time Capsule as the router and then use the other airport extreme to extend the wireless network. I am planning to have ethernet connection between the three devices ie Airport extreme N (A) is connected to time capsule via ethernet and airport extreme N (B) is connected to time capsule via another ethernet.
    I have tried the Extend Wireless network option to connect them, but that seems to generate so much traffic between the airport extreme N and the time capsule that the network is not usable. I have also tried using WDS but that didn't seem to work.
    The three wireless networks have some areas of overlap but the signal is weak which is why i prefer to link them up with ethernet.
    What is the best wall to configure them? should I set them up so that they're each creating a wireless network but with the same name? Or is there a better solution? Thanks!

    It seems to me the easiest way is to have the Airport Extreme connect to internet using Ethernet, using DHCP and the Connection sharing in off (bridge mode) and then create a new wireless network with the same name... Is that correct? I have previously ran the apple wizard and it did something weird with the network and then both the time capsule and the airport extreme are serving out IP address and both of them have the same IP address 10.0.1.1. which then messes up everything...
    Any ideas? thanks!

  • Do I have to use airport extreme to be a main network if I want to use Airport express extend my wifi range

    Do I have to use airport extreme to be a main network if I want to use Airport express extend my wifi range.

    You cannot extend wifi from a different brand router..
    Only apple to apple.
    But the apple router does not have to be the main router.. it can be in bridge.. as long as it is creating a wireless network it will work fine.

  • Airport Extreme and a Time Capsule - config recommendations?

    Hi!
    So I find myself (in a fortunate position?!) with a new Airport Extreme and a Time Capsule.
    I have very few requirements - I would like to be able to connect to the Internet wirelessly, and I'd like to be able to backup a couple of Macs using Time Machine (also wirelessly).  I realise that the TC can provide me with that functionality nice and easily, but since I have an AE and a TC, I figure it would be good to make use of both, and so I wanted to ask if anyone had any recommendations for a useful configuration?
    I think there are 2 basic options I could make use of (have I missed any?!):
    1) Use AE as base station and connect the TC to it as an external HD
    2) Use AE as base station and also make TC available for back up wirelessly
    Does anyone have any thoughts on the above?  If you'd recommend 2), what would be your suggested approach as I think I'm right in saying that 2) could be done in several ways? Roaming? WDS? Just setup TC as a stand-alone wireless box with no internet connection? (does this latter approach mean I could connect to the internet and backup at the same time - I'm guessing not?)
    If 1) is the way to go, is it just a case of putting an ethernet cable between the 2 boxes?
    Any thoughts would be hugely appreciated!
    Many thanks

    I would use the Time Capsule as the wireless base station connected to the modem.  Then I'd use the Airport Extreme to extend the network or to create a roaming network (ethernet cable betwee the units), whichever worked best in the premises.  Naturally, Time Capsule would be used for backups of all machines equipped with Time Machine.  Have never hooked up any Apple equipment but from my understanding of it, this is what I'd try.

  • AirPort Extreme with 3T time capsule file security question

    Right now I am using a MacMini with an external HD as a file server.  I'm thinking g of using the new AirPort Extreme with 3T time capsule to do the same tho g (while also extended my wifi reach).
    With the Mac mini I have fine control over who gets to see and do what to which folders and files.  It seems that with the AirPort Extreme thee is no notion of permissions or access control -- if you can get on the wireless you can access the files.  That is extremely insecure. 
    Is my understanding correct?  Is there no way to secure files hosted on an AirPort Extreme so only certain users can access them??
    - john

    Are there any instructions for how to format and set HFS+ user permissions on the AP Extreme's HDD?
    For the formatting part, you will need to temporarily connect the drive to your Mac, and then, use the Disk Utility (a part of the OS X operating system) to partition and format the drive. You should find this utility in the \Applications\Utilities folder. For HFS+, choose "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" for the Format option.
    For assigning user permissions using accounts, you will need to use the AirPort Utility.
    Run the AirPort Utility
    Select the Extreme, and then, click on Edit.
    Select the Disks tab.
    Select the HDD in the Partitions window.
    Choose "With accounts" as the Secure Shared Disks option.
    Click on the "+" button to add user accounts.
    For each account desired, enter the Account Name, Password, and File Sharing Access type.
    Click Save.
    Click Update to write the new configuration information to the base station and wait for the station to restart.

  • If I have an airport extreme and a time capsule is it possible for seamless switching between the 2 when a signal is weak or drops Main reason is as I move from my first floor to my attic office and would like to place one (airport extreme)downstairs and

    If I have an airport extreme and a time capsule is it possible for seamless switching between the 2 when a signal is weak or drops
    Main reason is as I move from my first floor to my attic office and would like to place one (airport extreme)downstairs and time capsule upstairs to get complete coverage

    In theory, yes. If you configure the two base station into either an extended or roaming network configuration, you should be able to walk a laptop between routers and the laptop should attempt to connect/reconnect to the base station providing the stronger signal ... but, in reality, this is not always 100% true.

  • What is the best way to hookup my airport extreme with my time capsule ?

    what is the best way to hookup my airport extreme with my time capsule ?

    It sounds like you have the AirPort Extreme configured as the "main" router on your network.
    If that is the case, connect an Ethernet cable from one of the LAN <-> ports on the AirPort Extreme to the WAN "O" port on the Time Capsule
    Power up the Time Capsule
    Connect another spare Ethernet cable from your Mac to one of the LAN <-> ports on the Time Capsule
    Open Macintosh HD > Applications  > Utilities > AirPort Utility
    Click on the Time Capsule, then click Manual Setup
    Click the Wireless tab below the row of icons and make sure that the setting for Wireless Mode = Off
    Click the Internet icon, the click the Internet tab
    Insure that the setting for Connect Using = Ethernet
    Insure that the setting for Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)
    Click the Update button at the lower right of the window and wait a full minute for the Time Capsule to restart
    Then power cycle the entire network by powering everything off....order of power down does not matter
    Wait a minute
    Power up the modem first, and let it run a few minutes by itself
    Power up the AirPort Extreme next and let it run a full minute
    Power up the Time Capsule next and let it run a full minute
    Keep starting devices one at a time about a minute apart until the entire network is back up
    You will need to reset the backup path from your Mac to the Time Capsule to get backups going again
    Open System Preference (gear icon on the dock)
    Open Time Machine
    Click Select Disk
    Click the Time Capsule to highlight it
    Click Use for Backups or Use Disk and backups should begin again in a few minutes
    If you do not want to leave the Mac connected to the Time Capsule by Ethernet, remove the Ethernet cable from the Mac to the Time Capsule, then log on to the AirPort Extreme wireless network

  • Internet - AirPort Extreme (b/g) - Time Capsule - File Server

    I've got a small office network where files are served off a Mac mini, and iMacs connected via 802.11n wifi to the wired mini via Time Capsule. I have a spare AEBS (b/g) that I was thinking of setting it up for iPhone and guest access of internet. To keep the mini and iMacs secure, the set-up would be:
    Internet -> AirPort Extreme (b/g) -> Time Capsule -> Mac mini and iMacs
    The only issue I'm contemplating - the slower Ethernet ports on the Extreme - which I don't think is a problem for connecting to the Internet. Is there anything else I should be concerned about regarding network performance?
    Thanks in advance for the collective wisdom!
    Message was edited by: openarchitecture

    That would work. The Ethernet ports on the AirPort Extreme base station (AEBS) is faster than your internet connection so you shouldn't have a problem.

  • HT4259 i connected two airport extremes by extending a wifi network.  wifi seems weak...help

    i connected two airport extremes by extending a wifi network.  all my lights are green, and airport utility confirms connections are excellent.  but the extended base station hasn't improved my wifi range in the area i set it up in.

    If you have a Mac laptop handy, run the test that I have outlined below to find out if the remote AirPort Extreme is really extending the signal at all.
    Here, I assume that both of your AirPort Extremes are the newer "square" versions....not the older "round" version.
    Locate your Mac laptop close to the "main" AirPort Extreme
    Hold down the option key on the Mac while you click on the fan shaped AirPort icon at the top of the screen
    Look for the BSSID and jot down the last few characters
    The BSSID is the AirPort ID of the AirPort Extreme
    Now, move the laptop close the "remote" AirPort Extreme and perform the same test
    If you see the same BSSID as the "main" AirPort Extreme, your Mac is picking up from the main AirPort...and the remote AirPort is not configured correctly to extend.
    If you see a different BSSID near the remote AirPort, that indicates that the Mac is picking up a signal from the remote AirPort....which is exending the signal correctly.

  • Using domestic power circuit   airport extreme to extend a WiFi network

    I use a Time Capsule as a WiFi device behind an ADSL router supporting MacBooks and iPhones 4 and 5. In parts of the house the devices struggle to find the WiFI so I want to extend the network into these dead spots. I have read that using WiFI to extend the network uses the 5GHz band and imagine that will have an effect on the overall performance as seen by the client devices.
    Would there be any problems in using the power circuits with an airport extreme at a suitable location in the dead zone?
    I don't think the problem I have is a configuration issue but is just the fact that there is a lot of potential interference in place e.g. satellite dish and antennae cables.

    OK thanks. "Extending" a network using power line adapters obviates any question regarding interference affecting your wireless network, at least as connecting the Extreme to your Time Capsule is concerned.
    Power line adapters use your house wiring as a substitute for the Ethernet cables that would normally connect network devices. Your AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule would be connected to one another through the adapters and your house wiring, instead of communicating with each other wirelessly. Both of them will still use their individual 2.4 and 5 GHz networks to communicate with your MacBooks and iPhones.
    This is a potential solution for some people, but it involves the unknowns of premises wiring. Some devices work, some don't, and those that do might not work if they are relocated to different outlets even within the same home. Improper or substandard wiring is very common and almost certain to present a problem.
    It's a compromise that may or may not work in your particular installation. All you can do is try it.

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