HT204616: Wi-Fi base stations: Setting up and configuring a roaming network (802.11 a/b/g/n)

Learn about Wi-Fi base stations: Setting up and configuring a roaming network (802.11 a/b/g/n)
StigB

Q: How to extend wireless from non-apple base station?

Hi, I hope someone can provide some advice!

 

I have just been upgraded to Fibre Broadband. BT Openreach Fibre modem and ISP supplied Router. I used to have my old ADSL modem router connected to my Time Capsule with the TC as the wireless base station and used Airport Express units to extend the wireless network.

 

I now have the router next to the fibre modem and plugged into a powerline adapter that is sending internet to the Time Capsule. The router is providing a good wifi signal to the end of the house where it is located. The Time Capsule has a good comms rate with the router via powerline (300Mbps). However, all of the Airport Express units are linking to the Time Capsule and so some are too far away.

 

My question is can I get the Airport Express units taking the wireless from the more centrally located router and not the Time Capsule?

 

This is what I have done so far:

 

TC configured to create a wireless network (as it is connected to the router via ethernet) connecting to internet via DHCP; TC in bridge mode using same SSID and password as the router. I am using the same security mode too!

 

Each AE unit is configured to connect via DHCP too; Network Mode is set to Extend Wireless Network again using same secutiry, password and SSID

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Stig

iMac (27-inch, Late 2013), OS X Mavericks (10.9.1)

Posted on Jan 8, 2014 10:15 AM

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Q: How to extend wireless from non-apple base station?

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  • by LaPastenague,Helpful

    LaPastenague LaPastenague Jan 8, 2014 10:31 AM in response to StigB
    Level 9 (52,596 points)
    Wireless
    Jan 8, 2014 10:31 AM in response to StigB

     

    My question is can I get the Airport Express units taking the wireless from the more centrally located router and not the Time Capsule?

     

    Sadly no.. Apple are proprietry systems.. you can only extend wireless from another Apple router.

     

    If you have multiple express the following is possible.

     

    Plug one express into the main router.. just like the TC and create a wireless network.

     

    Use your second express to extend it. Naturally the longer the piece of ethernet you can use on the main router to the first express the better.

     

    And you will be running out of wireless channels so getting this setup might require a bit more manual setup to ensure wireless is fixed..

     

    There are three only non-overlapping channels, 11, 6, 1 although in UK you can use up to 13, which helps a bit. That is 2.4ghz which is the most important band still for wireless due to limited range of 5ghz.

     

    5ghz does have many more channels and should be used for anything closeby.

  • by StigB,

    StigB StigB Jan 8, 2014 12:37 PM in response to LaPastenague
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 8, 2014 12:37 PM in response to LaPastenague

    Hi and thanks for the reply. I don't understand the wireless channels comment though - are you saying that I should keep the wireless network being broadcast by the non-Apple router and get the TC / AE to broadcast a different SSID wireless on  a different channel?

     

    Or is it a case of having the same network details but being broadcast on two different channels, one from the TC at one end of the house and another from the AE at the other end (both AE and TC being connected to the router by Ethernet)?

     

    Cheers

     

    Stig

  • by LaPastenague,

    LaPastenague LaPastenague Jan 8, 2014 1:20 PM in response to StigB
    Level 9 (52,596 points)
    Wireless
    Jan 8, 2014 1:20 PM in response to StigB

    StigB wrote:

     

    Hi and thanks for the reply. I don't understand the wireless channels comment though - are you saying that I should keep the wireless network being broadcast by the non-Apple router and get the TC / AE to broadcast a different SSID wireless on  a different channel?

     

    Or is it a case of having the same network details but being broadcast on two different channels, one from the TC at one end of the house and another from the AE at the other end (both AE and TC being connected to the router by Ethernet)?

     

     

    You can take your pick.. in one way these are identical.. the problem is the same.. there are limited channels.

     

    So setup 1. Roaming.

     

    In a roaming setup all AP have a network connection by ethernet (or EOP in your case to the TC). All have the same name = SSID same wireless security and password.

     

    There is no reason at all you should not use the current non apple router for wireless.. it is just as much as part of the network.

     

    What you cannot do is extend its wireless using the express..

     

    But you can improve the situation by plugging an Express into the router by ethernet and create a wireless network.. your second express can wirelessly extend that.

     

    So you would then have..

     

    Express2- - - - -  Express1___Main Router___TC (- - - - is wireless and ___ ethernet or EOP)

     

    All three can create a wireless network.. of the same name.. but there has to be something to make them different.. that is channels. So Express1 is on channel 1.. Main router is on channel 6 and TC is on channel 11 or 13. (Express 2 is extending so it simply complies with Express1).

     

    I recommend this instead of Auto on express.. Auto on Main Router and Auto on TC.. because IMHO 3 auto channel swapping routers = Chaos.

     

    Setup 2. Multiple wireless networks.

    Now .. you can have different names. You can have three different wireless names.. Express1 .. Main router and TC all having different names.. or all the same name.. or all apple routers the same name and the main router different. Anyhow you want.. completely up to you.

     

    Roaming is good.. and less confusing though.