Q: Installing Airport Extreme to Motorola gateway?
I was hoping someone may be able to help me go through the steps necessary to setup my new Airport Express base station (brand new) to a Motorola Surfboard SBG 6580 gateway (Cox is my ISP). My main machines are a mid 2010 21.5" iMac running OSX 10.8.5 and a mid 2010 15" MacBook Pro running OSX10.10.5
From the research I've done, I know I will need to turn off the wireless features on the gateway, and run an ethernet cable from one of the WAN ports on to the airport express. I'm just wondering if it's just a matter of going into my router settings, and turning off the wireless so I can just use it as a modem, or is there anything else I have to turn off while I'm in those settings?
I also have a Netgear wifi extender used in my current set up, but I'm hoping that I won't need that any longer once I set up the airport extreme, but if I did need it, would it even be compatible with the airport extreme?
Will I still be able to use the other WAN ethernet ports on the motorola once the airport extreme is set up? I ask because I currently use all 4 ports on the motorola, and the airport extreme only has 3.
Lastly, I'd like to use the same name as my current wifi network, will there be any issue with that, and will I be able to hide my network name as I currently do? I think it's a "do not broadcast" option currently so it doesn't come up for people scanning wireless networks
The devices that use my wifi are mostly Apple products except for an HTC smartphone, an Amazon Fire stick, and a smart TV.
Thanks in advance for any help/advise
Jeff
MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5), 15" mid 2010
Posted on Jan 16, 2016 11:35 AM
know I will need to turn off the wireless features on the gateway
No this is not necessary at all.. In fact keep using the Cox supplied gateway as is. There is nothing wrong with that setup.
I'm just wondering if it's just a matter of going into my router settings, and turning off the wireless so I can just use it as a modem, or is there anything else I have to turn off while I'm in those settings?
Just to make it clear.. changing the gateway to a bridge modem which is what your asking is far more complicated than shutting off wireless. And often the ISP have them setup so it is not even possible at your end. Forget it.. and just leave it alone.
run an ethernet cable from one of the WAN ports on to the airport express.
Yes, you will do this.. and setup the Express in bridge mode.. you will still use the main gateway as the router.
Setup express to create a wireless network. Use a different name to the gateway.
I do recommend names that are short, no spaces and pure alphanumeric.. do not accept the Apple Recommended Name in the setup utility.
Passwords also follow the same rule but can be longer.. 3-10 characters for names.. 8-20 characters for passwords.. will be fine.
I also have a Netgear wifi extender used in my current set up, but I'm hoping that I won't need that any longer once I set up the airport extreme, but if I did need it, would it even be compatible with the airport extreme?
We suddenly changed from Express to Extreme..
Edit Hmmm no the rest of the text now says Extreme.. and the title so the Express was the typo.
The wifi extender is problematic. It is NOT 100% compatible.. although it may work as universal extender but this has implications.. Again if you have range issues you might still be better with the Netgear extending the Cox gateway.
The Express is no wireless power house.. so its range is going to be fairly restricted.. as is its speed which is very limited due to using 100mbit ethernet.
Edit... The Extreme is a lot better and obviously gigabit.
Will I still be able to use the other WAN ethernet ports on the motorola once the airport extreme is set up? I ask because I currently use all 4 ports on the motorola, and the airport extreme only has 3.
This is another nail in the coffin of bridging the cable modem router.. It would stop you using any ports on it except to connect the Extreme.. and now I think you are talking about extreme.. because express only has one wan and one lan.
The Motorola will have only one wan port and 4 LAN ports.. again just to keep our terminology right. WAN is to the internet.. LAN is the local network.
Lastly, I'd like to use the same name as my current wifi network, will there be any issue with that, and will I be able to hide my network name as I currently do? I think it's a "do not broadcast" option currently so it doesn't come up for people scanning wireless networks
You can use same names.. in which case you will have no way to tell what is connected to what.. so I would much prefer to see you using a different name for the Extreme/Express whatever it is.
If you are really wanting to get rid of the wireless on the Cox modem router.. then just turn off its wireless.. and use the Extreme. Do not bridge the cox modem.. if you want to use a bridged modem buy a pure modem that cox allows.. zoom is the recommended one with airports. NOT SB models.
Do not bother with hiding the broadcast. There is no security in it at all.. People scanning can still see hidden networks.. in fact the people who will want to hack wireless find hidden broadcast no problem at all.. and it breaks the IEEE standard.. wireless was never designed to NOT broadcast. It does anyway even when hidden.. just not polling. The security is WPA2 Personal security with a decent password.. that is still unbreakable.. You are only causing yourself issues with hidden.. But you can ignore this and do it if you want.. it is there in the Airport utility to do it.
Posted on Jan 23, 2016 11:22 AM






