How to use express as a wireless extender ?

Question

How to use express as a wireless extender ?

One last attempt before it goes in the bin.....

How do I setup and use the airport express as a wireless extender ?

I have a netgear dg384g wireless router, connected via a wire to a imac.

The router has a wireless sid on it called "ebony".

Upstairs I have a mac mini ( intel 1.6GHz ), which I would like to connect to the wireless router network.

Unfortunateley the mac mini seems to have a wireless range of about 10cm !! Everything else ( an Apple tv, imac, pc laptop, wii, gameboys ) works with the wireless network from upstairs apart from the mac mini.

What I want to do is place the airport express upstairs and connect the mac mini to it, either wirelessley or wired.

I have run through the airport express setup using the imac and the mini using all combinations of options with no success.

The install and instructions seems very orientated to assuming that you have an airport extreme.

Does anyone know how to setup the express as a wireless extender (WDS) on a netgear wireless router ?

Thanks.

iMac 20 inch, mac mini, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Aug 18, 2007 10:10 AM

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Answer 1

Tesserax

Level 10

151,929 points

Aug 18, 2007 11:34 AM in response to Merged Content 1

Unfortunately, most non-AirPort routers are not compatible with Apple's implementation of Wireless Distribution System (WDS)...so it very unlikely that your router can be extended wirelessly with the AirPort Express Base Station (AX).

The few that are known to work are:
o Linksys WRT54G or WRT54GS (not v5)
o Belkin F5D7230-4 and F5D7231
o BT Voyager 2091
o Netgear WGR614 v6
o Buffalo WGR-G54

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Answer 2

Aug 18, 2007 11:55 AM in response to Tesserax

Thanks, I'm happy to accept it may not be compatible but what is the process to attempt the setup ?

I'm completely confused what to do where, to even attempt the setup.

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Answer 3

iFelix

Level 8

35,155 points

Aug 18, 2007 12:18 PM in response to Merged Content 1

Do not waste your time even attempting this. It will NOT work.

It won't work as the Netgear router uses a different chipset to the Airport and therefore is incompatible.

If you try and use the AirPort Setup Assistant you will find that the Airport Express will be unable to find a compatible wireless router.

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Answer 4

Tesserax

Level 10

151,929 points

Aug 18, 2007 12:18 PM in response to Merged Content 1

First, I would ascertain, whether or not, the Netgear supports DD-WRT or if the manufacturer's supports WDS on this model. If the answer is no for either of these, then there would be little chance of success trying to create a WDS between these two.

Unfortunately, I have not come across any specific WDS set up instructions between these two devices on the Internet to offer, as most likely, no one has been successful in making this work.

If you like examples of other WDS pairings with the AX, take a look at the following links:

o http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=607414
o http://www.belkin.com/support/kb/kb.asp?a=2814
o http://rgbdream.com/?p=44
o http://ryanschwartz.net/2004/08/05/airtunes-airport-express-and-the-wrt54g

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Answer 5

iFelix

Level 8

35,155 points

Aug 18, 2007 12:19 PM in response to Tesserax

First, I would ascertain, whether or not, the Netgear supports DD-WRT

It doesn't.

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Answer 6

Tesserax

Level 10

151,929 points

Aug 18, 2007 12:25 PM in response to iFelix

Thanks. I was pretty sure that it didn't.

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Answer 7

Aug 18, 2007 12:48 PM in response to Tesserax

Thanks to all for the replies.

I am assuming if I wire the AX to the router and then attempt a connection to the AX wireless from the mac mini, this might work.

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Answer 8

Tesserax

Level 10

151,929 points

Aug 18, 2007 1:40 PM in response to Merged Content 1

I am assuming if I wire the AX to the router and then attempt a connection to the AX wireless from the mac mini, this might work.

Yes. You just need to set up the AX as a bridge...

To set up the AirPort Express Base Station (AX) as a bridge, either connect to the AX's wireless network or temporarily connect your computer directly (using an Ethernet cable) to the Ethernet port of the AX, and then, using the AirPort Admin Utility (located in the \Applications\Utilities folder), make these settings:

Network tab
o Distribute IP addresses (unchecked)
o Apply the new setting.

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Answer 9

Aug 18, 2007 2:55 PM in response to Tesserax

I connected my imac wirelessley using the AX connected wired to the router, but the mac mini just will not pick up any wireless connection unless its sat on the aerial of the wireless router.

Thanks for all the help.

Luckily I can move an Apple TV upstairs, which will pick up any and all wireless connections ( and will do what I wanted the mini to do ), and I'll move the mini downstairs and have it wired.

Cheers

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Answer 10

Aug 18, 2007 2:57 PM in response to Merged Content 1

Problem was with mac mini having very limited wireless range.

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