Using an Older (802.11g) Airport Extreme as bridge with Time Capsule

Question

Level 1

0 points

Using an Older (802.11g) Airport Extreme as bridge with Time Capsule

Several people have inquired about the possibility of having older (802.11g) computers and devices connected through their Time Capsules without disturbing the 802.11n capabilities of their newer equipment.

The latest version of Designing AirPort Networks Using AirPort Utility --
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/DesigningAirPort_Networks10.5-Windows.pdf -- explains (pp. 48-49) that one can configure a dual-band (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz) network of this type by setting up the "second device [i.e., the older Airport Extreme] as a bridge." What is lacking is a clear (at least to me) way of configuring the 2.4 GHz Extreme as such a bridge, although the text states that one need only follow instructions "earlier in this chapter" (which begins at p. 14). When I try to do this, the AirPort Extreme shows up as a separate network.

Obviously, I am doing something wrong. Can someone walk me through how to configure the AirPort Extreme as a bridge?

Thanks.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on Apr 6, 2008 2:32 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Carl E Moore Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 8, 2008 4:04 PM in response to Carl E Moore

The MAC support people walked me through a solution to my question about using an older (802.11g) AirPort Extreme and a Time Capsule to form a dual network. The solution turns out to be pretty easy but I am posting it in case anyone else has a similar problem.

Here's what was involved:

N-capable equipment: MacBook Pro, IMac, Time Capsule.

B/G-capable equipment: AirPort Extreme (flying saucer 802.11g); Mac G4; older (802.11g) AirPort Express supporting a network printer; IBM ThinkPad running Windows XP (w/service pack 2).

Step 1: Using AirPort Utility (manual setup), I set the Time Capsule to run at 5 GHz (click on "Wireless" then "Radio Mode". Under the same "Wireless" tab, I assigned a 13-digit WPA2 password to this network (more about this latter). If you opt to use the 5GHz frequency, you have the choice of WPA2 or nothing. After saving your settings, exit out of the AirPort Utility; you are done with the Time Capsule.

Step 2: Reset the AirPort Extreme to its default settings by depressing the small reset button while the device is plugged in.

Step 3: I reopened AirPort Utility, accessed the Extreme and clicked manual setup. (You will loose your connection to the Time Capsule at this point, but this is okay.) At the top of the screen that opens in response to clicking "manual setup," click "internet" and set "connection sharing" to "Off (Bridge Mode)" Next click "AirPort" at the very top of the screen: under "Base Station" I named the Extreme as "G network" and set up a network password. Under "Wireless" I next set up a WEP 40 bit password which was identical to the WPA2 password I used for the Time Capsule. Using a WEP password was necessary, because some of the older computers were not WPA2 compatible. I kept the passwords identical simply as a matter of convenience.

Step 4: Connect the AirPort Extreme to the Time Capsule using an Ethernet cable between the WAN port of the Extreme, and one of the three LAN ports on the Time Capsule. There is a small, green LED recessed in the LAN port socket; if it lights up, you are in business.

Step 5: Using a pin, I reset the 802.11g AirPort Express to its default settings, opened AirPort Utility (no need for manual setup for this), named the Express "Printer" and added it to the G network in a conventional manner by following the setup prompts. (If anyone needs help with this, let me know). Exit out of AirPort Utility and reopen it to refresh; all wireless devices (3 in my case) should be visible and lighted green.

Step 6: I set up the MacBook Pro and the IMac to join the 5 GHz Time Capsule network, and everything else to run on the G network. At this point, everything appears to be working. I can, for example, print a document from my MacBook Pro (N-network) to the network printer which on the G-network. (Because the older computers belong to my daughters, I'll never know if file sharing across the networks is a possibility.)

I take no credit for any of this; it was all accomplished through the efforts of very patient MAC support people.

Carl

Reply

Answer 2

Conal Ho

Level 3

503 points

Apr 8, 2008 8:41 PM in response to Carl E Moore

Interesting. I'm trying to picture all of this in my head but not with too much success.

So, are you now running two networks (i.e., two networks with different network names) or actually one network (i.e., one name) that both broadcasts in "N" and "G"?

Reply

Answer 3

Carl E Moore Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 9, 2008 4:46 AM in response to Conal Ho

'm trying to picture all of this in my head but not with too much success.<<</div>

Maybe this will help: I have a single cable modem which is connected to the WEP port of a Time Capsule. I connect one of the LAN ports <---> of the Time Capsule to the WAN port of the AirPort Extreme using an ethernet cable.

Following the steps outlined in my earlier message, I end up with TWO wireless networks connected to a common cable modem. My 802.11n equipped computers (e.g., my MacBook Pro) can log onto the wireless network defined by the Time Capsule which is running at 5 GHz. Computers and other devices which are not n-compliant (e.g., my daughter's ThinkPad T41) cannot log onto the Time Capsule, but can log onto the AirPort Extreme running at 2.4 GHz and get wireless access to the internet through the cable modem.

At the same time, my MacBook Pro (logged onto the Time Capsule at 5 GHz) can access and print to a network printer which is wirelessly connected to the AirPort Extreme at 2.4 GHz.

Does this help?

Reply

Answer 4

Carl E Moore Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 9, 2008 5:52 AM in response to Carl E Moore

I have a single cable modem which is connected to the WEP port of a Time Capsule.

Correction: I have a single cable modem which is connected to the WAN port of a Time Capsule.

Sorry; it was early in the morning and I hadn't had my second cup of coffee.

Reply

Answer 5

xgentryx

Level 1

10 points

Apr 13, 2008 2:32 PM in response to Carl E Moore

Same setup here -

NetGear RangeMax 802.11g with SSID "XXXXXXX"
Time Capsule 802.11n with SSID "XXXXXXX-N"

All my "g-only" clients get the RangeMax SSID.
All my "n-capable" clients get the Time Capsule SSID.

The Time Capsule connects from it's WAN port to a LAN port on the NetGear RangeMax and the Time Capsule is configured in Bridged mode. In other words, the NetGear RangeMax provides DHCP services for the entire network.

Seems to work fine - keeps my Time Capsule always running at 802.11n.

Reply