Adding Airport Express to Existing Airport Extreme Network

Question

RichardG2009 Author

Level 1

9 points

Adding Airport Express to Existing Airport Extreme Network

I have a wireless network created by an Airport Extreme which works well but with a disppointingly small range so I bought an Airport Express with the intention of extending the original network by using the Express as a repeater (which the chap in Regent Street store told me it could do).

However when I try to join the Express to the existing Extreme network, the Airport Express does not even recognise my Airport Extreme network - do I need to connect the two via ethernet cable for this to work and, if so, what is the point of being wireless?

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on May 27, 2009 6:47 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Tesserax

Level 10

148,447 points

May 27, 2009 9:44 AM in response to RichardG2009

Hello RichardG2009. Welcome to the Apple Discussions!

Is your current AirPort Extreme Base Station (AEBS) the older 802.11b/g (domed-shaped) or newer 802.11n (squarish) model?

Reply

Answer 2

RichardG2009 Author

Level 1

9 points

May 27, 2009 10:06 AM in response to Tesserax

Tessarax, both Extreme and Express are less than 3 months old - the Extreme is square and has 802.11n compatibility

Thanks

Reply

Answer 3

Tesserax

Level 10

148,447 points

May 27, 2009 10:43 AM in response to RichardG2009

Ok, thanks for clarifying.

Let's double-check your extended network configuration.

o Temporarily connect both the MacBook and the 802.11n AirPort Express Base Station (AXn) directly to an available LAN (opposing-arrows) port of the 802.11n AirPort Extreme Base Station (AEBSn) for the setup phase. Once done, move them to their desired locations.
o Open AirPort Utility and select the AEBSn.
o Choose Manual Setup from the Base Station menu.
o Click AirPort in the toolbar, and then click Wireless.
o Choose “Create a wireless network” from the Wireless Mode pop-up menu, and then select the “Allow this network to be extended” checkbox.
o Next, select the AXn, and choose Manual Setup.
o Choose “Extend a wireless network” from the Wireless Mode pop-up menu, and then choose the network (the one created by the AEBSn) you want to extend from the Network Name pop-up menu.
o Enter the base station network and base station password is necessary.
o Click Update to update the base station with new network settings.

(ref: Page 46 of " Designing AirPort Networks Using AirPort Utility.)

Reply

Answer 4

RichardG2009 Author

Level 1

9 points

Jun 15, 2009 9:08 AM in response to Tesserax

OK, so I tried tis for the third and final time at the weeknd and was told every time that "this network cannot be extended" when I try to connect the Express to the Extreme network. When I switch over to the Extreme the settings say that the network is extendable and when I look at the network I am on before opening the airport utility it shows the network created from the Extreme. Wehn I am setting up the Express, the Extreme network is visible in the drop down but it still will not allow me to extend the network! Any other ideas?

Reply

Answer 5

Nubee1

Level 1

5 points

Aug 6, 2009 5:44 PM in response to RichardG2009

There are lots of discussions that are close, but my desire is to use my Time capsule (non simultaneous ) and my Airport express (new) to make TWO wireless stations, with different passwords, sharing the same public IP that is attached to my TC. I want to share the network with a neighbor.
I don't want to look at his stuff, and I don't want him to see my lan. I have not been able to separate them. Each can see the other. How can I set up two wireless networks, using the same TC as a base station, with the Express ethernet wired to one to the ethernet ports on the TC?
Carmen

Reply