AIrport Extreme WDS Version 7.5

Question

AIrport Extreme WDS Version 7.5

I have two Airport Extremes with version 7.5. I am already WDS connected a version 7.5 extreme to older version 5.7 and version 6.3 extreme devices. I now want to add another WDS a version 7.5 on the same network. It does not appear that one can extend the network and WDS at the same time. Does anyone have a pointer to an apple configuration guide for this? Or does anyone know the setting in the version 7.5 to make this occur?

Thanks in advance

Message was edited by: Howard Meiseles

powerbook, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Dec 30, 2009 1:21 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

Bob Timmons

Community+ 2024

Level 10

159,368 points

Dec 30, 2009 6:13 AM in response to Howard Meiseles

Welcome to the discussions!

Although you do not mention it, it sounds like that you are trying to extend both the "main" and "guest" networks on your AirPort Extreme.

On a dual band AirPort Extreme, you can extend the "main" network using either the "extend a wireless network" setting if all devices are "n" capable, or you can setup a WDS arrangement if you have a mix of "n" and "g" devices. Sounds like you have WDS setup to do this on your network.

But, it is not possible to extend the "guest" network using either the "extend a wireless network" configuration or the WDS setting. In other words, you will not be able to extend the guest network using wireless the way you can on the "main" network because Apple does not offer than option.

If you could connect an ethernet cable from your primary AirPort Extreme to the remote AirPort device, you could configure it to create a wireless network with the same name (SSID), radio mode, security and password and in effect you could extend the "guest" network that way.

Reply

Answer 2

Dec 30, 2009 7:05 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Actually I am not trying to extend both main and guest, only extending main. I am trying to extend via WDS both n and g devices and when I try to wds the n device to an n device I get a WDS error. If I have to place an ethernet cable between the two access points to get them to connect I might as well ethernet wire the devices that would connect to the access points.

Reply

Answer 3

Dec 30, 2009 7:47 AM in response to Howard Meiseles

Thanks for the clarification. I'm not sure if you have seen Apple's setup instructions for a WDS arrangement, but in case you haven't, they are on pages 42-44 in the Designing Networks Guide.

Hope that this will provide some assistance.

Reply

Answer 4

Dec 30, 2009 8:09 AM in response to Bob Timmons

I did all of that and thats how I was able to get the g only devices to connect. Do you know if on the wireless tab if the extend this network selection should be checked or not?

Howard

Reply

Answer 5

Dec 30, 2009 9:01 AM in response to Howard Meiseles

+Do you know if on the wireless tab if the extend this network selection should be checked or not?+

This is used if you are using Apple's "extend a wireless network" feature with newer "n" devices. It won't hurt if you want to check it, but it won't really do anything to help the WDS.

Reply