extending wireless network through ethernet using airport express

Thanks for re-posting your question.

Temporarily, move the Express close to your computer and connect it to your computer using a short ethernet cable for the configuration process.

Open AirPort Utility, click Manual Setup

Click the Base Station tab below the icons to name your device, set time zone, etc

Click the Wireless tab
Wireless Mode...Create a wireless network
Wireless Network Name would be the exact same name as the Time Capsule
Radio Mode...something like 802.11n (802.11b/g compatible) would be good
Channel...Automatic
Wireless Security...must be exactly the same as your Time Capsule setting
Wireless Password...must be exactly the same " " " " "

Click the Music icon to be sure that AirTunes is enabled

Click the Internet icon
At the bottom of the page...make sure that the setting for Connection Sharing is set to Off (Bridge Mode).

Click Update at the lower right and the Express should restart in 20-25 seconds. You can disconnect the short ethernet cable and power down the Express. Then power it up again once you have it connected to the long ethernet cable.

Your computer will automatically connect to the wireless signal from the closest device as you move your laptop around.

Please post back on your progress.

Glad you got things going. This is the absolute "best" way to extend a wireless network because it preserves maximum bandwidth on the network. Technically, this is known as a "roaming" network, and is exactly the way a good commercial system is designed.

Bob,

Great reply!

I think I want to do that same thing, but I have a few questions. I have:

an AirPort Extreme (802.11n)
an ethernet wire running from the Extreme to a different part of the house

I am hoping I can buy and AirPort Express, plug the ethernet wire into the Express, and have one large wireless network. Because of print sharing off one of the Macs, I want to make sure that no matter where a computer connects, it's on the same subnet.

This "roaming" network you described sounds like it's what I want. I just want to confirm.

Also, will the AirPort Express extend both the 802.11n signal and the 802.11g signal? I have iPod Touches that need the extended 802.11g signal and Macs that need the extended "n" signal.

Thanks again,

Allan

Message was edited by: Allan Marcus1

+Because of print sharing off one of the Macs, I want to make sure that no matter where a computer connects, it's on the same subnet.+

As long as you configure the AirPort Express as a "bridge", it will be on the same subnet as the main router.

+Also, will the AirPort Express extend both the 802.11n signal and the 802.11g signal? I have iPod Touches that need the extended 802.11g signal and Macs that need the extended "n" signal.+

Yes, if you configure the Radio Mode setting on the Express to a compatible mode like "802.11n (802.11b/g compatible)". Then "n", "g" and "b" devices can all connect to the closest wireless access point with the strongest available signal.

Hi Bob,
I've been read your responses on several related topics. Thank you for sharing your expertise! I have a question concerning the technique you've described in this thread. I am hoping the technique can be adapted to my current situation to expand the wireless network for our small office space. The current set up is as follows.

Cable modem > Airport Extreme N DualBand > (donated) Cisco Catalyst 3524, 24 port switches > 20-ish ethernet ports in multiple offices and meeting rooms.

Would I be able to setup a roaming network as you described by using the existing ethernet ports in the offices? Or do I have to run the airport remotes directly to the main base separately, stringing new runs of ethernet cable? The Airport Extreme is set up as the dhcp server for the entire network.

Any insight you can give would be great appreciated. Thanks for your time and the great info you've already shared!

Welcome to the discussions and thanks for the kind words!

+Would I be able to setup a roaming network as you described by using the existing ethernet ports in the offices?+

Sure, no problem. Just make sure that you come out of one of the LAN <-> ports on the AirPort Extreme and connect to the Cisco switch, etc.

The "remote" airports would all be configured to "create a wireless network" and use the same network name, security and password as the "main" AirPort Extreme. And, they must all be configured as "bridges" to function correctly in the network.

Normally, the Automatic channel setting on most devices will work fine for this purpose. If you need to configure the channel that each device uses manually, the trick is to keep adjacent wireless devices on channels that are as far apart as possible to minimize the chances of interference between them.

That's it. Should work great...much better than trying to extend a wireless network using wireless only.

I'm also trying to setup a Roaming Network. I have an Airport Extreme, Time Capsule, 3 Airport Expresses and the house I'm setting this up in is HUGE. I'm using the Airport Extreme as my router, which my modem is connected to. Do I need to turn of NAT for the roaming network to work?
Also there's a theater in the house which gets very bad reception, and no ethernet jack there. Would it be possible to connect all the devices as a roaming network and then put one airport express in the theater and connect it to the wireless network to extend the wireless to this room? If so what would be the settings?

+Do I need to turn of NAT for the roaming network to work?+

If your AirPort Extreme is connected to a modem (only one ethernet port on the device), then you need to configure the AirPort Extreme to handle both DHCP and NAT. This will be done for you automatically when you do the following:

Open AirPort Utility - Manual Setup
Click the Internet icon
Connection Sharing = Share a public IP address

If your AirPort Extreme is connected to a gateway (a combination modem and router that will have 3-4 ethernet ports), then you need to setup the AirPort Extreme as a "bridge"

Open AirPort Utility - Click Manual Setup
Click the Internet icon
Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)

All of your other devices...Time Capsule, AirPort Express must be configured as follows:

Open AirPort Utility - Click Manual Setup
Click the Wireless tab below the row of icons
Wireless Mode = Create a wireless network
Wireless Network Name = Exact same name as your AirPort Extreme network
Radio Mode = Your choice, but should be similar to the AirPort Extreme
Channel = Automatic*
Wireless Security = Exact same setting as your AirPort Extreme
Wireless Password = Same password as AirPort Extreme

Click the Internet icon
Connect Using = Ethernet
Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)

Update to save settings

* With a lot of devices, you may want to set the Channel manually. Set up separate channels for each device and keep the channels as far apart as possible.

Bob,
I have followed your posts and they are Extremely helpful. I will follow you suggestions. Thank you.

Is there a reason why you use "create a wireless network" vs "extend a wireless network" ?

Nevermind - it seems as if "extend wireless network" only allows you to use a wireless connection as the source of internet for the express.

You got it.

Hi Bob, I've implemented your suggestions and it works like a charm!
One last question on the subject if I may...

In the current scenario for the roaming network we have a Dualband APExtreme as the main and a couple of Expresses as remotes. If we plan to extended the wifi range in the future would it be possible to use the existing set-up in conjunction with off the shelf non-Apple wireless equipment as the remotes? (such as Linksys wrt-54g or Linksys wap54g)

Thanks for your invaluable expertise!

+If we plan to extended the wifi range in the future would it be possible to use the existing set-up in conjunction with off the shelf non-Apple wireless equipment as the remotes? (such as Linksys wrt-54g or Linksys wap54g)+

You can do this, but different manufacturers use different variations of security settings. If you use WPA2 Personal security, that should be compatible across all platforms.

Apples setting of WPA/WPA2 Personal might require something like a WPA-PSK (TKIP) setting on a Linksys.

If you don't get the security settings set compatibly, then you will be creating a different network, which would require a separate log on. This would obviously defeat the purpose of having one "large" wireless network.

If you can, I would stay with the same manufacturer on wireless access points to avoid these types of issues.