Netgear R7000 - extend with Airport Extreme

The Ethernet cable must be connected permanently at all times between the Netgear R7000 and AirPort Extreme.

The reason for this is that Apple routers cannot "extend" the WiFi signal of another 3rd party router using a wireless connection. They can only do this when they connect to another Apple AirPort router.

I did mean that the Mesh is extending the Airport.

It can do that. But, the AirPort Extreme cannot extend the Netgear R7000 WiFi network using only a wireless connection.......which was the original question that you asked, and we answered a few times.

I then took the Airport Extreme and reset it to factory defaults using Airport Utility from my iPad Air. This was a hair tricky because I thought I could just plug the Express in and the Airport Utility would find it, but it didn't. After some fiddling I ended up taking an Ethernet cable and connecting the Express to one of the LAN ports on the new Nighthawk, at which point the Airport Utility on my iPad Air then found that bad boy.

Once the Airport Express was set back to factory default, I then used the Airport Utility to have the Express "Join an Existing Network" (this being the new NetGear WiFi network). If you need to know how to do this, just search for it here, or Google it and you can find the steps.

Here, you start off talking about an AirPort Extreme and then in the next paragraph you tell us that it is really an AirPort Express. Big difference.

The AirPort Express can "join" virtually any wireless network......but it cannot "extend" the network to provide additional wireless signal strength unless it is connecting to another Apple AirPort router using wireless.

Bottom line.......If the AirPort Express is set up to "join" a network.......it cannot extend the network.

For what it's worth......an AirPort Extreme cannot be set up to "join" any network Apple or otherwise.

Many people online have said they have been able to do it

Then surely they would be able to say "how" they did it. But, they don't include that information with their false claims.

There is only one setting on an Apple router that will allow it to extend a network using a wireless connection and that is the "extend a wireless network" setting.

Try this setting with any non-Apple router on your network and you will receive an error message.

Why? Apple uses proprietary software to "extend" the network using a wireless connection, which has been designed to only allow other Apple devices to "extend" the network using a wireless connection.

I suggest that you call Apple Support if you do not think this is true.

Did it with a Netgear mesh extender, but it' clunky.

You can use any universal type extender when the Airport is the main router or WAP.

But you cannot use the Apple Airport to extend by wireless from another brand.

As Bob said Apple use propriety WDS setup.

Now there are a few qualifications to that statement. Airports in olden days could extend wireless of other brands up to introduction of N wireless. It certainly was still possible on N wireless airports by using them in G wireless mode.. but since AC models it is no longer possible. It is also not even worth bothering with as it is slow and insecure.

So I am fasinated if you have actually used the Airport as an Extender for Netgear Mesh.. and we would love to see how you managed it.

If you mean that the Mesh is extending the Airport not the other way around then as you say it is clunky and unreliable and probably insecure. Something we do always recommend against.

Just to make it clear..

It is a terminology issue.

Your Express is not Extending. That term is used as substitute for wireless repeater.

What you are doing is using the Express as wireless to ethernet bridge. No extension is happening.. it is bridging.

Apple call it client mode which confuses the matter.. I find using full correct term.. "Wireless to Ethernet Bridge" a lot clearer.

Sorry for the confusion. I did mean that the Mesh is extending the Airport. Thank you for clearing up my concern about the clunkiness of the Netgear mesh extender, which I love and which overall works fine. But now you have caused me worry. What's the big security issue you mention? I have all the security options in place (WPA/WPA2). The clunkiness is the inconvenience that I have to reboot on one device (tv). The mesh has increased range/strength/signal significantly, which was what I wanted. You've caused me to worry. Please clarify.

Did it with a Netgear mesh extender, but it' clunky.

Sure, another Netgear product can wirelessly extend a WiFi network provided by another Netgear router.

WPA is not considered secure now.. you must use WPA2 (WPA3 even better.. is slowly being rolled out). Using mixed WPA/WPA2 allows the lower security WPA to also join.

Unfortunately a lot of universal wireless extenders (repeaters) will not handle WPA2 across brands.. and that is significant issue. If you use it in normal mesh setup it should always use WPA2 AES only.

But let me put it into context.. the only security risk is someone within wifi range of your home. If you live in apartment building with lots of wifi around you.. and lots of unknown people.. moving in and out.. clearly that is more serious than normal urban setup where 3-6 neighbours who you should know at least by sight live.

If you use a decent wireless password and non-standard admin password for Netgear you will not have much problems. Netgear standard password being.. password.. it is kinda obvious and not so great if someone gets past wireless password.

IMPORTANT.

You MUST turn off WPS which is even more serious hole.

WPS is off by default in Apple routers.. but most routers have it turned on constantly.. first part of any router setup I do is turn off WPS. Again WPS is often used to do wireless extend.. if you are forced to use it .. turn it off immediately after. It is not required in normal operation.

As an alternative to running ethernet which is not possible in some situations.. although if you own the house I would say is well worth the cost in the long run.. powerline adapters can be a great substitute and are much more reliable than mixed brand extended wireless.