Extending our wifi network

No hope for setting up the AirPort Express while it connected to your Mac using Ethernet. See the connection between the AirPort Express and Mac in your screenshot? There is a solid line there, which represents a wired connection. So, the Express is set up that way......assuming it will use a wired connection to the network.

There would be hope if the screenshot displayed a dotted line between the Extreme and Express, because the dotted line represents a wireless connection, which is how the Express will connect to your network.

Power off the AirPort Extreme, wait a minute, then power it back up.

Move the Express to the same room or close proximity to the AirPort Extreme

Power up the Express and let it run a minute

Hold in the reset button on the Express for 7-8 seconds and release

Allow a minute for the Express to restart to a slow, blinking amber light status

Do not connect an Ethernet cable to the Express

On the iPhone or iPad.......

Go to the Home Screen

Tap on Settings

Tap on WiFi

Look for a listing of Set Up New AirPort Base Station

Tap on AirPort Express just below that listing

Follow the prompts

If you try this a few times with no luck, the 8+ year old AirPort Express is defective, at least the way that you want to use it on your network to connect to the AirPort Extreme using wireless.

If the setup "sticks", move the Express to a point that is about half way between the AirPort Extreme and the general area where you need more WiFi signal coverage. The more that you have line of sight between the AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express, the better the network will operate as far as speed is concerned.

This worked on my test AirPort Express, but it is a newer model that is only about 3 years old. If your Express really is defective......which I suspect....then it will not work for you.

Power off the AirPort Extreme, wait a few seconds, then power it back up again.

Move the Express close to the AirPort Extreme

Power up the Express, then hold in the reset button for 7-8 seconds, release and allow a full minute for the Express to restart

Connect an Ethernet cable......any length will do.....from one of the 3 LAN <--> Ethernet ports to the Ethernet port on the AirPort Express

On your Mac......

Click on the WiFi icon at the top of the screen and look for a listing of New AirPort Base Station

Click directly on AirPort Express

When you click on AirPort Express, that will stat up the AirPort Utility setup "wizard". It will take a few seconds to display a screen that looks similar to what you see below, except that you will see your devices and network name.

Type in a short simple name for the AirPort Express.......Something like Express, for example

Click Next

Watch the next screen to confirm that the Express is being set up to extend using Ethernet

When you get the message of Setup Complete, click Done. Should be a green light on the Express at this time.

The AirPort Utility window should still be on your screen showing that the Express is connected to the Extreme with a solid line.

Post back to confirm your progress and we will continue with the next goofy steps.

Do you have an iPhone or iPad handy to try the setup the correct way? If yes, we'll provide the instructions.

Things will not work correctly if you try to set up the Express with an Ethernet cable connected to your Mac. Why? The setup utility "sees" the Ethernet connection and sets it up assuming that the Express will be installed on the network that way......using an Ethernet connection.

If you want the AirPort Express to connect to the AirPort Extreme using a wireless connection and extend the network that way, then you would NOT use an Ethernet cable during the setup process.

If you do want the AirPort Express to connect to the AirPort Extreme using a permanent wired Ethernet cable connection, then you would use an Ethernet cable during the setup process. Note that the AirPort Express would be connected to the AirPort Extreme for the setup......not to your Mac.

Please clarify on exactly "how" the AirPort Express will connect to the AirPort Extreme so that we can provide the correct setup instructions.

Ideally, the AirPort Express would connect back to the AirPort Extreme using a permanent wired Ethernet cable connection, but things might work OK if the Express will connect to the AirPort Extreme using only a wireless connection.......if the Express is not located too far away from the AirPort Extreme.

However...at some point now it's listed again on AirPort Utility - again with the solid line.

That is what you should see at this point.....but we're not close to being done yet.

Close AirPort Utility if it is open and restart your Mac.

When the Mac restarts, open AirPort Utility

Click on the picture of the AirPort Express and then click Edit in the smaller window that appears

In the example below, you can see an Express that is connected to my AirPort Extreme using the Ethernet (solid line) connection. You will see your devices on your screen.

When you click on Edit, that will open another window with tabs at the top for various settings. Click on the Wireless tab. Change the setting for Network Mode from Create a wireless network to Extend a wireless network using the selection box.

When you change the setting for Network Mode to Extend a wireless network, the Wireless Network Name box will now be blank. Type in the exact name of your wireless network again.

Click Update at the lower right of the screen and look at the AirPort Express on your screen. After a second or two, you will see "Updating" appear under the Express. At that time, immediately disconnect the Ethernet cable from the AirPort Express and allow it to restart again.

Close AirPort Utility and restart your Mac again.

After a minute, another green light would be a nice thing to see on the AirPort Express

If the green light appears, open AirPort Utility again and look at the network display. If all is well, there will be a dotted line between the AirPort Express and AirPort Extreme.

How does it look there?

Good luck! Sometimes a third or fourth try will work.

You can find used AirPort Express devices on Ebay for about $15-25. Would be better if you tried the more recent version though.....the one that looks like a miniature white pizza box. Might be $50-60 for that version.

I have one more goofy idea to try if you have another 10-15 minutes, but no guarantees.