My setup is 2 Airport Extremes connected from a wirelessly extended network because of distance and walls from the first base station. I'm wondering whether I can directly connect to the 2nd Airport Extreme in the chain with ethernet? Been looking around System Preferences > Network and Airport Utility to no avail. Googled but couldn't find an answer for this specific use case. Thanks.
Modem > Ethernet cable > Airport Extreme 1 > Wi-Fi > Airport Extreme 2 > Ethernet > MacBook
The Ethernet ports on AirPort Extreme 2 are already enabled, so all that you need to do is connect an Ethernet cable from one of the 3 LAN <--> Ethernet ports on AirPort Extreme 2 to the MacBook.
Here, I assume that the MacBook actually has an Ethernet port. Most newer laptops don't.
Be sure to turn off the WiFi on the MacBook to insure that the connection will be over Ethernet.
Unfortunately, you will probably not notice much if any improvement in the connection to the MacBook......because everything depends on the quality of the connection between AirPort Extreme 1 and AirPort Extreme 2.......which is wireless. And, when you extend using wireless, there will always be a signal speed loss of at least half of the potential of the network.
So, connecting the MacBook to AirPort Extreme 2 using an Ethernet cable will yield a signal quality that is only as good as the quality of the wireless connection between the two AirPort Extremes.
Things would be tons better if you could connect the two AirPort Extremes using Ethernet. That way, you won't be losing half or more of the potential speed on the network in the connection between the two AirPort Extremes.
Then, connecting the MacBook to AirPort Extreme 2 would be exactly the same as if you were connecting it directly to AirPort Extreme 1.....because there is zero loss of signal over the Ethernet connection between the two AirPorts.
Modem > Ethernet cable > Airport Extreme 1 > Wi-Fi > Airport Extreme 2 > Ethernet > MacBook
The Ethernet ports on AirPort Extreme 2 are already enabled, so all that you need to do is connect an Ethernet cable from one of the 3 LAN <--> Ethernet ports on AirPort Extreme 2 to the MacBook.
Here, I assume that the MacBook actually has an Ethernet port. Most newer laptops don't.
Be sure to turn off the WiFi on the MacBook to insure that the connection will be over Ethernet.
Unfortunately, you will probably not notice much if any improvement in the connection to the MacBook......because everything depends on the quality of the connection between AirPort Extreme 1 and AirPort Extreme 2.......which is wireless. And, when you extend using wireless, there will always be a signal speed loss of at least half of the potential of the network.
So, connecting the MacBook to AirPort Extreme 2 using an Ethernet cable will yield a signal quality that is only as good as the quality of the wireless connection between the two AirPort Extremes.
Things would be tons better if you could connect the two AirPort Extremes using Ethernet. That way, you won't be losing half or more of the potential speed on the network in the connection between the two AirPort Extremes.
Then, connecting the MacBook to AirPort Extreme 2 would be exactly the same as if you were connecting it directly to AirPort Extreme 1.....because there is zero loss of signal over the Ethernet connection between the two AirPorts.
The AirPort Utility setup "wizard" will automatically present the correct option to extend the network depending on the setup that it "sees" when it scans the network prior to configuring the second AirPort.
If the setup wizard "sees" that wireless be used to extend the signal to the second AirPort, then it will suggest a setup that looks like the example below........to wirelessly extend the network.
If the setup wizard "sees" that the second AirPort is connected to the main AirPort using a wired Ethernet cable connection, then it will suggest a setup that looks like the second example below.......to extend using Ethernet.
The trick here......if you are contemplating a change to a wired setup.......(highly recommended for best performance)......is that the second AirPort must first be reset back to its default settings......and then.....the Ethernet cable connection from one of the three LAN <--> Ethernet ports on the main AirPort to the WAN "O" port on the second AirPort must be established.......before.....the AirPort Utility setup wizard runs.
That way, the setup wizard will detect the wired connection and automatically apply the correct settings to the second AirPort to extend the network using Ethernet.
Post back if you decide to go with the wired setup and need a few more tips on the setup. We'll assume that you will be using a Mac for the setup unless you tell us otherwise.
Mr. Timmons,
Thank you for this indepth reply. To clarify, the setup I'm looking to achieve is:
Modem > Ethernet cable > Airport Extreme 1 > Wi-Fi > Airport Extreme 2 > Ethernet > MacBook
So the tricky part is going ethernet to Wi-Fi to ethernet. I realize that it's unorthodox, but I assume that it would be possible. Thanks!
That is excellent news! We were having trouble connecting the Macbook via ethernet via Airport Extreme 2, but perhaps because we were going through a Thunderbolt 3 dock which needs to be properly configured.
Understood about reduced speeds. It's something we'll have to live with for now due to the complexity of running wires throughout the house. We may also consider installing powerline networking to avoid routing ethernet cable all over the home.
Thank you Mr. Timmons!!!
Ethernet from a Wirelessly Extended Network
