Apple Airport Express

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Apple Airport Express

How can I "extend" the coverage from an AEx that is getting good WiFi signal to another AEx that is another 50ft farther? When I use "extend a network" it crashes. I am now using "connect to an existing WiFi network. Both AEx are showing up on Airport, but I don't think the signal is actually be boosted and rebroadcast by the first AEx. Or maybe it is and I don't know how to check it.

I have a 200ft long back yard and use a Ubiquiti Access Point to beam Internet signal from the house to a dock at the edge of the yard. An Apple Airport Express I have in a weather proof box gets the signal fine. I set it up to "Join an existing network" that AEx is called Dock West.

Obstructions, like the boat on a boat lift obstruct the signal and I'd like to add another AExpress further down the pier to get better signal to the other side of the boat, where we sit and enjoy the water.

I have installed the 2nd AEx, beyond the boat, have power hooked up and an Ethernet cable to connect the two AEx together, if that becomes a benefit.

Any suggestions?

Posted on May 27, 2021 1:34 PM

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Answer 1

May 27, 2021 2:01 PM in response to PopPopEd

Apple will not allow you to extend the signal of a network unless your AirPort Express is connecting to another Apple router that is functioning as your main router.

So, the first question here might be.......are you using an AirPort Extreme, AirPort Time Capsule or another AirPort Express as your "main" router? If not, the Express that you have now is not "extending" the network......it is "joining" the network. The Express does not extend the network when it joins an existing third party wireless network, even though you might have thought that it was performing that function.

If you do have another Apple AirPort router acting as your "main" router, then any other AirPort that extends the network must connect back to the "main" router......not to another AirPort. In other words, it cannot connect to another AirPort that is already extending the network.

So for example, if you had an AirPort Extreme acting as your main router, you could configure two AirPort Expresses to extend the network.......IF......both Expresses are located closer to the AirPort Extreme than they are to each other.

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Answer 2

May 27, 2021 2:20 PM in response to PopPopEd

An Apple Airport Express I have in a weather proof box gets the signal fine. I set it up to "Join an existing network" that AEx is called Dock West.

That AirPort Express is not extending the WiFi network at all, despite what you might have thought. It can't extend the signal from a third party WiFi network.

But, even if it was extending the network.....(it's not).....you would not be able to connect a second Express to the existing Express and have the second Express extend the network.

Take a look at Ubiquit's high power WiFi antennas to get the signal to the location where it's needed.

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Answer 3

May 27, 2021 2:49 PM in response to PopPopEd

I have installed the 2nd AEx, beyond the boat, have power hooked up and an Ethernet cable to connect the two AEx together, if that becomes a benefit.

Connect the Ethernet cable from the 1st Express to the "O" port on the 2nd Express and set up the 2nd AirPort Express to "create a wireless network" that uses the exact same wireless network name and password as the main network. The Ethernet cable will need to be permanent.

No guarantees, but worth a try. Things are not all that reliable when you try to use products from different manufacturers as access points for the same network.

Note.......if things "work", the speed of the 2nd AirPort Express will never be any higher than 90-100 Mbps in this type of setup.

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Apple Airport Express

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