Two Apple Wifi Routers (Airport Extremes) on one modem

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Level 1

5 points

Two Apple Wifi Routers (Airport Extremes) on one modem

Howdy Team,

I am attempting to setup two Airport Extremes to one Modem.

My mom lives in four story town home in the Florida Keys and the modem is in the first floor. It is wired to my AirPort Extreme on the 3rd floor. There isn’t a way (without great pain) to wire the AirPort Extreme directly to any other AirPort express.

Typically, just daisy chaining airports express works fine, but I added a Ring Door Bell and it’s really lagging. If I could set up an independent or dependent AirPort directly to the modem, it would be a huge help.

I believe I should be able to setup my AP-E as a new router. Plug in an Ethernet cord to the LAN plug. Turn off the NAT on the second router, mimic the IP address and add a digit in the third group.

I’m an Noob with Networks, so I am beyond my experience. But, I feel provided proper guidance, I can accomplish this.

Thanks, team.

MacBook, macOS 10.13

Posted on Feb 23, 2022 4:43 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Bob Timmons

Community+ 2024

Level 10

168,722 points

Feb 24, 2022 10:30 AM in response to Cfogs

"Join" a network is a setting that would only be used if the AirPort was connecting to the network using a wireless connection......while the AirPort must connect to the modem using a wired connection......so you have unfortunately traveled way too far down the wrong road to find any shortcuts over to the correct road. Got to backtrack to the fork in the main road and then start over again.

Power off the AirPort

Disconnect the Ethernet cable from the AirPort

Wait a minute

Power up the AirPort and let it run for a minute

Hold in the reset button on the back of the AirPort for 7-8 seconds and release

Allow a minute for the AirPort to restart

Temporarily, connect an Ethernet cable from one of the LAN <--> ports on the AirPort Extreme to the "O" port on the AirPort that will eventually connect to the modem/router.

In other words, do not connect the AirPort that you want to set up to the modem/router at this time. That will come later.

Things would be a bit easier if you have a Mac for the setup, but we'll go with instructions using an iPhone.

On the iPhone Home Screen, tap Settings

Tap Wi-Fi

Wait for a listing of Setup New AirPort Base Station to appear.

Tap on AirPort xxxxx (Extreme or Express) under that listing.......(still not sure whether you will be setting up an AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express)

After a few seconds, AirPort Utility will suggest that you Extend This Network

Tap Next at the upper right corner of the window on the iPhone

The next screen will indicate that the AirPort is being set up to extend your AirPort network using Ethernet

Should be a green light on the AirPort when the setup is complete

Power off the AirPort and disconnect the Ethernet cable

Connect the AirPort to the modem/router using an Ethernet cable and power up the AirPort

The Ring Doorbell should automatically.......(but probably won't).....pick up the stronger signal from the AirPort that you have just set up. Best to power off the Ring Doorbell, wait a minute, then start it up again so it will have the best chance to pick up the stronger signal from the closest AirPort.

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Answer 2

Cfogs Author

Level 1

5 points

Feb 23, 2022 5:46 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Howdy,

Thanks for the quick reply! I should have been a bit more precise on a few points. But, my trusty MacBooks are at home, so I’m typing on my iPhone. (Please forgive spelling/grammar mistakes).

Background: I set up this network in 2016 with one gen-6 AirPort Extreme and four AirPort expresses. The house is made of concrete so having one/ multiple AirPort expresses on each floor is necessary, the bottom floor is a garage and patio, and little Wi-Fi makes it down there. I just ordered 3 AirPort Extremes and 1 AirPort express (on eBay) to keep up with the increase in Wi-Fi demands (we just had 9 people in the house with all sorts of electronic devices).

To answer Mr. Timmons’ questions:

MODEM THINGY: it is a “modem/router or gateway” as you described. It has four Ethernet ports on the back.

2. CURRENT NETWORK SETUP: I have been using wireless connections between the 1 AirPort Extreme, and the AirPort expresses.

3. DEVICES: I am awaiting the arrival of three new AirPort Extremes, so I am currently using one of the AirPort Expresses to setup the new “secondary” network. My goal is to establish the second network as a proof of concept, and then swap in an AirPort Extreme if it works. So, to clear up what I am currently doing: I will hook up a AirPort express as the Wi-Fi router for this experiment.

4. DESIRED RESULT: once I receive my new devices, I want to continue with my wireless network throughout the house, with the exception of the ground floor.

With regard to the “second” network, I would like it to be purely for Ring devices. As of now, it is only the video door bell. In the future, it will likely consist of additional camera(s). I would like it wired directly the ground-floor modem. Given the distance from the main Router, the desire for high quality video/sound. Having a dedicated network makes sense.

Thanks for all your guidance and help!

(sorry for the premature reply…. )

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Answer 3

Cfogs Author

Level 1

5 points

Feb 24, 2022 9:55 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Bob,

Thanks again for all your help and your replies. While I’ve read through Apple Discussions thousands of times, I’ve hardly ever posted anything from my phone, and I’ve obviously made some mistakes. Sorry for that.

During out back and forth I was able to establish a secondary network, setting both networks to bridge mode, only connected by the modem.

It works great for Ring doorbell. But, as Bob suggested, I would like to extend the existing network as opposed to having dual networks.

I attempted this through attempting to “join a wireless network” option within airport utility, but I kept getting an error message about not being able to find the network.

I was able to find the network, but after several attempts I got the same results.

I tried multiple security settings as well, but that int alleviate the problem.

what I have right now works, but I feel combining to the existing network would make it better!

thanks again for the guidance and help.

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Answer 4

Feb 23, 2022 5:07 PM in response to Cfogs

I am attempting to setup two Airport Extremes to one Modem.

Whether or not this is even possible will depend on whether you really have a "modem".....or....whether the device that you call a "modem" is really a modem/router or gateway.

A simple "modem" will have only one Ethernet port. A modem/router or gateway, which is actually two products in one.....a modem and a router in a single package.......will have multiple Ethernet ports, usually 3 or 4.

If you are still unsure of what type of product that you have, please post back with the make and model number of the device that you are calling your "modem".

Typically, just daisy chaining airports express works fine

This depends on what you mean by daisy chaining. Are the AirPorts connecting together using wired Ethernet cable connections, or are they connecting together using a wireless connection? Huge difference in performance depending on how things are set up.

I believe I should be able to setup my AP-E as a new router.

Possibly, depending on the type of modem that you have.

Plug in an Ethernet cord to the LAN plug. Turn off the NAT on the second router, mimic the IP address and add a digit in the third group.

If you turn off NAT on the second "router", it won't be a router.

Finally, your post mentions AirPort Extreme(s) in the title, but you mention AirPort Express(es) in your comments along with another device that you call an AP-E.

It would help if you tell us which devices that you actually have. AirPort Extremes? AirPort Expresses? Or, a mix of both products.

What will connect to what in your desired setup? How will they connect? Wired or wireless?

We ask because there is a huge difference in the performance of an AirPort Extreme compared to an AirPort Express, which will determine how you can best set up the network. There is also a significant difference in performance with two AirPort Extremes, if they are different models.

I’m an Noob with Networks

Not if you are talking about NAT and IP addresses, so we're not falling for that Noob stuff.

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Answer 5

Feb 23, 2022 5:45 PM in response to Cfogs

Thanks for that.

Yes, you can connect the 2nd AirPort to the modem/router and set up the second AirPort to provide the same wireless network signal as your "main" AirPort. This will result in a much "bigger" WiFi network with much better coverage in the downstairs area.

That would be my suggestion. Is that what you want to do?

Or, do you want the AirPort that connects to the modem/router to produce a different WiFi signal than the "main" AirPort upstairs?

Let us know which way you want to go and whether or not you need step-by-step details to set things up.

We'll need to know if you will be using a Mac or an iPhone / iPad for the setup, since things are different depending on which device you use.

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Answer 6

Feb 23, 2022 6:05 PM in response to Cfogs

MODEM THINGY: it is a “modem/router or gateway” as you described. It has four Ethernet ports on the back.

Got that.

2. CURRENT NETWORK SETUP: I have been using wireless connections between the 1 AirPort Extreme, and the AirPort expresses.

Got that, but not sure if you understand that you are losing at least half of the potential network speed with each AirPort that "extends" the network. If you have two AirPort Expresses, you will only be able to attain about 1/4 of the potential speed over the entire network. Nature of the beast when you try to extend a network using a wireless connection.

The surprising bottom line......the more AirPorts that connect using wireless, the slower the network. Adding more AirPorts might improve wireless coverage, but the overall speed on the entire network will suffer.

3. DEVICES: I am awaiting the arrival of three new AirPort Extremes

Unfortunately, you will have the same type of huge network loss of speed no matter which type of AirPort that you use. The solution would be to wire all the AriPorts together using permanent wired Ethernet cable connections. Then, there is no loss in speed with that type of setup.

I have 3 AirPort Extremes set up this way. They all perform identically, so a really fast network no matter where a device connects to the network.

With regard to the “second” network, I would like it to be purely for Ring devices.

So, a different wireless network name for the AirPort Express that will connect to the modem/router using an Ethernet cable.

Apple's AirPort Utility will probably set up the AirPort Express to provide the same wireless network name that the other AirPorts are using. You'll have to go back into AirPort Utility once the Express is up and running and manually change the name of the network.

Post back if you are not sure how to set things up.

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Answer 7

Cfogs Author

Level 1

5 points

Feb 23, 2022 6:08 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Bob,

Thanks again. You might have seen from my updated post, but I somehow sent a premature response before including all the info I wanted. For posterity, I will recap everything in a final post for other knuckle draggers likes me can save time.

With regard with the two options, the larger network sounds like the best option. With the four forthcoming devices, it will make the most sense

As for macbook/iPhone. I only have my iPhone XR. I have multiple macs, but they were left home for this trip. A family member is coming down and she will have her MacBook Pro.

I hate to be the step by step guy…. But, I’ve read too many off-point how-to’s and watched too many YouTube videos and gotten little progress. To that point, the more detailed the better.

thanks again!