Level 1

4 points

can you connect airport extreme to at&t wifi hotspot

Long ago I had a home network setup using my Apple Airport Extreme, which was hardwired to my internet providers router.

Life was Good.

Home is Gone... Network is Gone... Internet connections were challenging now as FullTime RV'ers.

Current Internet Access Plan. Through AT&T, we have our own personal hotspot, utilizes a dedicated phone number to access internet. As long as we are within close range of an AT&T tower signal, we get fairly good speeds.

Current Internet Configuration. AT&T hotspot is stationed at window to better receive signal. Macbook, iPads, phones, iMac, etc connect using wifi scanning and connection.

For internal home network (recently bought another home) I have our Apple Airport Extreme set up with an external Synology NAS 2 bay drive unit, and a Brother wifi compatible printer.

First problem: Every time you wanted to print, you have to move your wifi connection from the AT&T wifi to the local AirPort Extreme

Solved this specific issue by removing the printer from connecting to AirPort Extreme and redirecting it to the AT&T wifi.

But the Synology NAS drives are still connected to the Airport, so accessing the NAS means still having to connect to the Airport (which means AT&T is killed and no internet access).

In addition, I have reached my max limit of number of devices that connect to the AT&T wifi hotspot.

My Question is..... I would like to move all devices (iMac, MacBook, iPads, etc) back to the Airport Extreme, and have only one device connecting to the AT&T hotspot.

Is it possible to connect the Apple Airport Extreme, similarly to how I did the printer above, and have only that device connected to the hotspot utilizing wifi capabilities (not hard wiring anything using network cables)?

I hope this all made sense, but will clarify any points if needed.

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.14

Posted on Apr 21, 2022 3:11 AM

Top-ranking reply

Bob Timmons

Level 10

195,094 points

Posted on Apr 21, 2022 8:32 AM

I was hoping for any options where I could take another device and insert it between the AX and ATT which would allow me an opportunity to connect both devices through it.

In theory, something like this might work, but it would be complicated at best. One of those deals where you won't know how well......or if......things will work until you try. If I were going to attempt this, I would look for an AirPort Express for the best chance of compatibility with the AirPort Extreme.

The theory would have the AirPort Express configured to "join" the wireless signal provided by the AT&T hotspot and convert that Wi-Fi signal to an Ethernet signal to appear at the Ethernet port on the AirPort Express.

(The AirPort Extreme does not have the same type of "join" option as the AirPort Express).

Apple has not offered the AirPort Express for about 4 years, but you can find used products on Ebay.com. Try the A1264 version or the A1392 version of the AirPort Express. Avoid the A1084 or A1088 versions.

The simplest solution by far would be an AT&T product......or an AT&T compatible product......that included at least one Ethernet port, so it would be very easy to connect the AirPort Extreme to that type of product.

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58 replies

weaponrascal Author

Level 1

4 points

May 8, 2022 4:19 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

Jan, sorry for delay in responding to your hardware suggestions.

I have looked at all three, and would love to try all them, but the Nighthawk has a pretty steep price tag attached.

Right now I am leaning towards the tp-link travel model, but want to investigate a bit more into it.

weaponrascal Author

Level 1

4 points

May 8, 2022 7:24 AM in response to Bob Timmons

You're right, getting rid of the ATT hotspot would mean more money out of my pocket. When we got that hotspot, it came with an UNLIMITED data plan. According to AT&T, if we try upgrading our plan, or changing in any fashion, that unlimited plan is history and we have to start all over again with a 20gb a month plan. And since we average 300 to 500gb per month, that extra cost for more GB's is a killer.

I was reading (hoping) , and thinking the tp-link could be configured the same as the Express, as an extension of the hotspot.

FYI, when I bought the Express, I picked up a second one. Just curious, do you think the Second Express can be connected to the First Express (replacing the Extreme unit). The Express has two ethernet connections (wan and lan), I figured I could use the lan connection with a small mini hub attached, where I could then plug in my printer and NAS drives.

Also, trying to send you some updated material, but site indicated message contained unauthorized content.

Plus it was quite long. Will chop it down and try again.

weaponrascal Author

Level 1

4 points

May 8, 2022 7:37 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Updated Status - Part 1:

This is the Express with router address picked up from

joining the hotspot, and dns server entered manually based on setting found

within hotspot.

Please note, that using just the Express linked to the

hotspot, internet works fine, no dropping connectivity (yellow / orange

conditions).

Next three screenshots are the current internal settings of

the Express

Everything to this point appears correct and working just

fine.

So onto the Extreme setup and config.

Bob Timmons

Level 10

195,094 points

May 8, 2022 7:47 AM in response to weaponrascal

Jan suggested the TP-Link as a replacement for the AT&T hotspot. Other than looking at the features and specifications of the TP-Link product, I don't know that much about it, so can't help out much on that angle.

Let's wait to see If Jan can clarify on whether the TP-Link product would perform the same service as an AirPort Express and whether it might do a better job than the Express.

Just curious, do you think the Second Express can be connected to the First Express (replacing the Extreme unit).

Yes, if the router mode settings on the AirPort Extreme are working correctly now. The second Express will need to be set up the same way as the AirPort Extreme. The big question remains.......how is the AirPort Extreme set up? We can't seem to get an answer on whether it is set up in Bridge Mode or DHCP and NAT.

weaponrascal Author

Level 1

4 points

May 8, 2022 7:57 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Status Update - Part 2 Unable to post due to content. Will remove all but first pic, others avail as needed later.

two error (status section)

setup over WAN, defaulted with checkbox ON

Now I am in area where your expertise regarding Internet and

Network tabs.

router mode was Bridged

Here I am looking to set up equipment have the printer and my NAS drives connected (to the Extreme)

this configuration gives me a setup error on the extreme.

any suggestions?

weaponrascal Author

Level 1

4 points

May 8, 2022 10:05 AM in response to Bob Timmons

If the TP-Link can be used as a Replacement to the AT&T hotspot, do you think the internal sim card will be compatible, will all the settings and rights be transferred? Not sure if I mentioned this before, but the hotspot is based on its own AT&T phone number, which includes said data plan. Wonder how that will be configurable in the tp-link.

As for the big question you've been looking for, in the Part 2 of my updates from this morning, I mentioned the extreme and that when I initially entered the settings area, it was defaulted to BRIDGE

DHCP Only and DHCP and Nat are the other two options avail from the dropdown.

weaponrascal Author

Level 1

4 points

May 8, 2022 10:46 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Yes, I can confirm the setting under Network tab, defaulted to Off Bridge Mode, and there was NO corresponding Set up WAN option checkbox. It was not until I selected DHCP and NAT that WAN option appears.

As for the unintuative process you mentioned above, I am game. Lets go for it...

weaponrascal Author

Level 1

4 points

May 8, 2022 12:56 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Did you check AirPort Utility > Edit > Base Station tab to make sure that the option for Setup over WAN does not appear?

Yes. Base Station does NOT have the WAN option when the Router Mode was at Bridge Mode (OFF).

setup over WAN, defaulted with checkbox ON

I really didn't explain that right. Whenever the setup over WAN option appeared, it was automatically selected (at default) but could obviously unchecked at any time.

I will try harder to better explain forward from here.

Awaiting your instructions on how to proceed with the configuration.

Bob Timmons

Level 10

195,094 points

May 8, 2022 1:58 PM in response to weaponrascal

OK, thanks for the clarification. Thought we might have a situation that I have never seen before, but that is fortunately not the case.

Check to confirm that the Ethernet cable connects from the LAN <--> Ethernet port on the AirPort Express to the WAN

"O" port on the AirPort Extreme.

Open AirPort Utility and select the AirPort Extreme

Click Edit

Click the Network tab at the top of the next window

Change the setting for Router Mode from the current Off (Bridge Mode) to DHCP and NAT

Click Update to save the new setting and give the AirPort Extreme a minute to restart

The AirPort Extreme will display a slow blinking amber light status at this time. Don't worry about that for now, we can fix that later during some final tweaks.

Power off the AirPort Express

Power off the AirPort Extreme

Power off all of the devices......WiFi and Ethernet.....that might be currently connected to the AirPort Extreme

Wait a minute

Power up the AirPort Express and wait until it displays a green lght

Power up the AirPort Extreme and let it run for a full minute. It will still display a slow blinking amber light status at this time.

Power up one of the devices that will connect to the AirPort Extreme network. If it is a Wi-Fi device, make sure that it is connected to the Wi-Fi network signal from the AirPort Extreme.......not the AT&T hotspot. Watch that connection for a few minutes to make sure that the device is working correctly and it can obtain a good Internet connection.

If the first device connects correctly, power up another device and run the same checks on that device

Keep powering up devices one at a time that will connect to the AirPort Extreme, checking for good connections as you go with each device.

Post back on your progress when you can and we will continue.

weaponrascal Author

Level 1

4 points

May 8, 2022 7:26 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Well Bob, hit a stumbling block here. I get to the step where I change router mode to DHCP and NAT

but every time I click to save that change, I get an error " an unexpected error was encountered"

I have tried several variations on this step, no joy at this end...

I have had a horrendous day, I am beat, so think I will give up on this for the night. I'll take another shot at it tomorrow.

Bob Timmons

Level 10

195,094 points

May 8, 2022 7:48 PM in response to weaponrascal

Unfortunately, I cannot duplicate an "unexpected error" here when I am switching the the AirPort Extreme back and forth between Bridge Mode and DHCP and NAT mode.

Try temporarily disconnecting the Ethernet cable between the AirPort Express and AirPort Extreme

Power off the AirPort Extreme, wait a minute, then start it back up again

Try changing the Router Mode setting again from Bridge Mode to DHCP and NAT

See if the AirPort Extreme will take the change

If it will, let the AirPort Extreme restart and then connect the Ethernet cable again between the AirPort Express and AirPort Extreme.

If still no luck with the DHCP and NAT setting, the only thing left to do at this point is perform a complete factory reset on the AirPort Extreme and then try setting it up again.

Bob Timmons

Level 10

195,094 points

May 9, 2022 4:17 PM in response to weaponrascal

I decided to have this step with my NAS Drives. Using a network cable for connectivity between NAS Drive and Extreme. CHECK

Unable to go to next steps or verify anything cause the drive is not showing up in finder.

Rather than use a NAS at this time, can you please check regular Wi-Fi devices like your Mac, iPhone, iPad, etc one at a time to make sure that they can connect to the AirPort Extreme network and get a good Internet connection that way?

If any other devices......other than the NAS......connect using Ethernet, connect these devices one at a time and make sure that they can connect to the network and get a good Internet connection that way.

If all of the other devices.....other than the NAS devices.......can connect to the AirPort Extreme network and function correctly........then the AirPort Extreme is set up correctly and doing its job correctly.

Open AirPort Utility and click to select the AirPort Extreme and a smaller status window will appear.

Click on the small amber dot next to the Double NAT notice......(this is not an error, it is a notification that you are running two routers on the network)......and you will see an option to "ignore" the Double NAT notification message. Click to select that and implement the change on the Extreme.

Next click Edit in the smaller window that appears in AirPort Utility when you select the AirPort Extreme to display the various settings tabs for the AirPort Extreme. Click on the Base Station tab and then uncheck the box next to Allow Setup over WAN to provide a bit more protection for your network from outside sources. Update to save the new setting.

The AirPort Extreme should now be displaying a green light.

I do not know what to suggest for the NAS devices, since I do not have one here to test. A guess would be that you will need to reset the NAS and configure it again to connect to the AirPort Extreme network. The support folks for the NAS should be able to help with the reset and reconfiguration.

Bob Timmons

Level 10

195,094 points

May 9, 2022 4:40 PM in response to weaponrascal

Unable to go to next steps or verify anything cause the drive is not showing up in finder.

The Finder will not be visible to the NAS unless you first have a Mac connected to the network correctly.

A Time Capsule is a very simple NAS, and I have no trouble with an old Time Capsule being visible in the Finder when I test using the temporary setup that I have been using to answer questions on this thread.

iPhone Hotspot > AirPort Express > AirPort Extreme > Other devices including the Time Capsule (in Bridge Mode) connected to the AirPort Extreme network.

weaponrascal Author

Level 1

4 points

May 9, 2022 7:39 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Took your suggestion about the NAS and shelved it for now.

checked the two iPads, and the mac addresses that are assigned to them match the numbers associated with the Extreme.

Same for the two phones, the laptop (the one I have been using heavily the past week. The desktop (wife uses it mainly for work, in addition to her work laptop, all appeared to connect just fine.

But I do have one last question.

The Airport Utility main screen. Orb on top, Express in the middle, with Extreme on the bottom. I went into the Extreme to make one small correction, and upon reboot, the green light came on (front of the Extreme), but quickly disappeared.

Why??? The order in which the units are displayed in Airport Utility.

Instead of Orb, Express, Extreme

it is

Orb, Extreme, Express

All my warnings are gone, but still have warning / yellow shield next to Extreme...

Any ideas???

Bob Timmons

Level 10

195,094 points

May 9, 2022 8:00 PM in response to weaponrascal

I went into the Extreme to make one small correction

And, when you did this, the sequencing of the Express and Extreme likely changed.

Power off the AirPort Express

Power off the AirPort Extreme

Wait a minute

Power up the AirPort Express and let run for a minute

Power up the AirPort Extreme

All my warnings are gone, but still have warning / yellow shield next to Extreme...

I cannot duplicate this. Can you post a screenshot of this?

You will have fewer issues if you simply do not use the Wi-Fi on the AT&T hotspot and only use the Wi-Fi and Ethernet network of the AirPort Extreme. Think of the AT&T hotspot as your "modem" and the AirPort Extreme as your "router".

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can you connect airport extreme to at&t wifi hotspot