Airport Express as Repeater/Range Extender

Thanks for the info, they should be "n" models if you bought them new. Here is how to do what you want:

_On your AirPort Extreme_:

o Open AirPort Utility and click Manual Setup
o Click the Wireless tab below the row of icons
o Your Wireless Mode should already be set to “Create a Wireless Network”
o Make sure there is a check mark next to “Allow this network to be extended”
o Note the setting for Wireless Security as you will need this for the next setup
o Update to save any changes

_On the AirPort Express_:

o Open AirPort Utility and click Manual Setup.
o Click the Wireless tab below the row of icons
o Wireless Mode = Extend a wireless network. If you don’t see this choice, hold down the option key when you click on the selection box
o Wireless Network Name = Same name as your AirPort Extreme Network
o Place a check mark next to Allow wireless clients
o Wireless Security = exact same setting as your AirPort Extreme
o Wireless Password = exact same setting as your AirPort Extreme
o Confirm Password
o Update to save settings

For further reference, Apple's instructions for the "extend" setup appear on pages 43-44 in the Apple AirPort Networks Guide.

You also have the option during setup to temporarily connect an ethernet cable from your computer to the AirPort Express if you prefer to set it up using a wired connection. Once you have the settings updated, you can disconnect the ethernet cable and move the AirPort Express to the desired location...ideally about 1/2 to 2/3 of the distance from the AirPort Extreme to the area that needs more wireless coverage.

Please post back on your results.

Bob- I just found your thread:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2280515

I'll go that route. Maybe you can educate me on the difference between extending a network and joining a network sometime.

Cheers

I have 2 airport expresses (v.6.3) 802.11 b/g and am trying to get one to extend the range of another. When using the Airport Utility to do that, it gives me an error and tells me to restart the Airport Utility. I've tried manually setting it up dozens of times

Since these are older "b/g" devices, you'll need to use the WDS configuration method on all of your devices. This is a tricky setup for most users because it's really easy to make a mistake in the process.

You will set up one device as the +WDS Main+, and depending on your requirements, both of the AirPort Express devices will be setup as +WDS Remotes+ or if you need to cover a long area, you will setup one AirPort Express as a +WDS Relay+ and then other as the +WDS Remote.+

Expert user Tesserax has previously posted detailed instructions for both the Main and Remote, and Main, Relay and Remote configurations. Check out the two links below for more info. If you have further questions, it would be best to start a new thread since the topic of this thread focuses on using the newer "extend a wireless network" feature.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2287950&tstart=0

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2422028&tstart=0

Welcome to the discussions!

Unfortunately, the AirPort Express is not going to do what you want because it must be used in conjunction with another Apple router to be able to "extend" a wireless network.

You could certainly configure it to "join" your wireless network and provide an audio signal for streaming AirTunes, but it does not "boost" or "extend" when it is configured this way.

Bob,how do you set it up to extend? I have an Extreme BS and Express in my living room and an Apple tech told me how to 'extend' the range and I'm set up as noted above and I do not see any range extended. I asked why I'm joining a network if I wanted to extend my network and the Apple guy said that's how it works.

Sorry to threadjack.

Rick,

We need to find out if both your AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express are newer "n" versions. Do you know?

If not, open AirPort Utility and click on your AirPort Extreme on the left. To the right, there will be a message to the effect of +"AirPort Utility found an AirPort Extreme....."+

Do the same for the Express and then report back on you findings.

OK, I followed your instructions step by step and after AE restarted it gave me 2 errors and no network.

1) no valid IP address (cable modem goes right to it)
2) The 'created' network for AExtreme to join was not found (AExtreme 'is' the network, it's not joining one?) the created network is not in the drop down menu

I'll repeat the steps a few times, maybe I'll get lucky. B

Message was edited by: Rick Lyon2

Be sure to "hard reset" the AirPort Express before you try to reconfigure it. There may be some old conflicting settings that interfere with new settings. Just hold in the reset button until the amber light begins to flash quickly.

+1) 1) no valid IP address (cable modem goes right to it)+

Sorry, I have no idea what you mean when you say cable modem goes right to it.

+2) The 'created' network for AE to join was not found (AE 'is' the network, it's not joining one?) the created network is not in the drop down menu+

Do you have the AirPort Express close to the AirPort Extreme during configuration?

The Ethernet cable went straight into the AE so I was confused as to why it could not obtain an IP.

However, I rebooted the cable model and then the AE and that worked. I then used the ethernet for the Express, set it up and it's now all working!! I have full bars on the far side of my house. That was a big deal as I have the wifi iPad.

Thanks for the assist!

I'm about to do this in two rooms in order to have a place (Airport Express) to hook up network-ready BluRay players. Is this the same process I want to go through for that application or is it one of the other configurations? Once all is done I will have my Extreme base station plus 3 Airport Express, all used to create a hardwire access point. Will these four devices share bandwidth (therefore 1/4 of my available bandwidth each) or will my full 12Mbps service be available at each access point?

You are talking about an entirely different type of configuration.

Please clarify if you plan to connect all of your AirPort Express devices to the AirPort Extreme using a hard wired ethernet connection for each of the Express devices.

Are you planning to connect the DVD player using wireless only?

Scenario is NetFlix movies come into the house, get broadcast wirelessly from the Extreme Base Station, picked up the the Express and then goes via hardwire Ethernet cable from the Express to the DVD player.

I also have an older computer with a bad wireless card that I am doing the same thing with and I used the "join an existing network" option.

thanks

As long as you have an "n" (square) Airport Extreme and "n" AirPort Express devices (model A 1264 is on the side of the device in the fine print), you can use the same configuration that I already posted in this thread to both "extend the wireless network" and also provide an ethernet signal at each AirPort Express.

With this type of setup, there will be an estimated 10-15% bandwidth loss per AirPort Express, so you are looking at an approximate 30-45% loss of network bandwidth with 3 AirPort Express devices in this type of configuration.

If you setup the AirPort Express devices to "join a wireless network", they will not provide any additional wireless coverage in their respective areas and there will be less of a bandwidth loss...about 5-10% per device.

All of the percentages here assume that you have a very good wireless connection between the AirPort Extreme and the AirPort Express devices. The bandwidth will also drop with distance and any obstructions between the main router and remote devices.

"Extending" provides additional wireless coverage in the area where the AirPort Express is located.

"Joining" provides no additional wireless coverage where the Express is located. The Express simply receives the wireless signal (just like a computer receives a wireless signal), but does not "extend" it.

Hi Bob, I saw this thread and wanted to ask you your advice in my situation. I have 2 airport expresses (v.6.3) 802.11 b/g and am trying to get one to extend the range of another. When using the Airport Utility to do that, it gives me an error and tells me to restart the Airport Utility. I've tried manually setting it up dozens of times. The one serving as my base station works great, but the second just can't seem to talk to it. (the second works great on it's own too) In manual setup, I've set them to the same chanel, tried WDS settings, etc. etc. etc. What am I doing wrong?