Airport Extreme Died, Need Repeater with USB port.

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Airport Extreme Died, Need Repeater with USB port.

My 6th generation Airport Extreme stopped working and I was using it as a wifi repeater with hard drive connected to USB port as a network storage device. Wife insists on a landline so we use an Xfinity router which works fine. I am trying to find a wifi repeater with a USB port to replace the Airport Extreme, any advice? Seems most equipment with a USB port are routers not all of which can be used as a repeater. Not critical that it is blazing fast just reliable. The Extreme lived a good 14 years which no doubt is rare these days. Thanks for any suggestions.

Posted on May 9, 2024 3:47 PM

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Answer 1

May 11, 2024 8:40 AM in response to spinosaurus

Have you contacted Xfinity support as we suggested in our original response? That would be the place to find out whether Xfinity offers a wireless repeater (with a USB port that will support a hard drive). If not, maybe they can recommend a compatible device.

Routers by Synology and Asus include a USB port that will support a hard drive. Whether or not one of these devices could be configured to act only as an extender connecting using only wireless to the Xfinity router is an open question.

If you decide to try this and have problems, Synology/Asus support will blame Xfinity. Infinity will blame Synology/Asus, so you would want to make sure that you can return a product for refund if it proves to be not compatible, as I suspect will be the case

A NAS......Synology is recommended......will connect to the Xfinity router using a permanent wired Ethernet cable connection, so it will not function as a wireless extender.

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Answer 2

May 10, 2024 12:46 PM in response to spinosaurus

This is a tough one.

The first task would be to find a Wi-Fi repeater that is compatible with the Xfinity router. I don't know if Xfinity offers a product like this, but Xfinity support would be the place to start to ask about this.

Sorry, but I don't think that any of us who are familiar with the AirPort routers will be able to recommend another 3rd party product that might be compatible with Xfinity.

Even if you can find a compatible repeater, the chances that it will have a USB port are very very small.

Even if you can find a repeater with a USB port, the chances that the USB port would support Time Machine backups......if that is a requirement that you need.....are even more remote.

The only Wi-Fi routers that have a USB port that support Time Machine are upper end models from Synology and Asus, as far as I can tell.

But....these are not "repeaters" and I doubt that they can be configured to operate that way with an Xfinity router.

If it were me, I would look for a used or refurbished AirPort Extreme on eBay. But....you will not be able to use the AirPort as a Wi-Fi repeater.......the AirPort Extreme would need to connect to the Xfinity router using a permanent wired Ethernet cable connection.

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Answer 3

spinosaurus Author

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May 10, 2024 5:08 PM in response to Bob Timmons

There should be no problem with connecting to the Xfinity router (I don’t know who makes theirs) as my understanding is the repeater/router only needs to connect to the wifi sent by the main router. There used to be a lot of repeaters/routers that had usb ports but not so much and seeking a router than can connect by wifi doesn’t seem to be that common. I may just have to get an NAS but to me it’s a bit of overkill for my purposes. I don’t need a time machine backup as I do that separately off and in house, just access to photos and music from other computers in the house. Thanks though for your answer.

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Answer 4

May 10, 2024 7:23 PM in response to spinosaurus

There should be no problem with connecting to the Xfinity router (I don’t know who makes theirs) as my understanding is the repeater/router only needs to connect to the wifi sent by the main router.

Not correct. Apple engineers designed Apple's "extend" feature as a proprietary option that would only work with other Apple routers. If you try to connect an AirPort Extreme to the Xfinity router using only a wireless connection......this will not work.

A third party "universal" wireless extender might connect to the Xfinity router using only a wireless connection, but finding one with a USB port that will also support a hard drive is going to be a difficult task. Offhand, I can't think of one that might do what you want.

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Answer 5

spinosaurus Author

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10 points

May 10, 2024 7:35 PM in response to spinosaurus

I see a number of methods on the internet of using a router as a repeater so may try that if someone can recommend a decent router that isn’t too expensive since it may not work with these methods. Apparently Bob Timmons is correct that some routers don’t play well with other makes as the main wifi router. So I may try one of the methods suggested so maybe someone can recommend a router with USB port that isn’t too expensive since it may not work and if it is very pricey I may as well go with a NAS. It’s not very critical for me but a convenience so I am trying to limit expenditures. Thanks for any help offered.

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Answer 6

spinosaurus Author

Level 1

10 points

May 11, 2024 4:29 PM in response to spinosaurus

Thanks Bob,

I have contacted Xfinity but they have not been helpful over the phone but you can’t get someone with that much technical expertise. Actually I should see if they in fact have a router that has the phone port, ethernet ports and a USB port. The one they supplied does not. I should go into their store as they often have a technician that may be of more help. I appreciate your responses.

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