WDS vs. Extend a wireless network

All devices must be switched to static WDS settings.

Unfortunately, when you switch the TC to WDS settings, you will lose all of the faster "n" wireless capability of the device, so it downgrades to a "g" wireless router.

The bandwidth on the entire network will be cut by half by adding the "relay" and half again by adding the "remote".

So, if "g" wireless maxes out at 54 Mbps ("n" is 130-300 Mbps), the "relay" knocks that down to 27 Mbps and the "remote " knocks that down to around 14 Mbps maximum available on the network.

You really now have a "b" wireless network with more coverage. It might work, but I would not be optimistic about trying to stream any video files, etc. Any file transfers, copying, etc. over the network will take a very very long time.

I'll give it a try and see how bad it is.

I am disappointed in the range of the TC and a single AP Express combo (in dynamic mode). I have a another wireless network served up by my main router (supplied by the ISP) that the TC is connected to and I can get that network to the other side of the house with one repeater no problem at all and can just about connect to the router directly albit unreliably. The TC network has considerably less range than the other and with a single Express I can still only get part way across the house.

Don't have details about your house construction, number of walls etc. but if I use my TC as the main rotuer, an AirPort Express works just fine to an area of the house about 40-50 feet away from the TC through 3-4 walls. The speed on network in the "remote" area is just about equal to the speed near the TC.

I configured WDS but exactly as you expected, it is very very slow. I'm now going to try switching back to dynamic WDS but connecting the TC base station and the remote Airport Express by way of powerline ethernet adapters as opposed to wirelessly. Not sure why I haven't tried this before as it seems like a good option.

You will NOT use the "extend a wireless network" settings on the devices connected using Ethernet, so post back if you are not sure which settings to use. If you have not configured things this way in the past, you may be surprised about which settings are used.

Power line is quite often the next best choice if you cannot run the Ethernet cabling.

Yes please. Please let me know how to set-this up. On the TC main base station I didn't envisage changing anything but I guess that the airport express I plan to connect via the powerline ethernet would 'join' an existing network via ethernet.

I still plan to use a second airport express to wirelessly extend the network in a different direction.

Please list what devices will be doing what on your network, as this can get complicated if you are mixing Ethernet and wireless connections.

The TC is the "main" base station, correct?

What device(s) will connect to the TC using Ethernet?

What device(s) will connect to the TC using wireless?

1) Time Capsule = Main base station, hard-wired into my ISP-provided wireless router in bridge-mode with DHCP from ISP router. ISP router and TIme Capsule providing different wireless networks. Both work well (within range).

2) Airport Express1, wirelessly 'extending' Time Capsule network in 1 direction. Works fine.

3) Netgear Powerline adapter 1 hard-wired into TimeCapsule

4) Netgear Powerline adapter 2 hard-wired into Airport Express 2 in remote part of house. Want Airport Express 2 to extend the Time Capsule network in this remote area.

5) USB printer hardwired to Airport Express 2

Hardwired into my ISP router (not really relevant I suppose) are a SONOS box, a Buffalo NAS and a PS3. I can see these fine from the TC network.

No clients will connect to the TC or (aiports) by ethernet (except the powerline adapters). PCs and Macbook and phones will connect wirelessly in range to the TC, AP1 or AP2, whichever is strongest.

thank you

To configure AirPort Express 2 to do what you want:

Use AirPort Utility - Manual Setup

Click the Base Station tab below the icons to name the device, establish a device password and adjust Time Zone settings

Click the Wireless tab. Settings should look like this:

Wireless Mode = Create a wireless network

Wireless Network Name = Same name as the Time Capsule (TC) network

Check mark next to Allow this network to be extended if you expect to extend this network via wireless again. Otherwise, the check mark is not needed.

Radio Mode = Your choice depending on your needs in this area

Channel = Automatic

Wireless Security = Exact same setting as the TC network

Wireless Password = Same password as the TC network

Verify Password

Click the Internet icon, the click the Internet Connection tab

Connect Using = Ethernet

Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)

Update to save settings

Very important to restart the entire network after you make these changes

Thank you. I wouldn't have got that right as I would have tried to connect to the existing TC network as opposed to creating a new one albeit with the same name.

Could I then wirelessly extend the AP2 network using Dynamic WDS? Ie would i be able to connect a third AP wirelessly to AP2 (as opposed to having to connecting to the TC)

Could I then wirelessly extend the AP2 network using Dynamic WDS?

Yes, if you enter a check mark in the setup next to "Allow this network to be extended" and you configure the extending device to "Extend a wireless network"

I have this all working ok va powerline wireless now. It isnt as fast as i would have hoped. Checking the configuration alll im not certain about is the DHCP server address.

For AP2 connecting via poweline to TC should the dhcp server be the ISP router address? For the TC the DHCP server is set to be the ISP router. After the congif i did the DHCP router address on AP2 was set to the ip address of the TC which of course could vary,

The settings that you need are set automatically when you configure the devices unless you specifically want to configure them manually.

The DHCP server address would be the local IP address of your "main" router. You would not want to change this, even if you could.

What is the bandwidth capability or specification for the powerline adapters do you have?

How far are the adapters from one another?

they're highspeed adapters netgear av500. The leds indicate good connectivity of >80Mbs. They are probably in a straight line 10 m apart.

I did manually change the DNS server name to be the same as the ISP router address (as opposed to the TC ip address which it was set to). As the TC gets its IP address from the ISP router this seemd right to me. It doesn't seem to make any difference anyway. I'm getting around 4M download speeds.

WOndering whether it is due a g device connecting to the same AP. I've moved that device now so it is just MBP on the AP2. No apparent improvement.

I'm getting around 4M download speeds.

What speed do you see if you connect the computer directly to one of the Ethernet ports on your main router?

One more check......

If you have a Mac laptop, move it close to the AirPort Express and log on to the wireless network

Hold down the option key on your Mac while you click on the fan shaped AirPort icon at the top of the screen and look for the Transmit Rate. What number do you see?