Need help creating a wireless bridge! Hardware on hand: Cisco E3000, Apple AirPort Extreme, and Apple AirPort Express.

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Level 1

9 points

Need help creating a wireless bridge! Hardware on hand: Cisco E3000, Apple AirPort Extreme, and Apple AirPort Express.

Hello,

I live in a ranch-style house, with my internet cable on one side of the house and the bedrooms on the other side. I have tried countless combinations of different routers, newer routers, range extenders, etc. to try to get a strong wireless signal on the other side of the house, but all to no avail. A few months ago I trashed my old D-Link router and replaced it with a Cisco E3000, a router that my friend uses for his three-story home and has no issues with wireless signal whatsoever. While I was quite pleased with the performance of the E3000 (I was able to get a weak wireless signal from my bedroom, as opposed to absolutely no signal with the D-Link's wireless), the signal was still too weak to watch streaming videos, play online games, etc. I have an AirPort Express from this year at college that I used as a sole wireless router with no problems. I first tried to make the E3000 and Express work together to create a wireless bridge, but that did not work out, even after setting up the wireless network all over again using the Express, and then switching in the E3000 (this was a trick that supposedly worked for someone else. I read it on another online forum). So today, I went out and bought an AirPort Extreme in hopes of solving this issue. As you can probably guess, it did not work. The Extreme has less range capability than the E3000, I would say, and therefore was not able to create a strong and lasting wireless signal on the other side of my house. I am currently considering buying another Express to create yet another bridge, but with nearly $600 already spent on new wireless routers and hardware, I would think that there is some work around. If anyone has any suggestions or anything, please let me know. I really appreciate your help.

Best,

Daniel

AirPort Express + Extreme-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on May 25, 2011 4:23 PM

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Answer 1

May 25, 2011 5:05 PM in response to danz0r

Hi Daniel,

Have you considered using powerline ethernet to feed the bedroom areas. I would thing you could use one at the main router (where your internet enters the house) and one in the bedroom area to connect to an airport express, to extend your network to that sside of the house.

Always believing that the simplest answer is usually the best answer. I'm about to implement just that configuration in my house. If there is something to prevent this working I'd appreciate anyone jumping in here.

Harold

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Answer 2

danz0r Author

Level 1

9 points

May 26, 2011 5:34 PM in response to Harold Fink

Hi Harold,

Thanks for the reply. Your idea sounds like a good one. Let me know how it works if you decide to implement it.

I've tried different configurations for the second day, and still no luck. I'm going to try buying a repeater for my Cisco E3000, as I've read on their forums that seems to work. I hate to say it, but the Apple hardware failed me in this instance. Returning my Extreme tomorrow.

Best of luck with your wireless signal as well! Thank you again.

Daniel

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Answer 3

danz0r Author

Level 1

9 points

Jul 16, 2011 8:44 PM in response to danz0r

Just an update: the Cisco repeater ended up failing me as well. I finally did try a powerline ethernet, which worked... for the most part. In the furthest bedroom, I set up the powerline (it's a Netgear, not sure which model. The most up-to-date one), then using an ethernet cable and my AirPort Express, I was able to create a very strong network, albeit a new one. The powerline on it's own had two issues: 1) it was receiving a weak signal, due to various electrical appliances in my house as I live with family, and 2) it had no customizable security. To fix these issues, I used the Express, which solved both. Hopefully this helps someone out in the future! Thanks again for the suggestion, Harold. You were right all along 🙂

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Answer 4

Jul 16, 2011 11:55 PM in response to danz0r

Glad to help. It wasn't long ago that powerline networking made a splash, but haven't seen much about it lately.

I tend to think of it as a third networking protocol. 1) ethernet, 2) wifi. 3)powerline. Usefull, I think when wifi won't cover the distance and you don't want to tear up walls stretching cat5.

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