chrischrisandcleo

Q: can airport express extend wireless range (without extreme)

Hello

 

Asked a hundered times before I am sure but please be patient with me...

 

I have a modem/router on the gorund floor of my house with a wirless network running apple TV and airport express (gorund floor), airport express (first floor) and then x box/general wi-fi access to the second floor.

 

Everything on the ground and first floor is fine, but on the second floor signal strength is weak and not good enough for streaming video..so my question is

 

a) Can I somehow extend my wireless range to the second floor either by using the existing airport express or by adding one to the second floor

 

or

 

b) Do I need an Airport extreme to extend signal strength to the top floor.

 

Thank you very very much to anyone who can clarify this for me.

 

Chris

AirPort Express 802.11n (1st Gen), Windows XP

Posted on Jan 9, 2012 5:59 AM

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Q: can airport express extend wireless range (without extreme)

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  • by Ralph Landry1,

    Ralph Landry1 Jan 9, 2012 6:04 AM in response to chrischrisandcleo
    Level 8 (41,782 points)
    Jan 9, 2012 6:04 AM in response to chrischrisandcleo

    The AirPort devices operating in an extend wireless manner do not work with many other wireless routers...they need to be wired to the router via ethernet to work in most cases.  They can, howwever, extend a wireless network from another AirPort product wirelessly.

     

    Check the manuals at Support in the upper right corner, then manuals, peripherals, AirPort and you get download one called Apple AirPort Networks that is great for explaining this.

  • by chrischrisandcleo,

    chrischrisandcleo chrischrisandcleo Jan 9, 2012 6:33 AM in response to Ralph Landry1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 9, 2012 6:33 AM in response to Ralph Landry1

    Ralph, thanks for your reply, I will check out the manual.

  • by Ralph Landry1,

    Ralph Landry1 Jan 9, 2012 6:35 AM in response to chrischrisandcleo
    Level 8 (41,782 points)
    Jan 9, 2012 6:35 AM in response to chrischrisandcleo

    You can also download the setup guides for the different AirPort products and get some tips from those, though the one for the Express is pretty shallow in my opinion.

  • by chrischrisandcleo,

    chrischrisandcleo chrischrisandcleo Jan 9, 2012 6:39 AM in response to Ralph Landry1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 9, 2012 6:39 AM in response to Ralph Landry1

    I guess the next question then Ralph will be how can I find out if my wirelsss network can be extended with my particular brand of router (netgear)..assuming of course that the manual does not specify (which I doubt)

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Jan 9, 2012 6:50 AM in response to chrischrisandcleo
    Level 10 (105,268 points)
    Wireless
    Jan 9, 2012 6:50 AM in response to chrischrisandcleo

    Sorry, but there is almost no chance that these products are compatible.

     

    Apple's "extend" function appears to be a proprietary setting and feature which only works with other Apple products.

     

    As far as we know, it will not work on products of any other manufacturers.

     

    Suggest that you connect your devices using an Ethernet connection. If you cannot run the cable, take a look at a pair of Ethernet power line adapters to send the signal over the existing AC power lines in your home.

  • by Ralph Landry1,

    Ralph Landry1 Jan 9, 2012 6:47 AM in response to chrischrisandcleo
    Level 8 (41,782 points)
    Jan 9, 2012 6:47 AM in response to chrischrisandcleo

    If you already have an Express, you can use AirPort Utility to setup the Express with the wireless network name and password then see if it can read and extend the network.  This knowledge base article leads you through setting up a unit as a relay as part of a Wrireless Distribution System.

  • by Ralph Landry1,

    Ralph Landry1 Jan 9, 2012 6:51 AM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 8 (41,782 points)
    Jan 9, 2012 6:51 AM in response to Bob Timmons

    I have to agree with what bob says, why I said way back that these things don't work with many other components, but Bob, if the poster already has an Express, isn't it worth trying?  Nothing to loose.  But if it has not been purchased yet, then assume it won't work and plan on a wired-to-router Apple product.

     

    Or am I all wet, not the first time you have had to correct me

  • by Bob Timmons,Helpful

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Jan 9, 2012 7:02 AM in response to Ralph Landry1
    Level 10 (105,268 points)
    Wireless
    Jan 9, 2012 7:02 AM in response to Ralph Landry1

    There is no harm in trying if the Express is close at hand. But, I would be very surprised if it worked.

     

    The Express could "join" the Netgear network, but it provides no additional wireless coverage in that setting.

     

    It is the "extend" setting that appears to be proprietary with Apple products based on all that we know.

     

    I say appears because it is not possible to survey every product in the universe to know for sure.

  • by chrischrisandcleo,

    chrischrisandcleo chrischrisandcleo Jan 10, 2012 2:53 AM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 10, 2012 2:53 AM in response to Bob Timmons

    Bob/Ralph,

     

    Really appreciate your replies.

     

    I tried it out but does not work so I guess I need to get an extreme, set up a new network and configure my other 2 express units to "extend" my (new) network (not join existing). Then see what the range is like on the top floor, if still not good enough then buy a further express for the top floor...?

    Am I correct?

    Thanks again

  • by Ralph Landry1,Helpful

    Ralph Landry1 Jan 10, 2012 3:29 AM in response to chrischrisandcleo
    Level 8 (41,782 points)
    Jan 10, 2012 3:29 AM in response to chrischrisandcleo

    Sounds like a plan...first see how the Extreme - Express extension works, if it gives enough signal strength and then decide if you can get by with another Express.  The antenna power of the Extreme is higher than the Express, but not a huge amount...something like 20 dBm for the Extreme and 15 dBm for the Express if memory is right this morning.  So the Extreme would be expected to get more distance for you but with floors and walls involved you should still expect attenuation of the signal.  A unit, even Express, on each floor extending the signal should be a big boost for you.

  • by chrischrisandcleo,

    chrischrisandcleo chrischrisandcleo Jan 10, 2012 3:59 AM in response to Ralph Landry1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 10, 2012 3:59 AM in response to Ralph Landry1

    Thanks again Ralph,

     

    Now here is the next problem though....

     

    Having changed the settings on the express to "extend" from "join" and found that it does not work I have changed back to "join" however the express is now not being picked up by my existing wi-fi network. I know that it is configured correctly, it worked before and still works if you add ethernet cable but not on wi-fi..

     

    This is a recurrance of what has happened before when I have intitially installed an express and joined my existing network, I got over the problem then after an hour or two of faffing about, just wondered if before I do that you could give me any idea's as to what is happening? I.E why when my AE is configured correctly and is in range is it not being picked up...? (is it a security issue perhaps..?)

  • by Ralph Landry1,

    Ralph Landry1 Jan 10, 2012 5:18 AM in response to chrischrisandcleo
    Level 8 (41,782 points)
    Jan 10, 2012 5:18 AM in response to chrischrisandcleo

    Hi Chris, a good place to start would probably be a reset of the Express to factory settings and then start over using the assisted mode to set it up.  There is a tiny reset button to press that will set it back.

     

    Two references to check out before trying the setup the network are the Apple AirPort Netork maunal, and this Knowledge Base article  Both will give you a great deal of background on setting up your network...then we can work through the details.

     

    One thing to keep in mind EVERY time you change the network, shutdown every piece of equipment.  Let the components sit for several minutes, some members on here say as long as 30 minutes, then power up in sequential order, starting with the modem/router.  Let each piece of equipment run for 10-15 minutes to stabilize, get its IP address, make sure the DHCP server is stable, then start the next piece.  This means even shutting down the computer because that has to also get an address.

     

    If you didn't shut things down when you made the last change in the Express, take a shot at that and see if it doesn't clear your problem.

     

    Anyway, will also start putting together the outline procedure if you want that, also.

    .

  • by tayiPhone,

    tayiPhone tayiPhone Jan 10, 2012 6:03 AM in response to Ralph Landry1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 10, 2012 6:03 AM in response to Ralph Landry1

    Hi Chris, I have 2 AE (5th Gen) running perfecly at home. my home is a single level 3 room 1 hall type.

    my main AE is at the hall and the other is at the 3rd room , furthest room in the house.

     

    They are able to link using wifi nicely.

    I believe the main AE will have the 'extent ' option and the second AE should be 'join' option.

    i set up the main AE with the 'extem' option.

    then i setup the second AE using the 'join' option.

     

    you should not change the 'extend' and 'join' once they are setup correctly.

     

    i think you must have change the setting by accident when using AirPort Untility as they will show 2 AE

    together - top and bottom. you must not mix up what you intend to change.

    i alway 'update' the change to the AE one at a time. So that mistake will be minimum.

    Hope this can help.

  • by chrischrisandcleo,

    chrischrisandcleo chrischrisandcleo Jan 10, 2012 7:00 AM in response to Ralph Landry1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 10, 2012 7:00 AM in response to Ralph Landry1

    Hi Ralph,

     

    Reluctant to factory set the AE again as when the AE reeboots it takes out my WIFI connection from my to pc to wirless network...I have no idea why.

     

    The ony workaround I have then is to do a system restore after which wifi connects ok again (takes ages must be a simplier way) but then after wifi is restored AE will still not connect (as per previous problem)..

     

    I wonder if this is to do with security settings on the AE...I have a vague memory of reading that the WEP setting needs to be 40bit not 128bit (or something like that)..but I have no idea why when the AE reboots from reconfiguration this affects my PC's connection to wifi...?

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