Airport Extreme wired AND extend network - Need Input

i gave up on the Wireless "extend existing network" was incredibly prone to collapsing and just bringing the whole network to it's knees.

"Extend a wireles network" is used only when you are connecting AirPorts together using wireless.....not Ethernet.

The network will crash if you configure an AirPort manually to "extend" and then try to connect to it using Ethernet.

"Extend a wireles network" is used only when you are connecting AirPorts together using wireless.....not Ethernet.

The network will crash if you configure an AirPort manually to "extend" and then try to connect to it using Ethernet.

I know. Sorry wasn't clear. Was using extend wireless, over wireless and it would crap out regularly.

Went from extending the network wirelessly, to setting each AP up to create the same network, so it's a larger seemless network, without the instability.

Bob, I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "AirPort Setup will literally take care of everything for you as long as you have "n" versions of the AirPorts." [my Extreme is latest version, so yes, it is "n"]. So if I were to do a hard reset on my Express and just plug it in, my wireless will be extended without me changing any settings whatsoever, or do I have to do what jwilker said and configure the Express with the exact same settings as the Extreme in order to get the enhanced network coverage?

Goal is to have 1 seamless "roaming" network in my house.

I assume that the AirPort Extreme is operating correctly and that you have AirPort Utility 6.x installed on your Mac. Close AirPort Utility if it is open.

Temporarily, unplug the Ethernet cable at the WAN "O" port of the AirPort Express

Hold in the reset button on the AirPort Express for 9-10 seconds and wait a full minute for the Express to restart to a slow, blinking amber light

Connect the Ethernet cable to the WAN "O" port of the AirPort Express

Click the AirPort icon at the top of the Mac's screen and wait a few seconds for New AirPort Base Station to appear, just below that, click on AirPort Express

AirPort Setup will open automatically and take a minute to analyze the network

AirPort Setup will announce that the AirPort Express will be configured to "extend" the AirPort Extreme network

Type in a device name for the Express....example, AirPort Express, and click Next

AirPort Setup will take a minute to configure everything for you. When you see the message of Setup Complete, click Done.

That's it. Not too dfficult, I would think. Other than typing a device name for the Express, everything else will literally happen automatically, as I said.

Post back on you results

No Mac unfortunately. Am I better off using PC Airport Utility (pc is hardwired) or iOS on my iPad, or does it matter?

AirPort Utility on your iPad will work exactly like I described, but you will need to start the process by tapping on the Settings icon on the iPad, then tapping on Wi-Fi.

You will see a setting to Setup a new AirPort Base Station there. Everything else will work the same as I mentioned, assuming that you have AirPort Utility installed on the iPad.

AirPort Utility for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store

Worked just as described. Just to note, while I was waiting for your reply I tried to set it up using the PC airport utility. It looked like it would work, but when it restarted, it didn't work. Setting it up with the ipad worked flawlessly. Thanks again. Apple should consider revising the whole "extend"option to "extend wirelessly" to avoid confusion.

Will this work if one of the wireless APs is a non-Airport device? Something like:

modem ===== {WAN} Airport Extreme {LAN} ===== {WAN} Non-Airport device

Hello Joseph

I have the setup you describe...

With the "roaming" will the extended airport express also enable 2.4G and 5Ghz Wifi networks.

Currently when I am out of range of the primary Airport Extreme I only see the 2.4GHz network.

I am try to setup a extended network where both 2.4Ghz and 5 Ghz will work.

thanks in advance

My desired set up is close to this discussion

Modem->Router->Lion->wireless->AirportExtreme->wire->Box

Where the incoming Router connections are all wired. I give Lion a manual IP to try so not have multiple DHCP's. The Lion is set-up to share Wifi a d a little grey arrow shows up. The set up works perfectly on the resulting wireless network throughout the house.

But the AE refuses to pick up the signal and pass out a wired connection to Box. I figure the AE needs to be in "extend" mode, again to avoid multiple DHCP's. looking at the Lion console and if config it seems the AE is being served an IP address, but seems to not be forwarding it along the wire. Any suggestions?

Regards, J

So I followed directions, and it seems to work, but how do you know which network you are on? If I hold the option key and click on the Airport icon, it gives BSSID for the main Airport. Will this be the case no matter which one it is connected to, because they are in bridge mode and default to the master? I just want to make sure I'm maximizing throughput of wireless computers by making sure the closest Airport is the one it is connecting to.

Does that make sense?

If I hold the option key and click on the Airport icon, it gives BSSID for the main Airport.

That would be expected if you are near the main AirPort.

But, if you are near a "remote" AirPort, then you should see a different BSSID, which indicates that you are connected to the "remote" AirPort.

Thanks, Bob. Yes, I sit here with an iMac and a MacBook Air, they are right next to each other, yet on different networks. One Airport (Extreme) is in the same room, the other (Time Capsule) is on another floor. Since they share identical names, how do you force a device to join the closest/strongest signal?

how do you force a device to join the closest/strongest signal?

You can't.

Try powering off one or both devices, etc. to see if you can get them connected to the closest access point.

You may need to completely power off the entire network and then power it back up again in sequence, modem first.

Wireless can do some crazy things at times.....nature of the beast, I am afraid.

Hi Bob,

I realize your post to extend an Apple Extreme network using the Airport Express is almost a year old but your instructions worked perfect. I have 3 Amped Wireless repeaters, 2 of the REA20 and 1 of the SR10000 serving 2 large buildings at home that works very well but I was having fits trying to get the Express set up as an extender for my wife in the front room via ethernet to a new Apple Dual Band Extreme.

Thanks for the clear instructions..