Brad Kurtz
Level 1 (10 points)

Q: Help with extending the range of Motorola cable modem

After struggling with AT&T DSL (with slow speed and intermittent drops), I switched to Time Warner Cable, and now sport blazing-fast connection via Ethernet cable into my 27" iMac. They gave me a Motorola Surfboard sbg6850 wi-fi modem, but I'm finding the range of the wi-fi to be totally inadequate... I get drops and unreliable connections only 20 feet away with iPads and Macbooks. I want a pleasing dome of wi-fi all over my house!

 

Through other discussions on this board, I see that Airport Express is NOT compatible with the Surfboard, a fact which surprised and disappointed me. What are my options for extending the wi-fi range?

 

—Could I buy a non-Apple product (router) to extend the wireless range? Can it be managed from a Mac?

 

—Could I connect an Airport Extreme to the Surfboard via Ethernet cable, and use the Airport Extreme as the router to extend the network via Airport Express?

 

—Could I use the Airport card in the ethernet-connected computer (in this case, a 27" iMac) to create a network that COULD be extended via Airport Express? (I'm using it now to share the Internet, rather than connecting directly to the Surfboard, but when the iMac sleeps, the network is unavailable.)

 

There's got to be a way...

Posted on Mar 25, 2012 12:07 AM

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Brad Kurtz

Q: Help with extending the range of Motorola cable modem

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  • by Brad Kurtz,

    Brad Kurtz Brad Kurtz Apr 19, 2012 9:37 PM in response to Brad Kurtz
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Apr 19, 2012 9:37 PM in response to Brad Kurtz

    I'm posting my own update on this in hopes that someone can help me crack a further issue...

     

    I used option 2 above and connected my Airport Extreme directly to the Surfboard via Ethernet cable, and then I was able to extend the network using a pair of Airport Expresses. I have my pleasing dome of wi-fi all over the house!

     

    BUT...

     

    Now I find my speed is terrible! Setting up the network this way seems to have capped my speed at under 3 Mbps, (no matter where the computers are located, including on the directly-connected-to-Ethernet iMac), whereas before my network was clocking at way ABOVE 20 Mbps on the Ethernet iMac, and up to 15 Mbps on wi-fi Macs sitting next to the Surfboard.

     

    So why can't I get range AND speed? Should I get a Motorola product to extend my wi-fi range, and if so, which one?

     

    Pullin' my hair out here...

  • by Pupco,

    Pupco Pupco Jun 16, 2012 11:16 AM in response to Brad Kurtz
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 16, 2012 11:16 AM in response to Brad Kurtz

    brad--i stumbled on this thread today having same kind of issues--have my Airport Extreme/Time Capsule hardwired into TW Cable Modem, then "extending" the Extreme's wifi down long narrow hall to bedroom where there's an Airport express grabbing the signal... it shows a full "excellent" to "good" signal with full bars on the Apple TV and other devices in that bedroom yet when it comes to streaming content from the living room where my main music library is located and the wifi originates, it *****--works sometimes and sometimes not at or or spotty...

    ive moved the airport express to every possible location to no abail--

    i dont get why it shows a full signal yet does not work!!!!!

    Have you figured this out?

    thnx

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Jun 16, 2012 8:46 PM in response to Brad Kurtz
    Level 9 (54,901 points)
    Wireless
    Jun 16, 2012 8:46 PM in response to Brad Kurtz

    Since you went with your option 2, you basically have the fundamentals for a roaming network as both routers are interconnected by Ethernet. This also means that the 802.11n AirPort Extreme Base Station (AEBSn) should be reconfigured as a bridge, i.e., Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode) in AirPort Utility (v5.x). This would allow the TW combination cable modem / wireless router (or gateway) to provide both NAT & DHCP services for the entire network.

     

    Now with the AEBSn configured as a bridge, you can add the 802.11n AirPort Express Base Stations (AXn), via a wireless connection to the AEBSn, in an extended network configuration. Note: The extended network works in a "wheel" like fashion with the extended base station at the hub of the wheel. Each extending base station would be spokes on that same wheel ... so how successful you will be extending the wireless network will be based on proper placement of each of the extending stations for full coverage. Please take a look at the following AirPort User Tip for proper placement details.

     

    The other thing to take into account is the potential Wi-Fi interference between the TW wireless gateway and the AEBSn. Either disable the gateway's wireless radio, or be sure to allow for sufficient radio channel separation between radios on the same band.

  • by Brad Kurtz,

    Brad Kurtz Brad Kurtz Jun 18, 2012 1:33 AM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Jun 18, 2012 1:33 AM in response to Tesserax

    So, thanks to Tesserax for the tips... Pupco, here's what I have found out through a discussion with a seemingly-knowledgeable Best Buy dude: Yes, per Tesserax, the Surboard's wireless should be shut off to use the Airport, because the Airport Extreme and the Surfboard's wi-fi don't play nicely together. The trick is, though, that apparently TW has to shut off the wi-fi from their end; I've logged into my Surfboard's wi-fi interface via a web administrator (the user guide is here ), and I'm not allowed to disable the wireless for some reason.

     

    Since this requires some Time Warner tech support during business hours when I'm off earning a living, I have not yet re-built my network around the Airport Extreme and resolved my problem; I've instead been tolerating high speed and poor range. When I get some more time, I will see if I can make this work. In the meantime, Pupco, if you figure it out, please let me know if it works right for you!