Is it easy to hook Airport Extreme to 2Wire Gateway?

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Is it easy to hook Airport Extreme to 2Wire Gateway?

Currently using just the 2Wire 2701 gateway supplied by ISP(Bell Canada Sympatico) and have constant issues with signal dropping out and not enough range. Have looked at setting up a WAP but will need to buy another router to do so and due to the recent switch to the Apple ecosystem(3 ipads, iPod touch, iPhone 4S and Macbook Air all in the last 18 months) I am almost sure it will be easier to set up an Apple system.

What I want to do is continue to have the 2Wire Gateway as the DSL modem, have it sign in to the ISP and hook the Extreme to the Gateway to act as the router(have done some research and think the 2Wire has some limitations handling the traffic on the router). To ensure strong signal at the other end of the house, I am also thinking I want to use an Express to extend the signal. Due to a large number of devices hooked to the router, I would also need a device to add ethernet ports to the Extreme(Control4 controller, Control4 amplifier, PogoPlug, desktop computer, blueray player and a line wired to wall to allow wired hook up to base router at other end of the house - this is where I would put the Express)

I have read and understand how to set this up with linksys routers but suspect the Apple Way may be far less complicated.

Please comment and if possible tell me step by step how to get to my desired configuration.

House is single story with full basement, DSL line comes into a closet that houses all of the items listed, closet is closer to west end of house in the basement, approximately a 1600 square foot. At any given time there are 3 laptops, an iphone, a blackberry, 2 iPads and a ipod touch as well as the wired items hooked to the network as well as an Apple TV.

Thanks for any help.

MacBook Air

Posted on Jun 18, 2012 7:08 PM

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Answer 1

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Tesserax

Level 10

148,447 points

Jun 19, 2012 8:09 AM in response to swontbeetfrmr

What you are proposing is basically a roaming network configuration and works quite well for blanketing a house for Wi-Fi coverage.

Please take a look at the link I provided and if you have any additional questions, please post back. In a roaming network, all routers are interconnected by Ethernet. The "main" router will provide the routing (NAT & DHCP) services and all others would be configured as bridges. Each base station would have a unique base station name, but all would use the same Network Name or SSID, and security type. This way any wireless client can literally roam between base stations and still be on the "same" network.

FWIW, I have this set up at my 2-story home. The only difference is that I get my broadband via cable and not DSL. In my situation, the "main" base station is on the 1st floor where the modem is and I have a second base station on the 2nd floor to provide Wi-Fi coverage up there. Both are interconnected by Ethernet as the house is completely wired. Again, I can walk my MacBook to/from either floor and still be connected to the same network.

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