can I daisey chain airport extremes (802.11n dual band) to extend my wifi network?

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Level 1

11 points

can I daisey chain airport extremes (802.11n dual band) to extend my wifi network?

I have 3 airport extremes and I want to "daisey chain" them to extend my wifi network. I have 1 hooked up as my main router and wifi access point with 2 networks and dual bands set up and working.... I know I can hook up another via ethernet to extend the network further and I will do that. My question is can I jump from the second access point to the 3rd one via ethernet to go even further. see diagram below:

INTERNET IN MAIN WIFI WIFI EXT. WIFI EXT

[cable modem] [extrmem# 1] [extreme # 2] [extreme # 3]

| | | | | |

------ ETHERNET--------- -----ETHERNET------ ---ETHERNET-----

does this make sense? I can't run a single line to each extreme from the main because of structural problems from first to last, but there are cat 6 cables already in place at the locations I want to use.....

Airport Extreme-OTHER

Posted on Jul 29, 2012 8:40 PM

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Answer 1

Tesserax

Level 10

158,286 points

Jul 29, 2012 9:49 PM in response to louiewu

Yes, this can be done and it is the basis of a roaming network. Please check out the following Apple Support article for details on how to set up this type of network.

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Answer 2

louiewu Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 30, 2012 6:17 PM in response to Tesserax

Thx for the response. I know I can hook 1 airport extreme to the main one and extend the network.... but can I hook another airport extreme to the second one (ie 1------2------3) I cant go fro the airport extreme # 1 directly to airport extreme # 3 with an ethernet cable but I can go from # 1 to #2 and from # 2 to #3 with ethernet... my question is will this work or will airport extreme #2 shut down the ethernet ports on itself since it is acting as an extender?

Thx again...

Jerry

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Answer 3

Tesserax

Level 10

158,286 points

Jul 30, 2012 8:24 PM in response to louiewu

I know I can hook 1 airport extreme to the main one and extend the network.... but can I hook another airport extreme to the second one (ie 1------2------3

Yes. Please have another look at the Apple Support article I referenced earlier. Note in the first image although it only shows two base stations linked together, you can continue adding additional base station in a "daisy-chain" like fashion.

Only the "main" base station will have NAT & DHCP enabled, all others will be in bridge mode ... and when configured as a bridge, the Extreme's built-in Ethernet switch is exactly that, an Ethernet switch.

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Answer 4

louiewu Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 30, 2012 8:32 PM in response to Tesserax

I looked at it and yes the second pic threw me... I thank you for clearing it up now I gotta get busy seting this all up.

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