Extending Time Capsule wireless network with an Airport Extreme

Bill you are a real star !! I would also like to profit from your knowledge.

Setup is : simple Netgear ADSL-2 modem without router connected to a brand new Time Capsule 3TB. This is in the laundry where the msin ohone line entry is. The house is not that big and only 1 level but has very thick walls so the wifi signal of the TC does not carry that far. I have in our living a netgear range extender that makes a 2.4 and 5 GHz signal from the signal it picks up from the TC. So on my MAC I see 3 options from network connection to chose from. There is a button on the Netgear range extender that served in the past to sync a Netgear modem/router with the Range extender but since the TC does not have such a button I wonder about its use.

Question: i am not happy with the performance of therange extender. Should I buy a Airport extreme to tKe its place and would that remder better results ?

I know wireless to wireless is list performance but can really not hardwire ethernet this network. Would a connection over the powergrid be an option ?

What if I want yo cover even another corner of the house !

Thanks do much bob.

Johan

You have a number of new questions here, so please start a new post for this.

Thanks,

Hi Bob! Great job helping everyone on here. Wow.

My question is very similar, but somewhat in reverse. Just bought a new 2013 Airport Extreme and I have an older A1302 Time Capsule (current base station). I would like to use both to extend my network. Is it best to use the newer 2013 Airport Extreme as the base station and then connect the Time Capsule to it as both an extender and Time Machine, or should I keep the Time Capsule as the base station? Which will give me better performance?

Thanks,
Bryan

Keep the Time Capsule as the main base station.

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Hello Bob!

I need a little help:) I just purchased the newest 2TB TimeCapsule and set it up. It's running smooth no issues- I would like to use my old AE A1354 to extend the signal. I for whatever reason can't get anything from the AE. It's plugged in- 12 inches from TC and I can't figure how to get it to show up in Airport Utility to make the connection. I am not that savvy so bare with my ignorance. I tried resetting AE still nothing... Gotta a step by step to help a girl out? I am correct in thinking this thing should just plug in to a wall socket and wirelessly extend right? Ha:)

Please move the AirPort Extreme further away from the Time Capsule......at least 6 feet or more for the setup.

Power up the AirPort Extreme and let it run a few minutes

Hold in the reset button on the back of the AirPort Extreme for 10 seconds and release

Allow a full minute for the Extreme to restart to a slow, blinking amber light

Temporarily, connect an Ethernet cable from your Mac to one of the three LAN <-> ports on the back of the Extreme

Open AirPort Utility and click on the Other WiFi Devices button in the upper left corner of the window

Click on AirPort Extreme

AirPort Setup will take a minute to analyze the network, then suggest that the Extreme be configured to extend the Time Capsule network

Enter a device name that you want to use for the Extreme

Click Next

Wait while AirPort Setup configures things for you

When you see the message of Setup Complete, click Done

Now disconnect the Ethernet cable that you used before and store it for safekeeping

Unplug the Extreme and move it to a location that is about half way between the Time Capsule and the general area that needs more wireless signal coverage and power up the Extreme

You should be all set

So I certainly advanced further with your instructions. I just want to be sure of a couple things. I completed the set up as you laid out with no problems. Received my setup complete however I was expecting some confirmation of working... Meaning I thought the AE base station would also show up with its own little picture and even showing a green light in my utility? That didn't happen. Nothing in utility to show it exists and it's still slowly blinking yellow? Is this right, did I miss something? By the way, Thanks so much you are truly excellent and a blessing:) ........... Correction it has just popped up in utility with green and a steady green light on front!!! All systems are a go!! Woo Hoo!! You my savvy friend are Amazing;) Have a Merry Christmas! Thanks again!

Hello Bob,

Happy Holidays. I am hoping that you can help us as I am out of ideas. We bought a new Time Capsule and are trying to use it as the base station to extend a one year old Airport Extreme to a room upstairs that gets poor reception. All connected via hard wire ethernet cable. Initially, when the router is connected to the Time Capsule there is internet wifi connection, but when we try and extend the network using the Airport Extreme, we lose internet connection. On the Airport Utility function it appears that they are connected correctly, with the Time Capsule ->Airport Extreme both showing green lights, but the Internet yellow. I surely have some configured incorrectly and am hoping that you can help.

Thank you so much for your assistance.

Garett

Some really interesting info here, many thanks Mr Timmons.

So it seems Apple's feature that allows you to extend a network, and WDS, are 2 seperate technologies?

WDS would allow you to relay a WiFI network from one device to the next, but throttle the overall performance. Whereas, Extending the main base station, only, is a reletively easy set up, but perhaps limiting in that you can't relay.

Can anyone provide a bit of clarification here? Is this 'extend a network' a proprietory feature specific to Apple's networking products? Is it a technology that has a name?

Very little info in the manual about extending wifi networks.

Many thanks again

So it seems Apple's feature that allows you to extend a network, and WDS, are 2 seperate technologies?

Correct, but WDS is so far out of date and has so many drawbacks that it really should not be considered as a viable method to expand wireless coverage.

WDS would allow you to relay a WiFI network from one device to the next, but throttle the overall performance.

The penalties with WDS are severe. For starters, WDS only runs at much slower "g" wireless speed. Add a relay and that speed drops in half. Add a remote and the speed drops in half again. Now you are down to much older wireless "b" speed levels.....around 11 Mbps or so.

Extending the main base station, only, is a reletively easy set up, but perhaps limiting in that you can't relay.

Correct in that you cannot have a "relay" device. There will always be some loss with extending using wireless, but the "extend a wireless network" will at least operate at higher speeds of both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.

A wired connection between AirPorts is always the best way to go in terms of performance.

Is this 'extend a network' a proprietory feature specific to Apple's networking products?

It appears that this is Apple's intention.

Very little info in the manual about extending wifi networks

You might want to let Apple know what you would like to see.

Apple - AirPort Extreme - Feedback

Thanks very much for the clarification, Bob. I will indeed let Apple know I'd appreciate more insight on this.

All the best,

CK

Bob,

I am trying to use my old 2011 airport extreme A1408 as an extender for my new 2T airport time capsule. I have done all the steps you listed but after it starts gathering information about my network I keep getting an "unexpected error has occurred. please try again." Any ideas?

Thanks,

Jim

So I know I only see one network on my wifi list, but I know that my iPad is always connecting to the main Time Capsule router instead of the extender which is much closer. Can I tell my iPad to connect to the main router, and can I tell my iMac to always connect directly to the TC? using MAC address perhaps?

Can I tell my iPad to connect to the main router, and can I tell my iMac to always connect directly to the TC? using MAC address perhaps?

Sorry, but no.

On the home screen of the iPad, tap Settings

Tap WiFi

Tap to Turn WiFi Off

Move the iPad close to the Time Capsule and Turn the WiFi back on

This will give the iPad the best chance to pick up the signal from the closest wireless access point.

Reverse the process when you move the iPad to another area closer to another wireless access point.