Proper daisy chaining of two AirPort Extreme Base Stations?

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Level 1

11 points

Proper daisy chaining of two AirPort Extreme Base Stations?

I have a 2nd generation AirPort Extreme (not dual band) and an older AIrport Extreme (model A1034) and would like to use the A1034 to set up a separate network for my slower devices (2.4 gHz) and use the newer Extreme for my laptops a JD Apple TV. Can I simply connect the A1034 to the newer Extreme with an Ethernet cable, and share my cable modem connection?

If I do that, can I still get 5ghz performance out of the newer Extreme? I tried simply setting up the A1034 unit as a "relay" on my newer Extreme using WDS (which seems to be the only wireless option with this model) but my network gets real buggy and very slow. If I connect the two and create two separate networks, will I just get the same result? Would I need to split the signal coming out of my cable modem first? If I set up the two networks like this, can I force the faster devices to ONLY use the 5ghz network?

Can someone tell me the settings I should use for this? It looks like I would need to use the 5.6 version of the Airport Utility, which I have.

Thanks for any help.

Airport Extreme Router-OTHER

Posted on Nov 4, 2012 8:23 AM

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Answer 1

Bob Timmons

Level 10

187,280 points

Nov 4, 2012 9:05 AM in response to Shiba Dog

Can I simply connect the A1034 to the newer Extreme with an Ethernet cable, and share my cable modem connection?

Yes

If I do that, can I still get 5ghz performance out of the newer Extreme?

Yes, if you set up the newer Extreme to "Create a wireless network" , assign a name to the wireless network, and password, etc., and use the specific Radio Mode setting of 802.11n only (5 GHz).

Then "point" your faster computers, etc and devices to connect to that network. Keep in mind that for good 5 GHz performance, you will need to have line-of-sight or very close to it with devices on the 5 GHz network....since these signals are much weaker than 2.4 GHz signals and they are absorbed much more quickly by any obstructions in the signal path.

The older AirPort Extreme would be setup in Bridge Mode to also "Create a wireless network" using a different wireless network name and password.

Then, "point" your older devices to connect to that network. Since the older AirPort Extreme is in Bridge Mode, devices that connect to this wireless signal will still be on the same subnet as the devices that connect to the 5 GHz network....so all wireless devices will be able to "see" and communicate with each other.

If I connect the two and create two separate networks, will I just get the same result?

No, the network(s) will be much faster because you will not be using WDS settings, which kill the bandwidth and speed on the network.

You will have full 5 GHz performance from the newer AirPort Extreme and full "b/g" wireless performance from the older AirPort Extreme, so the network will function at maximum efficiency.

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Answer 2

Shiba Dog Author

Level 1

11 points

Nov 4, 2012 12:12 PM in response to Shiba Dog

Thanks so much Bob. You are a God!

Just to clarify; it sounds like there is no advantage to using an ethernet hub (or something like that) to split the signal coming out of my cable modem, and I can just connect the A1034 AEBS directly into the newer Extreme? Which port should I connect to on each device? I'm thinking that the ethernet cable would go into the LAN port on the newer Extreme and into the LAN port on the AEBS 1034?

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Answer 3

Bob Timmons

Level 10

187,280 points

Nov 4, 2012 12:56 PM in response to Shiba Dog

it sounds like there is no advantage to using an ethernet hub (or something like that) to split the signal coming out of my cable modem, and I can just connect the A1034 AEBS directly into the newer Extreme?

That is correct.

Which port should I connect to on each device?

Connect from a LAN <-> port on the new AirPort Extreme to the WAN "O" port on the older AirPort Extreme.

To configure the network, turn off the older AirPort Extreme and get the newer AirPort setup and working correctly. Then perform a Factory Default Reset on the older AirPort Extreme and set it up. Post back if you need step by step.

Resetting an AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule FAQ

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