How to use airport express as wifi extender?

Question

Level 1

31 points

How to use airport express as wifi extender?

I have a gateway wifi router from AT&T and I want to extend the wifi range but having problem configuring it. First when I plugged the airport express my Mac's airport utility cannot locate it. Then I decide to hard wire it and my Mac recognized it but it asked for my password when this is my first setup. After resetting airport I managed to bypass the password but now it seems to be picking up another network near by. After changing it to my provider the light on my airport is still blinking and whenever I click on the airport icon on the airport utility it will indicate that the wifi network I have chosen cannot be found and that I should make sure that my main router is plugged. So does anyone who uses AT&T's gateway router has any success in connecting with the express as an extender?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Jan 2, 2013 8:38 PM

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Answer 1

Tesserax

Level 10

148,441 points

Jan 2, 2013 8:48 PM in response to Tee Jay

If your goal is to extend the AT&T wireless gateway with the AirPort Express via a wireless connection between them then this won't work as very few non-Apple routers are compatible with the AirPorts for this feature.

On the other hand, if you can use a wired connection between these routers you could configure your network as a roaming network to extend it.

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Answer 2

Jan 3, 2013 10:53 AM in response to Tesserax

I have the same goal. Use Airport Express to extend my Uverse router va a wireless connection between AE and the 2wire router. Plan was to configure AE to extend the 2wire wireless signal to portions of our home that have poor wi-fi reception. Plugged AE into the 2wire router with an ethernet cable and used Airport Utility to configure AE. Used Airport Utility (version 6) to extend a wireless network and the AE never finished updating, the amber light kept blinking.

Tesserax-- sounds like what I'm trying to do is impossible?

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Answer 3

edex67

Level 4

3,255 points

Jan 3, 2013 10:58 AM in response to stevemhudson

Yes, you can't extend wirelessly between an Apple router and a non-Apple router. If you need the extension you should look into some Powerline adapters.

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Answer 4

Tesserax

Level 10

148,441 points

Jan 3, 2013 11:42 AM in response to stevemhudson

Tesserax-- sounds like what I'm trying to do is impossible?

Yes, unfortunately, this will not work in your case as well. Like the OP, the only option would be to configure them both for a roaming network, but this would require both routers to be interconnected by Ethernet.

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Answer 5

Tee Jay Author

Level 1

31 points

Jan 7, 2013 5:31 PM in response to Tesserax

Here's what I did since you suggested that both be interconnected by Ethernet. I connected my 2.wire ATT wifi router with the express WAN with ethernet cable. The Amber light is now steady. In my Airport Utility the tab on the Base Station reads Airport Express. The Tab on the internet is DHCP. The tab on the Wireless reads Network Mode: Extend a Wireless Network, Wireless Network Name: (Name of my router), Wireless Security: WPA/WPA2, then the password. The tab on Network router mode is grayed out to Off (Bridge Mode). Is this the correct setup and does this mean that this is now extending my wifi signal?

On the side how can you tell if your ipad is using 2.4 or 5 GHZ? I tried to find it in setting but was unable to.

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Answer 6

Jan 7, 2013 6:18 PM in response to Tee Jay

The Amber light is now steady.

The light is green when a device is configured correctly.

The main elements for a roaming configuration are as follows:

o The remote AirPort connects using Ethernet

o Wireless Mode = Create a wireless network

("Extend" is used only with Apple devices when they connnect using wireless only....not Ethernet)

o Wireless network name on the AirPort is the same as the main router

o Wireless Security setting ont the AirPort must match the main router

o Wireless Password on the AirPort must match the main router

o The AirPort must be configured to operate in Bridge Mode

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Answer 7

Tee Jay Author

Level 1

31 points

Jan 7, 2013 10:56 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Hi Bob,

Thanks for this info. I need to clarify something.

User uploaded file

On your last recommendation I need to configured airport to operate in Bridge mode. Here are my choices only and there's no Bridge Mode except off. Is this what I need to choose?

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Answer 8

Tee Jay Author

Level 1

31 points

Jan 7, 2013 11:13 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Looks like after I updated the express my mac cannot locate the airport express and the amber light is blinking. When I click other base station and choose ethernet it cannot locate my airport and if i choose wifi it will show the icon but with an exclamantion point. What do I need to do next?

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Answer 9

Jan 8, 2013 6:47 AM in response to Tee Jay

Suggest that you perform a Factory Default Reset and start over with the AirPort Express from scratch.

Resetting an AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule FAQ

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Answer 10

Tee Jay Author

Level 1

31 points

Jan 8, 2013 8:00 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Rsetting the Airport express didn't work but resetting my ATT 2.wire router made my express appear again. Thanks. Just to clarify when you indicated Bridge Mode it means set my router mode to (off)Bridge mode correct?

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Answer 11

Jan 8, 2013 8:04 PM in response to Tee Jay

it means set my router mode to (off)Bridge mode correct?

Correct.

Off = Bridge Mode

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