Setting Up Roaming - New AirPort Extremes and Utility

A final update (I hope). I upgraded one of our laptops to 10.8.4 and used the AirPort Utility to access and confirm the settings I had made with the iPad app. I changed nothing, as far as I know, but now wireless access is working! I'm getting 30 mpbs downloads, vs. 10 mpbs yesterday.

Good news..

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Michael, OK, I believe it can be done, and buying Snow Leopard Server while it's still available seems like a good Plan C or D. Actually, I've never purchased a "Server" version of any Mac OS. What are the functional differences between the "Server" version and the "regular" version? Can I run Eudora 6.2 and send, receive, forward, and print messages as I do now? Is there anything that I wouldn't be able to do using the server version?

DukeBedford wrote:

What are the functional differences between the "Server" version and the "regular" version?

None for our purposes! I actually remove the Server apps from the Dock so as to not be confused by them.

DukeBedford wrote:

Can I run Eudora 6.2 and send, receive, forward, and print messages as I do now?

I am not a Eudora user; I just downloaded it and ran it in Snow Leopard Server installed in Parallels 8 to show needy users such as yourself that it will run in a Lion/Mt. Lion environment. That being said, I see no reason why you should not have full Eudora functionality in Parallels that you currently enjoy in a real Snow Leopard environment.

Parallels has a Coherence Mode, which actually will place Eudora side by side with your apps running in Mt. Lion, without the Parallels window.

DukeBedford wrote:

Is there anything that I wouldn't be able to do using the server version?

I have not yet come across such an example. Parallels, however, does not support the Firewire port, which does limit its access to certain legacy scanners (Firewire hard drives can be accessed through the Shared Folder or file sharing).

SLS is $20 and Parallels 8 has a 14 day free trial download, so try it for yourself!

Tesserax--I am connecting an AE wired by Ethernet to my TC so that I can extend the range of my existing wireless network. The only question I have for the *very clear* steps you provided is:

You say "For each additional base station added to the roaming network...Wireless tab > Network Mode: Create a wireless network > Wireless Network Name > Enter the desired name. This will be used on all base stations > Wireless Security: WPA2 Personal (recommended) > Wireless Password > Enter the desired wireless password. This will be used on all base stations."

So you "create a wireless network" not "extend a wireless network" on the additional (slave) base station?

Tesserax--I am connecting an AE wired by Ethernet to my TC so that I can extend the range of my existing wireless network. The only question I have for the *very clear* steps you provided is:

You say "For each additional base station added to the roaming network...Wireless tab > Network Mode: Create a wireless network > Wireless Network Name > Enter the desired name. This will be used on all base stations > Wireless Security: WPA2 Personal (recommended) > Wireless Password > Enter the desired wireless password. This will be used on all base stations."

So you "create a wireless network" not "extend a wireless network" on the additional (slave) base station?

So you "create a wireless network" not "extend a wireless network" on the additional (slave) base station?

That is correct. Although a roaming network can "extend" the wireless range of an existing network it is NOT the same as the "extend a network" feature of the AirPort base stations. The latter is when the connection between base stations will be wireless.

Hi, i am trying to set up a roaming network and am hoping for some help. I am trying to cover a main house and guest house spread over two acres. Here is what i have:

Comcast cable coming into the basement of the main house

Ten ethernet cables coming out of the wall by the cable modem and running all over the main house and one to the guest house

At present i just plug the ethernet cable that goes to the kitchen into the cable modem and then i put a time capsule in the kitchen. I have built a wirelessly extended network around it but it is not stable and often doesnt reach the guest house

So i have been reading about the roaming network idea. My issue is i cannot run a bunch of wires out of the time capsule in my kitchen. The property is already prewired. So can i do this?:

From the cable modem go to a switch via ethernet, and then run ethernet out of the switch to five or so base stations? Or does it require, as illustrated in apple instructions, that i go thru the primary airport before going to the switch and then via ethernet to the various addition airports? It just seems weird to stick an airport in the basement bunker where it will cover nothing but that room. Kind of a waste of a box.

Anyway, any help is really appreciated and any ideas on how you would configure this would be great.

Many thanks -h

From the cable modem go to a switch via ethernet, and then run ethernet out of the switch to five or so base stations? Or does it require, as illustrated in apple instructions, that i go thru the primary airport before going to the switch and then via ethernet to the various addition airports?

Adding a switch between the modem and the primary AirPort base station will not work.

I agree with you about placing the Extreme near the modem in the basement. What I would recommend and is what I have been using for my roaming network setup is the following:

• Cable modem <Ethernet> Cisco RVS4000 <multiple Ethernet runs to an Ethernet switch panel out to individual jacks throughout my home>
• Connected to several of these jacks are a variety of AirPort base stations configured as bridges but broadcasting individual wireless networks with the same SSID & wireless security type/password as all the othe base stations.

The Cisco RVS4000 is an Ethernet router as such it does not provide a wireless network. The reason I went with it was two-fold: 1) It was more configurable than any of the AirPorts, and 2) I needed to place it near the modem which was inside an understairs closet.

Thanks. But given that i already have a bunch of airports and a netgear 8 port switch, is there any reason i cannot set up as follows rather than buying a new piece of gear?:

Cable modem connection by ethernet cable to airport, airport connected to netgear switch, seven outputs from netgear switch go out to seven jacks around the property where i plug in airports and then configure the boxes as you suggested.

As an aside is there a good write up somewhere on networking 101? All this dhcp, ssid, bridge mode etc is all greek to me. I am sure imcan learn it but i need to study it.

Many thanks

H

But given that i already have a bunch of airports and a netgear 8 port switch, is there any reason i cannot set up as follows rather than buying a new piece of gear?:

Cable modem connection by ethernet cable to airport, airport connected to netgear switch, seven outputs from netgear switch go out to seven jacks around the property where i plug in airports and then configure the boxes as you suggested.

No, that should work just fine.

As an aside is there a good write up somewhere on networking 101? All this dhcp, ssid, bridge mode etc is all greek to me. I am sure imcan learn it but i need to study it.

I would recommend the Take Control Books series, specifically their latest on the AirPort Extreme. It is a quick read but very informative. It should get you started in the right direction and make it easier to digest additional networking material if you wish to futher your studies.

Is it possible to set up a roaming network using two wired base stations and one unwired base station? My setup is;

Time Capsule -> New Airport Extreme connected by ethernet -> Airport Extreme in back part of condo I can't connect with ethernet.

We have a large 2 story long condo in a concrete/brick building. I've got the Time Capsule in my office downstairs, new Airport Extreme Base Station upstairs above my office I can connect with ethernet, and a Airport Extreme Base Station in the back of the condo I can't connect with ethernet.

Right now they are connected as an extended network, but the signal (even with a Airport Extreme Base Station) doesn't give me the wireless speed I would expect in the back part of the condo.

Is it possible to set up a roaming network using two wired base stations and one unwired base station?

Technically no. A roaming network requires all base stations to be interconnected by Ethernet. What you are proposing should work but it would be a hybrid of a roaming plus an extended network.

So I should be able to setup the 2 base stations that can be wired as a roaming network, and then the third as extending the network?