setup and connections for 3 airport extremes and 2 switches?

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Level 1

5 points

setup and connections for 3 airport extremes and 2 switches?

I'm finally getting ethernet wiring in my house rather having to rely on just wireless, but due to the lath and plaster walls I'll still end up having a separate Airport Extreme 802.11ac unit on each floor, otherwise the signal drops off dramatically with dead spots. I'm assuming that I should no longer do an extended network between the airport extremes, but I'm not sure of the proper wiring between the ethernet switches I'll have, the airport extremes, etc. either. Here's the gear...

2nd floor

cable modem

8 port ethernet switch

main airport extreme, should provide DHCP and NAT

cable modem plugs into the main switch

airport extreme plugs into the main switch

1st floor

airport extreme

there will be an ethernet cable from the basement ethernet switch to the 1st floor unit, which is the only feasible hardwire connection that I can make unless I pull a second long run of ethernet from the second floor, go to the basement and then back over to the first floor connection spot.

Basement

airport extreme

second 8 port ethernet switch

there will be an ethernet cable running from the 2nd floor ethernet switch to the basement switch

There are also additional airport express boxes attached to audio equipment and an AppleTV attached to an AV receiver for TV. Various printers, game consoles, etc. will plug into the ethernet switches.

As described above, all connections are going to the switches, not coming out of the main airport extreme and going to another airport extreme.

First of all, is the wiring described make sense or should it be handled differently?

Secondly, rather than an extended network, since I'll have hardwire ethernet connections between switches to all of the airports, what is the proper network topology to use in the airport utility? Does each of the three airports end up being their own wireless network, but just sharing the same name for 802.11 b/g, n, and ac? Any links to help me figure this out or do I need to make an Apple genius appointment?

Posted on Nov 4, 2013 11:22 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 4, 2013 11:47 AM in response to kasplat

2nd floor

cable modem

8 port ethernet switch

main airport extreme, should provide DHCP and NAT

cable modem plugs into the main switch

airport extreme plugs into the main switch

What is the make and model number of the modem?

If it is a simple modem....(not a modem/router or gateway device)....you cannot have an Ethernet switch between the simple modem and the AirPort Extreme.

Instead, the modem must connect to the AirPort Extreme, and the Ethernet switch then connects to the AirPort Extreme.

However, if your "modem" is a modem/router or gateway device.....you could connect the Ethernet switch to the modem/router......but you would not configure the AirPort Extreme to provide DHCP and NAT.....since the modem/router or gateway would already be providing those services.

Let's get this clarified before we go any further, since the entire network will depend on this.

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Answer 2

kasplat Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 4, 2013 12:53 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Currently, I have a Motorola SB5100. Connecting to http://192.168.100.1/ shows that it has DHCP enabled. The modem has been working fine for a long time, but I could probably upgrade if needed. When I called Comcast, they said that I could switch to an Arris WBM760A. I'm sure there are other Comcast approved modems too.

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Answer 3

Nov 4, 2013 1:10 PM in response to kasplat

The Motorola SB5100 is a simple modem. It does deliver an IP address using DHCP.....but....it will only deliver one IP address.

If you connect the SB5100 to an Ethernet switch, and then connect other devices to the switch, it will be a matter of chance as to which device gets the valid IP address. All the other devices will not be able to connect to the Internet.

I am not telling you to replace the modem.....only telling you that you will need to connect the SB5100 directly to the WAN port on the AirPort Extreme and then connect the Ethernet switch to a LAN port on the AirPort Extreme.

So, the first part of your network will look like this:

Internet Connection > Modem > AirPort Exteme > Ethernet Switch > Devices

It cannot look like this:

Internet Connection > Modem > Switch > AirPort Extreme > Devices

The AirPort Extreme will take the one IP address that it receives and "share" it with other devices by distributing separate IP addresses using DHCP and NAT to each device on the network.

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