Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Level 1

45 points

Extend Airport Extreme Network via Ethernet to Airport Express

I am trying to extend a gen 4 Airport Extreme by hardwiring ethernet to a 2nd gen Airport Express and will add a second Airport Express if I can get the first one to work. I have a large network with a 24 port switch and aiport utility 6.3.2 (most recent as of this date)

First question:

When expanding my network using the hardwired Airport Express can I name the new network anything I want or should it be exactly the same as the Extreme Network. I would prefer to name it differently so I can keep track of which network my devices are acturally joining but I will be happy simply to get this to work either way.

Second question:

After repeated attempts to configure my hardwired Aiport Extreme, I get the following yellow status error:

Yellow Internet Connetion

Yellow No DNS Servers

Yellow Conflicting DHCP Range

Observation:

Many of the suggestions here and the link posted in a previous post are not based upon the most recent Airport Untility software so that may contribute to my lack of success so far. I am using the most recent version.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Nov 30, 2013 11:34 AM

21 replies

Don Schultz Author

Level 1

45 points

Nov 30, 2013 6:43 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Bob: Thanks for all of your help. I would like to ask one more follow up: considering what you now know about my network, is there anything else or any other deivce you would consdier to manage the bandwidth as effeciently as possible?

Nov 30, 2013 6:59 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Yes it is older Bob but still the same principle.

A photo is worth a thousand words.

I still use it for my quick reference and it has helped many others no matter what Airport Utility they are using.

Nov 30, 2013 7:04 PM in response to Don Schultz

If you are looking for best network speed, a few things to check and consider.

Since the AirPort Extreme has Gigabit Ethernet ports, you would want to make sure that you are using CAT5e or CAT6 Ethernet cabling to support those speeds, as well as a Gigabit Ethernet 24 port switch.

The AirPort Express devices are a somewhat of a bottleneck when you consider that they will allow 300-400 Mbps wireless connections, but the bandwidth will get compressed down to 100 Mbps, since that is what the Express ports use. Hard to know what Apple was thinking here, when Gigabit ports would have only been a few more dollars.

A potential future upgrade might be to go to two AirPort Extremes in place of the Express devices, then the faster wireless speeds will be maintained as they pass down to the "main" AirPort Extreme.

After that, things start to get complicated if you want to try to manage the allocation of bandwidth of individual devices on the network. That would require a different "main" router to run the network.

Good luck, hope that the network will run fast and strong for you.

Don Schultz Author

Level 1

45 points

Nov 30, 2013 8:00 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Very helpful! Yes, my switch is only 10/100 mpbs so I will probably upgrade that first. Then maybe wait for the next generation airport extreme and add one of those in order to decomission one of the expresses. I have hard wired a couple of key computers because, geneally, wire is better but I suspect they maybe better served by release them to the wireless network, especially if they are close to the extreme. I assume that getting them on the 5 ghz would be best of all if they were close to the extreme because there are far fewer 5 ghz devices on the net work.

Dec 3, 2013 7:02 PM in response to Don Schultz

Hello, Bob... you there? Wow- could I use your expertice.

I have been trying and trying to follow your instructions (given here and other posts) for configuring a roaming network with an Airport Express N (not the new one)... and I simply cant get it to work. I see NO WAY to tell this thing to use the ethernet connection... and it doesn't seem to figure that out itself either.

Any ideas?

Dec 3, 2013 7:17 PM in response to kevinvinv

Please start a new post.

Provide the model numbers of all of your AirPorts and the operating system that you are using on your Mac. Model numbers are on the side of the Express or bottom. Same for the Exteme. The model number starts with an "A" followed by four numbers.

Give us the layout....what connects to what?

If the products are operating correctly, we will get you going.

Extend Airport Extreme Network via Ethernet to Airport Express