evanfromjacksonville
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Using Airport extreme to extend AT&T U-Verse Wifi

We have just purchased AT&T Uverse Modem with Wi-Fi (NVG510).  We have also just purchased the new Airport Extreme.  We were told when we bought the Airport Extreme that when we set it up it will enhance the wifi signal of the AT&T Uverse wi-fi and make it stronger/longer.  We have set it up and it has not changed the strength of the signal at all.  The Airport is plugged into the outlet and the airport if connected to the AT&Tmodem/router from the WAN port to the Ethernet port on the ATT modem.  I do not know if I have done something wrong or I was given wrong information about the Airport extending the signal.

We are just looking to get wi-fi throughout our house.

Airport Extreme

Posted on Jan 2, 2014 6:44 PM

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evanfromjacksonville

Q: Using Airport extreme to extend AT&T U-Verse Wifi

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  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Jan 2, 2014 7:12 PM in response to evanfromjacksonville
    Level 9 (54,901 points)
    Wireless
    Jan 2, 2014 7:12 PM in response to evanfromjacksonville

    We have just purchased AT&T Uverse Modem with Wi-Fi (NVG510).  We have also just purchased the new Airport Extreme.  We were told when we bought the Airport Extreme that when we set it up it will enhance the wifi signal of the AT&T Uverse wi-fi and make it stronger/longer.

    Unfortunately, you were informed incorrectly. The AirPort base stations can extend the wireless range of an existing wireless network, but only if that network is being provided by another AirPort base station. This is assuming that you want the connection between wireless rourters to be a wireless one.

     

    If that connection can be wired instead, the you could configure both of your existing wireless routers for a roaming network which, effectively, does the same thing.

  • by evanfromjacksonville,

    evanfromjacksonville evanfromjacksonville Jan 3, 2014 4:11 AM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 3, 2014 4:11 AM in response to Tesserax

    The airport is connected to the att router with an ethernet cable.  We were told that doing that would boost our wifi signal. 

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Jan 4, 2014 11:15 AM in response to evanfromjacksonville
    Level 9 (54,901 points)
    Wireless
    Jan 4, 2014 11:15 AM in response to evanfromjacksonville

    Then the roaming network configuration I mentioned should work. In this configration the Uverse gateway's wireless will not be boosted. Instead the AirPort would provide a second wireless network using the same network name & security used by the Uverse. You can literally roam between base stations with a mobile wireless device and still be on the "same" network.

  • by John Ducat,

    John Ducat John Ducat Jan 27, 2014 8:10 PM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2014 8:10 PM in response to Tesserax

    When I first tried this I got an error message on my AirPort Extreme about the DHCP beginning and ending IP addresses did not match something on the AT&T router.  I tried resetting the AirPort Extreme and following the dirctions above but keep getting an error message stating that I've selected it to run over WAN thereby reducing the security of my network.  I clicked "Ignore" but am unsure whether that was a good or bad thing.  Frankly, I'm a little lost.  I previously had a different UVerse router and had somehow rigged it so that the UVerse router didn't broadcast my wireless and my wireless was controlled by my Extreme (and extended by an Express).  I tried to replicate that set-up but it didn't work and the AT&T tech that installed my new router told me that I should stay with the AT&T wireless.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.  If possible, I think my preference would be to just extend the 2WIRE wireless network so we have better coverage throughout the house.  Thank you.