Bridging and/or extending 2 wireless routers connected to 2 different modems?

Question

Bridging and/or extending 2 wireless routers connected to 2 different modems?

I am begining to think this is not possible but wanted to clear this here before I gave up.

In my network

I have my base AirPort Extreme connected to a modem at one end of the house.
I have an airpot express which is extending the network and connected to a speaker for playing music. ( not really pertinent)
At the other end of the house, I have another Airport Extreme connected by ethernet cable to a different modem.

What I am starting to realize, if this is correct, is that #3 is not actually using the ethernet connection to boost the signal. Its simply extending my base Airport Extreme. As shown below. Is this right?

I'm curious to know if I can keep #3 connected to that modem and/ or bridge to the other router to create a roaming network? Basically, I am trying to optimize my signal with the second connection to the modem. Diagram below illustrates this.

I have been searching for a while with no success and wondering if someone has tried this or if its simply not possible. I am aware of bridging that utilzes the same modem. However I want to use a different one as illustrated above.

Thanks for any and all help.

Posted on Feb 9, 2014 3:49 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Feb 9, 2014 5:41 PM in response to mynamespelledout

Sorry, but not possible using the products that you have.

If you want to use two modems and two Internet connections, you will need a router with two WAN ports.

Cisco has them, and would be recommended....there might be others.

Keep in mind though, that you will have to connect both modems to the dual WAN router, then work from there.

AirPorts could connect to a Cisco router using wired Ethernet connections. Wireless is not going to be compatible.

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Answer 2

Feb 9, 2014 5:43 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Ok. thanks

So its true that my #3 router is only extending the wireless signal?

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Answer 3

Feb 9, 2014 5:48 PM in response to mynamespelledout

If you have a modem connected to #3, and things are set up correctly, #3 is creating its own network.....not extending another network.

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Answer 4

Feb 9, 2014 5:53 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Well that would make sense if I had it set to create a new network. As it stands now #3 is extending the network.

Again, I thought the router would be able to extend the wifi signal and at the same time magically utilize the ethernet connection, thus making a stronger network. Its becoming apparent that this is not happening.

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Answer 5

Feb 9, 2014 6:12 PM in response to mynamespelledout

As it stands now #3 is extending the network.

But it is not, because it can't....even if it did not have a modem connected.

You can only extend an Apple network one time. The AirPort Express is already doing that. It is not possible to have #3 extend the signal again wirelessly.....even if you wanted to do that.

If you located #3 about the same distance from the main AirPort Extreme.....and closer to the AirPort Extreme than to the AirPort Express....then it could be setup to extend the network wirelessly.

Apple's extend setup works like the hub and spokes of a wheel. Your "main" AirPort Extreme is the "hub". Other extending devices are located at the ends of separate "spokes".

Each extender must connect directly to the hub......not to another extender at the end of another spoke.

So, the ideal setup would have the "main" router (hub) located near the center of your home.....and then other extending devices could be located in different directions (spokes) around the perimenter or outer areas of the home.

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Answer 6

Feb 9, 2014 6:12 PM in response to Bob Timmons

This is what I am trying to communicate.

If you located #3 about the same distance from the main AirPort Extreme.....and closer to the AirPort Extreme than to the AirPort Express....then it could be setup to extend the network wirelessly.

And its exactly what the airport utiltiy is telling me. The express and extreme are, and have been, individual

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Answer 7

Feb 9, 2014 6:22 PM in response to mynamespelledout

Maybe best to drop modem #2 from the discussion. You cannot have an active Ethernet connection (the second modem) working at the same time that the Extreme is extending. You will have a looping problem this way.

Power off the modem at #3 and setup # 3 to extend and it might work. But, if it is some distance from the main Extreme, it won't be extending much at all.

An extender can only extend the quality of signal that it receives. It does not "boost" the signal. It cannot make a slow signal go faster. So, the quality of signal around #3 is going to be limited unless you have very few obstructions between the main Extreme and #3.

Normally, you would want to locate an extender about half way between the main AirPort and the general area that needs more wireless coverage. Anytime you try to extend using wireless, there are going to be compromises.

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Answer 8

Feb 9, 2014 6:20 PM in response to Bob Timmons

huh... interesting. I have noticed that reception is bad at times.

Thanks again.

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Answer 9

Feb 9, 2014 6:23 PM in response to mynamespelledout

Notice that Apple does not use the term "booster" or even "repeater". There are reasons for this.

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