Airport extreme bridge.

You must have an ethernet link between the modem router and the Airport. I am unclear as to how you are trying to link them.. but by wireless .. aint gonna work. If ethernet is not possible then EOP (homeplug) adapters might be an option.

Or you need another apple router .. apple routers can only wireless extend another apple router.

I followed directions through another post on how connect my airport extreme with bridged mode however I am not able to connect to it wired or through wifi.

Not sure what directions that you followed, but if they were correct for the devices that you have, the directions would have specified and detailed that you must have a permanent, wired Ethernet cable connection from one of the LAN <--> ports on the c1000a modem/router to the WAN "O" port on the AirPort Extreme.

The exception would be if you are using a pair of Ethernet power line adapters. Please clarify on that.

As LaPastenague notes......wireless.....aint gonna work.....if that is how you are trying to connect the AirPort Extreme to the c1000a modem/router.

An Airport extreme does not need a wired connection to the WAN. What Apple used to call "Wireless Distribution System (WDS)" uses an existing Wi-Fi hotspot to feed IP traffic to the Airport Extreme and thereby create a new Wi-Fi hotspot in another location, with no wires between them. However, WDS has some caveats:

1. It is rather tricky to set up. Even with two Airport Extremes, it takes patience.
2. Not all modems support the WDS protocol. "Bridging" is a similar non-Apple name for the capability, but seems like it may not use the identical protocol. I have never succeeded in creating a WDS extension with a non-Apple Wi-Fi device. An Extreme and an Express, or two Extremes, yes.
3. It is slow.

But it can be made to work.

--Gil

Typically, the AirPorts will run circles around the normal modem/router type devices that are supplied by most Internet Service Providers.

A very quick Google check of the c1000a modem/router indicates that.......

It has 10/100 Ethernet ports while the AirPort has 10/100/1000. The numbers speak for themselves....the AirPort is capable of 10 times faster Ethernet performance

The c1000a specifies that it can do 802.11n wireless.....about 130 Mpbs speed. The AirPort, depending on what model you have.....will easily to 3-5 times that speed or more.

An Airport extreme does not need a wired connection to the WAN. What Apple used to call "Wireless Distribution System (WDS)" uses an existing Wi-Fi hotspot to feed IP traffic to the Airport Extreme and thereby create a new Wi-Fi hotspot in another location, with no wires between them. However, WDS has some caveats:

1. It is rather tricky to set up. Even with two Airport Extremes, it takes patience.
2. Not all modems support the WDS protocol. "Bridging" is a similar non-Apple name for the capability, but seems like it may not use the identical protocol. I have never succeeded in creating a WDS extension with a non-Apple Wi-Fi device. An Extreme and an Express, or two Extremes, yes.
3. It is slow.

But it can be made to work.

On your other topic...

I would like to know what the benefit would be to connect the apple router through the Ethernet if I already have a router in the same place. I have seen that people do this and don't understand the benefit.

Well, I have an Express connected via Cat 5 cable to my Netopia DSL modem-router. The Netopia has a Wi-Fi function in it (with two antennas for diversity!), but I have turned that off. Why? you ask. Hmm. I wonder myself.

When I set it up years ago, the Express was handy and easy to configure via Apple's Airport Utility. I found the Netopia handbook on the internet, but never bothered to read it.

Oh! Also, I had planned to run a WDS extension into the living room, and I figured I'd need an Airport for that. I've since crawled under the house to run a Cat-5 cable and moved my Express more into the middle of the house. I get fine coverage in the patio and the garage, so I've never changed anything since.

That answer your question? Glad you asked. I hadn't thought about that in years.

--Gil

I have never succeeded in creating a WDS extension with a non-Apple Wi-Fi device. An Extreme and an Express, or two Extremes, yes. It is slow.

But it can be made to work

WDS has long passed its day for Apple devices.. it will reduce everything to G wireless.. and it will require WEP security.. no longer available even on the latest AC wireless airports.

To advise a user to reduce security to WEP.. and then say you could not make it work anyway.. and still consider it a viable solution to his problem.. amazing!!

Would you use WEP security.. or G wireless now??

An Airport extreme does not need a wired connection to the WAN

Ummm. AirPort Utility, the application used to configure the AirPorts, has not supported WDS for over 2 years.

WDS requires WEP security as well.....might as well run the network open, since WEP provides about as much security.

Sure, there might be a way if you use outdated software....but consider that WDS operates only at wireless "g" speeds....and....that speed will be halved when you add another WDS device....so you are down to a speedy 27 Mbps for your network.

Most users would rather have 270 Mbps, rather than 27 Mbps, I think.

Why not provide step by step for your WDS setup, and let users decide if they would like to do it?

The fact that you might be able to do something dumb.....does not mean that it would be a good idea to do it.

Good luck. If you decide that you need more wireless coverage, one or more AirPort Express devices can be added to your network to wirelessly extend your network.

I have the exact same modem (C1000A) and use an Airport Extreme as the router. But we have had some issues where the WiFi shows connected on an iOS device but the internet connection was lost. We turned off the Wireless on the Modem so our devices would only see the AE WiFi, but we still had dropped connection issues. The modem was just swapped out today for a new one (same model). After spending hours looking at the Modem Utility page and Airport Utility, then researching questions about the info, I think I found the right group of people to help me. Below are some of the questions I am trying to figure out.

1. If the AE is in bridge mode will the Firewall of the AE still function properly?

2. If the AE firewall is working will it be ok to turn off the Modem firewall if it is part of the problem with our internet connection getting dropped? I ask this because the system log for the Modem has tons of messages saying Firewall Drop: IN=br0 Out = MAC=(with some numbers which i recognize one set as the MAC address for an iPad) and SRC=, DST=, etc. I'm not sure what that message means but Firewall Drop doesn't sound good. The log also had a lot of wireless device connected and disconnected messages. The same with Ethernet connections.

3. Or is it a better idea to use the Modem in bridge mode and have the AE be in DHCP and NAT mode? I read on one website that the C1000A modem can be in transparent bridge mode which will allow the router to issue the IP address for all the Network devices and be the Internet connection by using my DSL credentials from my ISP with the AE. (lots of acronyms i didn't know before this all happened 😝)

4. The Tech that came out today thought using the AE was an unnecessary step in the whole internet/wireless process. He also thought a Firewall on the modem, computer and AE, all active, was useless and only one thing needed its firewall functioning (his suggestion was the computer). If thats the case what is protecting my other wireless devices? (iPhone, AppleTV, Laptops)

I really just want a secure and correctly functioning internet and wireless set up in my home. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks, Gayla

p.s. Let me know if i need to clarify anything. I'm also sorry, in advance, if your answers bring a ton more questions.

1. If the AE is in bridge mode will the Firewall of the AE still function properly?

The firewall is not enabled in Bridge Mode.

2. If the AE firewall is working will it be ok to turn off the Modem firewall....

See answer to #1 above.

3. Or is it a better idea to use the Modem in bridge mode and have the AE be in DHCP and NAT mode?

Not necessarily, but it might be worth a try, if only to try. Transparent bridge on the modem will require that the AirPort be configured to provide the PPPoE user name and password. That type of setup can be tricky. I've done it both ways in the past, and cannot say that one way is better than another.

The Tech that came out today thought using the AE was an unnecessary step in the whole internet/wireless process.

He might be right. Usually, the simplest networks are the most reliable. There may be a reason for having the AirPort Express on the network.....faster wireless, a certain feature, etc.....we cannot say. Your call on that.

He also thought a Firewall on the modem, computer and AE, all active, was useless and only one thing needed its firewall functioning (his suggestion was the computer). If thats the case what is protecting my other wireless devices? (iPhone, AppleTV, Laptops)

Opinions vary. I use a simple bridge mode modem with an AirPort Extreme handing DHCP and NAT, so the AirPort is the firewall. The firewalls are disabled on the desktop and laptops. iOS devices, like the iPhones and iPad....I don't know.

If the modem is in Bridge Mode, then the firewall will be enabled on the AirPort. If the modem is handling DHCP and NAT, then it is acting as a firewall. Really no reason to also enable the firewall on the laptop.....in my opinion.

Thank you so much!

That is very helpful. I think I will try the Modem in bridge mode instead of the Extreme.

Good luck. AirPort Utility should detect that a PPPoE setup will be required, and walk you through.

Be sure to start over with a factory default reset first on the AirPort Extreme, then set it up.

Thanks again for your help!!!

Did the factory reset and then was able to get everything configured correctly and now its all up and working. So happy!🙂