apple time capsule setting up a roaming network with fios

Unfortunately, although there is some good basic information in the document, Wi-Fi base stations: Setting up and configuring a roaming network (802.11 a/b/g/n) is long out of date for most users who have moved up to Lion, Mountain Lion, or Mavericks on their Macs....or.....who are using an iOS device like the iPhone or iPad to set up and administer their AirPort networks.

Since the Verizon modem/router, also known as a gateway, is providing your Internet connection and serving as the main router for the network, the real question here might be whether or not you want to try to use the wireless on the FIOS gateway as part of the AirPort roaming network, or whether you might want to reserve the FIOS wireless for guests when they visit.

Here, I am assuming that the Time Capsule will be located in close proximaty to the FIOS gateway. If this is the case, then setting up the FIOS and the Time Capsule to both provide the same wireless network would not be recommended, since the likelihood of wireless interference problems will increase significantly in a setup like this.

On the other hand, if the Time Capsule will be located a few rooms away from the FIOS gateway, then the FIOS product could be included as part of the roaming network if you wish.

Although there are different ways to set up the network that you propose, I would recommend the simplest approach, since simple always seem to work better and function more reliably over the long haul.

If this makes sense to you, and you want to proceed, then we need to know what operating system you are using on your Mac or PC, or whether you want try to use an iPhone or iPad to configure the AirPorts. A Mac laptop would be very handy to do some testing of the Ethernet connections before the AirPorts are configured....and, if the laptop is running Lion, Mountain Lion or Mavericks, it could be used to configure the AirPorts as well.

There are some bugs in the Mavericks operation system, but we can probably work around them if they creep in to the picture.

The other thing that we would need to know is whether the FIOS gateway will be part of the roaming network, or whether you want to have a separate wireless network for the FIOS device.

OK, thanks for the information.

Before we begin, have you been able to check all of the Ethernet connections that will connect each of the AirPort routers? If you have not done this yet, a simple way to do this would be to temporarily turn off the wireless on a laptop and connect the Ethernet cable to the laptop and make sure that you can get a good Internet connection that way. If you can, then you know that the Ethernet cabling is working correctly.

To minimize the chances of bugs in Mavericks messing up the setup, please check the following on your Mac:

Open System Preferences (gear icon on the dock)

Open Network

Click on WiFi on the left to highlight it

Click Advanced at the lower right

Click the TCP/IP tab

Make sure that the setting for Configure IPv6 is set to Link Local Only

Click OK, then click Apply

Then, click on Ethernet to highlight it, and repeat the same sequence as above.

Disconnect any Ethernet cables from the Time Capsule and power it up for a few minutes

Hold in the reset button on the back of the Time Capsule for 8-10 seconds and release

Allow a full minute for the Time Capsule to restart to a slow, blinking amber light

Connect the Ethernet cable to the WAN "O" port on the Time Capsule

On the Mac, open Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities > AirPort Utility

Click on Other WiFi Devices

Click on Time Capsule

The setup utility will open up and take a minute to analyze the network, then present a window that looks similar to this, except that you will see an illustration of the Time Capsule:

Network Name......Enter the exact name of the FIOS wireless network if you want the FIOS router included in the AirPort roaming network. If you do not want the FIOS router included in the roaming network, then enter a simple name that you want to call the AirPort network.

Base Station Name....Enter a device name that you want to call the Time Capsule

Password......If you are including the FIOS router in the roaming network, then enter the password for the FIOS wireless network. If you are not including the FIOS in the AirPort network, then select a password that you want to use for the AirPort network

Click Next, and the utility will set up the Time Capsule

When you see the message of Setup Complete, click Done. The Time Capsule is now set up. Spend some time making sure that you can connect to the network and that the Ethernet ports are working correctly if you want to connect any Ethernet devices to the LAN ports on the Time Capsule.

Post back on your progress and then we will configure the AirPort Expresses.

Before you begin, please test the Ethernet connections at each location where each Express will be located, to verify that the cabling is working correctly, as you did with the Time Capsule.

Disconnect any Ethernet cables that might be connected to either Express

Move both AirPort Expresses close to the Time Capsule

Power up one Express for a few minutes

Hold in the reset button for 8-10 seconds and release, then allow a full minute for the Express to restart to a slow, blinking amber light

Temporarily, connect a short spare Ethernet cable....any length will do....from one of the LAN <--> ports on the Time Capsule to the WAN "O" port on the Express

Open Up AirPort Utility again, click on Other WiFi Devices and click on AirPort Express

You will see a window similar to this, indicating that the Express will be set up to extend the Time Capsule network:

Enter a name that you want to call the AirPort Express.......for example, Express1

Click Next

Watch the screen carefully to verify that the message will change to indicate that the Express is being configured to extend using Ethernet.

When you see the message of Setup Complete, click Done.

Power off the AirPort Express and move it to the desired location and power it back up. Check for proper operation.

Repeat the exact same process for the other AirPort Express, except assign a different name to it.....example, Express2.....to keep things organized.

That's it. Please post on your results.

Bob-

I have followed your instructions exactly, however, after completing the Airport Express Setup and removing the ethernet cable linked from the Time Capsule to the Air Port Express, the AirPort Utility identifies an error in the status = No DNS Servers. Any recommendation on how to get past this?

Bob -

More set up screens from the Air Express

Internet Options

Network Set Up

My set up is a UVERSE gateway, 27inch iMac (late 2012), TimeCapsule, and AirPort Express 802.11n.

Bob-

You can completely disregard my issue. I manually entered the DNS Server Number & the Domain Name. Also, I had to go into the Wireless tab and change the dropdown from Join network to Extend the network. After completing that step, I was able to get green lights from both the time machine and airport express. However, when I removed the Ethernet cable from the airport express, the status light flashed a slow amber. At that point I began to power down the express and the base station. Once they were off, I powered the UVERSE gateway down and then did the same for my iMac. I powered up the UVERSE gateway first, then the iMac, followed by the Time Machine (which is still connected to the gateway via Ethernet), and last the Express and now have an extended network that provides me wireless coverage throughout the house regardless of floor and covers a large swath of the yard.

The only thing left to do is to clean up this forum, however it will not let me delete my previous posts. If you can please do.

Bob-

I figured out how to work around the "NO DNS SERVERS" error contained within the AirPort Utility Window. I clicked on the "EDIT" button which displays the Airport Express set up windows.

Step 1: Internet Tab

I manually entered the DNS Server Number & the Domain Name.

Step 2: Wireless Tab

Network Mode Dropdown: Select "Extend a wireless network and make sure the wireless name, security, and passwords are the same as the Time Machine.

Step 3: Select Update

After completing that step, I was able to get green lights from both the time machine and airport express. However, when I removed the Ethernet cable from the airport express, the status light flashed a slow amber. At that point I began to power down the express and the base station. Once they were off, I powered the UVERSE gateway down and then did the same for my iMac. I powered up the UVERSE gateway first, then the iMac, followed by the Time Machine (which is still connected to the gateway via Ethernet), and last the Express and now have an extended network that provides me wireless coverage throughout the house regardless of floor and covers a large swath of the yard.

Unfortunately I can not delete my previous posts with the various screen shots. Can you please delete them as they will no longer serve a purpose.

Thank you so much, I appreciate it.

Jay