Q: Having trouble extending my wireless network

Actually, the real issue here is likely that Apple has designed their "extend a wireless network" feature to only work with other Apple routers.

So, if you are trying to use the Netgear router to wirelessly extend the signal from the AirPort Extreme....it is extremely unlikely that this would work. We would be tempted to say that there is no way that it will, but we haven't tested that particular Netgear model.

The "allow this network to be extended" setting is automatically enabled in the version of AirPort Utility that you are using, so it does not appear as an option.

AirPort Utility can only be used to configure Apple devices.  A device from another manufacturer will never appear in AirPort Utility.

If you can consider a permanent, wired Ethernet cable connection from the AirPort to the Netgear device, you do have an extending option available that way. Please post back for more details on that.

It would only be possible to extend the wireless range of your AirPort Extreme using the Netgear by using an Ethernet connection between them. This is known as a roaming network. If your goal is to do this by a wireless connection between them, it will not work.

The same information as above applies.....Apple has done their best to only allow other Apple devices to extend a network wirelessly.

In the case of the AirPort Extreme, it would be a miracle if the AirPort could wirelessly extend a signal from the Netgear.

The AirPort Express has a special function that allows it to "join" a network from a third party router for use with AirTunes, now called AirPlay.

But....the AirPort Express does not "extend" the wireless signal when it is configured this way, so the user likely may have thought that the Express was extending the network, when it was not.

Apple points this out in their product information on the AirPort Express:

If you already have a wireless network in your home and want to extend its range, AirPort Express can help. Just place it in range of your primary base station — an AirPort Extreme, AirPort Time Capsule, or another AirPort Express

                        AirPort Express      

If you have a Mac laptop, there is a very easy way to find out if an AirPort is extending the network or joining the network. One provides more wireless signal coverage and other does not.

It is almost useless to try to configure the AirPort Extreme to "join" a third party network, since it does not really do anything in this mode. The Ethernet ports are not enabled, so no function there.  It might be possible to connect a USB printer or hard drive to the AirPort Extreme, but that is all that it can do.

Unfortunately the WNDR4500 which is the model I guess you are referring to is out of 3rd party mainstream and so offers very little.

You can buy a pair of EOP (homeplug) adapters if ethernet is too hard to run.. it will still work better than wireless extend if the house wiring matches the requirement although you can never be sure without trying.

I am trying to use Extreme to extend wifi from Verizon Fios. Will not extend network, only start a new network, even when connected by ethernet. When I choose to extend the existing network, it won't connect.  So my understanding from the discussions is there is no fix, correct?

No, that should not be correct. You should be able to configure a roaming network with these two routers. The key is that need to be interconnected by Ethernet, which it sounds like you already have done so.

The other key elements of a roaming network are:

• Each router must have a unique router name.
• Only the "main" router would have both DHCP & NAT enabled. All other routers would need to be reconfigured as bridges, i.e., DHCP & NAT disabled. In your case the Extreme would need to be in bridge mode.
• Each router must broadcast a Wi-Fi network using the same network name (aka SSID) and use the same Wi-Fi security type and password.
• You do NOT want to use the "Extend a wireless network" option on the Extreme. Instead, you want to use the "Create a wireless network" option instead. Note: It is required that each router used in this type of network, broadcast its own Wi-Fi network. The key is to use the same network name for each of them.

Thanks to Tesserax. I was at the Genius bar this week and they claim the Extreme is much better and has stronger signal  than the Verizon Fios. They recommended as you  to "Create...."  The new network seemed much stronger but had a new name. If I signed into the old network which still showed up and showed signal, it didn't work. What has happened to that network? They showed how to set the new network as the new priority network since things wanted to go back to the old network. Also, when the Extreme is in bridge mode, is the speed cut in half? Thanks again.