Help dual network

The airport utility should be smart enough to pickup the ethernet connection.

Now I ran a line to router 2 via ethernet cable and plugged it into its WAN port now once i go inside to configure it for some reason I can't manually configure the router i have to set it up as a new network, extended network or join existing.

This is the correct method..

Is ethernet working properly? The little LED on the ethernet port should turn on. Does it?

If it still fails.. what version airport utility are you using?? or on what device.. is this using your iPad or a computer?

What versions are the airport extremes? Actual model is helpful from the base.. or post the actual screenshot of the units.

Click the unit to show its summary.. you can post one overview and the summary.

It helps no end to get that info before we start giving you explicit info for your particular setup.

Main modem might also help and how the whole lot is setup.. the pictures tell the 1000 words.

I hope some one of you more technical folks will help with a straight forward non sarcastic response and give a little step by step in a dumb down version

You will get good help here.. we just need that bit more info..

There is a lot of good info in this thread on roaming network.. that is what your setup is called.. sadly apple has been very out of date now with their setup documentation..

Setting Up Roaming - New AirPort Extremes and Utility

The way I would do it is isolated setup of the second Extreme manually then plug it into the network.. tends to solve things.. but let me assure you if you are running Yosemite and have issues.. you are in a very large club now.. so setup from the ipad depends on having everything perfect and it might be choosing wireless links for some not so obvious reason.. do you have a computer to do this with??

Sometimes you will get a different subnet on the WAN side of the main router.. but that is a bit unusual.

I think you have a fairly unusual setup in configuring dhcp reservations outside the dhcp scope... this maybe part of your problem.. it actually should not work.. and even if it does there is a good chance it will not pass packets.

I think you need to go back to basics...

You can certainly save the setup of the main router.. just export the configuration..

Then I want you to factory reset it.

Factory reset universal

Power off the AE.. ie pull the power cord or power off at the wall.. wait 10sec.. hold in the reset button.. be gentle.. power on again still holding in reset.. and keep holding it in for another 10sec. You may need some help as it is hard to both hold in reset and apply power. It will show success by rapidly blinking the front led. Release the reset.. and wait a couple of min for the AE to reset and come back with factory settings. If the front LED doesn’t blink rapidly you missed it and simply try again. The reset is fairly fragile in these.. press it so you feel it just click and no more.. I have seen people bend the lever or even break it. I use a toothpick as tool.

NOW redo the setup from the computer with Yosemite.

1. Use very short names.. NOT APPLE RECOMMENDED names. No spaces and pure alphanumerics.

eg AEgen5 and AEwifi for basestation and wireless respectively.

2. Use all passwords that also comply but can be a bit longer. ie 8-20 characters mixed case and numbers.. no non-alphanumerics.

Plug the AEgen4 you want to use for the secondary network into the primary AE by ethernet as you have been doing...

Let me show you exactly what shows up when I do this.. I have factory reset the AEGen4 to ensure clean setup. The AE is plugged by ethernet into the

TC which happens to be nearby.. sadly the airport utility is confused... as is not uncommon.. Note my change of name.. something short, no spaces and pure alphanumeric.. helps loads later on. Click other options.

Pick create a new network.. since I do not want extend wireless.

Fix up the names yet again.

Complete the setup. It has setup the AE as router and we can simply fix it.. go to edit..

Click on the Network tab and set to bridge.

Update the AE and now see how the whole network looks.

You can of course use double NAT.. and just ignore the issue.. but the setup was a bit complicated.. as I have rather too many devices.. wireless kept cycling in and out..

One thing I do need to clarify .. if you set the camera on a secondary network by ethernet.. why do it this complicated way.. and not just plug the devices in by ethernet to your main AE??

How does using the secondary AE help unless you double NAT.. which is going to make access difficult?

I think you are still going to have issues if you are recording constantly from all cameras.. you should in fact use a separate vlan for the cameras.. but that is going to then require you use a managed switch..

I think to help you with this you might need a network guru who knows how to setup some rather more complicated systems..

Smart managed switches have dropped dramatically in price.. so that can help.. also better router than apple are easily available.. sometimes when you start doing complicated stuff.. apple routers simply don't cut it.. You can still use them for switch and AP and Time Machine backups but stick to routers with business level ability when you start using vlans..

LaPastenague. I wonder if you can help me. I live in an old building with very thick walls. I have been able to use Ethernet and three wireless routers to create three wireless networks with different names but iPads and iPhones dont switch to the strongest wireless network so I've tried to create a roaming network where the wireless routers have the same name for the network. This is not working because yosemite's version of airport utility doesn't have the "share an IP address" command. I wish apple would keep its airport support by Mac OS to make sure this is possible. Hope you can help. Btw I'm not as technologically savvy as you so I hope I've used the correct terminology!

This is not working because yosemite's version of airport utility doesn't have the "share an IP address" command.

Share a public IP address is exactly the same setting as DHCP and NAT.

so I've tried to create a roaming network where the wireless routers have the same name for the network.

In a roaming network, Mac computers will usually automatically switch to pick up the strongest signal from the closest wireless access point. But, iPhones and iPads will not.

So, when you move an iPhone or iPad from one area near one router to another area near another router.........you will need to get in the habit of temporarily turning off the WiFi (or putting the device in AirPlane Mode) while you move from one area to another. When you are at the new location, turn the WiFi back on and the iPhone or iPad will usually......but not always.....pick up the signal from the closest router.

That is a nature of the beast with iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad. They are not nearly as smart as a Mac.

OK Bob THANKS. So do I switch all the wireless routers from bridge off to DHCP and NAT or just one? (If you can tell me what DHCP and NAT stand for I'd be interested). I should perhaps add that one of the wireless routers is an old express so updating that means restarting in OS 10.6 which fortunately I can do.

The "main" AirPort should be in DHCP and NAT (same as Share a Public IP address)

All other AirPorts need to be in Off (Bridge Mode)

DHCP and NAT means that the AirPort router is providing Private IP addresses to each network device and NAT means that the AirPort is sharing the one single IP Public IP Address that it receives from the modem with network devices.

Off (Bridge Mode) means that DHCP and NAT are turned "off" since you only want one router supplying DHCP and NAT services for a network.

Please start a new post for any additional questions, since we are drifting far away from the original topic of this post.

OK Bob once again thanks. I apologize for being far off the topic BUT this was the closest thread to what I was trying to do. Hopefully this laterst additional info will help me but I will start a new thread if necessary as you request