Problem connection between airport bases

This is where the extend wireless system goes nuts..

What has happened in fig1 should not be possible.. since only single links extend to main router are possible..

But I have exactly the same situation happen when I am running multiple wireless airports in extend wireless.. every now and then it will swap to the wrong.. even impossible according to theory device and simply stop working.. due to trying to extend twice..

The only fix was to power off the offending item.. so in your case, power off express2 to force express 3 to reconnect to the airport extreme.

Changing names, changing channels.. I tried everything and nothing works..

You must stop the Express 3 from getting any signal from express 2.. so put it in a different location might fix it..

Even better run ethernet or try EOP (ethernet over power) adapters. ethernet will work.. it is after all the best and only reliable network system.. EOP may or may not work but it has to be better than extend wireless over 3 storeys .. my recommendation.. run even a small amount of ethernet.. 3rd story to 2nd storey if possible.. use roaming network on the Express2 and then Express 3 can extend from express 2.. but even better again.. have no wireless extend at all.. just ethernet to each floor and run each as Wireless AP.

What has happened in fig1 should not be possible.. since only single links extend to main router are possible..

What has happened in fig 1 is that Express 3 is seeing a stronger signal from Express 2 than it is seeing from the AirPort Extreme.

Express 3 cannot "extend" the signal from Express 2, but it can "join" the signal from Express 2. So, it could be used for normal AirPlay, or to connect an Ethernet device to the Ethernet port. But "extend" or "repeat" the network, it cannot do.

You must stop the Express 3 from getting any signal from express 2.. so put it in a different location might fix it..

It's OK if Express 3 gets a signal from Express 2, as long as it gets a significantly stronger signal from the AirPort Extreme than it does from Express 2.

It's OK if Express 3 gets a signal from Express 2, as long as it gets a significantly stronger signal from the AirPort Extreme than it does from Express 2.

Yes, I over exaggerated the situation..

My problem is in the middle of a repair where I have an old TC connected by wireless in extend mode to my main TC in the next room is the rest of the network on extend then goes haywire.. so I have seen the effect.. and it seems difficult to stop it although you did find an improvement in selecting a particular unit to extend..

I need to get over my laziness btw and run ethernet to the places that have so far missed out.. there is only one area.. but it means going right around via the ceiling or right through bottom and up double storey outside wall.. I had the whole house wired 10base2 from 1994 and it worked great.. so easy to simply put another outlet into the single run of coax.. and it seemed super fast back then.. Move on 20 years.. and doing it all again in Cat6 doesn't thrill so much. It is also against certain rules in Australia.. shhh 👿. You cannot do your own data cabling.. !! 😝 Such is the state we live in.. !! 😉 Of course all my data cabling was installed before the law changed.. You can tell because I wrote the date on it .. 2006 just yesterday. This is called sarcasm btw.. !! Cat cable has a date on it.. and I keep a roll from 1993 for the job.. yuk yuk yuk.

You cannot do your own data cabling.. !!

Wow, I would never have guessed that.

and doing it all again in Cat6 doesn't thrill so much.

Some Cat6 cabling is quite stiff, and not easy to get around tight corners. Hopefully, your cable is flexible when needed.

Hopefully, you will be able to connect the AirPorts together using a wired Ethernet cable. As you have seen, trying to use wireless to connect between AirPorts is going to be inconsistent at best.