Setting up Airport Express as Access Point for Asus RT-AC68U

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Level 1

8 points

Setting up Airport Express as Access Point for Asus RT-AC68U

Looking for any advice on the following wifi router question(s)

My old Linksys router was having issues so I purchased an Asus RT-AC68U router to replace it. It has worse coverage than Linksys. So my IT at work suggested I get an Airport Extreme as an access point.

(Even though we use all Apple products in our house, it never occurred to me to purchase an AE in the first place. It never showed up in any reviews...)

I have now purchased an AE and tried to set it up this evening, wired into the Asus router.

Using the Airport Utility on my Mac laptop, Selected "extend existing network" and it only found my neighbors "base stations", presumably their Apple wifi.

I then tried "configure other", entered the Asus SSID login and password. It found the network but the little wheel just kept spinning...nothing happened.

So all you networking experts out there (not me for sure), what should I do? I literally wish to set this up and never think about it again for three years until something breaks. We are modest users with 10-20 wired and wireless devices. Options I am considering:

1. Try another method to join current Asus wifi network?

2. Swap Asus and AE to make AE primary router and Asus the access point?

3. Send Asus back and get 2nd AE, and never look back. Least preferred option but think I still can.

Thank you in advance for any assistance/guidance/opinions.

Airport Extreme-OTHER, OS X Yosemite (10.10.4)

Posted on Jul 30, 2015 12:02 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

LaPastenague

Level 9

67,208 points

Jul 30, 2015 12:16 AM in response to vernersan

Either 1 or 2 will work.

I am surprised your Asus has worse performance than old Linksys.. generally the Asus is rated as very good to excellent.

Your attempt to setup by extend wireless will not work.. and cannot ever work.. mixing equipment is always a problem.

So the method for your point 1.

1. Reset the AE to factory..

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.

2. Plug the AE WAN port into the Asus LAN port (any of them will do).

3. Run the airport utility.. the utility should suggest it will create a network.. agree with this.

4. On the screen that looks like this. (with slightly different look in Yosemite).

Set all names.. short, no spaces and pure alphanumeric.. Use network name.. which in this case means wireless to the same as the ASUS ssid.

Use the same password as the Asus wireless. (you can use single password or different password for admin access .. up to you).

Go next then update..

The idea is the AE is in bridge mode.. ie.

But it will create a wireless network of the same name and same security as the asus.

If you would prefer to do it according to your point 2.. you will need to setup the AE as the main router I presume..

And select WAP mode for the Asus .. exceedingly easy.

http://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1005259

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Answer 2

vernersan Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 30, 2015 10:53 PM in response to LaPastenague

LaPastenague

Thank you very much for taking the time to produce such a clear explanation.

It took a few tries and I had to ensure the channels on 2.4 and 5hz were matched. Powered everything one final time and it all works! I am amazed after weeks of messing with this.

As for the comparison between my retired Linksys e4200(dual band) and the new Asus, apparently (again from my IT guy) the Asus has a strong but flat beam. In our three story house, the linksys could reach the top floor from the lowest floor. The Asus had issues. With the AE now on our top floor, everything is working well

Thanks again.

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