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What can the AirPort Extreme WAN port be used for?

My network at home is made up of two airport extremes, on upstairs and one downstairs. They are connected by my in wall ethernet. The airport extreme I have upstairs is connected to my modem via it's WAN port. Then I have my in-wall ethernet connected to a LAN port on the airport extreme upstairs. On the airport extreme downstairs the it's connected to the in-wall line via it's WAN port. I have always thought that this is an acceptable setup thinking that the WAN port on airport devices acted as a sort of "input" and that the LAN ports were "outputs." But as I am learning more about networking I'm not sure if I have this set up right.


So I guess my question is:

Is the WAN port on AirPort devices intended for connection to a modem and a modem only or can it be used for other purposes such as how I am using it?

Posted on Oct 7, 2015 3:54 PM

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Posted on Oct 7, 2015 7:07 PM

When an AirPort is operating as a router the WAN and LAN ports have different functions. This is its default state.


However, when operating as a bridge both ports no longer perform as either a WAN or LAN port, but both just work as Ethernet ports. Think of an AirPort base station as a router with a built in Ethernet switch.

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Oct 7, 2015 7:07 PM in response to jlswanson99

When an AirPort is operating as a router the WAN and LAN ports have different functions. This is its default state.


However, when operating as a bridge both ports no longer perform as either a WAN or LAN port, but both just work as Ethernet ports. Think of an AirPort base station as a router with a built in Ethernet switch.

Oct 7, 2015 6:20 PM in response to Tesserax

Ok that makes sense I am familiar with switches. In AirPort Utility both my AirPort Extremes are set to "Create A Wireless Network" (that setting is under the "Internet" tab) and under the Network Tab "Router Mode:" is set to "Off (Bridge Mode)." This is true of both base stations. They are both creating the same network, my devices will automatically switch to the best base station without changing their Wi-Fi network. So are my base stations operating as a bridge or as a router?

Oct 7, 2015 6:23 PM in response to jlswanson99

When you bridge any of the airport routers, extreme, express, TC, the WAN port is assigned to LAN. So it makes no difference which port you plug into .. once bridged.. there is no such thing as WAN and LAN.. because it is no longer a router.


I do note however.. the latest apple extreme and TC is having wan port issues in bridge so I have said if you run into issues do use a LAN port instead.. YMMV


Edit.. sorry once again the website is behaving so poorly I didn't realise you already had a response..


So are my base stations operating as a bridge or as a router?

when you set to bridge .. i.e. in Network tab is says.. off (bridge mode) then it is bridge.. only when it says NAT and DHCP is it working as a router..


DHCP alone is not NAT.. and therefore not router.

Oct 7, 2015 7:07 PM in response to jlswanson99

In your standard setup.. and in 100% of cases at home installations.. you have one router.. one and only one.. it is important.. all the other units should be bridged or should work in a non-routing mode.


The wireless is not affected by the mode of the router.. it will perform exactly the same.. however there are some functions that apple removes..


eg.. guest wireless is removed if the airport is bridged.. there is no logical reason for this.. most routers don't do this.. it is apple being difficult.

What can the AirPort Extreme WAN port be used for?

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