Extending my extreme network with another extreme - waiting for internet access

Question

Level 1

4 points

Extending my extreme network with another extreme - waiting for internet access

Hello - I have a new generation Airport Extreme (call it Extreme1) connected to my Comcast modem and it is working fine. The Extreme is acting as the router as the modem does not have router capability. I am trying to extend my network to another room using another Extreme (call it Extreme2). I have a wired connection between the two rooms. Extreme1 has an ethernet cable from one of it's LAN ports connected to the WAN port on Extreme2. When I try to create a new network with Extreme2 (using the same name, passwords, etc) it does not work. It gets hung up at the end when it's searching for a connection ("Waiting for internet access") - I've done the following things based on what I've read here:

Changed the IPv6 settings to local link
Tried the set up on my Macbook and tried it on my iphone
First extended the network and then tried changing the configuration after doing for Extreme2 by creating a network
Tried creating a network with Extreme2 connected directly to the modem
Factory reset Extreme2 after every attepmt

And nothing works. Kicker is, I also have a reasonably new airport express and the same thing happens to it as well.

Do I need to adjust some network settings that I'm not aware of? Is it possible my LAN ports are off on Extreme2? It's brand new.

Thanks for any help.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4)

Posted on May 16, 2016 9:49 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,990 points

May 17, 2016 5:01 AM in response to lrgiphone

Did you use Apple's setup wizard? If you did, it would have notified you that the second Extreme was being configured to "extend using Ethernet". The wizard will automatically configure the second AirPort with the correct settings for you. All that you have to do is enter a device name for the second AirPort Extreme.

Here I am assuming that you reset the second Extreme back to factory default settings before you set it up again and that your second Extreme is the current "tower" version or one of the previous "flat or square" versions.

The example below shows an AirPort Express as the device that is extending the network, but you will see your AirPort Extreme and network name on your setup screen.

Post back if you need a few tips on using the "wizard" for your setup.

Reply

Answer 2

lrgiphone Author

Level 1

4 points

May 17, 2016 5:52 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Bob - I'll give that a try. I understood that I needed to choose "other options" when setting it up and then choose the option "create a network" - but what your suggesting is just let the wizard do what it needs to do, so I'll try that. Anything special I should do before trying that? I'm at work now, but will try later.

Thanks.

Reply

Answer 3

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,990 points

May 17, 2016 6:04 AM in response to lrgiphone

Start over and reset the AirPort Extreme back to factory default settings

Connect the Ethernet cable to the second AirPort

Start up the wizard and it will choose the correct setup for you.

The first screen that appears will look like this:

Type in a device name that you want to call the second Extreme

Cick Next

The next screen will indicate that the second Extreme is being set up to "extend using Ethernet"

When you see the message of Setup Complete, click Done.....and you are done.

That's it. Just let the wizard do the thinking and work for you.

Reply

Answer 4

lrgiphone Author

Level 1

4 points

May 17, 2016 9:12 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Well - I tried it and it didn't work - the two devices are sitting one foot from each other. Airport extreme is connected to Keeko via ethernet (and they're in the correct ports). Did a factory reset prior (ethernet cords were plugged in during the process). This is driving me crazy - any additional tips?

Is it possible the ethernet ports on my new device are not working properly?

Reply

Answer 5

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,990 points

May 17, 2016 9:21 PM in response to lrgiphone

No Ethernet connection is being detected by the setup wizard......so it sets thing up to extend using wireless, not Ethernet.

Did you test each of the LAN ports on Keeko with a computer (wireless off on the computer) to see if you can get a good Internet connection that way?

Tried another Ethernet cable?

The setup works. When you see the message that the AirPort Extreme is being set up to "extend using Ethernet", then things will work.

Reply

Answer 6

lrgiphone Author

Level 1

4 points

May 17, 2016 9:45 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Unfortunately - I only have laptops that don't have ethernet ports. Guess I'll have to get an apple dongle to check the ports. Is there any other way for me to check the ports? This is odd, right? Could the modem in any way be impacting the AE?

Thanks for your time.

Reply

Answer 7

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,990 points

May 17, 2016 10:07 PM in response to lrgiphone

Guess I'll have to get an apple dongle to check the ports.

A Thunderbolt to Ethernet adapter is a mighty handy item to have around. Well worth the investment.

Nine times out of ten, problems like this are a bad cable. Every once in awhile, the WAN "O" port will go bad.

If you know that the LAN ports are working on the main AirPort Extreme, and you know that the Ethernet cable is good.....and things still don't work....then the WAN port has failed on the extending Extreme. Try connecting to a LAN port in that case as a last resort.

Reply

Answer 8

lrgiphone Author

Level 1

4 points

May 18, 2016 8:58 PM in response to Bob Timmons

The mystery continues. Purchased a new Airport Extreme. Booted it up as the main base station. Attached an old extreme to it and it connected wirelessly. Moved the old extreme to my other wired room and I got an error that it couldn't connect to the internet.

Bought the ethernet dongle too and tried to connect to the new airport extreme and I get a message that there is no DNS server and it can't connect. Is this a Comcast issue potentially?

Reply

Answer 9

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,990 points

May 18, 2016 9:44 PM in response to lrgiphone

Can you provide and make and model number of your modem?

It is going to be back to basics. Things are not going to work until the "main" AirPort Extreme checks out correctly on both wired and wireless connections. So, it really makes no sense to try to configure any other AirPort(s) to "extend" until you have verified that the "main" AirPort Extreme is working correctly.

When we get the make and model number of the modem, we will provide some steps for you to follow to troubleshoot the modem and the "main" AirPort Extreme.

You can call your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and ask them to check the Internet connection.....but ISPs will almost always say that "everything looks good from our side".....hinting that the problem cannot possibly be with them.

Reply

Answer 10

lrgiphone Author

Level 1

4 points

May 19, 2016 4:54 AM in response to Bob Timmons

The modem is an Arris TM822G. Pure telephony modem with no router capabilities. I suspect something funky is happening with the way the modem is provisioning the internet service.

Thank goodness the Wifi works fine - getting great download speeds. Just wished I could make the ethernet connections work.

Reply

Answer 11

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,990 points

May 19, 2016 5:25 AM in response to lrgiphone

Power off the entire network

Wait 20-30 minutes

Power up the modem and let it run 5 minutes by itself

Power up the AirPort Extreme and let it run for a few minutes

Power up your Mac and let it run a few minutes

Turn off the wireless on the Mac

Using an Ethernet cable that you know is working correctly and the Thunderbolt to Ethernet adapter, check each LAN port on the AirPort Extreme to see if you can get a good Internet connection that way

What are the results?

Reply

Answer 12

necronym

Level 4

1,434 points

May 19, 2016 7:45 AM in response to lrgiphone

Here are the official Apple instructions on extending your network:

Wi-Fi base stations: Extending the range of your wireless network by adding additional Wi-Fi base stations - Apple Suppo…

Hope they help

Reply

Answer 13

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,990 points

May 19, 2016 7:54 AM in response to necronym

Unfortunately, the "official" Apple instructions on extending a network are all almost 4 years out of date, so the illustrations and "how" to do not track with any version of AirPort Utility for a Mac or iPhone / iPad that has been offered in over 3 years.

Reply

Answer 14

necronym

Level 4

1,434 points

May 19, 2016 8:32 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Can't be held responsible for the lack of official Apple updates to their instructions. Last Modified date on the Apple instructions was May 13th 2016

The OP may want to look at the solution in this posting from 2013 for additional ideas:

airport express not extending wireless network

Reply

Answer 15

necronym

Level 4

1,434 points

May 19, 2016 8:50 AM in response to lrgiphone

Is your second Airport Extreme set to Bridge Mode?

Reply