Airport Extreme (6th version) as range extender

Question

Airport Extreme (6th version) as range extender

I want to extend the range of my current network so that everything is 802.11ac. My primary router is a recent Airport Time Capsule. I've been using airport expresses to extend the range, but there is so much traffic on my network that I need to move to faster 802.11ac speed across the local net. I have Xfinity 250 mbps and get nearly 300 mpbs on the wired connection, but the wi-fi drops to about 15 mbps because the Expresses are only 802.11n. I just picked up a refurb 6th generation Airport Extreme that I want to replace the extremes. I'm trying to add it to the network, but it doesn't work like the expresses in that merely plugging it in (no wired connection, just power) doesn't seem to work in getting the Airport Utility to recognize. I've done a hard reset, and still no joy. Does this have to be physically connected to the network first before it can be used as a base extender. I understand all the setup parameters, but I need to be able to access them.

What am I missing? Google hasn't been helpful since they never describe how to connect the Extreme to set it up as an extender initially.

Thanks.

Mac Pro, macOS Sierra (10.12.3)

Posted on Mar 29, 2017 1:37 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Marc Feldesman Author

Level 2

320 points

Mar 29, 2017 3:14 PM in response to Bob Timmons

I figured it out. I *was* using the Setup Wizard, but the wizard doesn't recognize the Airport Extreme initially unless it is physically connected to the network, or at least that was the way I managed to work it. Once I disconnected my primary router (the Airport Extreme Time Capsule) and plugged the refurb Airport Extreme, the wizard did its thing. I first had to update the firmware. From there all was trivial. The only thing I had to change afterwards was when I reconnected the Airport Extreme Time Capsule, I had to use the wizard to change the setting on the Airport Extreme from "set up a new network" to "extend and existing network". After that, it is running fine. And I'm seeing nearly double the speeds in my LAN now.

As for locations, I am fortunate. I live in a 4500 sq ft house. About half my devices are on the main level, while the other devices are on the upstairs floors. But, fortuitiously, the primary router sits in my office, which is at the base of the stairwell connecting upstairs and downstairs. The second Airport Extreme sits in a room immediately off the top landing, nearly directly in line of sight with the downstairs main router. It is almost as if I had planned it this way. Lots of open space in the house, so walls and ceilings are not as much a problem as others might have.

Sorry I didn't get back sooner, to clarify the solution. I had to run an errand away from the house.

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Answer 2

Mar 29, 2017 3:29 PM in response to Marc Feldesman

Nice work.

If things are working normally, you will see the AirPort Extreme appear under the listing of New AirPort Base Station when you click the WiFi menu at the top of the Mac's screen.

You should not need to connect the AirPort Extreme to the Mac using a wired Ethernet cable connection unless something is amiss with the settings on your Mac......or you did not fully reset the AirPort Extreme back to factory default settings before you ran the setup wizard.

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Answer 3

Mar 29, 2017 3:14 PM in response to Marc Feldesman

I understand all the setup parameters......

This may not be the case, since the information in your post indicates that you may have not used the AirPort Utility setup "wizard" to configure the "new" AirPort. Can you clarify on that? What are the specific steps that you are using to try to set up the new AirPort Extreme?

Please keep in mind that in order to wirelessly extend an "ac" signal, you will almost need to have a line-of-sight relationship between the two AirPort Extremes. Can you tell us more about where you plan to locate the "extending" AirPort Extreme? How far will it be located from the "main" Extreme? How many obstructions (walls, ceiling, furniture, etc) must the signal try to pass through from the "main" Extreme to the "extending" Extreme?

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Answer 4

Mar 29, 2017 4:23 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Thanks. That's the source of the problem. My primary connection is hardwired and does not have WI-FI enabled. I don't need it enabled; in fact, it confuses my system for some reason. After reading your second answer, it was obvious to me. D'oh. Of course, to "see" a wireless connection, the system I'm installing from has to have wi-fi enabled. My own solution solved the problem, but yours would have been a bit more elegant. Thanks for your help. All is copacetic now.

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