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Level 1

133 points

Airport Extreme Networks Won't Go Away with Google Fiber

Hi:

As always, thanks to those who volunteer their time to help those of us who are "computer-challenged"!

Just got Google Fiber.
Ethernet out from Google Fiber "router" (the front of the flat black box says, "network+box") goes to the bottom (lowermost) port of a 2014 Airport Extreme.
Ethernet cables out x 2 emanate from higher ports in the Airport Extreme.
Functions associated with Ethernet out cables x 2 from the Airport Extreme work fine.
Our home wireless network was switched by the Google Fiber tech from those associated with the Airport Extreme to one (presumably?) coming from the Google fiber router.
Google fiber wireless access generally works fine from around the house, but occasionally turns off intermittently.
Our theory is that many of our devices are still searching for the primary and guest networks associated with the Airport Extreme.
Despite deleting the Airport Extreme from Airport Utility:

The wireless networks associated with the Airport Extreme still show up in our house when one opens any wireless device.

I guess one option would be to simply unplug the Airport Extreme and buy a "splitter" so that the Ethernet out cable from the Google router would split into two ethernet cables that could then go to various devices (as they do now, but with the Airport Extreme acting as the splitter). However, this would require a bit of cable rerouting and crawling under desks in cramped spaces that I would rather avoid.

Thus, here's the question: is there any way to turn off the wireless functions of the Airport Extreme so that it is no longer transmitting primary and guest networks, but still keep it physically in place to use its ports as an ethernet cable splitter?

Again, apologies if I am using wrong terminology and if this is really basic. I just assumed that I could use Airport Utility to do this, but maybe I am using it wrong and regardless now the Airport Extreme isn't even showing up as an option anymore after I played with it.

Thank you!

macOS High Sierra (10.13)

Posted on Nov 18, 2017 11:36 AM

Best reply

LaPastenague

Level 9

67,202 points

Posted on Nov 18, 2017 12:30 PM

Can you give us the actual model of the Google Fibre box.. I would be surprised if it was using one ethernet rather than 4 or 5.. and still be a true router.

What could be happening is you are really running your system on IPv6 public addresses. And really you are still supposed to use a router with the Google box.

It is easy to turn off wireless in the airport if you want to .. but I suspect that is not going to fix your problem.

The airport utility needs a couple of settings correct.

1. If you are using IPv6 try setting it in the computer to Link-Local Only.. even if you take it back to auto after you configure it.

2. High Sierra is simply poor at finding network stuff. Plus if you are using ethernet on that computer to the AE.. then I suspect the situation is very simply you need to swap to ethernet for it to work.

Apple hid this for reasons I am truly confused by.. under this .. like anybody could guess you would swap to Ethernet under the Other Wi-Fi Devices item in the main screen of the airport utility.

If you still cannot discover the airport.. use iOS device and load the iOS version of the airport utility.. that is much easier to use now than the Mac version and seems to do a better job of the setup in some cases.

To shut off wireless you simply go to the Tab for wireless.. this is still on the Mac utility. Click edit on summary page you get when you click the AE icon (assuming you get it back).

Then the wireless tab. Off is an option.. but I really don't think this is a good idea.. especially if you find it hard to access the AE.. because that will prevent any iOS device connecting to it directly until you reset it.

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Airport Extreme Networks Won't Go Away with Google Fiber