Can't get WDS Relay mode to work.

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Can't get WDS Relay mode to work.

I'm trying to create a wireless network between 2 houses across from one another. Basically, I want to use a SlingBox to access a DirecTV receiver attached to a large satellite dish. I have 3 new Airport Extreme 802.11n base stations and if I could get them linked together this should work really well. One base station in my current house, one in my old house connected to the SlingBox, and one somewhere in between acting as a relay.

I've tested this set-up with the 3 base stations in one room and I just can't get it to work. No matter what, the base station that's set to WDS Relay always has a blinking amber light. The main base station and the remote base station both have green lights. Also, once relay station has a blinking amber light, I can hardly ever access it from the Airport Utility. I usually have to completely reset it and start all over again. When I have been able to access it, the error messages have been either a WDS error saying no peers can be found or an "Ethernet Unplugged" error, even though I have it set to participate in a WDS network.

Has anyone been able to set up a network using an airport base station set to WDS Relay yet? If I can't get this to work, will I get the same results just using an extended Airport network rather than a WDS network, setting the 2 additional base stations to extend the network?

Thanks,

Steve

MBPro Core 2 Duo Mac OS X (10.4.8)

MBPro Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Posted on Feb 14, 2007 1:20 PM

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Answer 1

Ryan3587

Level 1

45 points

Feb 14, 2007 2:17 PM in response to AKSteve

I had mine setup as WDS as well, but then I switched the two to just extend the network, not WDS it. Make sure bridging is selected and on the main unit select create a network, on the other two, select extend the network. Anything connected to any of the Extremes should/will be shared by all... Give it a shot!

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Answer 2

Ryan3587

Level 1

45 points

Feb 14, 2007 2:17 PM in response to AKSteve

Oh, and how do you like the SlingBox? Are you running the Mac OS version?

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Answer 3

Feb 14, 2007 4:11 PM in response to Ryan3587

Oh, and how do you like the SlingBox? Are you
running the Mac OS version?

I love my Slingbox, which is running the MAC OS version ......but

It was working fine until I swopped my D-Link wireless router for an Airport Extreme. My Slingbox was reaching my WLAN via the ethernet port of an Airport Express, but since "upgrading" to a X-modem and Airport Extreme set up I have hit trouble.

I can set up the Airport Express to join the Airport Extreme WLAN (e.g. for Air Tunes), but not to extend the network.

If I try to set up the Airport Express from a factory re-boot to extend the network with Air Port Utility, it just seems to crash the Airport Extreme.

Alternatively if I try to change the setting on the Airport Express with Air Port Utility to "participate in a WDS network" I get the error message "WDS requires multiple base stations. Please add at least one WDS peer" and I don't understand what that means.

BTW, my Airport Extreme is set up with "allow this network to be extended" checked.

Airport Express & Airport Extreme don't seem to be altogether compatible.

Any and all assistance will be gratefully received!

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Answer 4

Feb 14, 2007 4:38 PM in response to chelseeboy

I should add that all my references above to Airport Extreme are for the new 802.11n version.

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Answer 5

NikkiT

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Feb 14, 2007 4:48 PM in response to chelseeboy

I spent hours trying to make this work. The Apple hype suggests this is really easy and plug and play. Maybe for a new network but adding the AE n to an existing network is a *****.

Here's how to do it.

Write down all Airport IDs (the MAC addresses - written on the bottom of the AX and on the back of the AE).

Factory reset all Airports - paper clip in the back button for 5 seconds.

Go to Airport Utility. Ignore the Assist feature and from the Base Station menu item select Manual. Make sure you're configuring the AE n first.

Go to the Airport page and select the WDS tab. Make sure the Use WDS as Main is selected and in the Airport ID mini list below, click the "+" at the bottom and manually type in the Airport IDs (MAC addresses) for the AXs.

Click Update on the AEn. Then select the AXs and for each one select Participate in WDS network and then select either Relay or REmote as appropriate and enter in the MAC address/Airport ID for the AE n base.

There may be an easier way, but after several hours and many reboots later when I did it all manually it worked fine.

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Answer 6

Ryan3587

Level 1

45 points

Feb 14, 2007 6:34 PM in response to chelseeboy

Yeah, the Express is pretty much useless unless you connect it via Ethernet to an Extreme... It doesn't behave too well out on its own... If you have 3 Extreme's, then it should be a pretty simple setup...

Reset ALL the base stations, holding the button in until the light flashes rapidly. Then wait for ALL of them to show in the AirPort Utility.

Don't do WDS! Because I don't believe you have to with Extremes... Try it without. Setup the first one to "Create a wireless network" and looking at my setup, I have "Connection Sharing" set to "Share a public IP address" on my main Extreme that is connected to the internet... Click update.

On the second and third chose the "Wireless Mode" "Extend a wireless network" and in "Connection Sharing" chose "Off (Bridge Mode)". You know to keep the Network Name and Passwords the SAME throughout your setup right? Click update as you change them... It may take 5 or minutes for AirPort Utility to recognize them all, but it should... If just one or two show up, restart (Not reset) them and see what happens then... It takes awhile for them to restart, so just wait it out...

Let me know how that goes...

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Answer 7

AKSteve Author

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Feb 14, 2007 7:43 PM in response to Ryan3587

I was able to set things up using Airport's extended network as you described. I'm pretty sure that's the set-up I'm going to use. I really would like to try to get this to work though, just to see if I can. I also don't know which way will give better performance. For some reason, when I had the working extended network, my internet connection slowed to a crawl. I think it might have been interference from having all the Airport Extreme base stations in the same room.

Getting back to the WDS set-up, I actually think the WDS relay station may have been working even with the flashing amber light. The relay station showed both of my other base stations as wireless clients. I think it may be a bug in the Airport Utility software that makes the relay station look for an ethernet connection.

Steve

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Answer 8

AKSteve Author

Level 1

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Feb 14, 2007 7:50 PM in response to Ryan3587

I actually haven't even tried the SlingBox yet. I wanted to get my Airport network straight first, then test it on the TV in my house to make sure it works. If I get it working, then I'm going to take it next door and set it up with the DirecTV satellite receiver.

I have a while to get this worked out. I just want to have it set up before the baseball season starts. All of this is so that I don't have to have a 6 foot satellite dish in my front yard. I live in Alaska and you still need a big dish up here to get DirecTV. I had one at my old next door but I can't run a cable that far. The person I'm renting the old house to doesn't mind if I leave the SlingBox/DirecTV/Airport set up there, so this "should" work out great for me. Provided I can get it to work.

Steve

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Answer 9

Ryan3587

Level 1

45 points

Feb 14, 2007 7:53 PM in response to AKSteve

Extending the network is your best bet as WDS will slow your network some... If you extend all your Extremes, you should be seeing a connection speed of 300Mpbs as noted in your Network Utility en1. Play with the settings and you will eventually get it right... Try unplugging the modem/router as well and waiting a minute to plug them back in... It kind of resets the whole network... It will work, just give it time.

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Answer 10

Feb 15, 2007 2:38 PM in response to NikkiT

NikkiT - I tried your instructions but it did not work.

After the kit restarted the Extreme wouldn't even turn green.

BTW, when you say "Go to the Airport page and select the WDS tab" you didn't mention that you first have to select "Participate in a WDS network" in the wireless tab to get the WDS tab.

Trouble is, when I finally reboot after setting up the AirPort Express as a remote, the AirPort Extreme will not past flashing amber. I then have to reset everything and start from ground zero.

If anyone has successfully added an AirPort Express as a remote to an Extreme n base, please tell me how!!

BTW, please do not refer to Apple articles that pre-date the latest Extreme n!!

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Answer 11

Feb 15, 2007 3:46 PM in response to Ryan3587

Hi-
This method worked a treat for my Express, thus solving a separate question I posed in forum but doesn't seem to work with the old AEBS the new 'n' is replacing. There, the only two option offered in manually configuring it are either "create a wireless network" (the "n" is set to this) or "participate in a WDS network", i.e. extending a network is not an acceptable choice.

I vaguely remember an issue with 5.7 firmware for the AEBS and I subsequently downgraded it to 5.5.1 for the year until today but I tried that and 5.7. No joy. Am I missing something or do we just send the old AEBS to eBay?

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Answer 12

AKSteve Author

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Feb 20, 2007 7:07 PM in response to Ryan3587

I did manage to get it working quite well using Airport Extended networking rather than setting up a WDS network. After fiddling around with things, I found I got the best throughput with the following settings:

802.11n only (2.4 GHz)
Channel: Automatic
Multicast 12 Mbps
Use Interference Robustness checked

I was able to get 3,000 K/sec throughput and a good quality picture. Every once and a while though, my Main base station will connect directly to the most distant base station rather than go through the middle unit as well. This drops the throughput down to a few 100k/sec.

All in all, not too bad considering the endpoints for the network are a few hundred feet apart.

Steve

MBPro Core 2 Duo Mac OS X (10.4.8)

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Answer 13

NikkiT

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Feb 22, 2007 3:36 PM in response to chelseeboy

Stuart, you are right - you first have to select "Participate in a WDS network".

My settings definitely now work - and I can run iTunes to 2 stereos silmultaneously using the AXs (with a plug in download - I forget from where).

I live near the beach in a low density neighbourhood so I am not so concerned with wireless security - I use MAC address filtering and a closed wireless network (i.e. no SSID broadcast). It is possible that I am getting good throughput and coverage of the whole house because I am not using WEP or WPA.

The flashing amber light on the AEn resolved when I cancelled the warning for an unsecured network.

I hope this helps.

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