Is it true that AirPort Express can extend the range only of an Airport network?

[amin]

That's what it says on the Apple site, but I wonder if it can work to extend non-Airport 802.11 b/g networks. Anyone know?

[Xenious]

There is a theory out there that it will extend any wireless network that uses the WDS standard. In this apple support document on page 38 it talks about how it works for the Airport Extreme basestation.

http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Manuals/hardware/0190154AirPort_Networks_for_Windows.pdf

[robbieduncan]

The poster asked about b/g networks. This can only extend g networks (i.e. Airport Extreme). In addition the WDS "standard" is not a very good standard in that different manufacturers are free to implement it in different ways that do not work together. There is no guarantee that an Airport Express basestation will work with other manufacturers equipment and it should not be returned as this is not a fault as the device is doing what it's published specs say is should.

[Chip NoVaMac]

I would return it till there is real world experience on what other base-stations work with or not...

[BrianKonarsMac]

WDS isn't a standard at all, it wasn't incorporated into the WiFi standard, although it was pushed. If your router supports WDS (i don't think anyone advertises this), it will work with Airport Express, stay away from anything with the name "D-LINK" on it, they make propietary hardware which doesn't work with Apple's drivers and they don't support the Mac. Buffalo is your best bet, or Linksys.

[Powerbook G5]

So I am guessing it can work with certain 3rd party 802.11g routers, but not 802.11b, then?

[amin]

I don't want to pay a restocking fee, so I guess I'll wait for the experience of others before ordering. Apple advertises that it only extends Airport networks, so I couldn't return it for being defective if it doesn't work with my non-Airport network.

[Chip NoVaMac]

yea how the hell can he return something he doesn't have? WDS isn't a standard at all, it wasn't incorporated into the WiFi standard, although it was pushed. If your router supports WDS (i don't think anyone advertises this), it will work with Airport Express, stay away from anything with the name "D-LINK" on it, they make propietary hardware which doesn't work with Apple's drivers and they don't support the Mac. Buffalo is your best bet, or Linksys.

Give him a break. I am sure he meant the Extreme. Better get used to this...

[neoelectronaut]

WDS isn't a standard at all, it wasn't incorporated into the WiFi standard, although it was pushed. If your router supports WDS (i don't think anyone advertises this), it will work with Airport Express, stay away from anything with the name "D-LINK" on it, they make propietary hardware which doesn't work with Apple's drivers and they don't support the Mac. Buffalo is your best bet, or Linksys.

Oh great, I hear this NOW.

My wireless router is a D-Link brand, but the only Mac I use it with is physically connected to it. Is this bad?

[johng723]

oh dang, I just bought a d-link wireless router too. so I should get a linksys instead?

[Godfather]

nah, many ppl had 1 bad experience with a router and they tend to curse and banish the brand to hell...
I for example am using a Linksys router (just as a bridge for another router, draytek. The linksys router cannot work as a normal router, only as a bridge) I now can banish it to hell for not working, but it's my fault, I knew it wasn't supporting mac (officially).

D-Link prolly works, ppl just love flaming.

----
edit:

I think the airport Express can act as a bridge for other wireless routers, maybe not all, but if the brand you have and A. express have the same features and names, it should work...

[bhertz]

Wow I did not know that D-link routers were the scourge of mac networking. I have decided not to tell my wireless D-link router this for fear that it will quit being friendly with my all mac network (wireless ibook and wired G4).

Heres to hoping this new airport works with everything... only time and user feedback will tell.

[Powerbook G5]

I've only tried one D-Link before and it would never work correctly. I can't say that all are bad, but the particular one didn't do the job. This was on a lousy school network that was set up as if a group of monkeys were in charge of IT, though. I've used a so-so Microsoft switch and two really flawless Linksys routers, so when someone asks for my recommendation, I say go with Linksys.

[bhertz]

I actually wanted to go with Linksys but they just were not going on sale when I was looking. So I got a D-link DI-524 on sale and it has worked well so far. The issue that I have had is that the encryption does not want to work on the wireless. I was guessing that is just because the work laptop that I use only has 10.1.5 on it.

[PowerMacMan]

My best friend has 5 Macs and 1 PC all connected to a D-Link router... As I'm getting a new mac and I currently have a D-Link router.

[BrianKonarsMac]

not ALL D-Link products are bad, but the Wireless card i bought would not be recognized by my G4, and they do not support Mac OS X on any of their wireless cards (but their USB Wireless Adapter has OS X drivers...go figure). Not to bash D-Link, but if they had used industry standards, Apple's driver should run the wireless card without a hitch. In 10.3 many Mac users noted they no longer required 3rd party drivers for Linksys and Buffalo wireless products, D-Link wasn't mentioned other than it's abysmal transfer rates (they noted they couldn't get above 1MB/s a sec on a D-Link G network, but after switching to Buffalo they averaged 11MB/s). I'm not saying D-Link is 100% mac un-friendly, they are just not 100% mac-friendly, and since I'm a Mac user, I support products and companies that support my platform completely, not just for specific products.

So to all of you with a wireless D-Link PCI CARD (not router) i'd appreciate any information on how you got it to work (if you did at all)? fortunately it was only $30 so no big loss. the day after i bought it they announced Airport Express, so I believe the Mac gods were giving me a sign.

[sandman42]

Back to the point though: So far I've only seen explicit wording to the effect of "Airport Express extends the range of Airport Extreme Networks"; nowhere have I seen any documentation that says it extends the range of Airport networks <i>in general</i> (including regular ol' 802.11b Airport), or the even more general case of any wireless network (any 802.11b/g).<p>

Does anyone actually know, and I mean really know, based on a good source, whether Airport Express really extends the range of anything other than Airport Extreme? I hate to say it, but my gut feeling is that it does not.