Using Time Capsule to Extend Wifi Range of iMac

The first thing you have to ask yourself is where the ISP modem is located and the distances it has to get wirelessly to your "garden". Is there a lot of electrical devices (microwaves, washer & dryers, etc.) between the Time Capsule and the "garden"?

First get your Ethernet cables (make sure you get CAT 6 cable) at MonoPrice.com.

Plus educate yourself to know the difference between a Private Networks & a Public IP.

You never mention the ISP router!!!! Which router is it? Does this ISP wireless router do B, G or N?

Jetheat said:

Currently, the ISP modem, the iMac and the TC is located next to each other at the front of the house.

I want to disconnect the TC from there and set it down on its own at the rear of the house.

Indeed, there is a TV near the point where i want it relocated.

Currently, the TC is already connected to the computer via a yellow ethernet cable. Problem is, I cant get it to connect wirelessly to the ISP router.

JH

Click to expand...

You will need to run either the TC or the ISP router in bridge mode, because currently they are probably both trying to assign IP addresses etc. I use my TC as the router and my Virgin super hub is just set to bridge mode. This was because I found the TC to have a superior wifi range.

O.K. First go into your ISP router and make sure it is using the true (the highest channels) 5 GHz frequencies (for the quickest connection wirelessly). Then move your Time Capsule closest to the backyard and reset the Time Capsule to joining the ISP wireless 5 GHz network. This way you can bridged your ISP connection to the Time Capsule and receive it in the "garden". This way NAT will be turned off in the Time Capsule and only the ISP router will be doing NAT (since it directly connected to the ISP modem).

Jetheat said:

I can't set my router to 5GHz, coz then my iPhone won't connect to the network.

But how do I get the TC to join the network wirelessly. It only seems to want to do it via Ethernet.

Click to expand...

Click on the Reset button on the back, connect to the Time Capsule via Ethernet and launch /Applications/Utilities/Airport Utility. Then follow the steps to set it up and connect to your already wireless network.

Beside if your ISP is 5 GHz then it should be able able to do true 5GHz channels. This way you can get the quickest speed wirelessly between the two wireless routers.

Hello, fellow 24" iMac owner!

You're trying to do what this Apple document is talking about, right?

But with your ISP wireless router and your Time Capsule, right? I believe that you need all Apple WiFi devices -- it won't work with other wireless routers like your ISP one.

Notice that the instructions have you:
"Select the “Allow this network to be extended” checkbox"
for the primary device. There's no way to do that with your third-party ISP router...

Now, is it possible and acceptable to run an Ethernet cable from the ISP router to the TC in the back of the house near the garden? If so, that's the best solution, and very similar to what I've got set up here.

1) Run the Ethernet cable from one of the LAN Ethernet ports on the ISP device to (I think) the WAN port on the TC.

2) Set up the TC to "Create a wireless network".

3) Enter the same SSID and security settings and password as the ISP wireless has, but pick a different channel.

Now, it should work like this: when a device (such as an iPad) connects to your SSID, it will connect to whichever of your two WiFi signals is the stronger at that location. This is what you want. However, keep in mind that if you move about, it won't automatically switch to another signal. If you carry the iPad from the garden to the front room, you might want/need to force a reconnection by turning Airport off and back on.

Hope that helps. I guess the alternative is to buy another Airport device from Apple (I believe an Airport Express would suffice but I'm not sure), configure it in the front room and TC in the back room, and turn off the wireless capabilities of your ISP router.

Jetheat said:

Thanks Brian,

Sadly, I use Virgin (the cable company) and I can only use their router (I think) to make my Internet work.

Also, I can't run a cable from the front of my house to the back. It's just not possible. Also, I want it wireless anyway.

Is there a way around it without having to buy another base station?

JH

Click to expand...

Well, that's unfortunate. I don't know of any other way, but I am certainly not an expert in this wireless stuff.

Another idea is to try using the TC to create your wireless network and see if it has significantly better range than the ISP router does. Just possibly its signal could reach the garden.

Brian33 said:

Well, that's unfortunate. I don't know of any other way, but I am certainly not an expert in this wireless stuff.

Another idea is to try using the TC to create your wireless network and see if it has significantly better range than the ISP router does. Just possibly its signal could reach the garden.

Click to expand...

This is exactly what I did. TC is connected to Virgin Superhub in office (superhub set in bridge mode) by Ethernet cable. The superior wifi signal is reaching to my garden with ease.

I also have both channels set up and the devices that can use the 5GHz signal do.

Brian33 said:

Well, that's unfortunate. I don't know of any other way, but I am certainly not an expert in this wireless stuff.

Another idea is to try using the TC to create your wireless network and see if it has significantly better range than the ISP router does. Just possibly its signal could reach the garden.

Click to expand...

Set the Superhub to bridge mode. If you log in to your Virgin account and search how to put Superhub in bridge mode, it takes you through the steps. Then open up airport utility on the Mac and set up both channels for your wifi. Then see how much further it will reach.