Extending Wireless Range via Airport Express

wayne905 · Dec 20, 2012, 09:38 PM

Tomorrow I'm going to be setting up my new Time Capsule in my home office, and I have a question about extending wireless range via Airport Express. First off, my TC is in my home office which is on my 2nd floor at the front of my house. I want to extend the wireless range to the main level at the back of my house. My current wireless router has a very weak signal - so I'm sure I will need to extend the range to the back of my house. Besides, I have an AE so I might as well put it to use regardless if this TC has a better range.

So to the question at hand. My living room has an ethernet cable running to my office. So, can I plug my AE into the ethernet jack (to get the best possible data speed), or do I need to do this only wirelessly? If ethernet is the best route, do I still want the option to 'extend my wireless network' on the setup? Or do I simply create a new network using the same WIFI SSID and password as the one I create on the TC?

drsox · Dec 20, 2012, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayne905

Tomorrow I'm going to be setting up my new Time Capsule in my home office, and I have a question about extending wireless range via Airport Express. First off, my TC is in my home office which is on my 2nd floor at the front of my house. I want to extend the wireless range to the main level at the back of my house. My current wireless router has a very weak signal - so I'm sure I will need to extend the range to the back of my house. Besides, I have an AE so I might as well put it to use regardless if this TC has a better range.

So to the question at hand. My living room has an ethernet cable running to my office. So, can I plug my AE into the ethernet jack (to get the best possible data speed), or do I need to do this only wirelessly? If ethernet is the best route, do I still want the option to 'extend my wireless network' on the setup? Or do I simply create a new network using the same WIFI SSID and password as the one I create on the TC?

Do this. You need to set the AE in bridge mode. This will create a roaming network that will allow any WiFi connected device to use either the AE or the TC. Don't use 'extend my wireless network'.
I have this in my 4 story house with a long ground floor. There is an A Extreme on the ground floor with an A Express on the third floor and another A Express at the other end of the ground floor. The 2 iPhones, the iPad and the MBA all connect to any of the 3 AE units.

wayne905 · Dec 21, 2012, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drsox

Do this. You need to set the AE in bridge mode. This will create a roaming network that will allow any WiFi connected device to use either the AE or the TC. Don't use 'extend my wireless network'.
I have this in my 4 story house with a long ground floor. There is an A Extreme on the ground floor with an A Express on the third floor and another A Express at the other end of the ground floor. The 2 iPhones, the iPad and the MBA all connect to any of the 3 AE units.

Thanks so much for your help. Just so I know if I use the same SSID and password on both TC and AE, does that mean my ipad, Macbook Air or iphone will connect to the stronger of the two signals?

Sodner · Dec 21, 2012, 08:19 AM

I have a TC and a Express and as with most Apple products. "It just works!"

Apparently it knows and is able to connect to the strongest signal automatically.

wayne905 · Dec 21, 2012, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sodner

I have a TC and a Express and as with most Apple products. "It just works!"

Apparently it knows and is able to connect to the strongest signal automatically.

That's exactly what I wanted to hear LOL. Thanks to you both for your input.

mwhities · Dec 21, 2012, 08:37 AM

I'm not sure what the standards are to pick up on different strengths of signals and what have you but, it will swap between them as it sees fit and I doubt you will notice.

EDIT: Ok, next time I will reload after I walk away for something. Sorry.

Sodner said it correctly.

drsox · Dec 21, 2012, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayne905

Thanks so much for your help. Just so I know if I use the same SSID and password on both TC and AE, does that mean my ipad, Macbook Air or iphone will connect to the stronger of the two signals?

In theory, yes. In practice, it does hang on to the old signal. Best to get as close to the "new" AE as practicable and wait for a few mins - then you will see it change. Airport Utility will show you where the device is "tethered" to.

In my experience, the 5Ghz signal is better at switching than the 2.4Ghz signal. Must be due to the shorter range but higher data rates of the 5Ghz band.

wayne905 · Dec 21, 2012, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drsox

In theory, yes. In practice, it does hang on to the old signal. Best to get as close to the "new" AE as practicable and wait for a few mins - then you will see it change. Airport Utility will show you where the device is "tethered" to.

In my experience, the 5Ghz signal is better at switching than the 2.4Ghz signal. Must be due to the shorter range but higher data rates of the 5Ghz band.

Thanks for the advise. Looking forward to setting everything up this weekend!

Gator Bob · Dec 21, 2012, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drsox

Do this. You need to set the AE in bridge mode. This will create a roaming network that will allow any WiFi connected device to use either the AE or the TC. Don't use 'extend my wireless .

What is "bridge mode" called or labeled in the airport utility screens?

PsyOpWarlord · Dec 21, 2012, 10:07 PM

Open the Airport utility and click the Network Tab. The drop-down for Router Mode, is where you will find it.

Dec 20, 2012, 09:38 PM	#1
wayne905 macrumors member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Maple, Ontario, Canada	Extending Wireless Range via Airport Express Tomorrow I'm going to be setting up my new Time Capsule in my home office, and I have a question about extending wireless range via Airport Express. First off, my TC is in my home office which is on my 2nd floor at the front of my house. I want to extend the wireless range to the main level at the back of my house. My current wireless router has a very weak signal - so I'm sure I will need to extend the range to the back of my house. Besides, I have an AE so I might as well put it to use regardless if this TC has a better range. So to the question at hand. My living room has an ethernet cable running to my office. So, can I plug my AE into the ethernet jack (to get the best possible data speed), or do I need to do this only wirelessly? If ethernet is the best route, do I still want the option to 'extend my wireless network' on the setup? Or do I simply create a new network using the same WIFI SSID and password as the one I create on the TC? __________________ MacBook Air 2011 - 13" iMac - 21.5" Late 2012 iMac - 27" i7 Late 2012 iPad (3rd Gen) - 64GB wifi iPhone 5 two Apple TVs (3rd Generation)
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Dec 21, 2012, 08:19 AM	#4
Sodner macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Pittsburgh, PA	I have a TC and a Express and as with most Apple products. "It just works!" Apparently it knows and is able to connect to the strongest signal automatically. __________________ 21" iMac 13" MBA iPhone 5 32GB AT&T iPad Mini 32GB AT&T "I believe in the six colors."
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Dec 21, 2012, 08:37 AM	#6
mwhities macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Mississippi	I'm not sure what the standards are to pick up on different strengths of signals and what have you but, it will swap between them as it sees fit and I doubt you will notice. EDIT: Ok, next time I will reload after I walk away for something. Sorry. Sodner said it correctly. __________________ Mid '10 White MB 2.4Ghz/16G RAM/256G SSD MP 1,1 2.66Ghz 2 Dual core/5G - 23" ACD - Blue Nano 8G Black 4S 16G - Black iPad2 16G - AEX - AEP - 2TB TC
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Dec 21, 2012, 10:07 PM	#10
PsyOpWarlord macrumors member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Colorado Springs, CO	Open the Airport utility and click the Network Tab. The drop-down for Router Mode, is where you will find it.
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