Extend non-apple WiFi w/ Airport Express?

[Tigidal]

I've searched several threads in this forum for an answer, but haven't seen anything definitive, so here goes...

I currently have Verizon Fios and use their wireless router (Actiontec MI424WR) to provide my home's WiFi signal. The issue is that the installation is in the basement, and my office two floors above does not have the best WiFi signal.

The house is wired for ethernet, so my question is... Will an Airport Express extend the WiFi network created by the Fios router if I connect the Airport Express to the Fios router via ethernet? If so, which port on the new model Airport Express would I use... LAN or WAN?

Thanks for the time.

 

[marzer]

I've searched several threads in this forum for an answer, but haven't seen anything definitive, so here goes...

I currently have Verizon Fios and use their wireless router (Actiontec MI424WR) to provide my home's WiFi signal. The issue is that the installation is in the basement, and my office two floors above does not have the best WiFi signal.

The house is wired for ethernet, so my question is... Will an Airport Express extend the WiFi network created by the Fios router if I connect the Airport Express to the Fios router via ethernet? If so, which port on the new model Airport Express would I use... LAN or WAN?

Thanks for the time.

Yes it will. Connect the Actiontec LAN port to the AE WAN port.

 

[Tigidal]

Yes it will. Connect the Actiontec LAN port to the AE WAN port.

Awesome... Know what choices I will need to select within the Airport Utility on my Macbook to set the AE up correctly?

 

[throAU]

No it won't.

You'll end up with 2 wireless networks, to get seamless roaming from AP to AP you need gear from the same vendor or a great deal of luck, as this sort of thing is not standardized.

 

[Tigidal]

Bummer... Now dissenting opinions. This is the kind of back and forth I'd seen in other threads, that I hope someone can clear up based on experience.

 

[marzer]

True it will not "extend" the exisitng network. I was thinking of simply providing wireless access somewhere farther away in the house.

There are ways of using similar SSID/passwords on differing channels to give a seamless network given there's little or no overlap of signal. But for true wireless network extending (using WDS) you'd have to either have two Apple products or as mentioned two extendable products from another vendor.

And keep in mind not all wireless routers even support wireless extending. So you'd want to check your exisitng router to see if it even has that capability, if you wanted to go that route.