Airport Express as secondary router?

[DoctorYuyi]

This might be a very stupid question, but I am not quite sure how routers and all that work yet.

Anyways, I wanted to know if I could connect an Airport Express to my router upstairs and use it as a secondary access point in my basement (where my room is.) What all would I need if this was possible?

 

[jsw]

You can connect it wirelessly as long as there's a good signal from the base station (in bridge mode, so it just extends the base station), or via Ethernet (in case the wireless signal is too weak there).

The Express doesn't need to be in your room or upstairs... it just needs to be in a spot where it has good signal from the base router as well as where you can receive its signal well (unless you connect it with Ethernet cable - then you can put it anywhere you feel like running cable).

 

[DoctorYuyi]

You can connect it wirelessly as long as there's a good signal from the base station (in bridge mode, so it just extends the base station), or via Ethernet (in case the wireless signal is too weak there).

The Express doesn't need to be in your room or upstairs... it just needs to be in a spot where it has good signal from the base router as well as where you can receive its signal well (unless you connect it with Ethernet cable - then you can put it anywhere you feel like running cable).

I would have to connect it through Ethernet.

If I did that, could I run another ethernet cable from the Airport Express into my computer? My computer doesn't have wireless internet, but I want wireless internet for my iPad and Laptop. The signal from the modem upstairs is very weak down in my room.

 

[ftaok]

Only the new AExp has two Ethernet ports. So if you have the new one, then you could extend the network with the AExp and still wire up to you computer. If you have an older AExp, then you should probably get wifi for your computer. A USB adapter goes for $10-20. And it's easy.