Airport Express no longer extending network changing setup

[Moakesy]

Hi

Although normally ok with techie stuff, I don't understand networks much at all, so I hope someone can help me out.

I have a Time Capsule as my main wi-fi, and recently purchased an Airport Express to improve the coverage upstairs for the kids bedrooms, where connection was pretty poor. After setting up the AE wirelessly, it worked OK, but didn't really give me the performance bump I was hoping for. On the iPad for example, it went from 1 bar to 2 bars.

I read another post on here that when you extend a wifi network, you effectively cut the wi-fi in half as half if given up to 'relay' the two wifi boxes together......I read that the solution was to do it by a wired solution, so I purchased this TP-Link...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-LINK-TL-...ef_=pe_1909131_77697001_tnp_email_TE_AMZLdp_2

So now, I have...

Time Capsule downstairs, with an ethernet cable going into one TP-Link adapter plug
AirPort Express upstairs, with an ethernet cable going into it from the other TP-Link plug

In order to reconfigure the AE, I hit the reset button on the back, but now I can't get it to setup....

Using AirPort utility, it seems to want to set up both the TC and AE as individual networks, rather than have the AE as an extension of the TC (so in parallel rather than serial). When both boxes are switched on, neither will connect to the internet, as I'm guessing they are fighting one another? Setup looks like this..



Looking at my TC setup, I notice that the 'Router Mode' setting is 'Off (Bridge Mode)', not 'DHCP only' or 'DHCP & NAT'. Could this be why? Should I change something on my TC to enable the AE to extend it?

I've tried pressing the reset button on the back of the AE, but I just end up in the same place as above..

Thanks in advance for any advice....

 

[LiveM]

Best to turn them off and start again.

Plug in your TC, reset it and use the Wi-Fi settings on your Mac to set it up again as a new wireless network.

It should be in bridge mode because the modem sets the addresses.

Then turn on the powerline adaptor and then the Express. The Express should be reset and set up to extend the existing TC network, also in bridge mode. The SSID and password should be identical.

 

[Moakesy]

Thanks. Sort of tried that the other day, but not in the strict step by step method you suggested.....it was a bit more random than that.

I'll give it a go tonight and let you know.

Cheers

 

[rayward]

Thanks. Sort of tried that the other day, but not in the strict step by step method you suggested.....it was a bit more random than that.

I'll give it a go tonight and let you know.

Cheers

I have a similar set-up, except that I am lucky enough to have ethernet run through the house. AEBS upstairs in bridge mode, AXPS downstairs, connected via ethernet, UVerse modem providing the addresses.

On occasion, one or both of the Apple devices drops off. On the Internet tab of the Airport utility is a button to "Renew DCHP" - I hit that and the unit usually comes back on green.

I think it's because the UVerse modem goes to sleep and drops everything off the network. Only when it gets pinged does it wake up, and then I often have to wait for the Apple units to reconnect before anything works. It's very annoying.

 

[Moakesy]

Sorted!! All working properly now.

Thanks for the help.