AirPort Express+Time Capsule = Emulate N+G functionality of new Airport Extreme

[ipedro]

The Setup
I have a first generation Time Capsule (wireless N) and an original Airport Express (wireless G).

I have an tv (wireless N) and an iPhone (wireless G)

My main Mac is a new MacBook Pro 17" (wireless N) and a first edition MBP 15" (g)

The Request
I want to be able to setup a network (or two) that will allow my MBP 17" and tv to take advantage of the N network offered by the Time Capsule but also allow my iPhone, which doesn't support N to still be able to log on to the network.

------------------------
The Solution

1) DSL modem/router (g) wifi name: DSL WiFi
2) Time Capsule (n) wifi name: TimeCapsule
- Connected to DSL modem via Ethernet
- Connection Sharing: (OFF) Bridge
- set to "wireless n only 5Ghz"
3) Airport Express wirelessly joining DSL WiFi

MBP (n) successfully connected to Time Capsule
tv (n) successfully connected to Time Capsule
iPhone (g) successfully connected to DSL Wifi

All 3 are living on one happy network. Success!

...so essentially, you can achieve what is offered with the new Airport Extreme by connecting a g router via ethernet to your first generation Time Capsule/Airport Extreme.

The result is a much faster connection between tv and MBP, a noticeably quicker TimeMachine update (using "n"), the distance benefits of Wireless N for my MBP (I can now sit in the courtyard of my building, 14 stories down and pick up my network) all the while still allowing my iPhone to connect to the networking without slowing down the "wireless n" devices.

 

[rgarjr]

Well is that time capsule the new one that does dual band simultaneously?

 

[ipedro]

Well is that time capsule the new one that does dual band simultaneously?

No, I have the original. Is it possible to duplicate that functionality with an Airport G and a Time Capsule N. Technically, that's what's inside the new Airport Extreme's correct -- Multiple antennae?

 

[rgarjr]

Well i guess you can setup your TC to allow only N connections, connecting your MBP and ATV. Then just use the express to allow your Iphone in to the network. You'll be using WDS.

Im gonna be setting up my express as soon as i get it, and i'll see how i'm gonna do it.

 

[ipedro]

Thanks for the effort in replying, but could you be more specific as how to set this up?

What will the end result be?

 

[ipedro]

By the way, I should mention that my DSL router also has WiFi G. Currently, I'm not using that capability as the Time Capsule is connected via Ethernet to the router.

 

[MacBrim]

you have to connect you express with an ethernet cable.
the set your extreme to N only 5ghz.
let your express create a new network and name it the same als the network on the extreme, select bridge mode and you are done,

I have the same thing here at home and it workd great, no need to but a new airport extreme

 

[ipedro]

That sounds like what I'm trying to achieve. Thanks.

Bridge mode, I assume will consolidate both networks into one? I want to be able to access my iPhone on the network (for wireless app sync and Air Sharing).

 

[ipedro]

So here's what I've done so far:

1 - I set up the DSL modem/router with the same WiFi name as the Time Capsule.
2 - I put Time Capsule in "N only" mode (5Ghz).

The two are connected via Ethernet. So far so good! My iPhone is accessing the DSL modem/router and is accessible on the same network as the Time Capsule.

3 - I wanted to continue using the Aiport Express for AirTunes in the bedroom so I set it up to join the network wirelessly. It must be accessing the DSL modem/router because the Time Capsule is set to "N only".

Now I have a question:

How can I insure that my tv is accessing the N wireless, not the G wireless since they both share the same name?

... for that matter, how can I insure that my MBP is accessing the N network?

Is there a Terminal command or an App for Mac that will show me which computers/tv are connected to the Time Capsule? Further, is there a setting on my Mac that will tell it to only connect via N?

 

[MacBrim]

on your Macbook pro you can click an yout airport sign and keep pressing the alt key, here you will so how fast it is connected if it is connected higher then 130 then you are at the N network

 

[ipedro]

on your Macbook pro you can click an yout airport sign and keep pressing the alt key, here you will so how fast it is connected if it is connected higher then 130 then you are at the N network

Thanks for the tip! The MBP is indeed connected to N if that's the case (Transmit Rate: 300)

Still one final kink: my tv can't access the N network (Time Capsule). I changed the password on the DSL modem/router to differentiate it from the Time Capsule and I verified that tv can connect to the DSL but not the Time Capsule.

I thought tv used N?

 

[ipedro]

Ok, so here's the skinny on the latest method:

1) DSL modem/router (g) wifi name: DSL WiFi
2) Time Capsule (n) wifi name: TimeCapsule
- Connected to DSL modem via Ethernet
- Connection Sharing: (OFF) Bridge
- set to "wireless n only 5Ghz"
3) Airport Express wirelessly joining DSL WiFi

MBP (n) successfully connected to Time Capsule
tv (n) successfully connected to Time Capsule
iPhone (g) successfully connected to DSL Wifi

All 3 are living on one happy network. Success!

...so essentially, you can achieve what is offered with the new Airport Extreme by connecting a g router via ethernet to your first generation Time Capsule/Airport Extreme.

The result is a much faster connection between tv and MBP, a noticeably quicker TimeMachine update (using "n"), the distance benefits of Wireless N for my MBP (I can now sit in the courtyard of my building, 14 stories down and pick up my network) all the while still allowing my iPhone to connect to the networking without slowing down the "wireless n" devices.

 

[ipedro]

I'm going to rename this thread and post the solution at the top for people looking to do this same procedure. Thanks the help guys.

 

[MacBrim]

I'm glad it works!

 

[nator76]

Remote?

I will be doing this exact same thing. Since my wifes computer is still G, and so is my Iphone, the rest will be N and i do not want to sacrifice speed.

My question is since ill be connecting to my bridged Linksys because my Iphone is G, but my MBA will have the Itunes going through my express through the house, since thats the case, can i not use Remote from my Iphone because it will be on the Linksys?? Or will i have to run all off the Time Capsule and sacrifice some speed just for the Remote? Thanks

 

[ipedro]

The beauty of this setup is that it doesn't matter how you get into the network (via g or n), the functionality of all the devices on the network remains the same.

So you can access the network via the Time Capsule (n) and still use your Airport Express (g) for airtunes. In fact, I have the Airport Express (g) and tv (n) both playing the same music simultaneously via AirTunes even though they're connected at different speeds.

The iPhone remote also works as expected.

 

[rgarjr]

These G and N are starting to get a bit of PITA. How fast does it say you connect on your N setup (clicking on the airport logo while pressing the option key)?

I have the non simul dual band extreme and an express extending my network (network setup to do N and BG) and when I connect with my MB I get 130.

 

[ipedro]

Transmit Rate: 300

It's a very noticeable difference since I use both TimeMachine and tv over the air. I also store my Movie & TV files from iTunes on an HDD connected to the Time Capsule. Streaming them over the air is effortless on "n", painful on "g".

If you're looking to improve your Internet connection, the bottleneck in isn't in most cases on the local network, it's in your ISP.

 

[rgarjr]

Dont know if I should just get another express to make that one only handle the G's and let my extreme only take the N's.

 

[ipedro]

After figuring out how to do this, I wouldn't go out and replace my current equipment with the new Extreme or Time Capsule.

Eventually I won't have any more equipment that runs on "g" and my new systems will all support "n". In the meantime, this setup allows both to co-exist.

It's absolutely perfect and seamless.

 

[rgarjr]

I'm not content with the 130 I'm getting between my extreme and my MB, so I think I'm gonna just take down the express from the "extend" mode and hook it up to my extreme via ethernet so that it does only G's. Then have the extreme do only N's. This should hopefully lift up me to 300.

This means i'm gonna have to move the express close to where my extreme is and link it there with ethernet.

 

[trip1ex]

Is your Mac connecting to the AEBS (then via ethernet to the wireless G router and then to the AE) to stream airtunes

or

Is it connecting directly to the AE when streaming Air Tunes?

 

[ipedro]

Is your Mac connecting to the AEBS (then via ethernet to the wireless G router and then to the AE) to stream airtunes

or

Is it connecting directly to the AE when streaming Air Tunes?

My Mac is connecting to the TimeCapsule (I know this because I gave it a different name than the "g" router) at "n" speeds. The g router is connected to the TimeCapsule via ethernet and the Airport Express is wireless out in the bedroom, connecting at "g" to the g router.

 

[trip1ex]

Yeah I get the setup. Nice. I was planning to do something similar with an AE, 3rd party wireless G router and an AEBS.

I guess I was wondering whether your Mac (and iTunes) would bypass the N router when doing AirTunes specifically and just talk directly to the AE. ( I suppose another way to make sure is you could ask the AE to accept no wireless clients which is an option in the config menu.)

And actually I didn't know you could extend networks using an Apple router and a 3rd party router. Maybe that was just WDS I'm thinking about which is a different option than extending a network. I guess that's why I haven't done a similar setup to what you have yet.

 

[ipedro]

I've always sucked at understanding networks and network terminology.... but I guess if you want something bad enough, you figure it out..lol

Regardless of a wifi network's name as was suggested earlier in the thread, regardless of the speed of its wireless system, as long as all the routers are interconnected, they become part of the network. From there, no matter how you get into the network -- through an "n" port or a "g" port, you'll be able to access the assets and functions of the devices on the network.

I tested playing music through my AE Airtunes and the speed didn't drop below 300, meaning that the Mac is still connecting through the TimeCapsule (n).