Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Airport express to extend dir 825 wifi?

IlikeMacsSoMuch

IlikeMacsSoMuch

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 30, 2009
346
2
Blainville, Province of Quebec
Hi, my friend has a d-link dir-825 router and he needs airplay functionality so since I have an airport express that is unused, I'd give to him. Can he use the airport express to extend the dir-825 network wirelessly? He wants to plug an old stereo system to airplay his music to it in the backyard.

thanks
 
IlikeMacsSoMuch said:
Hi, my friend has a d-link dir-825 router and he needs airplay functionality so since I have an airport express that is unused, I'd give to him. Can he use the airport express to extend the dir-825 network wirelessly? He wants to plug an old stereo system to airplay his music to it in the backyard.

thanks
Click to expand...

The Express can join the D-Link's network, but it cannot extend it. When in Join Mode, he can still use it as an AirPlay Speaker.
 
You can only wirelessly "Extend" the network with an Airport Express if the Base Station is an Apple Airport.

However since all you want to do is use the Airport Express as an airplay device, you don't need to "extend" but "Join" the network, which it can do.
 
Altemose said:
The Express can join the D-Link's network, but it cannot extend it. When in Join Mode, he can still use it as an AirPlay Speaker.
Click to expand...

NukeIT said:
You can only wirelessly "Extend" the network with an Airport Express if the Base Station is an Apple Airport.

However since all you want to do is use the Airport Express as an airplay device, you don't need to "extend" but "Join" the network, which it can do.
Click to expand...

Not what I had in mind but still workable!
Thanks guys!
 
Altemose said:
No problem! Other vendors do universal Wi-Fi extenders, but Apple keeps it limited to their own equipment.
Click to expand...


The WDS protocol is complex.

Even with DDWRT, have to use two pair of like chipsets, broadcom-broadcom, or ralink-ralink. No mixing or unstable results.

I think many of the universal ones have dual transceivers for linking, and another for retransmitting to bypass that hurdle.
 
Menel said:
The WDS protocol is complex.

Even with DDWRT, have to use two pair of like chipsets, broadcom-broadcom, or ralink-ralink. No mixing or unstable results.

I think many of the universal ones have dual transceivers for linking, and another for retransmitting to bypass that hurdle.
Click to expand...

I was talking about the universal ones. WDS was depricated in the wireless-G days.
 
Altemose said:
It is similar yet very different as the AirPorts have more than one antenna.
Click to expand...

Extremes and newer expresses do, but not all.
Even the single antenna Expresses support the WDS protocal. Number of antenna is completely different from transceivers,
 
Menel said:
Extremes and newer expresses do, but not all.
Even the single antenna Expresses support the WDS protocal. Number of antenna is completely different from transceivers,
Click to expand...

Apple dropped the WDS mode with wireless-G AirPorts. I believe you can still do a WDS if you roll N-AirPorts back to G speeds.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back