Airport Express to extend Linksys WRT54g?

[HiFiGuy528]

I tired to extend the 802.11g wireless network broadcast by the Linksys WRT54g. However, Airport Utility will not allow me. It only allows to "join" wireless network. Why? I will allow if I want to join an Airport Extreme just not the Linksys.

The Linksys is upstairs connected to the cable modem. I want to get better 802.11g range by adding an Airport Express downstairs. Your thoughts?

 

[OnlyShawn]

1) you'd BETTER have tomato on that router. a wrt54g w/o tomato is just a crying shame.

2) have you tried doing it the other way? hook the AE up to the cable modem and then extend with the linky? I'm assuming you can do that w/ stock firmware, I KNOW you can with tomato.

that said: I'd def run the tomato router as the main router, and let it handle DHCP and QoS (maybe that's not your bag, and if you don't know what that is, it certainly isn't something you need to worry about).

have you tried going into manual setup in airport utility, wireless button, wireless mode? Maybe the 'auto setup' won't let you do it, but manual will?

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Tomato? Let me Google it.

I did go into manual setup but it won't work when I set it to extend. The light keeps flashing.

 

[OnlyShawn]

http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato

also, check to be sure the AE is really *getting* signal. does it work right next to the linksys w/ the same setup (does your light go green?)

 

[HiFiGuy528]

http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato

also, check to be sure the AE is really *getting* signal. does it work right next to the linksys w/ the same setup (does your light go green?)

The AE is working because I set it to 5ghz 802.11n only for my MacBooks. I want to Linksys to be 802.11g only for the iPhones.
I think I may just buy another AE with dual band and add it to the network. Any problems with daisy chaining both?

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

The AE is working because I set it to 5ghz 802.11n only for my MacBooks. I want to Linksys to be 802.11g only for the iPhones.

Not sure if this^ is your problem, but I have had success in adding my APE to a Linksys network. It took awhile to work properly- it seems like it always takes awhile for the utility to find the APE after plugging it in to power- but it did work.

 

[OnlyShawn]

yeah, that's probably your problem. I'm pretty sure you can't extend the linky w/ the AE only transmitting 5ghz. essentially, the AE isn't GETTING 5ghz from the linky, so it can't extend it. Now, if you were running it wired b/t the AE and the linky, you could do what you want (in fact, I discussed the same exact thing here: http://www.linksysinfo.org/forums/showthread.php?t=62874 , except with an airport extreme, not an express), but, as I said, I believe you're trying to extend a signal that you're not receiving w/ the AE, if I understand your comment.

 

[skorpien]

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/671222/

Edit: I just realized this thread is about the Express and not the Extreme. My apologies, please disregard.

 

[OnlyShawn]

note: that includes an ethernet-connected aebs and old router...just as I had mine setup (before I just went wired, as mentioned in the thread I linked to).

 

[spaceballl]

You can extend your router w/ any airpot express / extreme if you use WDS mode.