Airport Extreme Ethernet, Homeplugs & Home Network

[devster]

Guys I would really love some help with My home network setup.

My situation is this. I have a broadband modem which is connected via CAT 5 cable to my Airport Extreme. The extreme broadcasts my wireless network. I have a airport express to extend it range (with very little benefit) .

My problem is this. I have a cable tv box (here in Hong Kong) which needs output from my modem. I use homeplugs/power line to transfer the internet from the modem to the cable box which works fine.

This does mean though that I have to extend my wireless/home network through other airport expresses which does not work that well & is expensive. If I could take an Ethernet cable out of my airport extreme and get the cable tv box to accept that then all my problems would be solved. I could then put it via home plug/power line and connect that to an airport express via Ethernet to extend my wireless range.

The crux is this. When I connect my cable tv box to the Ethernet out on my modem it works fine. When I connect it to the Ethernet LAN ports on my airport extreme it does not.

Is there any way I can set up my airport extreme so that the cable tv box will work from the Ethernet ports ?

Many thanks in advance

 

[miles01110]

You could try buying a switch, attaching the switch input to the modem output and then the cable box and router to ports on the switch. If that doesn't work you'll need to ask whoever supplied the cable box what it is capable of.

 

[devster]

The modem has a few ports as does the extreme so I don't think a switch will help. I wonder if it has something to do with the extreme being in bridge mode or something.

As I say, when I plug the cable tv into the modem it works fine. When I plug it into the extreme LAN port (extreme is plugged into modem) it does not work.

Thx

 

[miles01110]

The modem has a few ports as does the extreme so I don't think a switch will help. I wonder if it has something to do with the extreme being in bridge mode or something.

As I say, when I plug the cable tv into the modem it works fine. When I plug it into the extreme LAN port (extreme is plugged into modem) it does not work.

Do you have a standalone modem or a modem/router combination? If you have the latter you'll need the AEBS in Bridge Mode for it to have a remote chance of working properly.

 

[jenzjen]

Do you have a standalone modem or a modem/router combination? If you have the latter you'll need the AEBS in Bridge Mode for it to have a remote chance of working properly.

I'd guess OP has a modem/router, since he writes it has a few ports.

Agree feels like he hasn't turned on Airport in bridge mode, because if he did, then it shouldn't matter where the cable box is connected for the ethernet connection to work.

 

[devster]

Yeah sorry for my noobieness! The modem has 4 ports on the back and LINK, ACT & LINE lights on the front so I am not sure if that makes it a modem/router. I am operating my extreme as a "create a wireless network" with the Internet set to "connect using pppoe".

Unfortunately while I am not a complete simpleton about computers, my networking knowledge is lacking. I can't understand why the cable box works fine from the back of the modem , but will not work from the Ethernet pos on the extreme, even though they are connected directly with an Ethernet cable.

I have once Ethernet cable from the back of the modem connected via home plug to the cable tv which is across the house. This homeplug method works fine and means I do not have to run ethernt able across the house.

The 2 solutions I am looking for are :

1- get the cable box working from the back of the extreme.if that works then I can also run the cable via a home plug network. I can then put an output in the bedroom at the far end of the house, connect a airport express to that, and have my home network available in the bedroom (foe iTunes access etc)

2- run 2 separate home plug networks. One from modem for the cable tv and another from the extreme for my home network to get access in the bedroom.

Ideas ?

Thx for your help to date

 

[DjHeXeR]

Not the fault of apples HW

Here in the states my friend has AT&T U-Verse and has the same problem, his whole house is Cat-5 and he has an actual fiber drop in his house.

ATT-U-Verse is connected via cat 5 no coax at all, AT&T makes you use this crappy 2Wire Gateway and it sucks.

We tried to hook it up via Time Capsule in Bridge mode but somehow the U-Verse boxes will not work.

It has to do with networking, and to understand this you need to understand the OSI model.

My assumption (and probably totally wrong) is that it has to do something with MAC address and whats allowed and not allowed on the HW list.

If you connect it via any other router than the one supplied you may experience the same issue.

If you connect it via the airport express and turn on the TV does it play for like 30 seconds then freeze?