Airport Extreme/Express Help

[pooleman]

Hello All,

I need help. I have AT&T DSL service using a 2WIRE Modem. For a few years now I have used an older Airport Extreme to create a second wireless network in the house. The Airport Extreme was connect to the 2WIRE with an ethernet cable. I used a newer Airport Express in another room to wirelessly extend the range of the new wireless network that the Extreme was using. Recently for reasons that are unknown both the Extreme and the Express failed (flashing Yellow lights). I have done everything I know how to do to get things up and running again. Everything in the house has been restored to factory settings and set up again but I cannot get the Apple routers to talk to my 2WIRE modem anymore.

Can someone give me a bare bones, talk to me like I am a four year old tutorial on how to get things up and running again? I'm dying here. The modem is in one corner of the house and doesn't reach the far corner very well at all. This is where our 14 year olds room and computer is and homework has become and issue lately. Please help!!!!!

 

[Menel]

Unplug all networking.

Connect ONLY:
1. DSL line to 2WIRE.
2. WAN port on Extreme to 2Wire.
3. Single PC to 2Wire via cable.

Reset factory defaults on the extreme.
Reset factory defaults on the 2Wire

Configure 2Wire to give DMZPlus to the Extreme's ip. It will then assign an external ip direct to the Airport Extreme.
Disable 2Wire's wireless.

Configure Extreme to receive DHCP from Internet/WAN port. Probably default.

Configure your Express to extend.

 

[Altemose]

Unplug the 2Wire modem and all the AirPorts. Now hold the reset button on the Extreme with a pen or paper clip and plug into power. Hold until the front light blinks orange.

Plug in the 2Wire modem and use a fresh Ethernet (Cat 5e or Cat 6) cable from one of the Ethernet ports to your computer. Verify that you have Internet access coming live from the modem. Otherwise, contact AT&T for more details and troubleshooting.

Provided that the Internet is indeed working through the modem, plug the Ethernet cable that was plugged into your computer into the WAN port on the Extreme. Now open AirPort Utility (ensure you have the latest version) and set it up. Run the Extreme like this and verify that everything is working as it should. An interesting "bug" in AirPorts is that they cannot be extended if bridged. I kept running into this problem but figured out that the Extreme must function as the DHCP server, even if the modem can give IPs. So you may see a "Double NAT" warning in AirPort Utility, this is safe to ignore and the green light should return.

Once the Extreme is running like it should it is time to configure the Express. Simply do the same steps to reset the Express and configure it to "Wirelessly Extend" the network. Enter the appropriate network credentials during setup for the main LAN, not the guest LAN. At this point, the Express should auto configure to run in "Bridge Mode" with the Extreme giving out addresses.

Some quick tips to prevent problems down the road is to ensure that if the 2Wire has wireless capability that it is turned off. Too much wireless noise can cause the network to drop out. Following my steps, unplug all the hard ware and starting with the 2Wire modem plug it back in one by one waiting 5 minutes between each piece of hardware. This will ensure that all addresses and DHCP reservations are fulfilled.

Hope this helps!

Altemose

 

[pooleman]

I will try these steps again. I am indeed getting internet through the modem. When I begin to set up the Extreme through the Airport Utility it keeps asking me for the PPPoE account name and password. I do not see any place where I references "brideged" mode or DCHP. It is frustrating.

I have all next week off so I will try it Monday morning. Thanks for the tips, boys.

 

[drsox]

I will try these steps again. I am indeed getting internet through the modem. When I begin to set up the Extreme through the Airport Utility it keeps asking me for the PPPoE account name and password. I do not see any place where I references "brideged" mode or DCHP. It is frustrating.

I have all next week off so I will try it Monday morning. Thanks for the tips, boys.

You must have an account name and password for you to be a valid customer (no?). Are you sure you have a PPPoE service from AT&T ?

Is the 2WIRE modem actually a modem/router in one box (i.e. a gateway)? If it is then it will conflict with the AE in some areas and usually it's better to turn off the router part of the 2WIRE and use the AE as the router instead.

 

[Menel]

I will try these steps again. I am indeed getting internet through the modem. When I begin to set up the Extreme through the Airport Utility it keeps asking me for the PPPoE account name and password. I do not see any place where I references "brideged" mode or DCHP. It is frustrating.

I have all next week off so I will try it Monday morning. Thanks for the tips, boys.

Don't use PPPOE mode. Will not work. That portion is handled by the 2Wire gateway/modem.

You have two options, I have used both.
1. NAT Firewall and internal network DHCP handled by Airport Extreme (preferred by me)

I'm not at home. But there are 3 options in Airport Extreme Internet Options:
DHCP | PPPoE | ????

If you are plugging the 2WIRE into the WAN port on the Airport (which I recommend) you want the Internet/WAN port configured for DHCP.

Configure 2WIRE to give DMZPlus to the Airport. It will then give the 2WIRE gateway's external ip directly to the Airpot. It's very clever.

Run your internal network behind the Airport.

Option 2. Let 2Wire do DHCP for internal network and bridge the Airport to it.
I don't feel like typing it out. Just don't do it.

 

[drsox]

I will try these steps again. I am indeed getting internet through the modem. When I begin to set up the Extreme through the Airport Utility it keeps asking me for the PPPoE account name and password. I do not see any place where I references "brideged" mode or DCHP. It is frustrating.

I have all next week off so I will try it Monday morning. Thanks for the tips, boys.

I echo the post from Menel. Let the AE do the routing and keep the 2WIRE just as the modem. FYI the third option in AE is Static. If the DHCP setting is the one to use, try that.

Your first problem is going to be to set the 2WIRE in modem only mode. This seems to be difficult. See : http://www.wikihow.com/Set-Your-Bell-2Wire-2701Hg-G-Modem-Router-to-Bridge-Mode. (Unless it's a different device)

 

[Menel]

I echo the post from Menel. Let the AE do the routing and keep the 2WIRE just as the modem. FYI the third option in AE is Static. If the DHCP setting is the one to use, try that.

Your first problem is going to be to set the 2WIRE in modem only mode. This seems to be difficult. See : http://www.wikihow.com/Set-Your-Bell-2Wire-2701Hg-G-Modem-Router-to-Bridge-Mode. (Unless it's a different device)

It's actually very easy. It's just different from modems of the past, so nomenclature tends to confuse people.

DMZPlus mode handles it. Disable 2Wire's wireless to avoid interference, then set DMZPlus to the Airport Extreme, and boom done. The 2WIRE reconfigures itself and provides the direct external IP straight to the AirportExtreme.

 

[drsox]

It's actually very easy. It's just different from modems of the past, so nomenclature tends to confuse people.

DMZPlus mode handles it. Disable 2Wire's wireless to avoid interference, then set DMZPlus to the Airport Extreme, and boom done. The 2WIRE reconfigures itself and provides the direct external IP straight to the AirportExtreme.

Good news. Fortunately it doesn't affect me as I have a different setup !

 

[pooleman]

Thanks for the help guys. On Monday I will try this out. I'm pretty ignorant of all this stuff and it's tough to take the internet offline when so many kids in the house depend on it.

 

[Menel]

Thanks for the help guys. On Monday I will try this out. I'm pretty ignorant of all this stuff and it's tough to take the internet offline when so many kids in the house depend on it.

really? seriously?

Tell them go outside and play, here's some hotwheels and legos. While daddy tinkers.

 

[pooleman]

really? seriously?

Tell them go outside and play, here's some hotwheels and legos. While daddy tinkers.

The kids are in honors classes and need the internet for the 2+ hours of homework that they have a night. I don't think hot wheels are going to help with that. That's why I'm waiting for next Monday when the kids (and I) am out of school and work.