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Airport Extreme Questions

T

tdale

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Aug 11, 2013
1,293
77
Christchurch, N.Z.
Hi all

Ive watched some setup videos, pretty straight forward but I didn't see any answers to my questions.I wish to connect an AEBS to my existing modem/wifi router, a Huawei HG630b

1. Does Airport Utility scan my existing wifi network and get the settings and add those to the AEBS? Such as SSID, PW etc

2. No mention of then needing to turn off wifi on the existing modem/router, as each will be next to each other I was expecting the setup instructions to advise turning off the old wifi?

3. After connecting the modem/wifi Router LAN to AEBS WAN, will I have full use of the LAN ports on the modem/wifi router as well as the 3 on the AEBS?

Cheers and thanks
 
Put your existing unit into bridge mode and use the router functions on the AEBS.

Otherwise you will be putting the AEBS into bridge mode and using it as a $20 switch.
 
What sort of connection do you have, and if it's UFB (or if you plan to go to UFB during the life of the hardware), which ISP?
 
Nermal said:
What sort of connection do you have, and if it's UFB (or if you plan to go to UFB during the life of the hardware), which ISP?
Click to expand...

UFB, Spark. 30/10.

----------
brentsg said:
Put your existing unit into bridge mode and use the router functions on the AEBS.

Otherwise you will be putting the AEBS into bridge mode and using it as a $20 switch.
Click to expand...

My intention is to upgrade the wifi.

If I bridge the 630b, then the AEBS acts as router and wifi.

If I bridge the AEBS, the 630b acts as the router, the AEBS the wifi.

Will both devices LAN ports be useable in each case?

If so, one of these will route better than the order or will that be unnoticeable?
 
OP wrote above:
[[ Ive watched some setup videos, pretty straight forward but I didn't see any answers to my questions.I wish to connect an AEBS to my existing modem/wifi router, a Huawei HG630b ]]

Question:
Is the Huawei a cable modem or DSL modem, as supplied by your ISP?

My advice would be the opposite of what was offered above.

If the AE is to be "downstream" of the Hauwei, I would leave the upstream modem set to provide NAT.

I would set the AE up thus (Using Airport Utility):

Internet pane - DHCP

Wireless pane - create a wireless network
Give it a name, select your security level, enter password

Network pane - Off (bridge mode)

If the AE is going to be in the same location as the Huawei, I would go into the Huawei's setup and TURN OFF wireless (leave it as a "wired" router).

If the AE is intended to expand your wireless network (as in being at the different end of a house, or upstairs, etc.) I would connect it via Ethernet, and go to the advanced option in the "Wireless pane" and assign it DIFFERENT CHANNELS than what the Huawei is using, so that the channels don't conflict. You can download something called "iStumbler" which will reveal this info to you, very easy to use.

ALSO -- I suggest during configuration, that you connect the Mac to the AE via a WIRED ETHERNET CONNECTION for the setup.

My ISP furnished a modem/router with slow wireless speeds, so I added an AE nearby, put it into bridge mode (as above), and turned off wireless on the modem. No problems or conflicts, runs great...
 
Fishrrman said:
OP wrote above:
[[ Ive watched some setup videos, pretty straight forward but I didn't see any answers to my questions.I wish to connect an AEBS to my existing modem/wifi router, a Huawei HG630b ]]

Question:
Is the Huawei a cable modem or DSL modem, as supplied by your ISP?

It supports ADSL, VDSL, Fibre, I am using Fibre

My advice would be the opposite of what was offered above.

If the AE is to be "downstream" of the Hauwei, I would leave the upstream modem set to provide NAT.

I would set the AE up thus (Using Airport Utility):

Internet pane - DHCP

Wireless pane - create a wireless network
Give it a name, select your security level, enter password

Network pane - Off (bridge mode)

If the AE is going to be in the same location as the Huawei, I would go into the Huawei's setup and TURN OFF wireless (leave it as a "wired" router).

Next to the 630b

If the AE is intended to expand your wireless network (as in being at the different end of a house, or upstairs, etc.) I would connect it via Ethernet, and go to the advanced option in the "Wireless pane" and assign it DIFFERENT CHANNELS than what the Huawei is using, so that the channels don't conflict. You can download something called "iStumbler" which will reveal this info to you, very easy to use.

ALSO -- I suggest during configuration, that you connect the Mac to the AE via a WIRED ETHERNET CONNECTION for the setup.

No ethernet on my rMB, although my wife has my Win7 laptop, so can do if needed

My ISP furnished a modem/router with slow wireless speeds, so I added an AE nearby, put it into bridge mode (as above), and turned off wireless on the modem. No problems or conflicts, runs great...

Thats my hope. rMBP uses AC, 6 Plus use AC and iPad Air, wifes Mini use 2.4 and 5Ghz, so hopefully that will work our excellent
Click to expand...

Whats the difference between having NAT on the 630b soon to be wired router, and DHCP on the soon to be wifi AEBS?

Will the 3 remaining LAN ports on the 630b and the 3 on the AEBS all be fully useable?

And thanks for the complete and detailed reply, much appreciated.
 
tdale said:
If I bridge the 630b, then the AEBS acts as router and wifi.
Click to expand...

You can't do that. The AEBS can't route Spark UFB (due to not supporting 802.1q) so you need to use the 630b as the router. Fishrrman's suggestion looks like it'll work.
 
tdale said:
I thought NAT and DHCP go together, but you can have NAT on the source router and DHCP on the downstream AEBS? Reasoning?
Click to expand...

Selecting Internet > DHCP makes the AEBS a DHCP client, not a server. The Huawei will still be the DHCP server.
 
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