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

Airport extreme routing wired connection to wireless router

G

galahan

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 15, 2008
69
7
I'm trying to setup an Airport extreme to serve a single function: Route data through a wired ethernet cable to and from linksys wireless router that's connected to the Internet. The airport extreme needs to connect wirelessly to the linksys router.

Here's what the setup looks like:
98sia0.png



I've tried combinations of "join a wireless network", "extend a wireless network", bridge mode, etc... but I can't figure it out. As I said at the start the Airport purely has to route between the PS3 and the wireless router, nothing else. It doesn't need to allow any other devices to connect to it.

The reason I'm going for a wired connection from the PS3 is that it's Wifi is atrocious and the only way I've gotten decent speed out of it is with a wired connection.

Any guidance on how to get this setup to work?
 
Here is your problem. What you are trying to do is use a protocol called wireless distribution system (WDS) to extend the network wirelessly. The Airport Extreme supports this feature but your E1200 does not.

You will need to buy a router to replace the Linksys that does support WDS. I have found WDS works best among routers of the same brand. My suggestion would be to move the Airport Extreme where you have the Linksys now, then get an Apple Airport Express to extend with WDS.

You can get a refurb previous gen Express for $69.
 
Weaselboy said:
Here is your problem. What you are trying to do is use a protocol called wireless distribution system (WDS) to extend the network wirelessly. The Airport Extreme supports this feature but your E1200 does not.

You will need to buy a router to replace the Linksys that does support WDS. I have found WDS works best among routers of the same brand. My suggestion would be to move the Airport Extreme where you have the Linksys now, then get an Apple Airport Express to extend with WDS.

You can get a refurb previous gen Express for $69.
Click to expand...

Thanks, you put me on the right path. To resolve the issue of the E1200 not supporting WDS, I flashed it with DD-WRT. I got WDS working but for some reason the wired connection was running slow. So instead I switched the Airport Extreme to be the box connected to the internet and the Linksys to be the one accepting the wired connection. I then changed the Linksys to operate in "Repeater Bridge" mode rather than WDS. And I have it connecting wirelessly to the Airport. Now it's all working quickly.

Here's what it looks like now:
2rrsy77.png
 
I have a similar question.

I have the following wired configuration:

ADSL Modem is wired to:
Airport Extreme is wired to:
Airport Express (set to extend network)

Airport Extreme is also wired to Apple TV.

I want to be able to connect to the network wirelessly using either the Airport Extreme and Airport Express.

Airport Utility has set up both Airport Extreme and Airport Express to bridge mode. What does this mean? Will I be able to access the Airport Extreme and Airport Express wirelessly?
 
brilliantthings said:
I have a similar question.

I have the following wired configuration:

ADSL Modem is wired to:
Airport Extreme is wired to:
Airport Express (set to extend network)

Airport Extreme is also wired to Apple TV.

I want to be able to connect to the network wirelessly using either the Airport Extreme and Airport Express.

Airport Utility has set up both Airport Extreme and Airport Express to bridge mode. What does this mean? Will I be able to access the Airport Extreme and Airport Express wirelessly?
Click to expand...

It sounds like your ADSL modem is also a router? If it was not, with both Apple devices in bridge mode, there would be no device handling NAT/DHCP.

But yes, you should be able to access the devices wirelessly.
 
brilliantthings said:
It's an ADSL modem, with ethernet cable routing, but it isnt a wireless router. Does that make sense?
Click to expand...

Usually a stand alone ADSL modem (that does not have DHCP routing functionality built in) will not be able to run multiple devices. If you are able to run the AppleTV, plus other devices at the same time, either that DSL modem has a router built in or one of the Apple devices is not in bridge mode.

Can you post the brand and model number of the DSL modem? Usually a search for that model number will find a page with the tech specs.
 
The modem connects only to one device, the Extreme, which then connects to multiple devices. So that must make my modem the DHCP/NAT device, yeah? It must be if the whole network is working!?

PS just noticed that in Airport Utility the Connection strength is "Unknown" for the Extreme.
 
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