Daisy chain router with Airport TC?

[gelgel]

Hi all,

I have an Asus RT-N56U router that is currently setup in the living room. However, my desktop in the bedroom which is located in the 2nd floor is not getting good signal.

Here's what I would like to do.. and was wondering if they are doable.

1. Can the airport TC be added to the current setup and extend the network coverage?
2. Is it possible to create a second network out of this?

How can I be able to do this and also prevent people on the same network to access the data on my airport TC?

 

[xraydoc]

Hi all,

I have an Asus RT-N56U router that is currently setup in the living room. However, my desktop in the bedroom which is located in the 2nd floor is not getting good signal.

Here's what I would like to do.. and was wondering if they are doable.

1. Can the airport TC be added to the current setup and extend the network coverage?
2. Is it possible to create a second network out of this?

How can I be able to do this and also prevent people on the same network to access the data on my airport TC?

The TC can be used as a range extender for other Airport base stations for sure, but not sure if it'll do the same easily for other brand routers.

You could set up a second wifi network like you mentioned, but now you'll have to manage two networks of course.

The drive inside the TC can be password-protected with a different password than the wifi network itself to restrict access to only those authorized.

 

[gelgel]

thanks for the reply. I have researched more and seems like I can set the Air TC in bridge mode, connect it to the primary router via ethernet.
I have a few more questions.

1. when the TC is in bridge mode, can it still provide its own private network?

2. The primary router is in the living room, but I would like to keep the TC upstairs in my room so that I can do the time machine backup wired to my imac. Can the TC connect to the primary router wirelessly?

Basically all I want is for me to keep it upstairs and also have its router functionality to provide me the private network. Possible?

 

[Altemose]

When in bridge mode, the AirPort Time Capsule simply acts as a wireless access point. You can create a separate network name, but it will still be connected to the LAN of the first router.

If the Time Capsule is set up under "SmithWireless" for example, and the first router is set to "SmithLAN". Any computer connected to Smith LAN will see the devices on SmithWireless and vice versa. All the TC would act as is a wireless bridge and AP.

The Time Capsule can definitely "join" the network of the first router and allow the iMac access to the network over its Ethernet port. That being said, you only get what you put in divided by two. So if the transmit rate between your first router is 54 Mbps, you will only get half of that rate as half must be used to connect to the first router.

In summary, connect the Time Capsule via Ethernet and you will not have issues. It can also extend the network this way in the form of a roaming network. This will even allow the iMac access to the LAN via the Ethernet ports on the TC. When configured this way, devices connected to either the TC or the first router will work together.

 

[gelgel]

The Time Capsule can definitely "join" the network of the first router and allow the iMac access to the network over its Ethernet port. That being said, you only get what you put in divided by two. So if the transmit rate between your first router is 54 Mbps, you will only get half of that rate as half must be used to connect to the first router.

In summary, connect the Time Capsule via Ethernet and you will not have issues. It can also extend the network this way in the form of a roaming network. This will even allow the iMac access to the LAN via the Ethernet ports on the TC. When configured this way, devices connected to either the TC or the first router will work together.

thanks for the reply. My understanding is that roaming network requires the devices to have wired connection. but since my imac is upstairs and the primary router is downstairs, I do not want to run ethernet cable from the main floor up to the second floor.

You mentioned that the ATC can join the primary router. Do you mean wirelessly?

 

[Altemose]

An AirPort has two wireless modes to integrate to an existing network. The first is "Join" which essentially wirelessly connects the TC as a client. This allows sharing of the Time Machine drive as a network share as well as allowing Ethernet ports on the back to be used. When used in Join mode, the Time Capsule does not put out any signal and simply acts as an Ethernet switch and NAS. The second mode is "Extend". This means the the Time Capsule will do all that "Join" mode does, but also emanates a stronger wireless signal. Clients will jump to which ever AP is stronger. Both the TC and the first router share the same network name and therefore clients can "roam"

A true roaming network is wired in by Ethernet. Also remember the wireless bandwidth rule. Generally divide the multicast rate between the first router and the Time Capsule by 2 to get the network speed. This will give a theoretical number to base off of.