Imac as a wireless extender?

[bear1232]

Hey.

My wireless router is downstairs, and my Mom's iMac is upstairs along with my laptop. My mom's computer receives internet fine, but my 2006 Macbook only picks up the signal when I'm within 10 feet of the router (I used to use it on my bed all the time and I think I fried the receiver).

Is there a way that I can make the iMac repeat the signal?

The iMac is an early 2009 version (http://support.apple.com/kb/SP507) running Snow Leopard 10.6.5.

Thanks

 

[bear1232]

Well I found out an alternative. We had 2 routers hooked up to each other. I simply took one of them and connected it to the iMac through the ethernet cable. In system prefs, I went to sharing an enabled Internet sharing.

The one dilemma is that now only 1 computer can back up on the time capsule. If I plug the time capsule into the modem, the iMac can back up but the laptop can't reach it. If I hooke the time capsule into the iMac, then the backup disk becomes unavailable.

 

[AppleNewton]

right, if one computer is connecting to the other it will not allow one of them to back up...because if you notice in the AirPort menu the wireless network its connecting to is the Name of the other Mac and not the name of the timecapsule.

best solution would be to get a proper wireless extender like an AirPort Express that will allow you to extend your range and continue to back up both machines to the timecapsule.


on second thought if you have two routers, are they both WiFi routers?
What you can do is have the main one (TimeCapsule?) extend the timecapsule, basically you will set the second router up to point to the timecapsule the same you would for another mac/computer.
and depending on the router you can opt to extend the range of the time capsule and continue to back up both macs.