Question: Airport Extreme & Express combination

[alq]

Hi guys,

I have a bit of a problem here and I want clarification before I am buying an Airport Extreme.

Right now I am using an Apple TV 2, a Macbook and a Macbook Pro with 2 Airport Express base stations.
1 AP Express is connected via Ethernet to the Internet-Modem/Router, the 2nd AP Express is hooked up on the other side of the room to my Lacie NAS (which is connected via Ethernet to the AP Express, thanks to the options "extend wireless network" and "allow ethernet clients").
The Macbooks are upstairs connected wireless.
Now I want to change to the following:
AP Extreme upstairs to connect a MacMini via Ethernet to it and also hook up the NAS via Ethernet (hopefully benefit higher data transfer rates due to the fact of Gigabit Ethernet). The AP Extreme should then connect wireless to the AP Express which is hooked up to the Internet Modem/Router.
Is that possible with the AP Extreme? Is there also the option to "allow ethernet clients"? I mean, it should allow, since it is a "full-version-router".
Any productive comments are welcome!

thanks

alq

 

[waw74]

you shouldn't use extend if you don't need the extra range (and since your units are in the same room, it sounds like you don't). Join is the better option.
with extending, anything that connects to the second base will get a slower signal, as the repeater express is having to use half of it's bandwidth to talk to the main router.

i don't think the extreme can join a network, you could do another express (or move your existing) and add a network switch, to get the same functionality though.
there are other routers out there that will do what you want, not sure of anything off the top of my head, but i know that dd-wrt will do it, you'd just need to get a router that is supported.

also, only the units hooked up via copper will see a boost in speed by using wired, so the mini to the NAS would be faster, anything over wireless will be at the same speed.

 

[skorpien]

waw74, just to add to your post, the Extreme can join if you hold down the Option (Ctrl? not sure of the keypress for Windows) key when clicking the dropdown for wireless mode.

 

[blevins321]

waw74, just to add to your post, the Extreme can join if you hold down the Option (Ctrl? not sure of the keypress for Windows) key when clicking the dropdown for wireless mode.

Windows uses the Shift key to do other Apple Option presses, so that's probably similar here.

 

[alq]

ok thanks so far,
I will buy first the Extreme and then try both options, since I will anyway have a free Express after moving the NAS upstairs.

alq