Setting up wifi with multiple bases, advice sought

[Radioman]

I have been trying to cover a large house and been using Airport Express N wifi units using one as an extender, this has produced disastrous results (poor speed and repeater kept crashing). I have now pulled CAT5 in so I can feed both units by cable from the router.

My question is; should I set them up the with the same SSID and same or different channels or set up two discrete networks? I may also add a third AP in the future.

Any advice on this would be much appreciated as the info in the Apple online help is spartan to say the least!

 

[waw74]

connection sharing in "off (bridge mode)"
same ssid
same security settings
different channel.

the bridge mode will make the stuff connected to the express behave exactly like it's connected to the extreme, so your devices will be able to talk to anything on your network.

 

[Radioman]

the bridge mode will make the stuff connected to the express behave exactly like it's connected to the extreme, so your devices will be able to talk to anything on your network.

Hi, thanks for the advice. I am slightly confused about this comment though, I thought bridge mode just allowed the router to do the DHCP?

 

[waw74]

Hi, thanks for the advice. I am slightly confused about this comment though, I thought bridge mode just allowed the router to do the DHCP?

yes, exactly.
as a result, things that are connected to that wireless network behave as if they are plugged into the main router. as opposed to being a separate network (or subnet).

on my network i have a linksys router with G only, and an express with N.
i have the express in bridge mode,
all devices have the same connectivity (except for speed) if they are connected to wired, wireless G, or wireless N.

if the following is confusing, read just the bold.

on my network i can use
remote on my iphone (connected to the G network from the linksys)
to control iTunes on my laptop (connected to the N network from the express),
to stream airplay to a second airport express (it's older so connected to the G network)
and the stereo in the living room (hard wired).