TC and AE together

[Killerbob]

Hi,

I have a TC network, running my Internet via the TC, using wired and WiFi setups.

Now I am adding an AE, via ethernet, and I wonder how I can get the AE to basically extend the WiFi in the house? My WiFi network, set up on the TC, is named ABC, and I would like the AE to basically allow me to connect to the same ABC when near it.

When I am using just the TC all is fine, but when I try to set up the AE it all goes south! I am connecting the two via Ethernet, from LAN port to LAN port.

Any advise?

KB

 

[TEG]

Why not just use the APX to extend the network from the TC? You do that and everything should be fine. Otherwise, you must make sure that the APX is NOT running on the same channel as the TC and that your have DHCP and NAT turned off on the APX, then the TC should server up address and the internet connection to anything connected to the APX.

TEG

 

[Killerbob]

I figured out how to do it without the ethernet cable, but that's not what I want. I have a fixed ethernet cable run from my office to the livingroom, and I want to put the AE in the living room to "extend" the WiFi functionality in the house.

I can't figure this out, help, please, someone?

 

[HLdan]

I figured out how to do it without the ethernet cable, but that's not what I want. I have a fixed ethernet cable run from my office to the livingroom, and I want to put the AE in the living room to "extend" the WiFi functionality in the house.

I can't figure this out, help, please, someone?

Double post, sorry.

 

[HLdan]

I figured out how to do it without the ethernet cable, but that's not what I want. I have a fixed ethernet cable run from my office to the livingroom, and I want to put the AE in the living room to "extend" the WiFi functionality in the house.

I can't figure this out, help, please, someone?

Okay, so can we get a proper understanding of what you already have done? Have you already extended the wireless from TC to AE? Or not? Is that all you were trying to do or more?

 

[Le Big Mac]

I figured out how to do it without the ethernet cable, but that's not what I want. I have a fixed ethernet cable run from my office to the livingroom, and I want to put the AE in the living room to "extend" the WiFi functionality in the house.

I can't figure this out, help, please, someone?

I'm guessing you're creating a problem by trying to connect the AE to the TC both by wired and wireless. You should use one or the other--both will serve the same purpose but will conflict if used together. If you have wired to connect AE to TC, and you don't need the ethernet jack on the AE, wired will mean that the AE won't be affected by a degraded wireless connection to the TC, so you should go for that. You can still use the TC as your router and then use the AE has merely a wireless access point with IP addresses still assigned by your TC/router. Or you could create a subnet, but that will mean a bunch of overlaping/similar IPs and being on a different subnet really isn't necessary if you're in a home.

 

[Killerbob]

Sorry I just realized I am making it more difficult by using wrong terms (newbie).

I have a Time Capsule in the office, setup for a WiFi network "ABC".

I have an ethernet cable running to my living room, and I would like to put my AirPort Extreme there, connected via the ethernet cable, setup also to broadcast the WiFi network "ABC".

How do I do that?

KB

 

[skorpien]

I think what you are trying to do is create a roaming network. Try looking on page 40 of this manual. I'm sure it'll tell you exactly what needs to be done.

 

[Killerbob]

Thanks!!! This is why MacRumos:Forums is my start page!

KB

 

[Killerbob]

OK, so I got it working - partly.

I have the AEBS working as a bridge in my living room, but I am having to set different WiFi network names for the two units - TC and AEBS. So now I have ABC and ABC2. How come is that? Am I doing something wrong?

KB

 

[Le Big Mac]

OK, so I got it working - partly.

I have the AEBS working as a bridge in my living room, but I am having to set different WiFi network names for the two units - TC and AEBS. So now I have ABC and ABC2. How come is that? Am I doing something wrong?

KB

Yes. Go reread the manual. You want the AEBS simply to extend the range, not do its own routing or create its own network. The manual linked to above explains it pretty well--certainly better than we can do here.

 

[pezza]

Hit the WDS tab in airport utility, the settings you need are in there, you wish to join and extend an already existing wireless network.

Hope this helps.

 

[Killerbob]

Nope, WDS is for extending a WiFi network, via WiFi.

What actually did the trick, and this was definately not clear in the manual (which by the way is awful, probably the worst Apple manual I've seen), was that when you are running two stations (connected via ethernet), one as the DHCP and Internet server, then you can have the same WiFi network name, but ONLY if you specify two different channels in the setup.

So, station one; network name ABC, channel 1. Station two; network name ABC, channel 6. That way your laptop will continue to be connected to ABC, but merely switch channel sometime when it figures out there is a better signal to connect to.

Perhaps there is a better way to do this, but this works, and I can see the entire network from both WiFi stations.

KB