Time Capsule and Airport Extreme for ports

[Arkangil]

I have a 2011 2TB Time Capsule set up as my router in my basement. It covers the whole house just fine. However I currently have all of the hard wired ports full. I am not getting two new devices that require hard wiring.

Can I get an Airport Extreme (new or last gen) to "add" ports. My intention is to have the AE on the other side of the basement with the two new devices plugged in.

Do I have to connect the TC and the AE together with an ethernet? Can the AE act as a range extender at the same time as having these two additional devices plugged in?

Thanks!

 

[seismick]

For what you describe you don't need an airport extreme - a simple 10/100 or 10/100/1000 ethernet switch should do the trick and will only run you ~$25. Just run a long Cat5e or Cat6 cable from one of your time capsule's LAN ports to the switch, then plug your new devices into it.

 

[drsox]

I have a 2011 2TB Time Capsule set up as my router in my basement. It covers the whole house just fine. However I currently have all of the hard wired ports full. I am not getting two new devices that require hard wiring.

Can I get an Airport Extreme (new or last gen) to "add" ports. My intention is to have the AE on the other side of the basement with the two new devices plugged in.

Do I have to connect the TC and the AE together with an ethernet? Can the AE act as a range extender at the same time as having these two additional devices plugged in?

Thanks!

Yes. Connect the AEx to one of the LAN ports of the TC. Set the AEx in Bridge Mode. Don't try to extend the WiFi of the TC (doesn't work if the TC and AEx are LAN connected) - instead use : Create a wireless network. If you use the same settings on the AEx as on the TC then you can create a roaming network and WiFi devices will connect to either with no problems.

You might also save money if you use an Airport Express and a Switch instead of the AExtreme.

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For what you describe you don't need an airport extreme - a simple 10/100 or 10/100/1000 ethernet switch should do the trick and will only run you ~$25. Just run a long Cat5e or Cat6 cable from one of your time capsule's LAN ports to the switch, then plug your new devices into it.

Not exactly true if he wants to extend the range of his WiFi as well as providing more LAN ports.

 

[seismick]

True, though it's unclear how much benefit there would be to extending the wifi network using a TC and AE within the same basement.

 

[drsox]

True, though it's unclear how much benefit there would be to extending the wifi network using a TC and AE within the same basement.

Agree, but we don't know the config of the basement.
I remember someone trying to do the same thing in his attic because the rooms on the lower floors had damn thick concrete walls between them. Maybe he has the same problem with the rooms above.

 

[Arkangil]

Thanks for all the replies! I don't really need the wifi extension. The TC covers most of my house and the backyard just fine (it's towards the back of the basement).

I just figured if I am putting an AE at the front of the house int he basement, where the new devices will be, I might as well get some extra coverage in the front yard. But it's really not necessary. So maybe a $25 switch would be better.

Can a single port on the TC handle the extra data coming from 2-3 devices through a switch?

 

[drsox]

Thanks for all the replies! I don't really need the wifi extension. The TC covers most of my house and the backyard just fine (it's towards the back of the basement).

I just figured if I am putting an AE at the front of the house int he basement, where the new devices will be, I might as well get some extra coverage in the front yard. But it's really not necessary. So maybe a $25 switch would be better.

Can a single port on the TC handle the extra data coming from 2-3 devices through a switch?

Yes. Make sure it's a Gigabit switch as all the ports on the TC are Gigabit (just in case you need it).