Using a 2nd airport extreme to extend network

[Cmozley]

I have a early 2009 Mac Pro that gets its internet vis a spectrum Modem hooked to a 5th gen airport extreme. I have a 2nd 5th gen airport extreme that I would like to use to extend the wireless signal in my home. When I launch Airport Utility, it does not see the 2nd airport extreme which, at the moment is literally 2 ft away from the 1st airport extreme! i have factory reset the 2nd, but that doesnt work. Any advice would greatly be appreciated.

 

[techwarrior]

Keep the 2nd unplugged from the first, connect an ethernet cable from your Mac to the second AP Extreme. It should now see it.

Airports don't do extending well, that is if you are using Apple terminology. In the Apple world, with Extend, you connect the second AP wirelessly to the network, but when you do this, 50% of the wireless capacity is used to uplink to the router, the other to clients. This will be true on the router too.

If it is possible to connect the second via ethernet, go that route.

In either case, Network tab Network Mode is Off (Bridged) and Wireless is either Extend (wireless uplink), or Create (ethernet uplink).