Using an AirPort Express as a WiFi Extender Requires an Ethernet Cable @ ALL Times?

[HappyDude20]

I have a Belkin N150 Wireless Router and I just purchased a 2nd Gen AirPort Express (you know, the hockey puck cable version, not the old wall brick)

I would love for one of these wireless routers to compliment the other by extending the WiFi network. I had absolutely no luck when I set it up so that my AirPort Express was connected to the Time Warner modem (yes it connected and created a secure network but the n150 Belkin router did not connect at all in any manner)

Then i decided to set up the N150 wireless router on its own, connected to the Time Warner modem. I immediately connected the Airport Express to the n150 router and opened AirPort Utility on my OSX to set up the AE as an extender, which did seem to work... however this meant 2 working routers, one connected to the other via ethernet, were in the same room... as oppose to wanting at least one of them to be connected on the other side of the house and help out with wifi speeds. Am I dumb in always assuming a WiFi extender would never need an ethernet cable and WiFi settings would just transfer over to another configured WiFi router? Something is missing here.

Any help and im all ears. Thank you!

 

[waw74]

extending only works with an airport as the main base. (it can work on other routers, but normally not with stock firmware on that router, and can take quite a bit of messing around to get it to work)

you can use powerline networking to get ethernet to the back room.**

you'll want to set the express to create a network, and put it in "off (bridge mode)" on the network tab. this turns off the routing features, and makes the express's wi-fi part of your main network, instead of a "walled garden" on the side of it.



** this should actually give you better performance overall, as wireless repeating causes the remote base to split it's available bandwidth/speed between talking to the main base, and the clients that connect to the remote. but with a wired connection to the main base, it can devote 100% of it's speed to the clients.

 

[Altemose]

Then i decided to set up the N150 wireless router on its own, connected to the Time Warner modem. I immediately connected the Airport Express to the n150 router and opened AirPort Utility on my OSX to set up the AE as an extender, which did seem to work... however this meant 2 working routers, one connected to the other via ethernet, were in the same room... as oppose to wanting at least one of them to be connected on the other side of the house and help out with wifi speeds. Am I dumb in always assuming a WiFi extender would never need an ethernet cable and WiFi settings would just transfer over to another configured WiFi router? Something is missing here.

Any help and im all ears. Thank you!

Wireless extension is only supported if the main router is an AirPort of some variety. You can use the Express as an AP when connected via Ethernet.