Extending a network wirelessly and with ethernet

[Raindance]

Can anyone help me make sense of how to extend my wireless network? I have a newish Apple Extreme (5th Generation) (version 7.6). I have lots of blank spots in my house and can't extend the network everywhere I need it wirelessly. I also need the wireless extension to keep up the speed.

So, I joined the wireless network on an airport express. I have also tried extending the network. I still cannot workout which is the better option. Seems to work both ways but strength of signal isn't great either way.

Using another Airport express to another part of the house where I have no wireless signal, I'm trying to extend the network using ethernet. No matter what I do, I don't seem to be able to get this Airport express to work. I have the extreme with Off (Bridge mode). I tried 'create a wireless network" and just can't get it to work. I've followed at least 3 different explanations of how to do this and none seem to work. I need this airport express to wirelessly allow me to connect to desktops and printers in that area of the house. I know it isn't picking up the correct router address, the subnet mask is completely different and the IP address seems to come up the same as my wireless express. If I manually change these in the TCP/IP (internet) they don't seem to hold. Somehow, the "how-to's" in the apple support area and the conversation threads I've read that explain how to do this seem to give different explanations of the best way to work all this out. I've decided I just don't know what I'm doing - can anyone point me to some sort of Step by Step guide or explain it? :

 

[baggss]

If the Airport Express is in a part of the house where you have no signal then it's not going to be able to join the main network. You need to move it to a part of the house, close to the blind spot, where you do have a signal and then set it up to join and extend the main network. Remember, you want it to join the existing network, not set up a new one. By joining the existing network it will extend the range of that network, hopeful to the area where blind spot exists.

The real issue is can you overcome the blind spot at all. It's obviously caused by the structure of the house itself but overcoming it may prove more expensive than it's worth. By this I mean it could require multiple extensions of the network to cover the impacted areas depending on how big they are.

 

[Raindance]

Baggss

Thanks but I guess I'm still confused. Maybe I didn't explain properly.

I have one airport express that I am using wirelessly. Should I set up that one to join or to extend the network? Which will give me the best result?

I have another I am using - that one I am connecting via ethernet so the lack of signal should not be a problem. However, setting this one up is not working. I connect to the internet through ethernet to a router which is not physically in the house. I use the Extreme Base Station in the house to create the network. I need to extend the network in one direction wirelessly (see comment above) and in the other direction via ethernet since the signal is not good. So how do I set this one up - I am selecting to extend the network via ethernet. The extreme is set on (Off) Bridge Mode is that correct? The Express then I think needs to be set to create a wireless network rather than join or extend a wireless network from what I've read. In any case, I cannot get the set up over ethernet to work. Can you help with that?

 

[Dysfunction]

Are you planning on using the Express as a WAP? If so, extend.

 

[Raindance]

Thanks Mike - extend it is.

Any thoughts on the other express and setting that up - the one I need to connect using ethernet? Any ideas on where I can look for info - that's reliable and works!