Can't extend network with Airport Express

I'm cannot extend my network by connecting an Airport Express 802.11n to a 4th generation Airport Extreme Base Station using Ethernet.

Using Airport Utility 5.5.3, my Airport Express consistently ignores my choice of "I want to connect Airport Express to my network to extend my existing network.", and instead restarts with "Join a wireless network" radio box enabled instead.

My Airport Extreme is configured to allow my network to be extended (see attachment). I've tried to configure another Airport Express 802.11n that also refuses to allow my network to be extended via Ethernet.

This configuration should be straight-forward, and I am baffled why it is failing. Has anyone else experienced and resolved this problem?

I have always and still using the wireless option join or extend ,guess i never tried ethernet port for that always needed it for the very reason the express was going into a room without ethernet.

You do realize that if you join your current wireless network the Extreme will, by default, extend the range of the network. Right? I mean, in order to extend the range of a current network it has to join said network.

I am attempting to use an Airport Express to extend the range of the existing Airport Extreme Base Station (using an Ethernet cable). I understand from the Apple literature that the Airport Express should then share the same address as the Airport Extreme and connect via bridge mode.

From the Airport Express setup screen (attached), I assumed extending the network (range) is different from merely joining it. If the Express joins rather than extends the network, then the Express address should be different from the Extreme Base Station address, correct?

Correct it will have a different ip but can have the same name or at least its working for me.

Im now wondering why you are using an Ethernet cable to do this. Joining one to the other will extend the network range based on the range limitations of each device.

Can you give us more background on what you are really trying to do, besides extending the range of your network.

My Airport Extreme is located in the back of my house, and I wanted to improve network reception in the front living room where I already had configured an Airport Express to join the network and to use AirPlay with my stereo system.

Coincidentally, I also happened to have an unused Ethernet cable available between my Airport Extreme and Express. I mistakenly assumed, given the Airport Utility setup options (attached), that connecting the Airport Extreme and Express via an Ethernet cable was the only way to extend the network.

After "baggss" responded to my problem, I realized that an Airport Express could both wirelessly join AND extend an existing network, with no need for Ethernet. I configured my Express using this configuration, and my living room reception is much improved.

I'm still confused about extending the network via Ethernet, but I'm happy with the current wireless setup.

Thanks, baggss!

Glad I was able to help.

I'm not even sure if you can extend it with Ethernet, although the screenshot does lead one to believe you could. This being wireless, the whole point of which is to NOT use Ethernet cable, I'm not sure why one would want to even.

I would assume with hardwired Ethernet, the extended network would see less of a performance hit and faster speed.

scottmil said:

I would assume with hardwired Ethernet, the extended network would see less of a performance hit and faster speed.

Click to expand...

Not really my wireless speed is identical to wired on 5GHz N network it would take a big pipe before you see the drop in performance.

osxx said:

Not really my wireless speed is identical to wired on 5GHz N network it would take a big pipe before you see the drop in performance.

Click to expand...

Agreed. In fact in a few cases my personal test have shown faster speeds on my 5Ghz N network than via Ethernet hooked up to the same Network.

Thanks all for the responses!

I have the same problem, but a longer distance

This is an informative post...but I have a network situation where I am running a house network to a side building. There's no way to get a strong enough wireless signal to extend the wireless network, or even to try a WDS, between the two buildings. However, there is an ethernet cable underground, between the two.

I've tried hooking up an airport extreme in the shed, by plugging the ethernet cable into the input port of the airport extreme. But no connection...can anyone direct me to documentation on how this needs to be configured? Would I need to use bridge mode on the airport extreme, along with the ethernet cable, coming in from the main router?