Time Capsule extending network to Airport extreme

Joined
Mar 31, 2013
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Richlsnds, NC
I just purchased a new Time Capsule and Airport Extreme. I am running 2 iMacs with OS 10.8.3. and Airport utility 6.2.

Currently I have installed my time capsule hardwired to my cable modem via ethernet cable as the primary wireless router. Time capsule wireless setting is set at create a wireless network.

Both iMacs, and laptops as well as 2 printers are successfully connected wirelessly, just as before using a wireless router in place of the Time Capsule.

Here is my problem. When I plug in the airport extreme, the Airport utility does not recognize the new airport extreme station.

I read how to setup the airpot using airport utility 5.6 using manual set up but I cant download to 10.8.3 and version 6.2 doesn't seem to have the manual setup button.

Can someone walk me through setting up the Time Capsule/airport extreme station to extend the wireless network.
 

bobtomay

,
Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
26,561
Reaction score
677
Points
113
Location
Texas, where else?
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
You bought 2 pieces of hardware - a TC and a AE?

and the primary wifi router is the TC or the 3rd party modem/router?

Is the TC in bridge mode with a 3rd party router providing DHCP services?

How far away from the existing wifi network is the AE?

How far away is the computer you're using from the AE?
 
OP
R
Joined
Mar 31, 2013
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Richlsnds, NC
You bought 2 pieces of hardware - a TC and a AE?

and the primary wifi router is the TC or the 3rd party modem/router?

Is the TC in bridge mode with a 3rd party router providing DHCP services?

How far away from the existing wifi network is the AE?

How far away is the computer you're using from the AE?


Yes purchased both a Time Capsule and a Airport Extreme module

I am using the Time Capsule as the primary wireless router. It is hard wired to the cable modem and provides wireless signal for upstairs (iMac) and downstairs (iMac and Apple TV)

No I set up the TC to "create a network" in the wireless tab, no third party router.

AE is downstairs next to the iMac and the apple TV module that is receiving the wireless signal from the TC upstairs.

I tried both the iMac upstairs and the iMac downstairs next to the AE. The AE is not being found when it is plugged in (no connections, just power).
 

bobtomay

,
Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
26,561
Reaction score
677
Points
113
Location
Texas, where else?
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
Have not done much troubleshooting on these.

I'd try a hard reset on the AE - press the button in untill the light starts flashing amber and then release.

See if that will get it to show up in Airport Utility.

Am off for a several hour drive - so if someone else will step in to help...
 

RavingMac

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
8,303
Reaction score
242
Points
63
Location
In Denial
Your Mac's Specs
16Gb Mac Mini 2018, 15" MacBook Pro 2012 1 TB SSD
Sometimes these can be persnickety to setup. Having 5.6 would be a help, but should be able to proceed with what you have.

First thing I woud do (and what I have done before with problems like this) is to do a direct Ethernet connect to the AIrport Extreme.
Try that and see if you can proceed. If not, post back.
 
OP
R
Joined
Mar 31, 2013
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Richlsnds, NC
Well I seem to be going backwards.

Connected the AE to the TC via ethernet cable, it recognized the AE, updated the firmware, restarted, I then changed the AE wireless setting on the AE to "extend the wireless network, typed in the password for the network and updated. Lost complete internet connection, both the TC and the AE went to blinking yellow lights. Tried to restart the cable modem and the TC and AE and could not get internet connection.

Now neither the TC or the AE are recognized by the Airport utility

I reinstalled my cisco wireless router and regained internet connection.
 

RavingMac

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
8,303
Reaction score
242
Points
63
Location
In Denial
Your Mac's Specs
16Gb Mac Mini 2018, 15" MacBook Pro 2012 1 TB SSD
How long did you wait on the blinking lights? It takes a while for everything to reset and come up following a configuration change.

Also, I usually do config changes with a direct Ethernet connection from my Mac to the router. Have tried doing it as you describe and hasn't worked for me. I suspect because upon restart it expects to see a direct connection between the routers, which is no longer available.
 
OP
R
Joined
Mar 31, 2013
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Richlsnds, NC
Ok heres where Im at now.

First, thanks for the help as I was/am getting a bit frustrated, apple products are usually plug and play easy.

TC is back hardwired to the cable modem as before and internet is restored.

AE is hardwired to the TC via ethernet cable.

Airport utility sees both the TC and AE and both have green lights.

Airport utility asks for the AE password and when I enter the network password internet connection drops off and it then asks for the password for the TC. then back and forth. I have disconnected the AE and power.

Airport utility now shows Internet and Time capsule and internet is restored.

Is there something I should set up on the TC before I try to install the AE?

I open for any suggestions.

EDIT/UPDATE: I plugged in just the power to the AE, light is green and A Utility recognizes it. It still asks for the password for more information.
 

RavingMac

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
8,303
Reaction score
242
Points
63
Location
In Denial
Your Mac's Specs
16Gb Mac Mini 2018, 15" MacBook Pro 2012 1 TB SSD
The latest version of Airport Utility (at least on my iPad-don't recall from the last time I used on Mac) requires the device Password to access config settings. If you set a password and don't have it or it isn't working you'll have to do a Hard Reset, to restore factory defaults. Then start over.

Also, I understand your frustration. It ought to be easy . . . :p

The last time I extended, I had to do everything 3 times before it finally clicked. To me, this is the weakest link in Apple's food chain. Single device networks are a snap. Multiple device-I'm running 2 TCs (1st Gen and 2nd Gen), an older AirPort Extreme and a brand new AirPort Express-can be a real PITB.
Configuring it was fun, but once I got it set up it runs great.
 

CrimsonRequiem


Retired Staff
Joined
Jul 24, 2008
Messages
6,003
Reaction score
125
Points
63
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 2.3 Ghz 4GB RAM 860 GB SSD, iMac 3.4 GHz Intel Core i7 32GB RAM, Fusion Drive 1TB
I have more or less the same setup. I have modem connected to Airport Extreme, Airport Express, and Time Capsule.

Airport Express and Airport Extreme extend my wifi signal.
 
Joined
Oct 1, 2007
Messages
7,163
Reaction score
275
Points
83
Location
UK
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Mini i5 (2014 High Sierra), iPhone X, Apple Watch, iPad Pro 12.9, AppleTV (4)
Part of the issue here is that out of the box the extreme and the TC both want to run as full DHCP servers and act as the main router. After all the TC is justo an extreme with a hard disk. I'd have gone for a TC and an Airport Express but that's by the by.

You need to hard reset the extreme. Then disconnect your iMac from the network, disable wifi and connect the extreme by Ethernet cable to your iMac. Now use airport utility to configure it to extend an existing network (the one from your TC) and put it in bridge mode. This will disable the DHCP server and prevent it clashing withe the TC. Once it's connected wirelessly in bridge mode you can disconnect it from your iMac, relocate it to wherever you need it and turn wifi back on on your iMac.
 
OP
R
Joined
Mar 31, 2013
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Richlsnds, NC
Part of the issue here is that out of the box the extreme and the TC both want to run as full DHCP servers and act as the main router. After all the TC is justo an extreme with a hard disk. I'd have gone for a TC and an Airport Express but that's by the by.

You need to hard reset the extreme. Then disconnect your iMac from the network, disable wifi and connect the extreme by Ethernet cable to your iMac. Now use airport utility to configure it to extend an existing network (the one from your TC) and put it in bridge mode. This will disable the DHCP server and prevent it clashing withe the TC. Once it's connected wirelessly in bridge mode you can disconnect it from your iMac, relocate it to wherever you need it and turn wifi back on on your iMac.

I have tried your suggestion both on my iMAC using airport utility 6.3 and on my HP using airport utility 5.6. I can now "see" the airport extreme but is prompts me for a password. As I have never set a password for the Airport extreme I tried both the TC password and network password as well as the default "public" password. Is there another default password Im missing? I have tried to hard reset the AE a couple of times but get stuck at the request for password. Thanks again for the help.
 
Joined
Oct 1, 2007
Messages
7,163
Reaction score
275
Points
83
Location
UK
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Mini i5 (2014 High Sierra), iPhone X, Apple Watch, iPad Pro 12.9, AppleTV (4)
If it's still asking for a password you haven't hard reset it.

However, is it asking for a password in Airport Utility to make changes of when you try and connect to it wirelessly?
 

bobtomay

,
Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
26,561
Reaction score
677
Points
113
Location
Texas, where else?
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
You did make sure to disconnect the computer and the AE from the local network and connect the AE to the computer via ethernet? Sounds like that may be the key element.

After a hard reset, the default password to enter the AE settings will be "public", without the quotes. The AE knows nothing about the TC or your existing wifi network, so trying those passwords would have no effect.
 
OP
R
Joined
Mar 31, 2013
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Richlsnds, NC
Well all,

This just getting better and better. I have just disconnected my HP running windows 7 and airport utility 5.6 from the internet wireless network. I confirmed this by bringing up safari and it shows no internet connection.

I connect the AE via ethernet cable to the HP hold the reset button in and connect the power cable. The status indicator turns green then amber. I release the reset button after 30 seconds and the AE status light turns to green after about 30 seconds.

Airport utility 5.6 scans and shows both the TC and the AE and the HP is now connected to the internet. I double check that the HP is not connected to the network through its internal wireless card but it is connected through the AE wirelessly to the TC.

Public password does not work and Im out of guesses.
 

bobtomay

,
Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
26,561
Reaction score
677
Points
113
Location
Texas, where else?
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
Try turning the TC off while you do that.
 
OP
R
Joined
Mar 31, 2013
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Richlsnds, NC
UPDATE

Heres the latest attempts:

Turned TC off ( disconnected power) no internet connection to anything.
AE hard wire ethernet connected to HP with airport utility 5.6. Hard reset by depressing reset button and plugging in power. Airpor utility recognizes AE. Try to configure the AE. Asks for password use "public" no good.

Tried same process on iMac no success.

Then tries to connect the AE to the Cable Modem, hard reset, no connection, no internet, amber status light, airport utility doest recognize AE.

Tried one last attempt AE connected to TC which is connected to Cable modem all ethernet connections. TC green, AE green, no internet. Unplug AE power, TC regains internet connection.

I am now at my wits end....it shouldn't be this difficult. Seems like the AE is not hard resetting regardless of the number of times I tried.

Im open to any additional input.

Is there a good Apple tech number?
 

bobtomay

,
Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
26,561
Reaction score
677
Points
113
Location
Texas, where else?
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
What a pitb. If it won't take the password after a reset - may be defective unit.

should be
1-800-275-2273
 
Joined
Sep 30, 2007
Messages
9,962
Reaction score
1,235
Points
113
Location
The Republic of Neptune
Your Mac's Specs
2019 iMac 27"; 2020 M1 MacBook Air; macOS up-to-date... always.
I would have thought that only the Airport Extreme should be set as a "bridge" since the Time Capsule is the primary router (I'm fairly certain that's how I used to set up my Airport Express), but according to a tutorial I'm about to link to, you set BOTH the Time Capsule and Airport Extreme as bridges. This may be because these are both routers intended to be primary devices, whereas the Airport Express is primarily intended to be a bridge.
How to Set up Apple's AirPort for Extreme Speed - Chris Pirillo

Also, just to be clear on how to do a hard reset on an Airport Extreme:
How to reset your AirPort base station
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top