Airport Extreme/Express Hardwired Problem ?

jennrenn23 · Mar 26, 2011

Hi All

I have spent a couple thousand dollars trying to figure out how to get my network to extend into the black hole of my kitchen/family room/ breakfast room. Long story short, I currently have an airport extreme in my office connected to a Motorola Surfboard SB6120. I tried to extend the network using the Express wirelessly plugged into a wall in my kitchen. This did nothing to improve connection. Then, I took the Express to the top of my stairs in my gameroom and hardwired it to a TCOM cable that is directly connected to my Extreme (I had an electrician run that a year ago with other routers). I turned the wireless option on the Express off to force it to connect with the TCOM (ethernet) to the extreme. My question is this. The Extreme and the Express have 2 different IP addresses. When I had two routers connected this way, I had them programmed to broadcast the same network, instead of having 2 competing networks. How can I get the Express to broadcast the same network as the Extreme? Can I manually change it? My iPad, MacBook, etc still connects to my named Extreme network, broadcasting from way back in the office. I don't think the wired Express is broadcasting same. Make sense????

Lifeisabeach · Mar 26, 2011

jennrenn23 said:
Hi All

I have spent a couple thousand dollars trying to figure out how to get my network to extend into the black hole of my kitchen/family room/ breakfast room. Long story short, I currently have an airport extreme in my office connected to a Motorola Surfboard SB6120. I tried to extend the network using the Express wirelessly plugged into a wall in my kitchen. This did nothing to improve connection. Then, I took the Express to the top of my stairs in my gameroom and hardwired it to a TCOM cable that is directly connected to my Extreme (I had an electrician run that a year ago with other routers). I turned the wireless option on the Express off to force it to connect with the TCOM (ethernet) to the extreme. My question is this. The Extreme and the Express have 2 different IP addresses. When I had two routers connected this way, I had them programmed to broadcast the same network, instead of having 2 competing networks. How can I get the Express to broadcast the same network as the Extreme? Can I manually change it? My iPad, MacBook, etc still connects to my named Extreme network, broadcasting from way back in the office. I don't think the wired Express is broadcasting same. Make sense????

Yes, the Airport Express can simply "extend" your wireless network. I've used it myself in the past.
Extend Apple Wireless Airport Extreme Network with Airport Express | ResourcesForLife.com

jennrenn23 · Mar 31, 2011

lifeisabeach said:
Yes, the Airport Express can simply "extend" your wireless network. I've used it myself in the past.
Extend Apple Wireless Airport Extreme Network with Airport Express | ResourcesForLife.com

Thank you for the reply! I have already tried that configuration, as told in my original post. I was wondering about cabling the Express, instead of using it wirelessly, as that has not worked here.

Lifeisabeach · Mar 31, 2011

jennrenn23 said:
Thank you for the reply! I have already tried that configuration, as told in my original post. I was wondering about cabling the Express, instead of using it wirelessly, as that has not worked here.

Ah... my bad. it doesn't appear that you can do this. It can be connected by wire for use as a print server for music streaming, although I found a discussion where someone connected it to a wired-only router and effectively made a wireless router out of that.

If the former isn't what you are looking to do, then the latter "may" be an option if you are able to settle for a wired connection for devices in the same room as the Airport Extreme, and wireless when in range of the Express.

You may be able to improve the wireless performance if you can determine how the signal is getting blocked. I used to have an Express in my living room because the hot water heater under the stairwell was interfering with the signal. Eventually, during a remodel, that heater was moved out to the utility room and that ceased to be an issue. I could have avoided the need for the Express if I had "simply" relocated the Extreme to a point where signal wouldn't have been blocked. Have you considered putting the Extreme upstairs? Perhaps there will be fewer obstructions with the signal going "down" through the floor rather than through the walls, where any number of appliances, vents, etc may be in the way.

jennrenn23 · Mar 31, 2011

Yes, have tried that too. It is currently upstairs, trying to extend (wirelessly) down the stairs. It appears I can purchase another Extreme and wire that one to original extreme, but I had that same setup before, only using Linksys Routers... Something about the construction of this house is wacky in that part of my house. Must have lead walls.

RavingMac · Mar 31, 2011

I have never tried this with using the Airport Express as the relay station, but it works with two Airport Extremes, and from the article seems like it would with the Airport Express as well.
AirPort Utility 5.1 Help: Extending the range of your wireless network

jennrenn23 · Apr 1, 2011

Razormac said:
I have never tried this with using the Airport Express as the relay station, but it works with two Airport Extremes, and from the article seems like it would with the Airport Express as well.
AirPort Utility 5.1 Help: Extending the range of your wireless network

Thank you for your reply. I saw this article, and I tried this. However, I am not sure which settings to change. I fiddled with them, but could never get it to work. Perhaps I should print this and pay ANOTHER network guy to come set it up. Sigh.

RavingMac · Apr 1, 2011

jennrenn23 said:
Thank you for your reply. I saw this article, and I tried this. However, I am not sure which settings to change. I fiddled with them, but could never get it to work. Perhaps I should print this and pay ANOTHER network guy to come set it up. Sigh.

Sorry we can't be of any more help. If you live near an Apple store perhaps they can refer you to a local computer users group and you can get on site tech help.

Lifeisabeach · Apr 2, 2011

jennrenn23 said:
Thank you for your reply. I saw this article, and I tried this. However, I am not sure which settings to change. I fiddled with them, but could never get it to work. Perhaps I should print this and pay ANOTHER network guy to come set it up. Sigh.

After reading that article Razor posted, it still appears that you cannot do this wirelessly. Here's the key quote (with my emphasis):

All three base station configurations (main, remote, and relay) can also share the main base station’s Internet connection with client computers wirelessly, or through an Ethernet connection if the client computers are connected to the base station by Ethernet.

Based on that, it appears that if you wire the Extreme and the Express, you can only use a wired connection to your computer. Before dropping any more coin on this, perhaps you should call Apple (better yet… visit a store if possible) and discuss your needs with them.

Skythen · Mar 30, 2012

I think I have your solution.

Check out this article. I have had to do this myself.

Wi-Fi base stations: Setting up and configuring a roaming network (802.11 a/b/g/n)

Airport Extreme/Express Hardwired Problem ?

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