Getting an Airport Express to work! (extending WiFi network)

cfletcher · 01-08-2013, 01:29 PM

Hi,

This is driving my partner and I absolutely insane! Please can somebody help advise?

We bought an Airport Express so as to boost our VirginMedia wifi so that we could use our Mac's in the bedroom. We asked the guy in the Apple shop whether it was easy to set up and he replied that all you had to do was plug it in and wait for the light to go green! Sounds simple!

Got it home and we have spent hours trying to make it work. I managed to find a forum post which explained that we needed to first of all connect the Virgin D-Link router to the AE via an ethernet cable in the lounge and then ask it to join a wireless network. We did this and it all seemed fine. We unplugged the AE and took it to the bedroom and whilst the light has gone green, it has done nothing to boost the wifi?

Help!

NovaScotian · 01-08-2013, 05:11 PM

I know nothing about a Virgin D-Link router, but what you want is for the AirPort Express to be set up as a bridge. Use the Airport Utility to do it. Under the wireless tab, next to Network Mode, choose "Extend a wireless network" instead of the default "Create a wireless network". If your laptops can't see the D-Link from the bedroom, the Airport Express might not either. Locate it somewhere between the D-Link and the bedroom so it can see the D-link and you can see it.

mclbruce · 01-18-2013, 12:46 AM

I think the guy at the Apple shop made a mistake. Even if you are using all Apple equipment, it's not quite that simple. With the D-Link router in might not be possible at all.

If you can open Airport Utility, "see" the Airport Express that you just bought, and choose "Extend a Wireless Network" as NovaScotian suggests, it still might not work. Put everything in the same room, and if your existing network doesn't show up, then I think you are out of luck. You may be able to find something from D-Link that will work.

hayne · 01-18-2013, 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfletcher


	We unplugged the AE and took it to the bedroom and whilst the light has gone green, it has done nothing to boost the wifi?

I'm not sure I'm understanding the situation correctly, but if the Airport Express is in the same room as the Macs that you want to use it with, it isn't likely to be helping to extend the network - since if the AE "sees" the signal from the main WiFi base station, then so will the Macs that are near it.
Unless of course the room is largish and the AE is at the point closest to the main base station and the computers are farther away.
I.e. the AE is no better than the Macs at "seeing" the WiFi signal from the main base station.

anthlover · 01-18-2013, 11:32 PM

Lets back up a little. Tell us about the space (how big) how many floors. What computers and models and years, etc. What are the walls constructed of.

An airport express can be a useful device to do an extension though it works better with Apples routers. And you might be better of with an Airport Extreme not an express (much better range and more clients). It is quite possible you will want to turn off the wireless on the Virgin and just us the Extreme or another router.

01-08-2013, 01:29 PM	#1
cfletcher Prospect Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 1	Getting an Airport Express to work! (extending WiFi network) Hi, This is driving my partner and I absolutely insane! Please can somebody help advise? We bought an Airport Express so as to boost our VirginMedia wifi so that we could use our Mac's in the bedroom. We asked the guy in the Apple shop whether it was easy to set up and he replied that all you had to do was plug it in and wait for the light to go green! Sounds simple! Got it home and we have spent hours trying to make it work. I managed to find a forum post which explained that we needed to first of all connect the Virgin D-Link router to the AE via an ethernet cable in the lounge and then ask it to join a wireless network. We did this and it all seemed fine. We unplugged the AE and took it to the bedroom and whilst the light has gone green, it has done nothing to boost the wifi? Help!

01-08-2013, 05:11 PM	#2
NovaScotian Hall of Famer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Halifax, Canada Posts: 4,945	I know nothing about a Virgin D-Link router, but what you want is for the AirPort Express to be set up as a bridge. Use the Airport Utility to do it. Under the wireless tab, next to Network Mode, choose "Extend a wireless network" instead of the default "Create a wireless network". If your laptops can't see the D-Link from the bedroom, the Airport Express might not either. Locate it somewhere between the D-Link and the bedroom so it can see the D-link and you can see it. __________________ 17" MBP, OS X 10.8.3; 27" iMac, OS X 10.8.3

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

01-18-2013, 12:46 AM	#3
mclbruce Hall of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 3,870	I think the guy at the Apple shop made a mistake. Even if you are using all Apple equipment, it's not quite that simple. With the D-Link router in might not be possible at all. If you can open Airport Utility, "see" the Airport Express that you just bought, and choose "Extend a Wireless Network" as NovaScotian suggests, it still might not work. Put everything in the same room, and if your existing network doesn't show up, then I think you are out of luck. You may be able to find something from D-Link that will work.

01-18-2013, 11:32 PM	#5
anthlover Hall of Famer Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 2,661	Lets back up a little. Tell us about the space (how big) how many floors. What computers and models and years, etc. What are the walls constructed of. An airport express can be a useful device to do an extension though it works better with Apples routers. And you might be better of with an Airport Extreme not an express (much better range and more clients). It is quite possible you will want to turn off the wireless on the Virgin and just us the Extreme or another router.