Extending Wifi Range With Apple's Airport Express

If you're looking to extend your Wi-Fi network across your home or office, you can use an Apple AirPort Express device to work in conjunction with your primary wireless router as a Wi-Fi extender. You can connect the devices by Ethernet or Wi-Fi, although Ethernet usually gives the best results. To set up your AirPort Express as a Wi-Fi extender, you'll need to open the Apple AirPort setup tool and click Manual Setup and then Airport and Wireless. You'll then need to choose Extend a Wireless Network in the Wireless Mode menu.

How to use AirPort Express as a Wi-Fi extender

You can use AirPort Express wireless routers as standalone devices, connecting your computers wirelessly to your internet modem and other networked devices. You can also use multiple AirPort devices, including AirPort Express and AirPort Extreme routers, to extend your wireless network across your home or office.

If you have an AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express unit as your primary wireless router, you can configure an AirPort Express device to work in conjunction with it as a Wi-Fi extender using Ethernet or Wi-Fi. Connecting the devices by Ethernet usually gives the best result.

To connect by Ethernet, assuming you have an AirPort Express or AirPort Extreme in place and that device is your primary router connected to your internet modem, get an additional AirPort Express and connect its port labelled "WAN" to the port labelled "LAN" on the primary router.

To set up AirPort Express as a Wi-Fi extender, first, connect to the primary router with the Apple AirPort setup tool open, using the "Base Station Chooser" in the setup program. Click "Manual Setup" and enter your password if needed. Click "Airport," then "Wireless" and click "Create a Wireless Network." Check the box that says "Allow This Network to Be Extended" and enter or confirm your desired network name. If you want to secure your network, click "Wireless Security" and select "WPA2 Personal." Choose a password between eight and 63 characters long. Under "Radio Channel Selection," click "Automatic" and then click "Update." Now, connect to the secondary router using the "Base Station Chooser" in the setup program.

Click "Manual Setup," then "Airport," and then "Wireless." Choose "Extend a Wireless Network" in the "Wireless Mode" menu. Choose the network name you set earlier and enter the password if you created one.

How to connect AirPort Express to a primary router

You can use AirPort Express wireless routers as standalone devices, connecting your computers wirelessly to your internet modem and other networked devices. You can also use multiple AirPort devices, including AirPort Express and AirPort Extreme routers, to extend your wireless network across your home or office.

If you have an AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express unit as your primary wireless router, you can configure an AirPort Express device to work in conjunction with it as a Wi-Fi extender using Ethernet or Wi-Fi. Connecting the devices by Ethernet usually gives the best result.

To connect by Ethernet, assuming you have an AirPort Express or AirPort Extreme in place and that device is your primary router connected to your internet modem, get an additional AirPort Express and connect its port labelled "WAN" to the port labelled "LAN" on the primary router.

If your AirPort Express is not connected to Ethernet, you can set up a roaming network. The newer Airport Express models (the ones compatible with 802.11n) can do this. First, you need the Express connected to Ethernet. Make sure that the main non-Apple router is set to share a public IP address. Next, when setting up the Express, just set up its Network name and Password exactly the same as the network used by your non-Apple router. The network mode needs to be "Create a wireless network", it should Connect Using "Ethernet", and Connection Sharing needs to be "Off (Bridge mode)".

To connect to the primary router, open the Apple AirPort setup tool and use the "Base Station Chooser" in the setup program. Click "Manual Setup" and enter your password if needed. Click "Airport", then "Wireless" and click "Create a Wireless Network". Check the box that says "Allow This Network to Be Extended" and enter or confirm your desired network name. If you want to secure your network, click "Wireless Security" and select "WPA2 Personal". Choose a password between eight and 63 characters long. Under "Radio Channel Selection", click "Automatic" and then click "Update". Now, connect to the secondary router using the "Base Station Chooser" in the setup program.

Finally, click "Extend a Wireless Network" in the "Wireless Mode" menu. Choose the network name you set earlier and enter the password if you created one.

How to connect AirPort Express to a secondary router

You can extend your wireless network across your home or office by configuring multiple AirPort devices, including AirPort Express and AirPort Extreme routers. To connect AirPort Express to a secondary router, follow these steps:

Firstly, connect to the primary router with the Apple AirPort setup tool open, using the "Base Station Chooser" in the setup program. Then, click "Manual Setup" and enter your password if needed.

Next, click "Airport", then "Wireless", and click "Create a Wireless Network". Check the box that says "Allow This Network to Be Extended" and enter or confirm your desired network name. If you want to secure your network, click "Wireless Security" and select "WPA2 Personal". Choose a password between eight and 63 characters long. Under "Radio Channel Selection", click "Automatic" and then click "Update".

Now, connect to the secondary router using the "Base Station Chooser" in the setup program. Click "Airport", then "Wireless", and choose "Extend a Wireless Network" in the "Wireless Mode" menu. Choose the network name you set earlier and enter the password if you created one.

If you have an AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express unit as your primary wireless router, you can also connect an additional AirPort Express device to work in conjunction with it as a Wi-Fi extender using Ethernet or Wi-Fi. Connecting the devices by Ethernet usually gives the best result. To do this, connect the WAN port on the additional AirPort Express to the LAN port on the primary router.

Alternatively, if your AirPort Express is not connected to Ethernet, you can set up a roaming network. First, ensure that the main non-Apple router is set to share a public IP address. Then, when setting up the Express, set up its Network name and Password to be the same as the network used by your non-Apple router. The network mode needs to be "Create a wireless network", it should Connect Using "Ethernet", and Connection Sharing needs to be "Off (Bridge mode)".

How to use AirPort Express with a non-Apple router

If you want to use AirPort Express with a non-Apple router, you can set up a roaming network. First, you need to connect the Express to Ethernet. Make sure that the main non-Apple router is set to share a public IP address. Then, when setting up the Express, set up its network name and password to be the same as the network used by your non-Apple router. The network mode needs to be "Create a wireless network", it should connect using "Ethernet", and Connection Sharing needs to be "Off (Bridge mode)".

You can also repeat a signal without a cable, but this will increase lag and halve the speed.

If you have an AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express unit as your primary wireless router, you can configure an AirPort Express device to work in conjunction with it as a Wi-Fi extender using Ethernet or Wi-Fi. Connecting the devices by Ethernet usually gives the best result. To connect by Ethernet, get an additional AirPort Express and connect its port labelled "WAN" to the port labelled "LAN" on the primary router.

To set up AirPort Express as a Wi-Fi extender, click "Manual Setup", then "Airport", and then "Wireless". Choose "Extend a Wireless Network" in the "Wireless Mode" menu. Choose the network name you set earlier and enter the password if you created one.

How to connect AirPort Express to a Linksys router

To extend your Wi-Fi with AirPort Express, you can use multiple AirPort devices, including AirPort Express and AirPort Extreme routers, to extend your wireless network across your home or office. If you have an AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express unit as your primary wireless router, you can configure an AirPort Express device to work in conjunction with it as a Wi-Fi extender using Ethernet or Wi-Fi. Connecting the devices by Ethernet usually gives the best result.

To connect AirPort Express to a Linksys router, you can follow these steps:

• Connect an Ethernet cable from one of the LAN ports on the Linksys router to the WAN "O" port on the AirPort Express.
• Power up the AirPort Express for a few minutes.
• On your Mac, open Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities > AirPort Utility.
• Open AirPort Utility, click on the picture of the Express, then click Edit in the smaller window that appears.
• Use the tabs at the top of the window to access different things that you might want to edit.
• If you want to turn off the wireless on the AirPort, click the Wireless tab, then change the setting for Network Mode to read "Off".
• Log on to the new network and enter the password to connect and test out the wireless from the AirPort Express.
• If you decide to keep using the Linksys wireless and turn off the AirPort Express wireless, you can follow the additional instructions provided by Linksys Support.

Frequently asked questions