Issue with 2nd airport express

[scottpat78]

This configuration works without issue

This config results in dropouts


This config results in drop outs


Hi. I've had a Time Capsule and an airport express for extending range a few years now. They've worked perfectly without issue. Time capsule is in my office downstairs and the original express is upstairs in the hall.

Yesterday I installed a 2nd express in the garage to extend the wifi into the garden and to support 2 nest cams I installed.

Since then, my wifi network has been up and down, and the nest cams keep disconnecting as they aren't getting connection when the new express plays up.

Looking in the airport utility, when both expresses are connected as extenders and hang off the Time Capsule everything works great. When the expresses appear as main base stations everything disconnects / drops out.

They jump between various config intermittently and each time I go into the app it seems to change.


Question I have is - is there any way to configure the express so that it always connects as just an extender hanging off the Time Capsule? I've attached a few pics that show the various states that airport utility show my network in.

Any help / advice would be great, thanks.

 

[techwarrior]

Apple recommends no more than 1 wirelessly connected base station.

Is it possible to use Ethernet to connect the Expresses? If that is challenging, consider Powerline or MOCA adapters to use power or coax cables to extend the Ethernet to the Express locations.

The thing is, wireless extending consumes up to 50% of the radio capacity for uplinks between the express and the router, so you are likely depleting the capacity and causing disconnects. Even if you can connect one via Ethernet, you may improve things.

Also, the channels may be overlapping causing excessive network collisions as devices send packets to anything that will listen, so you may be processing packets on more than one access point at a time.

 

[davidmartindale]

That first diagram is how it should be. Internet to Extreme and then Extreme to the two Express'.

To make sure it sets up this way, reset both of the AirPort Express'.
Once they are reset, setup the first one to extend the Extreme.
Once that is done, plug the first one from power.
Then setup the second one to extend the Extreme.
Once the second one is setup you should be good to go to connect both to power and put them in their permanent location.
[doublepost=1494814261][/doublepost]As techwarrior stated, extended networks do consume a fair bit of available bandwidth. With that being said, you can definitely use two Express' to extend an AirPort Extreme. One thing work noting is that the AirPort Express' should be setup like spokes on a wheel around the Extreme. That way the Express will be extending the Extreme and not one of the Express'.

 

[Altemose]

Question I have is - is there any way to configure the express so that it always connects as just an extender hanging off the Time Capsule? I've attached a few pics that show the various states that airport utility show my network in.

According to Apple's design, a wirelessly extending Express should never connect to a wirelessly extending Express. Personally, I would look at hardwiring both Expresses if possible for the best results. You will probably notice quite a benefit even with just the Extreme and first Express if it were hard wired. If it is not possible to wire both, then even just doing one would provide a significant benefit.

 

[scottpat78]

Thanks for the replies.

I've now connected both expresses with Ethernet (TP link power adaptors) for over a week now and not had one dropout or issue.

Both expresses stay hard wired to the TC and both Nest cams have retained a solid connection. I now also get great coverage all over the garden.

Thanks again for the replies, really appreciate it.

 

[Altemose]

@scottpat78 Glad to hear it is working well! Report back if you have any questions...