Weird Wireless
July 5, 2009 9:48 AM Subscribe
Apple Airport WDS network with two devices: a Extreme base and a relay Express. My Powerbook connects ok. My PCs connect to the Extreme base fine. They can also SEE the Express relay, but they can't connect to it. I think the base and relay have identical configurations so I don't know why.
I had a successful network with an Apple Express base station. I wanted to replace it with an Extreme, and then use the Express to extend the network. The Extreme would be downstairs where the Powerbook usually is; the Express upstairs where the PCs usually are.
So I configured the new Extreme by choosing the option of copying the settings from an existing base station--in this case the Express. The Express had WEP 128 security with a 13 character WEP passphrase that was converted to a 26 character hex string by the base station. So I assume the new Extreme does too, or maybe it's converted the WEP key to a WPA key--I can't tell. The point is that I did not enter any key when I set up the new Extreme--I just told it to get the settings from the old Express.
The new network worked fine, and all devices that could connect before can connect now. Note that this meant I was using the same key which I had been using before on all devices.
Then I wanted to set up the original Express to extend the new network. I reset it to factory defaults, then used the Airport Utility wizard to have it extend the new Extreme's network. I changed one setting on the Extreme here--I set it up to allow it to be used by extending devices.
So: Broadband cable connection comes into modem, Ethernet cable leaves modem and connects to Airport Extreme through WAN port. Extreme is broadcasting a wireless network with the name (SSID) HOUND, and the Express is plugged in remotely only to a power outlet, also set up with the name (SSID) HOUND.
When I browse for networks with my Powerbook, it sees a single network called HOUND and connects fine.
When I browse with Thinkpad, it sees 3 networks called HOUND. One has the MAC address of the Apple Extreme gateway, and has the weakest signal. One has the MAC address of the Apple Extreme SSID and has a medium strength signal. The 3rd has the MAC address of the Express. It is nearest to the Thinkpad, and has the strongest signal.
So I try to connect to the Express because it's closest, and the connection fails, every time. I try to connect to the Extreme, and the connection succeeds, every time. But they are supposed to have the exact same settings.
Same behavior on my second PC, an HP desktop with a Netgear card.
Both airports were broadcasting on the same channel (11), so I updated the Express to broadcast on 10. That didn't have any effect.
So my questions are threefold:
1) Should I see 3 wireless networks in the configuration I desire or do the 3 networks indicate a problem?
2) How do I either fix 1) or get my PCs to connect to the Express?
3) How do I know if my Powerbook is connecting to the Express or Extreme? (Because when I move further from the Extreme and closer to the Express I want it to use the stronger signal. How do I know if it is? Unlike the PC network browsing tool, the Powerbook only sees ONE network called HOUND.)
I had a successful network with an Apple Express base station. I wanted to replace it with an Extreme, and then use the Express to extend the network. The Extreme would be downstairs where the Powerbook usually is; the Express upstairs where the PCs usually are.
So I configured the new Extreme by choosing the option of copying the settings from an existing base station--in this case the Express. The Express had WEP 128 security with a 13 character WEP passphrase that was converted to a 26 character hex string by the base station. So I assume the new Extreme does too, or maybe it's converted the WEP key to a WPA key--I can't tell. The point is that I did not enter any key when I set up the new Extreme--I just told it to get the settings from the old Express.
The new network worked fine, and all devices that could connect before can connect now. Note that this meant I was using the same key which I had been using before on all devices.
Then I wanted to set up the original Express to extend the new network. I reset it to factory defaults, then used the Airport Utility wizard to have it extend the new Extreme's network. I changed one setting on the Extreme here--I set it up to allow it to be used by extending devices.
So: Broadband cable connection comes into modem, Ethernet cable leaves modem and connects to Airport Extreme through WAN port. Extreme is broadcasting a wireless network with the name (SSID) HOUND, and the Express is plugged in remotely only to a power outlet, also set up with the name (SSID) HOUND.
When I browse for networks with my Powerbook, it sees a single network called HOUND and connects fine.
When I browse with Thinkpad, it sees 3 networks called HOUND. One has the MAC address of the Apple Extreme gateway, and has the weakest signal. One has the MAC address of the Apple Extreme SSID and has a medium strength signal. The 3rd has the MAC address of the Express. It is nearest to the Thinkpad, and has the strongest signal.
So I try to connect to the Express because it's closest, and the connection fails, every time. I try to connect to the Extreme, and the connection succeeds, every time. But they are supposed to have the exact same settings.
Same behavior on my second PC, an HP desktop with a Netgear card.
Both airports were broadcasting on the same channel (11), so I updated the Express to broadcast on 10. That didn't have any effect.
So my questions are threefold:
1) Should I see 3 wireless networks in the configuration I desire or do the 3 networks indicate a problem?
2) How do I either fix 1) or get my PCs to connect to the Express?
3) How do I know if my Powerbook is connecting to the Express or Extreme? (Because when I move further from the Extreme and closer to the Express I want it to use the stronger signal. How do I know if it is? Unlike the PC network browsing tool, the Powerbook only sees ONE network called HOUND.)
This thread is closed to new comments.
The built-in Windows and OS X wireless clients will only show one entry per ssid, but third party tools like Network Stumbler can show individual devices. Since you're seeing MAC addresses on the Thinkpad it's safe to say you have such a tool installed. That can be useful for troubleshooting, but the actual connection should be handled by your wireless driver, which will always connect to the AP with strongest signal that uses your chosen ssid.
posted by contraption at 11:32 AM on July 5, 2009