How to setup Apple Airport Wi-Fi Extender

When it comes to an internet connection, a wireless router is crucial. An Apple Airport is one of the devices that connects other devices.

A Wi-Fi connects multiple wireless devices to the internet. However, sometimes the internet connection might not have a good range. Your house might have dead spots that don’t have an internet connection. Fortunately, technologies such as Wi-Fi extenders can help extend the Wi-Fi coverage in your home. An Apple Airport can also serve as a Wi-Fi extender.

To set up Apple Airport Wi-Fi Extender, set up at least one additional base station,connect the Base Station to each other, open the AirPort Utility on your Mac and then add the AirPort and connect.

Setting up the AirPort Base Stations

An Apple AirPort has two LAN/Ethernet ports – one for devices like a PC, printer, or an Ethernet hub. The other port is for wired connections to an Ethernet-based network or a modem. Before you physically connect the base stations with each other, make sure that the primary base station’s power port is to the power cord which is plugged into the power outlet on the wall. Take an Ethernet cable and plug one end into the base station’s WAN port that you intend to add to the network. Alternatively, you can connect it wirelessly but an Ethernet cable gives the best performance.

Extending your Wi-Fi

1. Using a Mac

Once the primary AirPort Base Station is set up, you can now go ahead and extend your network with a second Airport Base Station. If you use an Apple router like the AirPort Extreme, then the AirPort Utility is already installed on your PC. You can go ahead and install the AirPort Utility if you don’t have one already and follow the onscreen instructions and set it up. On your Mac, navigate to the menu bar and click the Wi-Fi icon and select the listed base station under ‘New AirPort Base Station’. The AirPort Utility Setup Assistant automatically gives you the best extending network solution. To use it, follow the on-screen instructions.

If you want to set up the network using different settings, then launch the Airport Utility and click on the ‘Other Wi-Fi Devices’ option then click on ‘Other Options’. Wait for the AirPort Utility to finish setting up. Once it’s finished gathering information about the network, select ‘Add to an existing network’. Next, connect your wireless network by selecting your Wi-Fi network name from the dropdown list. Key in your preferred Base station name and click the ‘Next’ button. When the setup is complete, click on Done.

1. Using an iPhone, iPad, or iPad touch

Another way to extend your Wi-Fi network is by using your iPhone, iPad, or iPad touch. On your device, open the Settings and then click on WI-FI. Under ‘Set up new AirPort base station’, tap on your Base Station’s name and follow the onscreen instructions. You can set up the network using different settings by tapping on Other Options.

How to maximize Wi-Fi coverage in your home

To get the best Wi-Fi coverage in your home or office, you need to avoid any obstacles that might interfere with your Wi-Fi’s radio signals. You should connect the Base Stations to each other via Ethernet cable if you have CAT5 cabling installed in your entire house or office. This limits any Wi-Fi issues from being between the Base Stations and being among the connected devices. You also need to minimize the number of floors and walls between the connected devices and your Base Stations as much as possible. For example, you don’t want to place all the Base Stations in the basement if you’re living in a three-story building.

In the event that you have many floors and walls, you can improve your connection using a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi in your AirPort Base Station because 5 GHz radios suffer easily from these obstructions. You can also get as many AirPort Base Stations as you can to cover your entire house.

A Summary table

FAQs

What kind of Wi-Fi extenders work with Apple AirPort?

Apple AirPort works with most universal wireless repeaters.

How do I reset my Apple AirPort?

Ensure that the base station is connected to power and then press and hold the reset button for at least a second and then release it. Select the Wi-Fi network created by the base station in the menu bar from the Wi-Fi status menu. Open the AirPort Utility and click the icon for your base station and then click on ‘Edit’ from the pop-up menu.