[desertmac]

I have an Apple TV, 2 new Airport Extremes, an old Airport Extreme, and a new MBP and two old Powerbooks, and one DSL connection. I have the MBP connected to a 750GB eSata HD where I keep all of my music and videos. My interest is in maximizing the speed of transfer b/w the MBP and the Apple TV.

My first step was to create a bridge network b/w the old and new AExtreme's. That worked great. Had my old network at 2.4 ghz, the new network at 5.0 ghz. Everything was great . . . until I checked the signal for the new network on my MPB. The signal was very weak. The MBP is in a cabinet with the 750GB HD; no other place to place it.

So then I had the idea of creating a WDS b/w my new Aiport Extreme and a second Airport Extreme. The problem: can't create a 5.0 ghz WDS; Airport Utility only allows 2.4 ghz WDS. And, I couldn't get the 2nd Airport Extreme to actually connect to the 1st Airport Extreme.

So I am stuck now. I don't know how to boost the 5.0 Ghz signal from the one Airport Extreme; I don't know how to create a successful WDS b/w the 2 new Airport Extremes and whether doing so would not help b/w the bridged Old Network (at 2.4 ghz) will interfere with the 2.4 Ghz WDS.

Sorry for the long post. Anyone have any suggestions?

[desertmac]

Ok, with a little TA from Apple, I have figured out how to bridge a 2.4 ghz b/g network to a 5.0 ghz n only network connecting a new and an old Airport Extreme base station, and how to extend the 5.0 ghz network through a second new Airport extreme. It can be done, and relatively easily.

[ghporter]

Teasing us isn't nice. How'd you do it?

[desertmac]

Didn't mean to tease. No one had responded to the first post so wasn't sure anybody was interested. Didn't want to go through the steps if I was just talking to myself (!).

Step 1: Configure the first N base station with the set-up assistant. Set it up as a main base station. Select the 802.11n (b/g compatible option). Check the box that says "allow this network to be extended".

Step 2: Configure the old g base station as follows (Steps 2 and 3 are taken from Glenn Fleishman's "Take Control of your 802.11n Airport Extreme Network"):

a. Launch AirPort Utility, select your old b/g base station, and
choose Base Station > Manual Setup (Command-L).
b. At the top of the window, click the AirPort icon, and then click the Wireless button.
c. Change the Network Name to something descriptive, like Home
2.4 GHz or Old Slow Network.
d. Click the Internet icon.
e. From the Configure IPv4 pop-up menu, choose Using DHCP.
f. Select Off (Bridging) from the Connection Sharing pop-up menu.
g. Click Update to restart the base station with the new settings.
h. Now, plug an Ethernet cable from the WAN port of your 2.4 GHz base station into any of the three LAN ports of the Extreme N.

Step 3: Set up 1st Extreme N to use the 5 GHz band:
a. Launch AirPort Utility, choose your1st Extreme N, and switch to Manual Setup (Command-L).
b. Click the AirPort icon and then the Wireless button.
c. Enter a unique and descriptive name in the Network Name field, like 5 GHz or Bust or Fast New Network.
d. From the Radio Mode pop-up menu, choose 802.11n only (5 GHz).
5. Click the Wireless Options button and check Use Wide Channels. (This option is available only in certain countries, including the United States.)
e. Click the Internet icon.
f. Make sure that Connection Sharing is set to Share a Public IP Address (bottom pop-up menu).
g. Click Update to restart the base station.

Now you should have two distinct networks: 1 at 2.4 for b/g and 1 at 5.0 for n.

Step 4. Now configure your second N base station.
a. Plug it in, wait for it to become available in Airport Utility, then select it and choose manual set-up.
b. Give the base station a unique name.
c. Under the Wireless tab, select Extend a Wireless Network. (DO NOT select Participate in a WDS network).
d. Choose the network that you want to extend from the drop-down menu.
e. Update and your done.

Now you have a 2.4 ghz network (that you can extend through g compatible Airport Expresses if you choose) and a 5.0 ghz network extended through a second n base station.

Working like a charm for me. Hope this helps.