How to extend AEBS range

**Mad Mac** · 04-25-2009, 09:18 AM

I have a gen 1 Airport Extreme Base Station. I can get a little signal but unstable from a restaurant across my house. I can surf but sometimes I get cut. What can I use and do to extend the signal?

**Sponsor** · 04-25-2009 09:18 AM

**PatrickGaerlan** · 04-25-2009, 11:28 AM

You can use another AEBS or AirPort Express to extend the signal via WDS. Some 3rd-party routers work too, but you'll need to install open-source firmware on some of them.

**Mad Mac** · 04-25-2009, 12:23 PM

Not the way I'm afraid. The position of the AEBS is the farthest out I can put any powered appliance. Beyond that is the patio and the street between my house and the rstaurant. I was thinking of some kind of antenna booster. But i cannot find an Apple external antenna. Is there one? 3rd party will be ok. Oh my AEBS is the snow model with modem.

**R-T** · 04-25-2009, 02:51 PM

we have the same aebs and the same problem. bought this ufo base station a year ago from ebay for $25. unfortunately, aftermarket apple-compatible antennas cost the same as or more expensive than buying another aebs. the external antenna port is not compatible with the antennas that can be bought from CDRking/greenhills.

i dont know if replacing the male jack of the cdrking antenna with a compatible one (though i dont know where to get this) will work.

**PatrickGaerlan** · 04-26-2009, 02:21 AM

AFAIK, Apple doesn't sell external antennas. You'll need to get a 3rd-party AirPort-compatible antenna, like the ExtendAIR Omni form Dr. Bott. I remember looking into it several years ago (it was from another company), but didn't end up getting one.

**ijingo** · 04-26-2009, 09:28 AM

You can use another AEBS or AirPort Express to extend the signal via WDS. Some 3rd-party routers work too, but you'll need to install open-source firmware on some of them.

Hi, just wanna get a picture on how to extend AEBS, i have a linksys router also, does this mean i have to wire the linksys from AEBS and extend it to a desired position anywhere in the house?
Any configuration needed from AEBS given the firmware is needed? Sorry the idea is kind of vague.

**PatrickGaerlan** · 04-26-2009, 10:23 AM

WDS (Wireless Distribution System) is a standard that lets wireless routers/access points connect to each other and extend each other's signal wirelessly.

It's really easy to configure if you're extending the range of an existing Apple router with another Apple router (either AirPort Express or AirPort Extreme Base Station). It's more complicated if you're trying to set up WDS to link routers from different companies. Technically, you're supposed to be able to use WDS between different brands because it's a standard. Unfortunately, each company usually implements WDS a little differently and it's only supported between their own products.

I've heard about people having success extending their Apple router's range using WDS with a non-Apple router, but they usually had to install a custom firmware on the non-Apple router. I think there's a thread here in PhilMUG discussing that. Will post the link if I find it

**mig** · 04-26-2009, 01:34 PM

i've got a linksys wrt54g2 extended by an airport express. its actually not that hard to setup. the only thing that might cause problems is installing the custom firmware on the linksys. the WDS setup is really just entering a bunch of numbers and clicking "apply settings".

**Maccess** · 04-26-2009, 01:56 PM

Cheapo Solution: Get a piece of illustration board cover it with foil, fold it into a V and place your AEBS in the V like so. <o

Or just use it flat as a backing for the AEBS |o >> Restaurant. If you have the AEBS with an antenna port, get an antenna in CDR-King, make sure you get the right connector. and place that antenna nearer the window.