Airport Express setup help, please

[Cary]

So I'm considering getting an Airport Express, as was recommended here a while back (been busy with other things...).

The main impetus is to enhance the WiFi coverage in my house. I have a DLink router (DIR-825) at one end of the house (where the cable modem and all cabling reside).

Our MacBooks all work fine in the kitchen, living room and dining room at the other end of the house, but the iPad does not connect there. I've already been to the Apple Store, reinstalled the software as they recommended. They swapped it out for a replacement, but it exhibits the same behavior.

There are refurb AE's in the store now, so I'm probably going to buy one.

Here are my questions:

It seems that I can either:
1. Connect via ethernet and establish a new (2nd) network, or,
2. Connect via WiFi for music streaming, etc.

Can I connect via ethernet and bridge to my existing WiFi network?
Is that necessary?
Will I be able to move from one network to the other, or will I have to re-attach constantly?
Am I making this too complex? If so, sorry, I'm just trying to understand what I can and can't do, and what the user experience will be.

Thanks!

Cary

[mattkime]

I would connect via ethernet and bridge your existing network.

[rgG]

I am not sure the AE will operate in bridge mode (WDS) with any router other than another Apple router. I have an Airport Extreme and I use an Airport Express to extend my network, to get better coverage over the entire house. I connect from the Airport Extreme to the Express via WiFi, and it works great, but I don't think you can use it with the DLink like this. Since you would be connecting the AE via Ethernet, it might work, but I would ask at the Apple Store before buying.

You might be able to get another DLink and use that in bridge mode. It would probably cost about the same, maybe less.

[Article Accelerator]

Cary wrote:
It seems that I can either:
1. Connect via ethernet and establish a new (2nd) network, or,
2. Connect via WiFi for music streaming, etc.

Can I connect via ethernet and bridge to my existing WiFi network?

Seamless:

http://forums.macresource.com/read.php?1...sg-1136013

[pinkoos]

Article Accelerator wrote:
[quote=Cary]
It seems that I can either:
1. Connect via ethernet and establish a new (2nd) network, or,
2. Connect via WiFi for music streaming, etc.

Can I connect via ethernet and bridge to my existing WiFi network?

Seamless:

http://forums.macresource.com/read.php?1...sg-1136013
I was just going to point you towards that thread as Article Accelerator's reply (among others) was especially helpful.

[Cary]

Thanks!

[thermarest]

I have to say I didn't really follow the advice in that thread, but with that caveat...

I would 2nd rgG. If there's a way to bridge an AE to a non-Apple router to extend the network, its certainly not the intended, built-in, obvious functionality. If you use the simple AirportUtility setup wizard you can only bridge to an Airport network. Pinkoos has two Apple routers vs. your situation with the D-Link.

If you just want to extend the network and dont' care about the AE's other features (AirTunes) then any router that runs DD-WRT would work. That said, the ONLY reason I personally have the AE is to use AirTunes.

[Cary]

I ended up getting a Dlink DAP-1522 wireless access point/bridge, set it up with the same network name, and it works seamlessly...

Thanks for the recommendations...

Cary