[SOLVED] Wifi 6 hardware that will extend the same SSID via Ethernet?

Oct 22, 2021
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I currently use the following:
Airport Extreme (Time Capsule) in the house
Airport Express in the garage
CAT6 Ethernet cable from Xfinity modem in the house to the garage
CAT6 Ethernet cable from the Xfinity modem to the Airport Extreme in the house.
(lengthwise, the modem is almost midway between the two nodes)

This allows me to extend the SSID in the house to the garage. Totally seamless. Has worked perfectly for years.
However, my Airports got hit by lightning and they no longer exist new.

I'd like to upgrade/modernize. What current WiFi 6 solution could replace the above?

I tried the LInkSys Velop system and it does not support extending the same SSID via Ethernet unless I run yet another CAT6 from the garage all the way to the house closet. That would be a HUGE pain.

The two nodes are too far apart to extend by WiFi.
If I set up each node separately, then the house ends up on a different network than the garage and I can't see the server in the house from the garage.

Any ideas or recommendations?
Thanks,
Kirby

I should also note that LinkSys support was contacted twice for help.
The Velop system will not work in bridge mode or so they tell me.
 
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Solution
I assume the xfinity is actually a router ? Can't see how it would work on just a modem since you can only hook 1 device to a actual modem.

I am not sure what you mean "extend a SSID". The SSID is purely a name for your network. You can call the network 1234 on one device and 4567 on another and it still is all one network.

You need nothing special really. What you want is a AP in the house and the garage. They are in effect extra wifi radios off you main xfinity router that are connected via ethernet. You can call the SSID the same or different it is up to you. You just put the same SSID and password in when you configure them.

You do not actually need AP almost any router can be used as a AP. You do not...
I assume the xfinity is actually a router ? Can't see how it would work on just a modem since you can only hook 1 device to a actual modem.

I am not sure what you mean "extend a SSID". The SSID is purely a name for your network. You can call the network 1234 on one device and 4567 on another and it still is all one network.

You need nothing special really. What you want is a AP in the house and the garage. They are in effect extra wifi radios off you main xfinity router that are connected via ethernet. You can call the SSID the same or different it is up to you. You just put the same SSID and password in when you configure them.

You do not actually need AP almost any router can be used as a AP. You do not need anything fancy because you are only using the radio part of the device.

I would evaluate if you want to go wifi6e now or maybe just wait and buy inexpensive 802.11ac. Wifi6 is already outdated by wifi6e. If you do not have equipment that can use wifi6 today it may be better to invest in wifi6e.
 
Solution
Oct 22, 2021
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Thanks for your reply! Yes, I've since had a think and tried something that you mention. See below in italics.

I assume the xfinity is actually a router ? Can't see how it would work on just a modem since you can only hook 1 device to a actual modem.

Yes, the Xfinity/Comcast unit is a router as well as a modem to the cable service. It has its own WiFi also, but mounted at one end of the house. It won't cover the other end of the house and the garage. The garage is metal, by the way, and hates wifi.... :)


I am not sure what you mean "extend a SSID". The SSID is purely a name for your network. You can call the network 1234 on one device and 4567 on another and it still is all one network.

Yes, of course. I should have been more clear. What I want is the garage and the house network to be the same. i.e., the garage computers and other network items should be able to see the ones in the house.
So by changing both wifi nodes to access points, everything will get their IP addresses from the Xfinity box. All one network.

If I name both access points to the same SSID and password, then I can walk with my phone from the house to the garage and back and the phone should 'switch' automagically. I do realize that most phones and iPads, etc. will switch WiFi networks if they have been set up previously.

The only downside I see with this is the two WiFi's with the same name conflicting somehow?
I will try it.
The LinkSys system would not switch to an Access Point or what I call bridge mode. I checked with LinkSys twice. They confirmed that they won't.


You need nothing special really. What you want is a AP in the house and the garage. They are in effect extra wifi radios off you main xfinity router that are connected via ethernet. You can call the SSID the same or different it is up to you. You just put the same SSID and password in when you configure them.

Yes, thanks!
I borrowed a TP-Link router, set it to Access Point and the garage side of things works.


You do not actually need AP almost any router can be used as a AP. You do not need anything fancy because you are only using the radio part of the device.

I would evaluate if you want to go wifi6e now or maybe just wait and buy inexpensive 802.11ac. Wifi6 is already outdated by wifi6e. If you do not have equipment that can use wifi6 today it may be better to invest in wifi6e.

Thanks very much for the response. I was certainly trying to make it more difficult than it needed to be.

Kirby
 
Jul 10, 2021
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The two nodes are too far apart to extend by WiFi.
If I set up each node separately, then the house ends up on a different network than the garage and I can't see the server in the house from the garage.
Any ideas or recommendations?
Thanks,
Kirby


Reminds me a little of my rather inelegant solution for my house (that has a large number of external-type internal walls), garage and barn.

I use a number of homeplugs and old routers as wireless extenders. Apart from the main one the routers old ones whose ADSL component was blown up by electrical surges (due to storms or problems with local supply).

Despite three ex-routers working as wired/wireless extenders the home network uses only one SSID and is pretty rock solid (we both work from home, Zoom, Microsoft teams, have a teenanger, multiple Google Nest and Chromecast devices and use the network for TV and music).

My house was originally two semi-detached farm worker cottages so it has a very thick wall dividing the house in two. The main router, an Asus RT-AC68U is in one half so I've run a cat 6 cable to a meter cupboard in the other half, directly to an old TP-Link router configured as a wired extender. Then to add insult to injury I've extended/improved the signal to my hifi by adding another old TP-Link router set as wireless extender. My Naim NDX music streamer plugs directly into this and I can stream 24/192 encoded files (and Tidal) directly to it with no issues. The main TV is in the same room but gets its signal from the first TP-Link. It also runs faultlessly.

On occasion I've used a homeplug in conjunction with an old Netgear router to get a signal down to the firepit in our wood. This has worked very well and my teenager and friends have used it to run D&B parties with no issues.

Frankly I'm amazed it all works. I keep expecting it to fail. If (when?) it does I'll probably invest in something like a Netgear Orbis Mesh system. This is a wireless 6 system.... although I'm not sure I can see the need for speeds that high in an average house.