802.11n upgrade to Airport Express makes WDS a whole lot simpler

hope this helps anyone trying to do a simple WDS setup and failing:

i was struggling with extending my network yesterday (time capsule as base station, (older) airport express as a remote.

using step-by-step install with aiport util i set up time capsule to create a network (closed, no SID broadcast) with option extention allowed.

setting up the airport expr using step-by-step install crashed everytime when i had to select the network to join/extend (error joining network, please restart airport util). as my network was closed/hidden i manually typed the SID.
I also tried some manual WDS configurations but my main kept reporting WDS errors.

then (on my time capsule) i unchecked the option "create a closed network" (broadcast SID) and restarted. after that, setting up the airport express as remote (step by step instead of manual config) went as planned, no errors during setup or since.

I have a Westell Wireless DSL router from verizon connected to a new APX (802.11.n) via an ethernet cable and an older APX (802.11g). The new APX was configured to serve as the WPS main using the new Airport utility, and the old APX was set up as the remote. However, it isn't working. The remote keeps blinking amber, and is not visible on the network or via AirPort Utility unless it is wired to another RJ-45 port on the Westell router. The Westell does not support WDS, but that shouldn't matter right, since the new APX is set up as a WDS main? Am I missing something?

is there anybody out there knowing if an extreme "n" works with an older express in wds with WPA2? it try hard, but it doesnt work... if it runs in some network i try it again...

Thanks so much for this tip. I just upgraded to a "Time Machine" and was unable to connect to my existing Airport Express until I used this process. Now it all works as it should.

I don't seem to be able to reply to Bryan.

The odd thing is I didn't realise (or think) that Using Extend or Join was setting things up as if it was an WDS network.

Fair enough if it uses WDS for behind the scences of Extending the network but surely with Join the throughput should be higher than it is.

This is an effect of the updated Airport Utility software, not the 'N' base stations specifically -- I recently added another 'G' Express to my network using WDS, had all sorts of difficulty (the unit eventually stopped responding), and decided to leave it alone until the next day. The new Airport Utility was released the next morning, and the easy setup feature you describe worked perfectly to add my 'G' Express in one easy step. Definitely software-based, and works w/older hardware.

Hey Xbox users!

I just got an AirPort Express and I have to ditch it. I tried everything, and it won't work with my Xbox 360. I bought an Extreme instead, and it's hooked up with ethernet. Not sure if the wireless would be any less painful with that, but at any rate, I'm going to sell my 360 wireless adapter to make up the cost of getting the Extreme.

here's the damn problem. by doing this they eliminated the auto WDS option of earlier models which worked like this: you just told the client that you wanted to do WDS, it found the base station, and then auto found both and created the WDS. Now you have to do a few more steps and it doesn't work for 802.11 G!

Dash16.... Yesterday, I got an Express, changed my Extreme to "allow this network to be extended", the configured the express to "extend an existing network". I then took my laptop from near the extreme, and roamed the house and the yard. The laptop was connected to my company's VPN wirelessly (WPA2 encrypted). It kept good signal the whole way, and seamlessly hopped APs -- my VPN never even noticed! There is no specific WDS between the extreme and the express. No physical cable at all. My only concern is that the two bases are far enough apart, that the express has slow connectivity. I figure I can solve that by putting another express halfway between them, though.
Also, the new expresses allow bridging TO a wired device (in my case a Dish DVR) now! Earlier models only used the RJ45 port for connecting a cable modem, or other uplink device. The documentation in the box even still indicates this.

Can't wait to upgrade my express! Took lots of work to get it set up with my new extreme when I recently got it.