[MLS]

I just got an Airport express and I was wondering weather I can get it to connect wirelessly to my Fios router?  I got it to work connected with an ethernet cable but no luck wirelessly.

Thanks,

Scott

[EDS_]

Someone else will know more.  I have never been able to wirelessly stream to a AE without using an Airport Extreme. 

[xr2]

I had mine set up successfully to do wireless bridging with a net gear access point, and I could stream to it just fine from several devices.  You should be able to set it up to join an existing network from the airport setup utility.  Much do what's required will depend on how you have security setup on the router.

[njpozner]

To confirm, I had my Airport Express set up to join my wireless network using a Netgear basestation, and was able to stream to it fine. As long the AE is joining the network, not extending it, it should be pretty easy to do.

[mnilan]

Actually, it will also work when you have it set up to extend the network.  I have one set up with a Russound AirGo for out by the pool and it does wonders for the iPad reception too.
Mike

[rif]

I don't think it will work with fios that uses actiontec routers. You'd need to replace the router. Check out actiontec's site - they have a lot if info and customer service that responds to inquiries.

[skunark]

For about six months I used the actiontec fios router with an airport express wired, but controlled it wireless with the Apple's Remote app and it worked fine.   Around the six month mark I noticed that the wireless devices couldn't see the local network and assume there was some sort of new DMZ setting causing me grief, but there wasn't.   To me the biggest issue with actiontec is that you have no control when or which  firmware updates are applied since Verizon (and Frontier for me now) controls.   If there is a bug, Verizon won't let you downgrade and are really slow to address the issues.   (There are ways to upgrade the firmware but Verizon will probably ask you to restore to their version)

Anyways, after wasting money on a linksys/cisco router (i had to reset it weekly) I finally just picked up an airport extreme to replace the actiontec and have had no issues since with wireless.

The odd thing is the actiontec routers had the most configuration options and considered it as the best router i've owned up to that point.   I've owned linksys before and never had an issue until the hugely disappointing cisco version.    I was reluctant with the airport extreme because a lack of features and costs compared to others.  Now that the airport express has two ethernet ports, I would probably consider two of those with one extending the wireless network with the actiontec back in the picture.  If your residence isn't wired, then i would probably look at an airport extreme or another wireless router with a good reach. 
 
BTW, do keep the actiontec router around,  you will need it when you complain about poor bandwidth, for whatever reason customer support won't address any issues without it.   

Jim

[MLS]

Thanks skunark.  I am considering the Airport Extreme.  It will probably solve my problems.

[Doublej]

Might be an issue with encryption. I would temporarily turn off all encryption and see if you can get the two to work together. Google "airport express doesn't connect to fios router" and you'll get the gist of the potential problem.

[Doublej]

Double post

[Thunder240]

To the OP, yes, you can use Airport Express in conjunction with a Verizon FIOS (Actiontec) modem/router, although its only a ~90% solution.

I am using an Actiontec modem/router together with 2 AE's. I configured both using the Airport Utility to "join an existing network", and things are working pretty well. However, sometimes when I stream music to one or the other AE using AirPlay, it will cut out for a short period of time. I've researched this problem a fair bit and I believe it is because the Actiontec's NAT is only 1kb, so it easily fills up. My intention is to get another wireless router and bridge it to the Actiontec, turning the Actiontec into a modem only.

Bottom line is the Actiontec - Apple Express setup works most but not all of the time. I don't believe that replacing the Airport Express with an AirPort Extreme will make a difference. Rather, the issue has to do with the Actiontec's limitations as a wireless router.

[skunark]

To the OP, yes, you can use Airport Express in conjunction with a Verizon FIOS (Actiontec) modem/router, although its only a ~90% solution.

I am using an Actiontec modem/router together with 2 AE's. I configured both using the Airport Utility to "join an existing network", and things are working pretty well. However, sometimes when I stream music to one or the other AE using AirPlay, it will cut out for a short period of time. I've researched this problem a fair bit and I believe it is because the Actiontec's NAT is only 1kb, so it easily fills up. My intention is to get another wireless router and bridge it to the Actiontec, turning the Actiontec into a modem only.

Is your actiontec connected to the FIOS box with cat5 or coax?   If it's a cat5, then it's just working only as a router and any wireless router can replace it.

Bottom line is the Actiontec - Apple Express setup works most but not all of the time. I don't believe that replacing the Airport Express with an AirPort Extreme will make a difference. Rather, the issue has to do with the Actiontec's limitations as a wireless router.

The Airport Extreme would replace the Actiontec device with the airport express extending the wireless network and can act as an airplay device.  (which is what I do)

[TomS]

My Frontier FIOS Cat5 Actiontec is bridged (wireless off) to a Airport Extreme Base Station, then 2 Airport Expresses extend from there. Airfoil and Airplay seem to work just fine for me.

[Thunder240]

Is your actiontec connected to the FIOS box with cat5 or coax?   If it's a cat5, then it's just working only as a router and any wireless router can replace it.
The Airport Extreme would replace the Actiontec device with the airport express extending the wireless network and can act as an airplay device.  (which is what I do)

My Actiontec is connected to the FIOS box via coax, not CAT5. It is working as a modem/router as currently set up.

I think the OP would be happier with your set up over mine, and I intend to change mine eventually because of the occasional pauses in AirPlay streaming (which I believe is due to NAT overflow). However, his question was "will it work", and based on my experience, it will -- 90% of the time.

[Thunder240]

Hey Skunark, last night I pulled the trigger on a used Airport Extreme (4th gen) -- found a good deal. My plan is to bridge it to the Actiontec, converting the latter into modem-only. I was considering trying to connect the Extreme by ethernet to the FIOS box and cutting the Actiontec out entirely, but the problem is the FIOSbox is in a closet with no power outlets, and both coax and power are run through the walls. In other words, I'd have to run the CAT5 through the wall to FIOS box, and it's just not worth it. Looking forward to seeing some improved reliability on my network!

[skunark]

Grats on the airport extreme.    You should be able to view the wireless connection quality between the airport extreme and airport express and any wireless devices using the AirPort Utility.   At least Apple gave us enough options to tweak that.   Also you might enable both the 2.4 and 5 GHz channels, under the wireless tab there's a wireless option button with a few more options.

BTW, the coax connection to your actiontec box might mean you have to use it if the FIOS box doesn't have the modem built into it.   

[Thunder240]

Grats on the airport extreme.    You should be able to view the wireless connection quality between the airport extreme and airport express and any wireless devices using the AirPort Utility.   At least Apple gave us enough options to tweak that.   Also you might enable both the 2.4 and 5 GHz channels, under the wireless tab there's a wireless option button with a few more options.

BTW, the coax connection to your actiontec box might mean you have to use it if the FIOS box doesn't have the modem built into it.

Still waiting for it to arrive (3rd party Amazon seller), but I'll play around with Airport Utility and see what I can uncover. Enabling both 2.4 and 5 GHz channels was the chief reason that I went with a 4th Gen rather than save a few bucks and get an earlier model. Since I live in a a hi-rise, and several other residents have wifi networks that I can "see" at any given time, I suspect that crowding on the 2.4 GHz band is causing my network performance to suffer, and I'm hopeful that moving some of my network traffic onto the 5 GHz band will improve things.

Quick question for you (and others who are following this thread). Since my FIOS modem and box are tucked away in a corner where I have no need for the ethernet ports on the Airport Extreme, but those same ports could come in really handy in my living room where I already have one of my two Expresses, do you think it would matter if I were to bridge to an Express rather than an Extreme, which would then function as my base station, and let the Extreme join the network in the living room(instead of the other way around)? (Does that make sense?)

[skunark]

I would probably at least try that, especially if the range of the airport extreme better covers the area.