How to properly setup a reliable roaming WiFi with Airport Base Stations and an existing router

What are the steps to properly setup a WiFi network with 4 or 5 Airport base stations? I have a mix of Airport Extreme and Airport Express base stations, a switch and a modem/router with VoIP and other features which require to keep the modem configured as a router.

Of course the modem/router is connected to the switch and so should be all the base stations.

Can I get a reliable roaming going between the base stations? What are the things I should configure to make the roaming as seamless and speedy as possible?

• X1 Airport Express

• X4 Airport Extreme

• X1 24 ports switch (with some Gbps ports)

• X1 modem router

First, you will not receive adequate routing performance on network by way of the ISP's embedded router.

How to build WiFi 101

Log in to the AirPort devices and configure:

• Internet set to DHCP
• the Network to Bridge mode
• the Wireless to create a wireless network
• Enable an alternate name on the 5 GHz network (you could simply append "(5 GHz)" to the wireless network name)
• leave the wireless channels set to automatic
• Change Radio mode to 802.11a/n - 802.11b/g
• Change the country to your own to avoid interconnection problems on 5GHz

Place the first AP at centrally in one extremity of the building. Join the AP on the 5 GHz network. Option-Click the WiFi menu to read the RSSI value. Determine the next AP location by by measuring where the signal dips below 65-70.

Once you've placed all the APs join all 5 GHz capable WiFI devices to the 5 GHz WiFi. Join all remaining devices to the non-5 GHz (2.4 GHz) network.

Protip: There's a great tool called WiFi Diagnostics in /System/Library/CoreServices. Check it out.

You are substantially complicating your troubleshooting and performance by seeking to have a single wifi network. There's substantial performance penalties for bridging.

There is an alternative. If you make separate wifi networks, as all of the Airport base stations are on the same wired network and DHCP system, file sharing and streaming will work between devices on different wifi networks. Moreover most of your devices will automatically switch between networks when signal is low.

I completely agree with Jordan Eunson about not using your 2009 ISP provided Orange Livebox 2 modem as your main router. Set up DMC zone passthrough on the Livebox 1.2 Modem router. And then pick your best Airport Extremes for your main DHCP router.

Anything you can do to simplify your wifi setup will save you a lot of time in maintenance. Wifi maintenance takes up 80% or more of network maintenance in my experience.