Using Airport Extreme and a third-party DHCP server

Oct 11, '04 08:55:00AM

Contributed by: ptroxler

I tried to integrate an Airport Extreme Base Station into a fully working TCP/IP network. The DHCP server was set up, internet access was set up ... I got angry at Apple's documentation because it is narrow minded and utterly useless (but you were expecting this). So this is how to keep your existing DHCP server and internet access, and integrate an Apple Airport Extreme Base Station into that existing network.

  1. Give Airport Extreme Base Station a fixed IP (this might work with DHCP client, too, but I have not tried)
  2. Disable DHCP on the Base Station
  3. Set Base Station up as WDS (wireless distribution system) remote
  4. Add MAC address of your DHCP server where the setup app (narrow mindedly) says MAC address of 'main Airport Base Station' in the WDS tab.
  5. Connect ethernet cable to the Base Station's LAN port
That's it; happy networking!

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