Others can reply.
Seems to me that connecting to your wireless network should be by specifying the SSID (Site Survey ID) of your wireless network (i.e. the name of the specific wireless network you want to connect to). I've never connected to a network by the "mac address" of the router. Perhaps others can comment.
I think the easiest way to tell if the Range Expander is working is to turn off the Range Expander and start walking with your Notebook computer. Find the physical distance point where you no longer have network connection with just your router/wireless access point powered on and working. If your wireless PC has an application showing the signal strength of the wireless connection, you can use it to roughly find the outer perimeter of your wireless access point's signal limit. Once you find this point, go a a little further. Now, place your Range Expander somewhere between this outer perimeter distance and about half way to your router. Somewhere in this area will give your Range Expander good access to the router's signal. Now, with your wireless PC at that point (just beyond the edge of your routers outer perimeter signal point), turn on your Range Expander. If it is working, you should have decent if not strong signal strength from the Range Expander to your wireless PC.
Anyway, that's probably the easiest low-tech way to tell the RE is working.
