How to restore strength of signal from Airport Expresses on a network

I have a newly developed problem with the signal strength from two Airport Expresses drawing a wireless signal from an Airport Extreme downstairs near the router and an IMac. This network has been functioning well for some time. Recently I noted that the signal strength upstairs (for I Pods etc) was weak where it had previously been strong. The Airport Utility program reports that these AExpresses have been properly set up and report no problems (My Airport utility version was 4.something, in spite of supposedly being automatically upgraded, and when I checked "upgrades" that brought the response that there were none, even though the current version is 5.5.2, and I then went and got that upgrade anyway).
After fiddling with the upgraded Airport Utility, without knowing what I was doing, and possibly making the Airport Extreme reset itself, the strength of one of the Airport Expresses, (the one further away) increased almost to previous (normal?) levels, while the closer one stayed weak (the one Airport Utility calls "Base Station" even though, like the further Airport Express, it is an identical Airport Express wirelessly connected to the Airport Extreme downstairs). Both, incidentally are 8011n, if I have that right.
Please forgive this incoherent post, but I am confused about how to trouble shoot a network like this, when something is not going right. I have read a number of the support articles as well as posts in this discussion group, and have learned a lot in general, but not specifically for this problem.
Thanks Rick Ward

Ok, thanks for clarifying your network requirements with the AXns.
For both AXns to be successful in extending the AEBSn's wireless network they need to be within a 25+ dB SNR range of that AEBSn. SNR, or Signal to Noise Ratio, is the base station's Signal strength (in dBm) - Noise level (in dBm). Two primary reasons for low SNR values is Wi-Fi interference and obstacles (like walls/ceilings, etc.) that prevent a signal from passing through.
You can easily calculate the SNR value by using a utility like iStumbler. Ideally, you would run iStumbler on a laptop and take signal & noise measurements at both the location of the AEBSn and at the desired locations of the AXns (with the AXns powered-off). If the SNRs are 25+ dB, then you should be get good performance with placing an AXn there to extend the AEBSn's wireless network. If not, then you won't.
Also, remember, with the 802.11n AirPorts, think of the configuration of the extended network with the main router as the hub of a wheel and the extending routers as spokes on that wheel. You cannot extend the network in a serial fashion (main to relay to remote) in this configuration.

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