Airport Express 802.11n joining existing Aiport Extreme 802.11g network

We added an Airport Express to support Airtunes on a stereo system to an existing Airport Extreme 802.11g network. The original Extreme had an antenna to extend its range as well. The problem we are having is that the connection from an iMac keeps going up and down. Is there an issue using WDS between Airport units that are of different speeds? Any thoughts on why this might be doing this and how we can get it to operate stably again as it was with just the old Airport Extreme.

I am concerned with the speed being reduced by half per node. Do you mean if I had three access points in a WDS network the speed would be half or does it reduce to one third?
Also, I want to point out in the latest manual, WDS does support 802.11n and mixed, including wide channel, which may over come being halfed but not further reductions.
http://manuals.info.apple.com/enUS/Designing_AirPort_Networks10.5-Windows.pdf
--------excerpt from apple manual -------------------------------------
Setting Up a Wireless Distribution System (WDS)
When you connect devices wirelessly in a WDS, you set up each device as
either a main, a remote, or a relay device.
You can connect AirPort Extreme 802.11n Base Stations or Time Capsules and use the
5 GHz frequency band in the network. Only client computers that have 802.11n wireless
cards installed can join the network. If you want client computers using 802.11b or
802.11g wireless cards to join the network, set up the network using the 2.4 GHz
frequency band, or add 802.11g AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express to the network. See
“Choosing the Radio Mode” on page 21 for information about setting the frequency
band of the network. You can also set up a dual-band network that utilizes both the
2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands, so client computers using 802.11n wireless cards
can join the 5 GHz segment of the network, and computers using 802.11b or 802.11g
wireless cards can join the 2.4 GHz segment. See “Setting up a Dual-Band (2.4 GHz and
5 GHz) Network” on page 48.
----------------------------------------------------------------

Similar Messages

  • Will Airport Express 802.11g network with a new Dual Band Airport Extreme?

    Bob Timmons I need your help. I have a older Airport Express, can I use it to extend my wireless network to the far reaches of my house by linking it to my new Airport Extreme 802.11n?
    There must be an article on this somewhere.
    Thanks!

    Welcome back!
    If by "older" AirPort Express, you mean it is a "b/g" version, you'll have to use the WDS setup options on both the new AirPort Extreme"n" and the AirPort Express.
    Unfortunately, two negative things will occur when you setup WDS:
    1) Because WDS is a "g" technology thing, the entire wireless network will drop down to "g" wireless levels. So, you lose any advantages of "n" speeds with your new router.
    2) The bandwidth on the entire wireless network will be cut 50%.
    Bottom line, you will have a "g" wireless network operating at half of it's capability. That's a tremendous loss of performance for a bit more wireless coverage, but you may disagree.
    WDS is difficult for most users to set up because it is very easy to make a mistake. Look over this post to get an idea of what is involved with this. There is also a link to Apple's instructions in this post, but the step by step by expert user Tesserax is easier to follow.
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2287950&tstart=0
    I do not recommend WDS, but it's your call.

  • Can my older Airport Express 802.11g join an existing wireless network

    I have a Airport Express 802.11g firmware version 6.3 . Using the most recent Airport Express Utility I can set it up as a base station on its own independent network but I cannot join it to my existing home wireless network. As I go through the wizard (or manual setup) It just does not detect/display any existing wireless networks. I have plenty of mobile devices in the  house that can see the wireless network...and next doors network.
    So, it begs the question ... is an 802.11g unit actually capable of joining another network or is this capability available on later models only. A search of apple support and the wider internet for "Airport Express 802.11g capabilities" yeilds a blizzard or useless info.
    Thank you

    Sorry, I cannot help on Windows since I do not have a Windows 7 machine here to test. I have used XP in the past and AirPort Utility appears to be virtually the same in Windows as a Mac. I assume that this is the case for AirPort Utility 5.6.1, and it should be able to configure the Express.
    The older Express will join most wireless networks if the following conditions are met:
    1) The Express is functioning correctly.
    2)  The wireless network name is 12 characters or less and it contains only normal letters and numbers. Avoiding blank spaces in the wireless network name will help improve the chances of the Express joining the network as well.
    3)  The wireless router is broadcasting a compatible signal that would allow the "g" Express to connect. If your network is broadcasting a wireless "n only" signal, the Express cannot connect to this network.
    4)  The wireless security on the network is set to a WPA compatible setting. That is because the older Express has difficulty joining 3rd party wireless networks using WPA2 Personal or WPA2-PSK-AES encryption. In other words, if your network is now using WPA2 Personal or WPA2-PSK-AES settings, the "g" Express will probably not be able to join the network.
    5)  If you are using MAC Address Filtering on your network, the MAC address of the Express will need to be included in your settings.
    6)  The wireless network password uses the same guidelines that appear in 2) above
    The items noted above will provide the Express with the best chance of joining your network.  Plan to use the Manual Setup option in AirPort Utility and be prepared to use the Option or Alt keys on the PC if needed.
    If you are looking for a guarantee of success in advance for this task, I cannot provide that and you should wait for another user to post who might be able to meet your requirements in that regard.

  • Airport Extreme 802.11n and AirPort Express 802.11g on same network. Speed?

    I am migrating all our Macs to 802.11n. I will have a new Extreme 802.11n base station, and all Macs will be newer models with 802.11n. However, I have an older Airport Express 802.11g that we use for the shared printer.
    I have read that the ENTIRE network will run at the speed of the slowest device. Is this true? I know that the printer can only communicate at g, but will I also see the macs having to slow down to g? If so, I will upgrade to a new Express.

    I have read that the ENTIRE network will run at the speed of the slowest device
    That's not exactly true, but it will certainly degrade the network. A new Express (N) is your best solution to maximize the speed of your network.

  • AirPort Express 802.11g and WDS

    The other evening I spent two hours unsuccessfully trying to add an AirPort Express 802.11g as a WDS remote station to an existing AirPort network hosted by an 802.11g AirPort Extreme. The computer was using Mac OS X 10.5.4 and AirPort Utility 5.3.2. I believe both AirPort units have the latest firmware.
    I've been able to do this in the past elsewhere, but it seems like every time I try this, I'm successful despite my efforts instead of because of them.
    The AirPort Express Setup Guide 5.1 (http://manuals.info.apple.com/enUS/AirPort_Express_SetupGuide5.1.pdf) doesn't offer much help: "Open AirPort Utility and follow the onscreen instructions to extend the range of your AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express network."
    Apple's online support doesn't help much either. This knowledge base article (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2044) discusses the AirPort Admin Utility, not the AirPort Utility. The feature to "auto configure as a WDS remote base station" that seemed to make this so easy with AirPort Admin Utility had is gone from AirPort Utility.
    Can anyone offer any advice about how to make this work? I've stumbled across some advice like making sure that the channel numbers are the same on both stations, but it would be nice if some Apple document had the computer story in one place. It would be even nicer if AirPort Utility had the same "auto configure" feature that the AirPort Admin Utility had.
    Thanks for any advice.

    I realized days later that I already had the information I needed. The electronic book "Take Control of Your 802.11n AirPort Extreme Network" (from http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/airport-n.html ), which I already owned, notes that the following items much be set the same on both AirPort stations:
    - radio mode
    - channel
    - base station password
    - wireless security method
    - wireless password
    I think my problem is that one station was set to a specific channel while the other was set to the default choice of "automatic".

  • Airport Express 802.11g Airplay Connection Issues

    My dad has had an AirPort Express 802.11g hooked up to his stereo for a couple of years now. Uses it only to stream music. Our WiFi network is run by an older AirPort Extreme 802.11n (2nd Generation). Express firmware is at 6.3, as high as it can go for the g models.
    2 months ago, I got my dad an iPhone 5 running iOS 6, and upgraded his MacBook to run OS X 10.7 Lion so he could sync and use iCloud and all that stuff. From that moment forward, connections to the AirPort Express are awful or nonexistent for most devices. Many times after you tell iTunes or the Music app to connect to it, when you hit play nothing will happen. Sometimes the progress bar will move, but no sound will play. Other times the sound will start, go for ~5 seconds, and then cut out. No issues with staying on the WiFi network.
    Devices AirPlay DOES NOT work properly with:
    - Dad's MacBook (final-gen plastic model) running OS X 10.7
    - Dad's iPhone 5 (iOS 6)
    - My iPhone 4S (iOS 6)
    Devices AirPlay DOES work with:
    - Dad's older iMac running OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard
    - My MacBook Air running OS X 10.8.4 Mountain Lion
    None of his music is on the iMac, and the concept of doing a VNC to make it work would be far out of his level of understanding.
    Is this a case of me just needing to get him a new AirPort Express for full compatibility, or is there another workaround? Eventually I'm going to get him off of his MacBook and up to something more currently, like my Air in September when I upgrade.
    This is practically the only thing my dad uses his computer for, so any help I can receive to get this working would be MUCH appreciated.

    Hello niclake,
    I found an article for you that would be a good place to start troubleshooting Airplay on the AppleTV.
    Troubleshooting AirPlay and AirPlay Mirroring
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ts4215
    Troubleshooting performance issues with AirPlay or AirPlay Mirroring
    If you are experiencing intermittent playback or significant network lag with AirPlay or AirPlay Mirroring, it could be due to a weak Wi-Fi connection, interference, or the distance between the Wi-Fi router and your iOS device, Apple TV or AirPort Express. Try the following suggestions:
    Ensure that other devices are not trying to stream to the same Apple TV at the same time.
    Turn off Bluetooth on your iOS device by tapping Settings > General > Bluetooth.
    Ensure that your Wi-Fi router is set up with the recommended settings for the best performance.
    Certain external devices, such as microwave ovens and baby monitors, may interfere with a Wi-Fi network. Try moving or disabling these devices.
    If possible, try to locate your Wi-Fi router in the same room as your Apple TV and iPhone/iPad.
    If your wireless and wired networks are the same, try connecting your Apple TV to the router via Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi.
    If the Wi-Fi router has an external antenna, check to see that is it connected properly and in good condition.
    Use the Wi-Fi network troubleshooting guide to resolve interference and other issues.
    All the best,
    Sterling

  • Airport Express 802.11g Not Cooperating

    So for the longest time I had an Airport Express (802.11g) connected to my Time Capsule (802.11n first gen) with an xBox 360 hooked up to the Express via ethernet cable and it allowed my 360 to access the internet so I could use Netflix and whatnot.  A couple of months ago the Express stopped working well and constantly had to be disconnected and reconnected to its power supply in order to function properly.  Now it has completely ceased to work, so I restored it to factory defaults and nothing is working.  First I tried to just have it join my wireless network, but once it connected the ethernet port stopped working.  I didn't remember this happening before, so I went online and found out that joining a wireless network disables the port for some reason and that the only solution was to set up a WDS.  So I tried this with my Time Capsule as the main and my Express as a remote (note: I am using Airport Utility 5.6 so that I can actually detect my Express) and on the Airport Utility Window it says that everything is fine and that both devices are reporting "Normal" as their status (green light).  That is true for the Time Capsule, but the Airport Express keeps flashing its amber light of doom.  When I clicked on the status for the Express, it said that the Express wasn't reporting any issues, so I have no clue what to do.  Both devices are on the same channel, and the Time Capsule Radio Mode says that it is compatible with 802.11b/g devices.  Also, the Airport Express, even though I selected "Allow Wireless Clients" cannot be accessed unless I connect it to my computer with an ethernet cable.  Does anybody know how I can fix this?  Any help at all is appreciated.  Thanks!

    UPDATE: I reset the unit, and was able to configure it using AirPort Setup Assistant, but although the light is still solid green, iTunes and AirPort Admin still can't see it.

  • Airport Express 802.11g ethernet out

    I'm getting the new Samsung 2550 bluray dvd player. If I connect it to an ethernet connection it will stream Netflix movies and Pandora radio thru my home theater. Can I get ethernet out of my Airport Express 802.11g that is streaming AirTunes music to my home theater and into the Samsung? The Samsung isn't wireless. If not, does the APE 802.11n support ethernet out?
    Thanks

    Thanks for the correction. I have an Airport Extreme 802.11g connected to a dsl modem. It is broadcasting to an Airport Express 802.11g at the living room home theater (AirTunes) and also to another Airport Express 802.11g in my son's room for the PS3 connection. Everything works great now. The <...> ethernet jack on the living room express is empty but I thought it was only for connecting to the dsl modem. It can be configured to provide ethernet out without screwing up my home network?

  • Airport Express 802.11g cannot connect with OS X 10.8.3

    Hi just updated my MacBook Pro to OS X to 10.8.3.  I have an older model Airport Express (802.11g) that I have been able use to set up wireless speakers via Airport Utility 5.6 and 5.6.1.  However, this most recent Mountain Lion update has rendered my Airport Express useless.  I have to restart Airport Express each time I want to try to use it, to which Airport Utility will find the device and successfully add it to my existing wifi to allow me to play music wirelessly through my speakers. The second I close my MacBook, though, everything disconnects and Airport Utility is no longer able to find my device.  The green light is steady on the Airport Express, so I know that is hooked up and working correctly.  Is there a fix for this....?  Thank you!

    See if setting a static IP will correct the problem.  Step 5 in the document below will walk you through the steps.  Let me know what happens. 
    Printer Does Not Maintain Wireless Connection
    I am a printer tech for HP.

  • Airport Express 802.11g Setup with iOS Airport Utility

    I'm traveling with just an Airport Express 802.11g model and my iPad mini. I want to change the settings on the Airport Express but the Airport Utility for iOS says this base station isn't supported. Do I have any options available to me to change the settings on the road without a computer?

    Yeah, that's what I gathered. Question is, do I have any alternate means of configuring it? For example, a web interface.

  • My airport express 802.11g won't connect to my mac mini

    Hi
    I have recently purchased an Airport Express 802.11g and I can't get it to connect to my Mac mini. It shows up in the wifi menu at the top of the screen but when I click on it it says
    This version of AirPort Utility doesn’t support this base station. Go to AirPort Service and Support for more information.
    Can anyone help?
    Huntymc

    Have you tried restarting the system? Many times that will resolve the issue?
    If you are still having problems do you have a USB mouse that you can use to open the Bluetooth preferences and then either reconnect to the mouse, or delete the pairing, then reconnect to the mouse?
    The following article may help:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3048#1

  • HT5022 How can I configure an AirPort Express 802.11g on Mac OSX 10.8.5?

    I can't configure an Airport Express 802.11g using a MacBook Air with MacOS X 10.8.5 installed.
    AirPort Utility 5.6.1 cannot be installed on a computer running OS 10.8.5...
    Help!

    As you know you cannot administer the older 802.11g AirPorts from Macs running the latest OS X versions or from an iOS device.
    You still have a few options to do so:
    Use a Mac running OS X Lion 10.7.2 or lower.
    Use a Windows PC running Windows 7 or lower.

  • Airport Express fails to join existing network

    Hi,
    I have an Airport Express (old model) which I wanted to connect to an existing wireless network in order to use it for remote speakers, but can't.
    Here's the setup:
    Wireless network with D-Link DIR-615 wireless router. It's set to be transmitting in 802.11 n/g/b mode.
    Airport Express, 802.11 g model, latest firmware installed.
    Multiple Macs for setup and testing available, all latest MacOS X versions installed.
    Now, my Airport Express works fine for creating a new network. This I tried, no problem.
    But when I reset my Airport Express to factory settings, then use the Airport admin utility program to configure it (activate remote speakers, connect to the wireless network of the D-Link router, which the AEX finds without problem), then activate the new settings, the AEX starts rebooting but then it's gone. Yellow lamp blinking and no longer visible anywhere. No default wireless network and not working as a client of the D-Link network. I can't see the remote speakers in iTunes, and it's also no longer showing in the Airport utility.
    I don't know what's wrong. I reseted it now a couple of times (otherwise it'll not become visible again) and tried again, but with no success. I was first thinking that it might be a problem with the newer 802.11 n standard of the D-Link router, but since it's also transmitting in g and b mode, I can't really see how this should be a problem.
    Any ideas? Someone with the same problem?
    Thanks a lot in advance!

    Hi again,
    sorry, it took me a while to reply.
    I didn't proceed with my attempt to make this setup run, but now I finally want to give it another try.
    This screen shot shows the D-Link's advanced wireless settings. They are pretty much the default settings.
    Sorry, that's in German, but I guess you get the idea.
    So maybe WPA/WPA2 is too new? Or TKIP/AES or PSK/EAP?
    No idea...
    Many thanks in advance!

  • Airport Express (802.11g) magically turned into (802.11n)

    I recently notice that my older Airport Express 802.11.g is now showing as a 802.11n, and i can set it to 5ghz and connect everything shows as 802.11n.
    I wonder what the cause of this miraculous upgrade, I don't think it was this 7.6 firmware, perhaps the previous.  Anyone else notice this, I'm not complaining, just curious that there was no mention of it I could find anywhere on the net.
    Thanks

    How bizzare, maybe they were shipping it as the "g" with reduced functionality until they could make up new packaging or something, and some recent firmeware update switched it over, I think I actually have the box it came in somewhere......
    Well, nother reason I love Apple, the magic upgrade.
    Thanks for your response....

  • Problem streaming music to AirPort Express (802.11g)

    Hi there
    I'm having trouble connecting to an AirPort Express unit using AirTunes. Although I can get the unit to appear in the speakers list in iTunes (and appear in the units list in AirPort Utility), if I try to connect to it using AirTunes, either nothing will happen, or iTunes will go unresponsive (or unexpectedly quit), or the unit will disappear from the speakers drop-down menu (it will sometimes reappear later by itself, sometimes it will need a physical restart).
    Some background: I currently have a poor-man's dual band wireless network, in that I have a Time Capsule and two AirPort Express units connecting to a forced 802.11n network (in that it won't allow 802.11g devices to join it), with my ISP's router providing an 802.11g network for my slower devices. The unit I'm having trouble with is a 'new' second-hand 'g' band unit, that I am trying (thus far unsuccessfully) to set up. I have tried reinstalling the firmware (version 6.3), which made the device work - for a few minutes.
    The device, currently, is appearing in my iTunes speaker drop-down list, but not in my AirPort Utility list on my MacBook Pro (switching between the 'n' and 'g' networks makes no difference).
    Any idea what's going wrong here? Have I been sold a pup?
    I also note that when setting up the device, it isn't giving me the option to extend my wireless network - one of the reasons I bought it. Why would this be?
    Many thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.

    No ideas?

Maybe you are looking for