Airport Express - Extreme: only 6 MBit in 5 GHz 802.11n-only mode??

Hi!
I got an Airport Express (early 2008 model) a few weeks ago that I used in client-mode (aka "join a wireless network") in my 54 MBit WLAN.
Eventually, everything worked as I wanted and I basically always got connection speeds of 48 MBit or 54 MBit.
So yesterday, I got an Airport Extreme Base Station (802.11n model with GBit-LAN) and used it to create a new wireless network.
The settings are: 802.11n only, 5 GHz, wide channels.
Using my MacBook, I can connect to the AEBS with speeds up to 270 MBit.
But when I make the Airport Express join the new Draft-N WLAN, I only get connection speeds of 6 MBit, and that's even when I place the Express 10cm away from the Extreme.
The wireless monitor (Airport Utility->Advanced) for the Extreme shows a signal strength of -30 dBm and -95 dBm noise - still only 6 MBit connection speed.
Using my MacBook, I get much worse values but much higher connection speeds.
Both Airport devices have the latest firmware and wide channels are enabled on both, too.
I'm suspecting there might be something wrong with my Express (5GHz antenna maybe?).
Does anyone have an idea? Should I call Apple?

Problem solved:
As soon as I attach an Ethernet device to the AP Express, it's MAC address shows up in the Extreme's wireless monitor with reasonable speed while the MAC address of the Express is still listed with 6 MBit.
Looks like a "feature" of the bridge mode - when I deselect "allow ethernet clients" the "real" connection speed shows up.

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Airport express/extreme performance

I am going to buy either an airport extreme or airport express. It will be used only for Internet access for my ipad.
I did a google search and found a lot of information on the airport extreme, and it should meet my needs fine. Because of cost and portability, I would prefer the airport express, but I have not been been able to find anything on it, especially as to performance (e.g. how well it penetrates walls in a house).
Does anyone know of any reviews or other performance information on the airport express?
BTW, the airport will be connected to my Verizon Fios Actiontec router. I will disable the wifi radio in the Actiontec. Also, I will probably buy direct from Apple refurbished.
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/mac_accessories

I happened to notice that the technical specifications for the airpot extreme on the apple site indicate that the "wireless protocols" are "IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n". In contrast, the corresponding technical specifications for the airport express are shown as "Draft 802.11n" and "802.11a/b/g". A footnote to the airport express but not the airport extreme technical specifications indicates that:
The AirPort Express Base Station is based on an IEEE 802.11n draft specification and is compatible with IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, and IEEE 802.11g.
I looked at the pertinenet wikipedia page, and it contained the following:
802.11n is a recent amendment which improves upon the previous 802.11 standards by adding multiple-input multiple-output antennas (MIMO) and many other newer features. The IEEE has approved the amendment and it was published in October 2009.[9][10] Prior to the final ratification, enterprises were already migrating to 802.11n networks based on the Wi-Fi Alliance's certification of products conforming to a 2007 draft of the 802.11n proposal.
So, it appears that the airport express has not been updated. Does this make a difference in performance or compatbility with my iPad? I really don't want to overthink this issue, but the reason I am buying an airport device is to solve problems I am having with my verizon fios actiontec wireless router, and I do want to solve the problem.
Thanks!

Apple AirPort Express - use only as wireless audio gateway

Hello!
I use a Samsung Notebook (Q35) and iTunes extensively. My WLAN (801.11 g) connection is already set up with an existing access point and router - but what I really want to do is to make up a wireless audio connection between iTunes and my stereo system. Sounds like the AirPort Express is the right thing to do - but, please, can anybody tell me
a) if I can use both my existing WLAN network and the AirPort Express as ONLY audio gateway to my stereo TOGETHER at the same time (I do not want to include the AirPort into my WLAN-DSL network - I only want to use it as audio gateway to the stereo),
b) which performance I can expect in such configuration (does surfing the internet slow down the audio link in such configuration)?
c) can I use the AirPort Express to take up an extrenal harddrive in such a configuration?
Do You have any suggestions of alternatives for a wireless audio gateway to the stereo? Are there other, generally useable ways?
Thanks very much for Your answer in advance.
Björn
P.S.: Do You know - can I use the USB connector in the AirPort Express to connect to a USB hub - and use it to connect it to my iPod and synchronize my iPod wireless?

hi Björn,
a) if I can use both my existing WLAN network and the AirPort Express as ONLY audio gateway to my stereo TOGETHER at the same time (I do not want to include the AirPort into my WLAN-DSL network - I only want to use it as audio gateway to the stereo),
the Airpor Express can be configure to join your existing WLAN. so as a part of your local network, it will be an accessible device while you can still used your internet.
b) which performance I can expect in such configuration (does surfing the internet slow down the audio link in such configuration)?
i haven't notice a significant slow down while i'm surfing internet and streaming AirTunes but i'm not able to tell you how much bandwidth AirTunes actually needs.
c) can I use the AirPort Express to take up an extrenal harddrive in such a configuration?
No, only the new Airport Extreme n base station can support AirDrive but the Airport Extreme base station does not have the AirTunes features.
Do You have any suggestions of alternatives for a wireless audio gateway to the stereo? Are there other, generally useable ways?
personnally, i do beleive that the AirTunes features you will get with the Airport Express is the better alternative since you already use iTunes for your playback.
P.S.: Do You know - can I use the USB connector in the AirPort Express to connect to a USB hub - and use it to connect it to my iPod and synchronize my iPod wireless?
to my knowledge, the usb socket on the Airport Express can only be used by a USB printer or a AirTunes remote control. you will not be able to synchronize your iPod on the Airport Express.

When I connect my iphone directly to my receiver then connect to spotify, it plays through both speakers but when I connect wirelessly through airport express it only comes out through one speaker. Any thoughts?

When I connect my iphone directly to the receiver through a cable, it plays Spotify just fine but when I try to play wirelessly through Airport Express, it only plays through one speaker. Any thoughts?

yeah, that's what I figured.. I guess I'll try now to figure out exactly how to do that!

What is the transfer rate of an airport express extreme router?

I am buying a router and I could not locate (in the package) the transfer speed rate of an airport express extreme router. Does anyone know how they compare to other commercial routers, from say Cisco?

Yes it is interesting to look at the speed of technological advance. I first started using an Apple about 30 years ago when they had floppy discs rather than hard drives. Mine had two floppy disc drives so I could work all day without swopping discs (single disc drives needed you to swop the data disc and the programme disc every so often as the Ram on the machine was limited. Since then I have up-graded every 4 to 5 years (approximately every other operating system upgrade)
Before that, in the 1970's we were changing from slide rules to electronic calculators which got steadily better and cheaper. The early Anita Calculator (with valves) cost as much as a small car - now they give simple calculators away with Christmas Cards.
I wonder how much further the technology behind the home computer will go before further advances, like those in calculators, become pointless from the user's point of view. Maybe it will take another 10 years or so but once everything we want to do is incorporated into a voice driven computing device possibly storing data in the cloud, then it will be the reliability of the components that will be the benchmark of a good system and having the latest "fastest" model will be far less important.

Airport Express can only extend network, not create new one. Why?

I am sharing a flat with some friends. The shared broadband router is placed in the living room. To strengthen the signal and make it easier for me to manage, I bought an Airport Express, connected it to the shared router with an ethernet cable and set up a wireless network of my own in my room. It was working fine, until recently we renewed our broadband contract. The router had been replaced by a new one (I don't know why) and the network configration had been changed. Since then I was not able to use my own network. In the Airport Utility display, the light of Airport Express is green, but the light of Internet is yellow, and the status is disconnected. I tried to change various other configuration on the Airport Express, and all in vain. Until I switched the network mode from 'Create a new wireless network' to 'Extend a wireless network', the Internet connection was finally back online. But this merely extends the existing network and not what I want. Why this happens? Why my Airport Express can only extend a network, not create one?

Here is the situation on my Airport Express.
If I choose to extend the existing wireless network, the Airport Utility shows like this:
If I set up a wireless network of my own, what I get in the Airport Utility is this:
See my problems here? The Airport Express does not show anything in amble, but the Internet complains that there is no connection.
This problem did not occur before the broadband was renewed and the rounter was replaced.

Airport express / extreme / Time Capsule Range

Airport express / extreme / Time Capsule Range
Can anyone please tell me what is the approximate range of Apple Airport Products.
While doing sell in Apple store customer always ask us this question and we don't had any answer for it.
So please if anyone has the answer do reply on this.
- - - Akshay k. (ACMT)

The range is about 50 meters or 150 feet.....but this assumes that the AirPort is being used in a very large open space like a aircraft hangar.....with no obstructions in the signal path.
Chances are, your home is laid out a bit differently, so without knowing a number of variable factors like.....
1) How many walls there will be in the signal path between wireless devices
2) The actual construction type of the walls, ceilings, etc
3) Heavy furniture, large mirrors, etc. in the signal path
4 ) Other wireless networks around your home
5) Other wireless devices like cordless phones, BlueTooth devices, etc.
It would be impossible to tell you what the actual range might be in your home.
In general, assuming normal modern home construction, you would not want the wireless signal to pass through more than 2 or 3 walls....since each wall will absorb on average about 15-25% of the wireless signal. A ceiling will absorb even more because of its thickness.

Should I buy airport express, extreme or time capsule? I have my new Mac Pro. 2 iPhones, 2 iPads , and grandchildren who come with their devices. I live in a two-level house.

Should I buy airport express, extreme or time capsule? I have my new Mac Pro. 2 iPhones, 2 iPads , and grandchildren who come with their devices. I live in a two-level house.

A Time Capsule is an AirPort Extreme with a built in hard drive to allow your Mac(s) to back up automatically, so it's a logical choice if you need a wireless router and back up capabilities for your Macs
The AIrPort Extreme has a bit better antenna arrangement than an AirPort Express, so it would be a good choice for a two level house.
Depending on the location of the "main" wireless router, you may find that you still need to add an extender or two in other parts of the house for full, fast wireless coverage. The AirPort Express is a good choice for this duty.
To compare the 3 Apple devices, see this Apple support document:
Compare Apple Wi-Fi base stations AirPort Express AirPort Extreme Time Capsule

HT4307 Works out-of-box with Airport Express Extreme, or not?

"With most Wi-Fi networks, Game Center will just work."
Does this mean that a Airport Express Extreme will work out of the box with Game Center? Or do I need to configure the firewall?

The HT4307 article you attached has a sentence that starts: "To use Game Center on a restricted Wi-Fi network, ..."
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DHCP issues connecting a Macbook to an Airport Express/Extreme network

My fiancée's macbook sometimes won't connect to our network, while my MBP has no such problem. A wireless connection is successfully established, but it doesn't get an IP address assigned. I've tried turning on/off Aiport, renewing the DHCP release, but to no avail. It continues to have a self-assigned IP address.
Currently, a reboot (much to her annoyance) is the only known solution.
My network consists of an Airport Extreme base station (v5.7) and an Airport Express enabled as a WDS remote base station.
Any tips into how to better diagnose this problem will be much appreciated.
At the very least, is there a way to restart (SIGHUP?) the Airport daemon as if it were going through a reboot?
Thanks
2.16Ghz 17" Macbook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.8) 1.8GHz Power Mac G5

I had to reset the password at the Airport Express unit and essentially start over with it.

Using airport express/extreme with network printer

I'm kinda unsure on what exactly the airport express does. I have a network printer however it is too far from my router to connect it. Also having the router in the basement makes getting a connection three floors up a little difficult. Would I be able to use the airport express or extreme as a secondary router that can connect to my primary router and also plug my printer either via ethernet or USB? To connect is to speakers too would also be neat.

Of the two, only the 802.11n AirPort Express Base Station (AXn) would provide for a connection to speakers.
Both the 802.11n AirPort Extreme Base Station (AEBSn) and the AXn are Internet wireless routers. Both support connecting a printer via either Ethernet or USB. Note; however, that the AirPorts can only share printers attached to their USB ports. Printers attached to their Ethernet ports would have to be Network-Ready. Meaning that they would need to provide their own means to provide sharing on the network.
If your existing router is NOT another AirPort, then extending its range with either AirPort would, most likely, not work ... at least, not via a wireless connection. It may be possible to extend the wireless range if either AirPort could be connected back to this router by Ethernet.

HELP! - sudden failure of Airport Express/Extreme

After months of flawless performance, my airport extreme/express base station (via AT&T DSL modem) suddenly died. It can no longer be recognized by my new MacBook and 4-year-old iMac; it disappeared from my airport drop-down menus literally overnight. After fiddling with it for hours, resetting, turning things on and off, etc., I was able to create a new base station name which the MacBook recognized and gave me internet access. I was not able to duplicate that solution with the iMac. I renamed the base-station it was picking up, got a full Airport signal but was not able to get on the internet. The express has only blinked amber ever since I tried resetting it. What should I do????
Is it possible that a new network was introduced by a neighbor that has blocked mine? How do I circumvent that problem and restore the service I have enjoyed for many months?
Please help me.
Many thanks.

Welcome to the discussion area!
Is the Express wearing out?
I suppose it is possible, but these devices tend to either work or not work.
Have you checked to see if there are other wireless networks near you that may be showing up? If another network is on the same channel or a close adjacent channel, that could cause signal strength problems with your network.
Don't forget that the neighbor's cordless phone may be causing some issues, or if there is a new security system nearby, that's a possibility as well.
Most newer routers allow their owners to "hide" their network, so to make things a bit more challenging, it's always possible that you may be encountering interference from a network that you cannot "see".
Give a utility like Air Radar a try to display the visible wireless networks around you. It won't pickup an offending cordless phone or a security system, but may give you an idea of how crowded the airways are there.
If you see another network on a channel that the close to your network, try changing the channel on your network to a setting that is as far away as possible from the other networks you see. If there are "hidden" networks around you and you still have problems, you will simply need to experiment to see if you can find a good channel.

Airport express/extreme weirdness

Hey, all.
I have an AirPort Extreme as my main router. I have an airport express in a building next door that I am using to extend my wireless network. Has worked pretty well for a while now.
Just switched internet providers, and my AirPort Extreme started blinking amber, but, weirdly, everything seemed to work fine. But it bugged me that it's not green. At one point in my search to fix this, I was given an onscreen prompt to switch from "DCHP AND NAT" to "Off (bridge mode" which I did and voila! Green light on the AirPort Extreme.
Happiness until it started noticing that my airport express started behaving badly! First it linked to another airport express in the airport utility graph instead of linking directly to the AirPort Extreme like it had before. Then it just started only staying connected for about 10 minutes at a time, then blinking amber and dropping off the network.
So I switched BACK to the original "DCHP AND NAT" setting and now everything is working fine again...except that my AirPort Extreme is blinking amber again!
Any thoughts? I guess I'm just worried that an amber blinking AirPort Extreme doesn't seem reliable, but at the same time, everything with my networks and internet seems to be working that way. Would love to hear any theories. Thanks!

The range is about 50 meters or 150 feet.....but this assumes that the AirPort is being used in a very large open space like a aircraft hangar.....with no obstructions in the signal path.
Chances are, your home is laid out a bit differently, so without knowing a number of variable factors like.....
1) How many walls there will be in the signal path between wireless devices
2) The actual construction type of the walls, ceilings, etc
3) Heavy furniture, large mirrors, etc. in the signal path
4 ) Other wireless networks around your home
5) Other wireless devices like cordless phones, BlueTooth devices, etc.
It would be impossible to tell you what the actual range might be in your home.
In general, assuming normal modern home construction, you would not want the wireless signal to pass through more than 2 or 3 walls....since each wall will absorb on average about 15-25% of the wireless signal. A ceiling will absorb even more because of its thickness.

Airport express\extreme problems

i hooked up my new airport extreme and it is working... but now im trying to set up my airport express and it wont work... can i join the two together?

I believe I have it figured out ...
Just havent moved my xbox upstairs yet to see if the eth connection works or not ..
But that doc that everyone references us to is old. The whole auto configure stuff is not there.
For both the Base and AX i used manual mode to configure
So i configured it as a WDS.
Some quick notes thrown together from memory-
Make a note of your MAC address of your AX and Base stations (known as the Airport ID)
Make a note of your network name from your base
Pick a channel for your wireless from your base - ie 11 make a note of it
Go into you base - change your type to participate in WDS network.
Click on your WDS tab, make it a main type
Click on allow wireless clients
That next box where it asks for a client or something - click that + sign.
Plug in the MAC address of your AX - give it name - hit ok and update -
When it comes up you will notice the status of the base is yellow - it should be because there are no WDS relays connected ..
Now with your AX plugged into the wall .. click your network icon and join the other network that is the name of your AX Apple something -
Once you are connected to that network and you see it in airport utility - highlight the AX and click manual configure -
Type change it to participate in WDS network
Channel - use the same channel that your base uses
Network name - type in the same name as the network name as the bases network name
WEP - 128 - (if you used wep) - type in the password - the password that u used when you set up your bases wep
go to the WDS tab - type - network relay
Base station - click the + sign and enter in the the MAC address of your base
and use the ol bridge only mode - so ip addresses are dished out from the base ..
click update ..
Then once it restarts both the base and the AX should have green lights ..
Think thats about it - if anyone has any input if i did anything wrong please let me know -

Airport Express/Extreme Skipping

I recently added an Airport Express to my network. Annoyingly, since doing so, it skips, especially during the evening hours.
I've tried changing the channel of the Airport Extreme, which helps until the following day (I've tried all channels) and tried setting it to automatic.
The only thing that I could possible see correlating to the skipping is my wife coming home with her iPhone. But, that would put four devices on the wireless network.
1. My laptop
2. My iPhone.
3. Wife's iPhone.
4. Wireless printer (not physically connected to airport express).
To convey how annoying this is would require an icon of me taking a hammer to the express and extreme. Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.
Kyle

Pleeeeease post if you find any answers! I'm having the same problems.
I have itunes playing through 'multiple speakers' and in that list is 'computer' (the built-in speakers), an airport express (connected to speakers) and apple tv. And every so often (like once a minute or so?) the sound drops from the remote speakers. It keeps playing through the computer, the the airport express and apple tv go silent. It seems to come back, after anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.
It's supremely frustrating.
And I can't find any rhyme or reason to it. I never had this problem before I moved, and once I moved I switched ISPs, and had some massive network issues- but they've all be resolved. So I don't know if it's something with my network (though I'd think if it were a network problem it would simply "not work", not "work sometimes".) There have also been some airport updates and system updates too, so it's hard to pinpoint it.
But I'm glad I'm not alone, and any suggestions are MORE than welcome!
Thanks!!

Airport Express - Extreme: only 6 MBit in 5 GHz 802.11n-only mode??

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