Airport Extreme...Faster?

I am planning on buying a airport extreme but I was wondering if it makes your internet/wifi faster?

The question is: faster than what?
The only Macs capable of the new 802.11ac protcol are the new MacBook Airs. Unless you have one of them then you will be using the same 802.11n protocol that has been in common use for over five years.
There are anecdotal reports that the new "tower" design conveys some range advantages, in which case you would enjoy the same speed over a greater distance vs. previous models.

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Airport Extreme (Fast Ethernet) + Airport Express (WDS) = disconnects

I have an Airport Express configured as a WDS, bridging a wired device (a small PC running Linux) to an Airport Extreme (Fast Ethernet). Security is enabled (WPA).
Frequently, the Airport Express disconnects from the wireless network and I have to reboot the thing by unplugging it. I have it set up to log to the PC, but I'm not sure what I should be looking for in the log.
Any guidance? I'd like to hold on to the Express, but I can't if it's acting flakey like this.

More than likely you are experiencing RF interference from other devices operating at 2.4 GHz. You can use a tool like iStumbler to see what other networks are visible in your area. Then you can configure your 2 base stations to use a channel which is as far as possible from the channels used by other networks.

Airport Extreme runs slow on iMac desktop but twice as fast on MacBook Pro - how can I improve upload speed on iMac?

I have already done a complete clean of the iMac, to no avail. Have read the recommendations for adjusting chaneels, etc and I've done that too. The iMac has clear line of sight and is 20 feet away distance from Airport Extreme. My MacBook Pro runs very fast at 68 download speed off this same airport unit even when on a different floor, near phones and typical interference, etc. the iMac runs only at about 20 at best. Any ideas for how to improve this? I would need specific step-by-steps since I am clearly not an expert.

The Airport Extreme model number is A1301. I am unsure how to locate the Radio Mode setting.... can you advise?
Ok you have a 3rd generation 802.11n AirPort Extreme Base Station (AEBSn) that is capable of providing a simultaneous dual-band Wi-Fi networks. By default, the Radio Mode is set to "Automatic." Which means that it will support 802.11b/g/n wireless clients on the 2.4 GHz band and 802.11a/n clients on the 5 GHz band.
Your wife's iMac, on the other hand, only supports wireless as a 802.11b/g client. That means it is only capable of connecting with a maximum bandwidth (speed) of 54 Mbps.
Any time a non-802.11n client connects to a 802.11n network, it basically "slows down" that network for other 802.11n clients like your MacBook Pro. The only option I see at this time to improve bandwidth for both your wife's and your Macs is to consider getting a wireless 802.11n USB adapter for the iMac. A number of vendors sell these. One of them is Other World Computing (OWC). They are inexpensive and should dramatically improve the bandwidth performance for her iMac.

How fast IS the AirPort Extreme?

I'm in need of a new router/modem to go along with my new ISP and new computer. (the computer is a windows) but i have 3 iMacs and 2 Windows.
I just have a couple of questions.
1. How fast Is the AirPort Extreme? Does it boost the speeds of the speeds you already get from the ISP?
2. Is it a router and modem all in one?
3. How compatible is it with windows? (can I set it up on a windows computer?)
4. Is it REALLY worth the cost?
5. What other router/modem combo can compare to it?

1. How fast Is the AirPort Extreme?
The Ethernet ports are 10/100 (100 Mbps max). The wireless interface is 802.11g (54 Mbps max).
Does it boost the speeds of the speeds you already get from the ISP?
No, the Internet access speed is limited by the connection speed to your ISP.
2. Is it a router and modem all in one?
It IS a router. It has a built-in 56k modem but it does not have a DSL or cable modem built-in.
3. How compatible is it with windows? (can I set it up on a windows computer?)
Ethernet and 802.11g are both standards. There is a Windows version of the AirPort Admin Utility which can be used from Windows to configure the AirPort Extreme base station (AEBS).
5. What other router/modem combo can compare to it?
Verify few other wireless routers have built-in USB printer support. Of those few devices even fewer are compatible with the Mac.

Is Airport extreme as fast as wired ethernet connection?

I was thinking of using my x-mas Apple gift cards to buy a refurbished Airport Extreme base station, though I am hesitant to use it if it will be slower than using the ethernet cable coming from my wired router directly. Also, I live in a house with other people, some of whom cannot use a wireless router, one of the cables from the router comes to my room. will I be able to plug that cable into the Airport Extreme base station and use it that way?

I was thinking of using my x-mas Apple gift cards to buy a refurbished Airport Extreme base station, though I am hesitant to use it if it will be slower than using the ethernet cable coming from my wired router directly.
For reference, here are the maximum bandwidths for different networking media types, from fastest to slowest:
o Gigabit Ethernet: 1000 Mbps
o 802.11n (5 GHz): 300+ Mbps
o 802.11n (2.4 GHz): 130+ Mbps
o Fast Ethernet: 100 Mbps
o 802.11a/g: 54 Mbps
o 802.11b: 11 Mbps
o Ethernet: 10 Mbps
So, for example, if the Ethernet connection between the current wired router is Gigabit Ethernet you would already have the best bandwidth available.
Also, I live in a house with other people, some of whom cannot use a wireless router, one of the cables from the router comes to my room. will I be able to plug that cable into the Airport Extreme base station and use it that way?
Yes, that is one possible configuration.

Faster link to AirPort Extreme (0x14E4, 0x111)

That's what System info tells me about my Airport Extreme. My question is: will my iMac get faster access to my broadband internet service by connecting it to my Airport Extreme with an Ethernet cable than by connecting it wirelessly? They are both on the same desktop.

Hi bobgoldstein,
So the model of AirPort Extreme Base station you have will not support 802.11ac wireless networking. The best data rate it will get over Wi-Fi is 450 Mbps, or roughly a third of what the newer model will get, and a bit less than half of the speed of using wired Ethernet. I would suggest using Ethernet if at all possible - you do mention that they are near each other so a wired connection should not be difficult. If you want to use Wi-Fi and have that speed you will need to get the newer model of AirPort Extreme Base Station.
Again, for reference see this page -
Apple - Mac - AirPort Extreme
One other thing I should mention here. If you are using this network mainly for accessing the Internet, your speed is more likely to be limited by the speed of your Internet connection. For example, if you only get 50 Mbps from your Internet service provider to the AirPort, you won't get anything faster to your iMac no matter what you use. If you are sending data between devices on your local network, however, then the differences can be significant.
Best,
Brett

I recently upgraded my internet service with Comcast for faster internet. When I user ethernet connection I get 50 MB download speed....when I use the wireless connection I get 10-20 MB speed. I have an airport extreme...3-4 years old. Why?

I recently upgraded my internet service with Comcast for faster internet. When I use an ethernet connection I get 50 MB download speed....when I use the wireless connection I get 10-20 MB speed. I have an airport extreme...3-4 years old. Why is the speed so different and are there settings I can change to increase the wireless speed?

If your supposed to be getting 20 Mb/s down via your ISP and both Mac's are not getting that on the SpeedTest, then obviously your router appears to be the cause.
Connect one Mac directly to the ISP's modem, power off/wait 30 seconds/then power on, then power on the Mac. The ISP will connect directly to the Mac, then run a SpeedTest.
Then repeat the same for the other Mac. If both Mac's have a problem then it's possibly the ISP, the modem, your lines to them or on your property, or both Mac's are messed up.
You'll have to keep searching for the cause. Call your ISP and ask then to run a test to see if your getting your 20 Mb/s to your modem, that should clear part of the problem.
Diagnosing network issues

Will adding AirPort Extreme to my fios router improve my speed and distance to led tv.. The tv keeps dropping network and 50% of the time it tells me my broadband is too slow. I have upgraded to fios faster internet speed.

Will adding AirPort Extreme to my Fios router improve reception on tv located about 50 feet away..have new top of the line samsung smart tv and it drops signal every other day. When trying to watch netflix or amazon it transmits in SD only says bandwidth is not high enough for Hd. My ipad laptops and iphone work fine in this room. Any help will be appreciated or am I better off with a booster.

The AirPort Extreme will not be able to wirelessly "boost" or "repeat" the wireless signal from the Fios router, since It will only work with another Apple router for that feature.
So, if you plan to extend or repeat the FIos wireless signal, you should use a product by the same manufacturer as the Fios router....or possibly a "universal" repeater from a company like Netgear.
Make sure that you understand the store's return policy before you buy any kind of extender or repeater.....since you cannot know if the product will help until you try it out in your home.
The TV really needs a wired Ethernet connection from the Fios router if at all possible.

Graphite BS faster then Airport Extreme BS - Why?

I've tried 2 base stations in my home. Same room, same location, same modem, same computer. My Graphite Airport Base Station pulls a 3.3 mb download and a 1.1 mb upload. My newer Airport Extreme Base Station pulls 1.9 mb download and a 900 kb upload speed. I have no idea why. I've tried reconfiguring different settings but nothing has worked.
What am I doing wrong?
tested on iBook g3 600mhz, 640ram, running 10.4.11.

The newer base stations are optimised for 802.11n. Although they are backwards compatible with 802.11a through g, performance is not as good when compared to an AEBS or AEX of the era. To get around this problem at home I run 2 wireless networks, one for n the other for everything else using respective base stations.

Can 2 airport extremes be linked for faster speed

I realize that linking. Two extremes extends my wireless network , but does it ( or can it) increase the speed of my network ?

It won't increase the speed of your network, but it will help keep the speed from falling off so quickly as you move away from the "main" AirPort Extreme.
So, adding an second Extreme will "extend" the speed of the network and allow more wireless coverage as well.

Internet - AirPort Extreme (b/g) - Time Capsule - File Server

I've got a small office network where files are served off a Mac mini, and iMacs connected via 802.11n wifi to the wired mini via Time Capsule. I have a spare AEBS (b/g) that I was thinking of setting it up for iPhone and guest access of internet. To keep the mini and iMacs secure, the set-up would be:
Internet -> AirPort Extreme (b/g) -> Time Capsule -> Mac mini and iMacs
The only issue I'm contemplating - the slower Ethernet ports on the Extreme - which I don't think is a problem for connecting to the Internet. Is there anything else I should be concerned about regarding network performance?
Thanks in advance for the collective wisdom!
Message was edited by: openarchitecture

That would work. The Ethernet ports on the AirPort Extreme base station (AEBS) is faster than your internet connection so you shouldn't have a problem.

How do I connect my Airport Extreme 802.11n to Epson 645 Printer?

I can't figure out how to connect my Airport Extreme 802.11n to my Epson 645 Printer. Can anyone help me? Thanks!

You may want to try reinstalling Mavericks. Airport Utility installed by Mavericks may no longer connect to your older AEBS (though I've not heard that.) Installing the Old AirPort Utility (Version 5.6) on Mountain Lion | frank.is.
Reinstall Lion, Mountain Lion, or Mavericks
     Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the
     COMMAND and R keys until the Utilities menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and
     after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears.
     Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
     Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.
     Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.
After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
     Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion, Mavericks: Select ReinstallLion/Mountain Lion, Mavericks from
     the Utilities menu, and click on the Continue button.
     Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is
                three times faster than wireless.

How do I set up Airport Extreme with cable modem and router?

Hi--
I'm having a house built and all of the wiring for TV, phone, and internet will be centralized in a closet. The cable modem can be placed there as well. In one room in the basement I want to use my Airport Extreme for my iMac and USB external hard drives. In another location of the basement, I'd like to set up a Time Capsule for another desktop and USB printer. If the cat5e comes out of the wall at each location, I "think" I need a router at the closet location. I also thought I might need an Airport Express upstairs on first or second floor to boost signal for my laptop. The house isn't that big so maybe that's overkill. So beyond the router question, do I want to set up a roaming network and have the Airport Express connected via ethernet or just wireless if the thought is that I need this? Finally, if I should connect cable modem to router to Airport Extreme, Time Capsule, etc., in what order and ports does the equipment get connected? Many thanks!!

Welcome to the discussions, Forum Girl!
It would be best to position the cable modem and main router in the central location like the closet if possible. The other devices would connect via ethernet to the wall jacks in each room.
If you could setup a "roaming" wireless network as you mention, this will give you better wireless performance and coverage. This is the way commercial establishments like airports, businesses, etc. are configured for wireless.
The order of connection would go something like this: ethernet connection > cable modem >main router>devices. Devices could be computers, routers, a backup device, etc. Since the Extreme has only 3 LAN ports for ethernet connections, you will also need to plan to install an "ethernet switch" near the location of the main router to provide enough ethernet jacks. If you are planning to use DirectTV, etc or your audio/video devices require ethernet connections (most new products do for updates and extra features), be sure to plan for that as well.
Make sure that CAT5e or CAT6 wiring is run so you will be able to take advantage of faster gigabit speeds.
Finally, it would be a good idea to work with an IT specialist to go over your plans to make sure all the bases are covered. This would be money well spent.

Do I need my Airport Extreme with my Comcast router?

Hi all,
I have an Airport Extreme - it's about four years old.
I also have Comcast Xfinity, but will likely switch to the business service - 75mb down, 15mb up. I just bought a Mini to use as a server for our home and business use.
Here's my question: Should I be using the Airport Extreme at all? I thought about buying the newest model, as I'm sure it's much faster. I have two computers connected through the AE using Ethernet, and I am not sure if I can do that with the Comcast box (can't look right now)
Any advice for me? Thanks in advance.
Hugh

Thanks for the pictures and link to the Arris manual.
You wrote that your Extreme is about four years old. If it is a dual band model that was first produced in March, 2009 it conveys the advantage of its ability to simultaneously create both 2.4 and 5 GHz wireless networks, while the Arris can only create a 2.4 GHz network. 2.4 GHz can be crowded and is susceptible to a variety of other interference whereas 5 GHz is less so. On the other hand, the Arris has a battery backup feature which enables its use, if only for a few minutes, during a power failure. The Extreme's LAN ports are also Gigabit - it's not clear if the Arris's are.
Therefore, each one has its advantages, but technically you do not need an Extreme unless your 2.4 GHz wireless performance is unacceptable, if you want to use the Extreme's "Guest Network", its Gigabit ports, USB / hard disk sharing, or its other attractive features. A genuine Apple AirPort Base Station is also required to fully implement some features particular to Mountain Lion, such as the ability to wake a sleeping Mac and use it remotely over the Internet. In addition to those, the current production model conveys the new 802.11ac wireless protocol which may become more important as wireless devices continue to proliferate.
The decision to upgrade your Extreme would be justified if you require any of those features, but if your network needs are satisfied with your current equipment, there is no pressing need to change anything.

Loss of download speed using airport extreme and express.

I have Wifi using an Airport extreme base station and an airport express extender. However, the download speed drops from 21 Mbps to 8 Mbps. Any suggestions to boost the express other than an ethernet connection which would be difficult.

Temporarily, power down the AirPort Express and take speed measurement at that exact location.
Whatever that is.....likely in the 8-10 Mpbs range......is what the Express will try to "extend".
In other words, the Express can only extend the bandwidth or speed that it receives. It cannot make the connection that it receives go any faster. In that regard, the term "repeater" is probably a more accurate description of what the Express is trying to accomplish.
If you want the Express to extend faster speeds, then it must be located closer to the AirPort Extreme. In addition, anything that you can do to reduce any obstructions in the signal path between the AirPorts will help.
Ideally, you want a line-of-sight relationship between the AirPorts to help reduce the amount of speed loss that occurs with any wireless connection.

Airport Extreme...Faster?

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