Can't browse internet while playing music over Airport Express

Question

Hello,
I have a 802.11n wireless network using a D-Link DIR-615 router. I have 2 AX's, one for the printer and one recently purchased to play music on my home stereo. The AX's are set to join the existing network.
I can play music over the AX just fine, and I can browse the internet wirelessly just fine.... but...
When I am playing music AND want to browse at the same time, I can do so for about a minute, at which point the internet stops working (I get time-outs) and a couple minutes later, the music also stops. To fix it, I have to turn off AirPort on my MacBook Pro (using the icon in the upper right of the screen), and then turn it back on.
Why is this happening? How do I fix it? I've tried changing the channel on the router. I suspect it's something to do with the router... but Apple folks are so much more helpful!

Answer 1

Based on the information in your posts, you are likely encountering a signal strength issue, an interference issue with another wireless network or device, or a combination of the two.
iStumbler will help with identifying one or both of these potential issues.
When you open the application, check your signal strength. If you have a "good" signal, your wireless signal strength will appear in green. If it's yellow, you have a marginal signal, red, etc. If your signal is not in the green area, you need to position the router and Express closer together or try to eliminate any obstructions between devices as much as possible. A typical sheet rock and stud wall will on average, absorb about 15-20% of your signal.
Then look for other wireless networks that may be displayed in the iStumbler window. Any visible network that is using the same channel or a close adjacent channel as your wireless is a likely cause of interference. If you see this, change the channel on your router to see if you can find better airspace.
You may need to experiment with this a bit, as most modern routers allow a user to "hide" their network. So, it's quite possible that another network that you cannot see is interfering with your signal. All you can really do is keep trying different channels until you find a better setting or run out of channels.