I have a 2nd gen airport extreme (no time capsule) and 2nd gen airport expresses:  is there any new additons I can make to my existing network to improve reach and integrity of signal?

I have the older airport extreme and 2 2nd gen airport expresses in a large house.  Lately I have been getting complaints about internet  "drop out" and weak signal (orange signal - weak network)  in one (oddly enough the nearest one to my extreme).  What can I do to insure network and internet integrity going forward. Do I buy a new a. extreme and convert the old one (how is also a question)?  Do I buy new expresses?  (and why) Do I move the original express out of room and get longer internet cable?  Extreme is upstairs in a split level and must remain there because of proximity to modem and its connection to security. The "working" express is all the way on the other side of the house through 2 concrete walls and does ok - though signal is understandable week. The nearer one with the "problems" is at the foot of the stairs less than 50 feet away, behind an always closed door  (not tested-belongs to teenager voicing complaints).  Incidentally the other bedroom directly across from the closed door one, houses a temporary adult child at home who has no problems with their lap top (2nd gen macbook) and signal.

There is no easy answer to your question, but here are some things to think about.
The newest generation of airport extremes and expresses are dual-band devices. they transmit on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies. the 2.4 GHz frequency penetrates walls better than the 5 GHz frequency which is faster in terms of data throughput. they also have improved antennas which may help your signal problems. unfortunately the only way to be sure would be trial and error you can also walk around with a laptop and monitor the signal strength to see where you have dropouts and consider repositioning your express devices to compensate . 

Similar Messages

  • How do I add an Airport Extreme with Time Capsule to an existing non-Apple network?

    How do I add an Airport Extreme with Time Capsule to an existing non-Apple network?  I have an ISP provided wireless Router that has to remain as the base station.  I am able to join my 1/2TB Airport Extreme and Airport Express to the network, but I can't access/use Time Machine.

    One option would be to connect the Time Capsule (TC) to the ISP-provided wireless router by Ethernet. You can then configure the for a roaming network. Then, depending on what your goal is for the AirPort Express, you can either: 1) Add it to roaming network, 2) Configure the TC & the Express for an "extended" network, or 3) Configure the Express to "join" the roaming network for AirPlay.

  • My home network has an Airport Extreme w/Time Capsule as the base and then an Airport Express and a second Airport Extreme to reach different areas of the house.  Is there a way to use the second Airport Extreme for file storage on this network?

    My home network has an Airport Extreme w/Time Capsule as the base and then an Airport Express and a second Airport Extreme to reach different areas of the house.  Is there a way to use the second Airport Extreme for file storage on this network?  Network is administered through an iMac running OS X Yosemite 10.10.2.  Ideally, would like for the second Airport Extreme hard drive to appear on the list of devices in the Finder window.

    Ok.. gottcha
    The problem is network wise.. Yosemite is about equal to tin cans and string.. pathetic.
    Here is my usual set of instructions to get anything working on Yosemite.
    The best way to fix problems is a full factory reset of all the AE in the network.
    Factory reset universal
    Power off the AE.. ie pull the power cord or power off at the wall.. wait 10sec.. hold in the reset button.. be gentle.. power on again still holding in reset.. and keep holding it in for another 10sec. You may need some help as it is hard to both hold in reset and apply power. It will show success by rapidly blinking the front led. Release the reset.. and wait a couple of min for the AE to reset and come back with factory settings. If the front LED doesn’t blink rapidly you missed it and simply try again. The reset is fairly fragile in these.. press it so you feel it just click and no more.. I have seen people bend the lever or even break it. I use a toothpick as tool.
    Then redo the setup from the computer with Yosemite.
    1. Use very short names.. NOT APPLE RECOMMENDED names. No spaces and pure alphanumerics.
    eg AEgen5 and AEwifi for basestation and wireless respectively.
    Even better if the issue is more wireless use AE24ghz and AE5ghz with fixed channels as this also seems to help stop the nonsense.
    2. Use all passwords that also comply but can be a bit longer. ie 8-20 characters mixed case and numbers.. no non-alphanumerics.
    3. Ensure the AE always takes the same IP address.. this is not a problem for AE which is router.. it is a problem for AE which is bridged.. you will need to set static IP in the main router by dhcp reservations or use static IP in the AE which is tricky.
    4. Check your share name on the computer is not changing.. make sure it also complies with the above.. short no spaces and pure alphanumeric..
    5. Make sure IPv6 is set to link-local only in the computer. For example wireless open the network preferences, wireless and advanced / TCP/IP.. and fix the IPv6. to link-local only.
    6. Now mount the disk of the second AE in finder... manually.
    Use Go, Connect to Server and type in the AE ip address.
    SMB://10.0.1.2
    Where you will replace that address with the actual address. The network resource should be discovered and then it will request the password.. type that in and make sure you tick to save it in your keychain.
    There is a lot more jiggery pokery you can try but the above is a good start.. if you find it still unreliable.. don't be surprised.
    Do as much as you want of the above... not all of it is necessary.. only if you want it reliable.. or as reliable as Yosemite in its current incarnation can manage.
    The most important thing is point 6.. mount the disk using direct IP address and not names.. dns in Yosemite is fatally flawed.
    See http://arstechnica.com/apple/2015/01/why-dns-in-os-x-10-10-is-broken-and-what-yo u-can-do-to-fix-it/

  • Connecting to Airport Extreme w/ Time Capsule

    How can I connect a MacBook Pro to an Airport Extreme w/ Time Capsule?
    The computer does not have an ethernet connection.
    I would like to perform the first backup to Time Capsule with the computer physically connect to the Airport Extreme.

    You'll need Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter - Apple Store (U.S.)

  • How can I tell if my computer (2x2.26 Quad Core Xeon MAC Pro) and my Airport Base station(Airport Extreme 1Tb Time Capsule) are Gigabit compatible?

    How can I tell if my computer (2x2.26 Quad Core Xeon
    c Pro) and my Airport Base station(Airport Extreme 1Tb Time Capsule) are Gigabit compatible?  I want to add a Cisco switch to the network.
    Thansk
    Tony Breuer

    All Mac Pro's ever made have shipped with gigabit ethernet.  The last non-gigabit tower desktop Apple made was the very first generation PowerMac G4's back in 1999.
    Similarly, all Time Capsules have been gigabit ethernet as well - never been one that was not.

  • Replacing older airport extreme with time capsule

    I am thinking of replacing my airport extreme with time capsule. I had a lot of problems setting up airport extreme a few years ago - now it is very reliable. I don't want to have the same issues with time capsule. Can I simply physically replace the airport extreme with time capsule using the same settings as previously
    Advice gratefully anticipated

    Welcome to the discussion area, pancuronium!
    You will use AirPort Utility on your Mac for this operation:
    (Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities > AirPort Utility)
    Open AirPort Utility and click Manual Setup
    Click the File menu at the upper left corner of the screen near the Apple icon
    Click Export Configuration File
    Assign a name to the file and save it to a convenient location like the desktop
    When you are ready to install the Time Capsule....
    Open AirPort Utility and click Manual Setup
    Click the File Menu
    Select Import Configuration File
    Navigate to locate the file that you exported to import all the settings into a new configuration for the Time Capsule
    Message was edited by: Bob Timmons

  • What is the best long range wireless router, airport extreme or time capsule? Or?

    I need a wireless router that will reach 350--400 feet with a strong enough signal to use Netflix. This will be line of site in a rural area reaching from one trailer to another. Both trailers run on 12volt solar systems but trailer A has an inverter to convert to 120volts for a wireless router. Trailer B only has 12volt power so the Internet signal must come exclusively from the wireless router in Trailer A. There is no electricity available for booster wireless routers in between the two trailers.
    We don't need all of the bells and whistles like being able to connect to printers etc. This is just about sending out a strong enough signal to watch Netflix. Which is more powerful for this purpose? Airport Extreme or Time Capsule? If neither of those is strong enough, what is?
    Thanks,
    SV

    The issue you are really facing is the long distance (at the WiFi frequencies) you have to travel.  The Extreme has a radiated power of 23 dBm, nominal, which can reach 50-150 feet depending on you you are talking to...and that is measured in a closed test chamber at ideal air temperature and humidity, no obstructions.  In the real world that signal will be attenuated significantly just by the air alone, assuming completely obstacle free path, and subject to interference from other sources in the area, such as cell phones and cordless phones, and microwave ovens.
    The AirPort units have enclosed antennas that cannot be connected with an external gain antenna.  So you are stuck with what is in the box.
    Other products, commercial, do use external antennas so you may want to do some research in that area.
    Keep in mind that the 802.11n protocol uses two frequency bands, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.  Signal attenuation increases rapidly as a function of frequency.  You will get much less distance if you use the 5 GHz band, so it would be best to restrict operation to 2.4 GHz.
    Now, another aspect, at 2.4 GHz you are in the Ultra High Frequency portion of the spectrum...exposure to radio frequency energy at high power should not be considered a safe or desirable thing in the UHF range.  Most communication specialialists try to minimize exposure at these frequencies.  The reason for saying this is you will need significantly greater radiated power than the Extreme can deliver to reach 400 feet.  You might want to do some searches on health effects of the RF energy you will be transmitting.
    So, bottom-line, I have difficulty encouraging using wireless tranmission at the WiFi frequencies for the distance you need.

  • My iPhone 4s notified me that I had to manage my storage  so I deleted  apps that used a lot of space I deleted almost all my picture and it still keeps telling me  I don't have enough storage  is there any other way I can make room on my phone ?

    My iPhone 4s notified me that I had to manage my storage  so I deleted  apps that used a lot of space I deleted almost all my picture and it still keeps telling me  I don't have enough storage  is there any other way I can make room on my phone ?  Were it shows how much storage  I have available it still says 9.9 even after all that I have done so I don't know if I need to change my storage plan or what but anything will help I guess

    Check for 'others' in iTunes against your iPhone.
    Restore from a previous backup to reclaim some of it.
    Still want more, Restore in iTunes, setup as New.

  • Hi am having problems with iTunes,I have all my music on my 4s but I bought the iPhone 5 today.us there any way that I can transfer music over to my new phone without using the library?as it doesn't seem to be on my PCM anymore.

    Hi am having problems with iTunes,I have all my music on my 4s but I bought the iPhone 5 today.is there any way that I can transfer music over to my new phone without using the library?as it doesn't seem to be on my PC anymore.i reset my pc and save my iTunes to a hard drive but can't access it.Need help please

    " When I did this, my library showed all the music I have "purchased" from itunes but did not have the music that I downloaded a long time ago through itunes from my old CDs."
    Correct.
    " How can I get that music to show up in my library now on my new computer?  "
    Copy it from your old computer or your backup copy of your old computer.
    The sync is one way - computer to ipod.

  • Swap airport extreme with time capsule

    My family has an Airport Extreme (2 years old) with two additional Airport Expresses for Airplaying music from iPad, iPhones and iPod Touches.  Just purchased a 2 TB Time Capsule for backup purposes of the MacBook Pro.  Would like to exchange the Airport Extreme with the Time Capsule but really could use detailed step-by-step, since I would like to keep all passwords/configurations the same.  Could somebody help?

    Easy solution:
    Shut down everything (remove power.) Disconnect the AEBS. Replace it with the Time Capsule by connecting all cables in the same way. Then turn on the modem and wait for it to communicate with your ISP. Next turn on the Time Capsule and wait until the status light turns green or blinking amber. Last, turn on the computer(s). You should be all set. Open Airport Utility to do any tweaking that may be needed for security and wireless, etc.

  • I receive a not connected to the internet message several times daily on my iMac connected via airport to a time capsule which accesses the internet via cable modem.. When I input my password to enter network preferences, the connection re-establishes.

    I receive a "not connected to the internet message" several times daily on my iMac connected via airport to a time capsule which accesses the internet via a cable modem. Software/firmware is up to date on the iMac (OSX 10.6.8)  and Tme Capsule(7.5.2). Browser is Safari 5.1.
    When I input my password at the prompt to enter network preferences, all the lights go green (ie... ethernet, ISP etc.) and the connection re-establishes immediately and states "the connection appears to be working normally".
    It more of a nuisance than anything and seems to have started ocurring over the past couple of months. I also have a windows XP box also connected to the same cable modem that I never have internet connectivity issues with. I've verified all the physical aspects of the connections and can't see any evidence of any actual drops in the modem logs. I suspect it is just an intermittent communication loss between the Imac and the Time Capsule, but I am not very familiar with Mac equipment yet.
    Just wondering if anyone has experienced a similar problem and what you did (if anything) to resolve it?
    Thanks.

    The AirPort Express will connect to your existing wireless network if the network is using WPA2 Personal or WPA/WPA2 Personal wireless security settings.
    So, it can join the network as a client and then provide an Ethernet signal to your Time Capsule.
    Be sure to configure the Time Capsule to operate in Bridge Mode so that it will be operating on the same network.

  • Connecting a StoreJet Cloud to Airport Extreme or Time Capsule

    The Transcend StoreJet Cloud is a wireless mobile storage device for use with things such as an iPad or iPhone. It is possible to set it up in a bridged mode (think "pass through"!) so that when an iPad is connected to its network the Internet can stil be accessed. I've had this working successfully with it bridging to D-Link and Huawei 3G Mi-Fi wireless routers but won't play ball at all with either of my Apple units - an Airport Extreme BS and a Time Capsule.
    The AEBS & TC are running in bridged mode connected to a trio of Netgear routers that are specially configured to run in a bonded mode using a Sharedband service. One of the Netgears provides DHCP services for the network. NAT is disabled, a requirement in the way they are configured. The TC runs in wireles n mode only for newer stuff in the house with the AEBS running in b/g/n mode for compatibility with older devices.
    As the StoreJet uses wireless n I have attempted connecting to both the AEBS and TC.  In both cases Airport utility reports that the StoreJet is a connected client (correct MAC address) BUT I am unable to use any Internet services in this "pass through" mode when the iAd is connected to the StoreJet. Airport Utility reports that the StoreJet connection is Excellent but the Data Rate only ever shows as 1 Mb/s with a RSSI of -52 dBm.  I am unable to check whether the StoreJet has been assigned an ip address as it is not possible to interrogate it for that and the Netgear router only lists ip addresses given to connected wired clients.
    I did try taking the AEBS out of bridged mode and ran the DHCP services from the instead of on the NetGear but still could not make things work. I'm waiting for a response from Transcend Support but thought I'd also post this issue here in case anyone can shed some light on it or provide suggestions of anything else I can try.  There clearly seems to be some conflict with my particular Apple setup.

    Some more information on this issue:
    I managed to pick up another (brand new) wireless router from a local Cash Converters store this morning very cheaply (5GBP!).  Its a Netgear DGN1000.  I configured this as a wireless access point only, bridged to my main router.  Initially I had some problems, similar to my Apple devices,  connecting the StoreJet Cloud through it in bridged mode using WPA2.  After I switched the Storejet to use WPA rather than WPA2 (the NetGear is configured to mixed WPA/WPA2 mode) I got a successful connection.
    I then tried setting my 2 Apple devices to try to emulate this, i.e. use mixed WPA/WPA2 mode + connect the StoreJet using WPA.  This did not, however, work.
    Seems there may be 2 issues to look at here - connecting via Apple devices + connecting in WPA2 mode.
    The bottom line for me is that at least I have a wireless router in the house that the StoreJet will now work with and it cost me next to nothing.  Of course, I'd rather be running it via one of my Apple devices so as I don't have to be running yet another wireless network.
    If anyone else has, or is considering acquiring one of these handy StoreJet units, I hope my experiences are helpful to them :-)

  • Which is better AirPort Extreme or time capsule

    Aloha,
    I am about to buy an iMac, and I want to get the AirPort Extreme router as I heard good things about it, and that it is easy to set up. I am not good at networking and setting up a home wifi sharing environment. In fact this will be my first time doing it.
    I am wondering would getting the Time Capsule be better as it comes with a hard drive. I would be considering the 2 TB version.
    What is the difference between the two devices? Is the time Capsule the AirPort Extreme, but with a hard drive for time machine backups? Also, can you share the hard drive for other computers/devices on the wifi network?
    When setting up do you have to set up each device? I would be setting up 2 computers, a iPad, iPhone, and 2 printers.
    Mahalo,
    Johnny

    For an idea of the clone process, there is some info at this site, where
    one can also get a trial version that will run indefinitely (w/ limits) to
    be able to create a complete copy of the OS X as it is, from your Mac
    to an external drive. This would enable you to revert, restore, or have
    a complete system copy. Handy should you need to replace a main
    hard disk drive or upgrade to a larger one, as you re-clone that, back.
    http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html
    Also there is Carbon Copy Cloner, (bombich software) that has a fair
    history; and it has a limited duration demo. I have CCC for older OS X
    versions, and found I was wise to keep their original .zip installers as
    the CCC site does not have an archive. I've been referring to SuperDuper
    those with older OS X versions, as they have archive versions on-site.
    Companies such as OWC macsales have some fine external HDD
    enclosures with their own power supply, these can be used to store
    data, be partitioned for one or more OS X clone volumes, & more.
    Those with only port-power internal HDDs may not be suitable for
    use when troubleshooting issues with a Mac, as the Mac may have
    issue with its own power supply to those same ports...
    Anyway, hopefully your setup works well for you.
    Good luck & happy computing!

  • Add Airport extreme to Time Capsule to boost Wifi

    We currently use Time Capsule for Wifi throughout our house with one exception. Our family room is on the other side of a brick wall. We have an old Airport extreme and was wondering if we could somehow add it to the network to boost the wifi into the family room. Thanks.

    Hello williards. Welcome to the Apple Discussions!
    It is possible, but there are at least two things to consider before doing so:
    1) Mixing "n" and "g" AirPorts will only allow you to extend the wireless range in a static WDS. This means two things: The overall bandwidth (speed) will be cut in half, and the other is that this type of WDS can only operate in the 802.11g mode ... effectively, eliminating the advantage of "n."
    2) In order to extend the network wirelessly, the extending AirPort must have a sufficient signal from the AirPort it is extending. If wireless devices in the family room cannot get a good signal the old AirPort Extreme won't either and you will not be happy with the performance of the WDS.
    A few options would be:
    1) Connect the AirPorts via Ethernet.
    2) If Ethernet is not possible, consider employing Powerline adapters. These adapter take advantage of your home's electrical circuit to create a hybrid Ethernet circuit between adapters. Note: It is important that the two adapters are on the same electrical circuit.

  • Replacing Older Airport Extreme W/Time Capsule

    Greetings,
    Just received my new TC, and want to replace my existing Airport Extreme (older "Mushroom shaped' one).
    Do I have to setup an entirely new wireless network, or is there a way to just transfer the settings, etc. from the older Airport (network name, password, etc.)
    Trying to avoid having to reconfigure all the wifi devices in the house to work on the new TC.
    Thanks
    Jim

    Thanks for the response Tesserax!
    You are correct - during setup the TC provides several options including importing settings from a previous airport.
    Setup was easy and I'm pleased with the results - faster WiFi in the house, and 3 separate Macs backing up seamlessly to the Time Capsule - good stuff

Maybe you are looking for

  • Bridge for entire network

    Here is my problem. I am taking a back up drive full of client images. There are many folders/subfolders within this drive. Ultimately, I want each computer within the network to be able to do keyword searches for images. There are so many, I want th

  • How to put MVs or videos in Ipod

    Hello everyone. I just got a 30GB ipod video and im not sure how to use it. I put in all my songs and everything but I'm not so sure how to put music videos or videos into my ipod. I tried putting a music video i have but it doesnt show up so I'm pre

  • Basic Management of Navigation Panes Tools | Comment | Share

    Mac 10.1.13 I would like to keep my panes up after opening each document, but they keep closing. The other issue I have is once I go to edit a form, I cannot get back to the Tools | Comment | Share This is greyed out, so not sure why Only way out is

  • MediaKit Reports Partition {Map} To Small

    At the moment I have a partition on my hard drive which has a size of 249.99 gb the toal size of the hrad drive is 500gb Two issues are nedded help with: When I drog the the drive in disk utilities from 249 .99 to the full extebt of 500gb click on th

  • Converting .swf to video without losing frames

    This question has been asked and incorrectly answered a number of times already. Specifically, on an Apple computer, it seems that there is no way to get a video file (.mov, .mpg or any other) out of Flash Pro without severe loss of quality or comple