To Switch to 802.11G or Wait

I am currently connected to Bellsouth DSL through a three year old linksys comb modem/router that looks like it is 802.11b. When I run the speed test through both testing services, my speed is about 220kbps for upload and download. I purchased (not opened) the new airport extreme and plan to mate it with a dsl modem to speed up my system. The problem is that I will continue to run a mixed network even if I connect the wife's pc through my old airport express boxes. Should I change now or wait. 220 seems slow by what I am reading but who know. I don't want the trouble of a bridged system as the N system will just be used for apple TV once it is available.
Just a little technical and a whole lot confused. Captain Wally

Thanks for your response Winston but I had seen that set-up earlier and would like to avoid it. I am wondering if a mixed network (G and N) will run faster than what I have now (mixed B and G) (220kbps). I have two airport express connectors but I need to loose the old 802.11b router that seems the weak link.

Similar Messages

MacBook Pro switches to 802.11g - while "n" should be available

Hi there,
I guess one of the most confusing settings of my new TC is the "radio mode":
Right now, I have it set to "Automatic" - and my MB Pro (13") connects wirelessly using the fast 802.11n protocol.
However, as soon as I set radio mode to "_802.11a/n - 802.11b/g_", my MB immediately switches its wireless connection to the 802.11g protocol. (I discovered this by option-clicking on the AirPort symbol in the menu bar.)
This I don't quite understand since the "802.11a/n - 802.11b/g" setting should allow clients to connect using the faster "n" standard as well - or am I getting something wrong here?
Kind regards,
jan

jorhh wrote:
I guess one of the most confusing settings of my new TC is the "radio mode":
Right now, I have it set to "Automatic" - and my MB Pro (13") connects wirelessly using the fast 802.11n protocol.
However, as soon as I set radio mode to "_802.11a/n - 802.11b/g_", my MB immediately switches its wireless connection to the 802.11g protocol. (I discovered this by option-clicking on the AirPort symbol in the menu bar.)
This I don't quite understand since the "802.11a/n - 802.11b/g" setting should allow clients to connect using the faster "n" standard as well - or am I getting something wrong here?
Is your Time Capsule a "Simultaneous Dual-Band" model or the single-band model?

Is 802.11b/g faster then 802.11g

The wireless network I have at my house has two Powerbook G4s (Both with Airport Extreme Cards) connected to it and I am wondering if Switching to 802.11g is faster then 802.11b/g. I dont have any computers connecting that need 802.11b.
Thnx

OK, Just to give you an idea about the difference between the 2.
If you are accessing the internet and downloading things and only have a DSL connection or just ordinary dial up then you may just as well set your Macs to 'b'. Signal/Bandwidth strength is greater with 'b'. Most dial up is '56k' and mmost DSL is 512 to 2mbs. So just using 11b is more than plenty. But if you have DSL from 8 up to 24meg speeds then 'g' is what you should use. But remember that the '54' speed is only the transfer / communication speed between 2 points. You can transfer a large file say a CD of music from one iTunes on one Mac to another Mac (example) and use 11g. You could of course double this by using a ethernet connection between the 2 Macs at 100mbps or even Firewire at 400 ot 800.
So in a nutshell use 'g' if you are transfering large data file and need to minimize time. But then of course you will do what suits your environment best.
Cheers

Airport Express (Model with 802.11G +54MBPS Mac/PC and Set Up Issues

Hi,
We have a 4 Mac and 1 PC Household. Cable Internet Service by Roadrunner.Cable model (owned) connected to a D-Link 802.11G wi fi router (by ethernet from cable modem)in the family room , then out to a Imac (the half moon base and LCD screen with a airport card also in the family room and the closet computer to the D-Link
router, (we did add a D-Link antenna to the router ? about 10 months ago (a D-Link ANT24-0700 (Version 1.2)and a HP 4 in 1 printer attached via USB to the Imac
,a eMac 1.25 ghz 1Gb ram with airpot card also connected wirelessly (no printer attached on the same floor but in a ajoinging room about 20 feet from the Router, and another eMac 1.0 Ghz 1Gb ram with airport card in the upstairs part of our house (a bedroom) and no issue with Internet connection (it has a Epson 3in 1 printer attached via USB, and a MacBook Pro with 802.11N wireless card in side , bought for a Christmas/Birthday Present and also for college.It to has no issues with the Internet where ever it may be in the house. Our sole PC a HP tower with a added D-Link WDA -2320 Range Booster Desktop Adapter (802.11G) and we added a D-Link Antenna same model as the other a ANT24-0700 to help with Internet access which it did as well as adding some ram to increase page loading time etc. It does not have a printer attached. I will get to the Topic Area now
The Airport Express. I was not involved in the set-up as I was laid up due to a bad back and post major knee surgery , But I always (especially recently) wondered why the light was amber and blinking. I read through the manual and also
Apple.com support and MacFixit.com (which is under construction and moved to part of Cnet.com)and then went to the Airport Express Discussion area (sorry for being so wordy) I need a Twitter account to post!) We have a network name for the D-Link and the computers all were added and it also supports a Xbox 360, a Sony PlayStation 3 and a Nintendo Wi (in online use without issue) but..
A network was also as it appears to myself) for the Airport Express and under the half moon bars showing connection strenght (there is our D-Link network "phoenix" with security protection WPA2 I believe) as I have set up the router, We had a Apple Base station prior that was ? 802.11B (a half moon white unit) still have it in the box ) So for normal daily use, checking e-mail and internet use all of the computers use the "phoenix" or D-Link supported Router 802.11G
and The other network calld Apple Network with numbers and letters after it (and hopefully security) password is unknown , The Airport Express is set up connected via USB to a HP B&W laser printer which has saved quite a bit of money on ink, To utilize that printer you must switch from "phoenix" The D-Link router network to the Apple Network (followed by letters and numbers) The Imac and the eMac in the family room and a ajoing room (after switching to the Apple Network
can than print to the lasr printer. The eMac upstairs and the HP Windows XP Professional software can not print to the laser printer (yet the HP PC shows it as a individual network and a strong signal, equal to the Internet connection from the D-Link, and the eMac (after switching under the half moon (not the proper name I am sure) to get to the Apple Network to print , it will not print, yet it shows a 5 bar signal, same as the D-Link connection. I do believe we have two seperate networks (but do not understand why the two Mac's in the family room can print to the laser printer by simply switching networks and then file and print. ** One other 9probaly major item is that it states to set up the Airport Express with a Mac With OSX 10.4 or later (at the time of set up, we had the Imac and two eMac's all running Panther OSX 10.3.9 9which they continue to have installed) We obtained the HP Tower and Monitor and HP 4in 1 printer ust before Christmas in 2008 and the MacBook Pro in Mid December 2009 (current model and running Snow Leopard 10.6. The HP Tower runs Windows Xp Professional (Service Pack 3) so the MacBook Pro which is much more mobile , could be used to do the set-up, or the HP Tower coulf be moved temprarily, I do recall if Router changes (at least with The D-Link You need to be connected by Ethernet to the Mac
that would be doing the set up/configuration of the router (and it runs OSX 10.3.9 and is a older Mac (with 80Gb Hard drive that is partioned for OS9 and OSX as well , it is under a Ghz processor wise and less than 1 Gb of ram as the last ram slot required a seal to be broken and 256mb of ram (?) could be added
it has 768 mb of ram but knock on wood running well. We use Lacie external drives
on the Imac and both eMac's and need to get external drives for the HP PC as well as the Mac Book Pro (15" screen)
I apoogize if I repeated myself, and rambled but I wanted to (in one post) to explain our set up and network configuration
Questions
1) if indeed it is that the two networks is true and a set yp that is not correct
can the Airport Express be configured without opening up the router (when ever that happens it seems one computer is unable to get online and each time its a differnt one a Mac or veen the PC
The PC under My Computer and Networks clearly shows the wto distinct and seperate netwoks with strong signals and the distance is not far (it is through a floor as the other emac and the PC are upstairs and cabling by ethernet is not a option
2) If I need to open the router would I add the Airport Express as a client as if it was one of the computers or gaming systems on the network? (adding the Mac adress or IP address (not sure how you find the Mac address) and its been while since the router was opened up for any additions or work on it.
3) would it be on the same channel as the router or not ?
4) Hopefully with proper configuration the light will stay on (and green) on the A/E and the eMac and HP PC will be able to print to the laser printer. Currentlt
when anything needs printed from the PC its put on a Flasg Drive and plugged in tothe Imac and the the Apple Network is selected and data printed, The eMac upstairs has the option of using the attached Epson 3 in one or doing the Flash stick work around.
I would be verya appreciative if some one took a look at the set up above and advised me of what is right, what is not right* and what to do to fix things up
I would imagine after proper set up, delete the Apple Network from the PC and eMac upstairs and ? all of the computers as we should have one base station (the D-link and the spoke (the A/E connected by UBS to the A/E (it may be ethernet but the cable connection from the A/E to the HP laser printer is correct (the rest of the A/E set up ... Please , tell me where it is and where it should be
and ? any idea why we can print to the laser printer down stairs and not up stairs ? it did mention printer set up with Panther as possible, page 43 of themanual we have un chaper 5 Tips and Troubleshooting (under whn your printer isn't responding) (we do not have the interfereance listed in the manual,
our phones are land line, one 900 mghz and the others 5.8 ghz
It is possible to move the A/E and laser printer if that would help the two computers (desktops) upstairs) bt the distance is way less than 150 but their is a floor and ? duct work (metal ) but I think here is a place to stop typing and let some of the experts on the discussion forums take a look.
one lst note (as the lap top will be going off to college in the fall (runnning Snow Leopard, and the other 3 Mac's run Panther OSX 10.3.9 should the HP PC windows Xp Professional be the computer to set up the air port express and the Airport Utility proram installed & would this conflict with the current Router (set up by a Macc running OSX 10.3.9 (Panther) i.e (should both set ups be on the same computer?) but actually aThe D-Link is OSX10.3.9 compatible (and 802.11G) and set up requires ethernet connection to a Mac (You type in the numbers and . etc and password as administror and you are in, or should the admin be on the same cpmpuer for the router and A/E ?
(and considering a Airport Extreme Base Station as well as dual frequency simulataneus and 802.11N (for the laptop now) and future, or wait. The 802.11
in theory would broadcast farther..?? even if computers had 802.11b(our Mac Desk tops and the PC 802.11B card
Thanks Again!!!
Many, Many Thanks
amnienttales

William Boyd Jr.
Hello again,
D-Link Router is model DGL-4300 (along with a D-Link ANT24-0700 Omnidirectional
7dbi Antenna . Our Cable Internet ISP (Roadrunner) provides consumers with dynamic ISP address's . All Mac's have Airport Cards and The Hp Tower XW4550 has a D-Link Rangebooster G Desktop Adapter WDA-2320 (also with a D-Link ANT24-0700 Omnidirectional 7 dbi Antenna (the PC OS is Win XP Pro Service Pack 3) The 3 desktop Mac's run OSX Panther 10.3.9 , The 15" MacBook Pro OS is OSX 10.6 Snow
Leopard (not sure what is after the .6 (right now) D-Link's website is
http://www.dlink.com , I have configured this router multiple times in the past.
also added as clients on the network (Utilizing the D-Link Router) are a X-Box 360, Sony Play Station PS3, and a Nintendo Wii all of which have on line ability
and enables online video game play with any one online.
As mentioned prior the Airport Port Express is Model A1084 Part No. M9447OLL/A
which is USB conected to a HP LaseJet B&W , model 1020 and some how the two computers near it can switch to the Airport Express Network from the D-Link Router based Network and print wirelessly to the A/E connected LaserJetPrinter
I realize I will need to reconfigure the D-Link Router and add the A/E as a client. I will try first to use the Airport Utility and see if I can do anything
Utilizing it (adding it to the D-Link network, I think its unlikely but worth a try but* the password is unknown but I have a few guess's as to what it may be.
I do have the necessary admin and network paswwords to cconfigure the D-Link Router,
1) * If the the A/E Utility experiment fails and I need to re-configure the router * do I need to (as per the Airport Express Set Up Guide (Use a Mac with OSX 10.4 or later or a PC with Win Xp Home or Professional (have a desk top PC that has the specs) and The Mac Book Pro meets the Mac Spec's)
If I can not get a password to work on the A/E I would reset it using the reset button
And before plugging in the A/E , connect the appropraite cables in our case a USB cable to the LaserJet Printer then plug in the A/E
2) I would then connect by Ethernet from Either the Mac Laptop or The PC to the D-Link router (if not the router will not set-up correctly)
3) The one question that puzzles me is that we are not using the A/E as a base
but a client
in two sections(Using Airport Express , connecting a Printer via USB
and use Airprt Utility to create a new network or join a new newWireless computers using Mac OSX 10.2.7 (Tiger) or later or a PC with Windows XP and it then goes in to the steps of ising the printer for both a Mac and a PC (using Bonjour on the CD that came with the A/E (this appears to contradict needing to use Mac OSx 10.4 or a PC with Win Xp set the A/E up for use as a printer
(joiing a new network or existig one)
And in Chapter 5 Tips and Roubleshooting= Your Airport Express Status Light Flashes amber & Your Printer is not responding (it is flashing amber and the printer does not respond to the two computers upsstairs (one Mac running OSX 10.3.9 & One PC running WinXp and its states to make sure the printer is selected
in the Printer list o client computers, to do this on a Mac using OSX 10.3 or later , open Printer Set Up Utility and follow steps and if a PC with Windows XP , Open Printers and faxes and then follow steps
in Closing ? can I configure the A/E Utility with a Mac using 10.3.9 as above or
? Per Chapter 1 Getting Started use a Mac with OSX 10.4 or later or a PC with Windows Xp Home or Professional
Perhaps I am taking the tips and trouble shooting and Printer Set up out of context or does the getting Started Computer specs contradict them or are they
for use if the A/E was going to be a Base Station and not a client..
Will keep at it,
ambienttales

Airport Drives Me CRAZY! New 802.11n Network Slower Than Old 802.11g/b

I've been using Macs since 1988 and consider myself an advanced user. However, every time I setup a new Airport wireless network or re-configure an existing one, I feel like a helpless newbie trying to figure out how to open a folder on my desktop. No matter how many times I read the manual or the help files or these forums, I can never grasp what seems like it should be a simple path from A to B to C.
Anyway, here's my current situation: I've been successfully (I think) running a 6 year old AP Extreme Base Station [AE] (in my home office addition) and 2 Airport Expresses [AX] (one AX roughly 15 feet from the base station--through sheetrock, and the second AX roughly 30 feet from the first AX--through sheetrock and some wooden stairs. (so roughly 45 feet from AE to 2nd AX). It wasn't the speediest thing going but it did the trick with older Macs.
I recently bought a MacBook Pro which supports 802.11n. I most often use this laptop at the point in the house furthest away from the AE (Base Station) The AE (Base Station) is in my home office connected to my MacPro desktop (see #1 below). In addition, the family iMac is also in that room furthest from the AE. Using the new MacBook Pro with the old 802.11/g/b network turned out to be painfully slow. I was experiencing the same slow network connection my family has complained about for years with their older Macs and 802.11g/b.
I decided it was time to upgrade the whole network, if only to speed up my MacBook Pro connection. Bought new 802.11n Airport Extreme (MC340LL/A) and 2 new 802.11n Airport Expresses (MB321LL/A). Setup did not go smoothly. Again, my normally competent Mac persona was reduced to a babbling three-year-old. Had three different Apple techs on the phone trying to help me through it. Got different, contradictory instructions from the last two. Finally got all three units working, only to find that not only does my MacBook Pro seem even more sluggish than when connected to the old 802.11g/b network, but my wife tells me web pages are taking at least twice as long to load as with the old network.
As concisely as I can lay this out:
*1. Airport Extreme (Base Station)*
Connected via Ethernet from its WAN port to my Comcast cable modem. One Ethernet (LAN) port on that AE is then connected via Ethernet to my Netgear 8-port Ethernet switch. Ethernet from switch to Ethernet port 1 on my MacPro. (MacPro does NOT have an Airport card because I forgot to order one. Also I confirmed that this setup was functional by connecting to the AE wirelessly with my MacBook Pro showing the name I'd given the new network prior to adding the two AX's to the mix).
Some Airport Extreme settings of note (all accessed via "Manual Setup" button):
Airport Tab > Summary
Version 7.5.1
Wireless Mode: Create a wireless network
Channel: 149 (Automatic), 1 (Automatic)
Wireless Clients: 3
Airport Tab > Base Station:
Allow Setup over WAN: Unchecked
Airport Tab > Wireless:
Allow this network to be extended: Checked
Airport Tab > Guest Network:
Nothing checked
Airport Tab > Access Control:
MAC Address Access Control: Not Enabled
Internet Tab > Internet Connection:
Connect Using: Ethernet
Ethernet WAN Port: Automatic (Default)
Connection Sharing: Share a public IP address [Think this one is probably wrong]
Internet Tab > TCP/IP:
Configure IPv4: Using DHCP
Internet Tab > DHCP:
Shows Beginning & Ending Address
Internet Tab > NAT:
Enable default host at: Unchecked and blank field
Enable NAT Port Mapping Protocol: Checked
Internet Tab > Advanced
Didn't touch anything here, so all at defaults
*2. Airport Express #1: Living Room Express (Closest to AE (Base Station)*
Airport Tab > Summary
Version 7.4.2
Wireless Mode: Extend a wireless network
Connect using: Wireless Network
Channel: 1 (Automatic)
Wireless Clients: 1
Airport Tab > Base Station:
Allow Setup over the Internet using Bonjour: Unchecked
Airport Tab > Wireless:
Wireless Mode: Extend a wireless network
Allow wireless clients: checked
Airport Tab > Access Control:
MAC Address Access Control: Not Enabled
Internet Tab > Internet Connection:
Connect using: Greyed-out, not selectable
Connection sharing: Greyed-out, not selectable
Internet Tab > TCP/IP:
Configure IPv4: Using DHCP
Shows IP Address
Internet Tab > Advanced
Didn't touch anything here, so all at defaults
*3. Airport Express #2: Dining Room Express (Furthest from AE (Base Station)*
Airport Tab > Summary
Version 7.4.2
Wireless Mode: Extend a wireless network
Connect using: Wireless Network
Channel: 1 (Automatic)
Wireless Clients: 2
Airport Tab > Base Station:
Allow Setup over the Internet using Bonjour: Unchecked
Airport Tab > Wireless:
Wireless Mode: Extend a wireless network
Allow wireless clients: checked
Airport Tab > Access Control:
MAC Address Access Control: Not Enabled
Internet Tab > Internet Connection:
Connect using: Greyed-out, not selectable
Connection sharing: Greyed-out, not selectable
Internet Tab > TCP/IP:
Configure IPv4: Using DHCP
Shows IP Address
Internet Tab > Advanced
Didn't touch anything here, so all at defaults
SETUP/GOALS:
With Airport Extreme (Base Station) as the starting point, have the two Airport Express units with the strongest, fastest signal possible, provide Internet access (and file sharing, iTunes speakers capability) to three Macs (one older iMac, one older PowerBook and my new MacBookPro). Again, I believe my new MacBook Pro is the only one with 802.11n support, so I don't expect the other Macs to take advantage of the speed boost offered by the three new 802.11n devices.
+Any and all help with this will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!+

{quote}With the AirPort Extreme, in the AirPort panel, Wireless tab, click on the button for "Wireless Network Options", check the box for "5 GHz Network Name", and enter a different network name. (That can be trivially different, such as the name of the main network suffixed with an underscore and the digit 5.) Once configured that way, connect your "N" gear to each network in turn to see if one is any better than the other. (If you're wondering what effect this would have, it allows segregating your "N" gear from the older gear to prevent the older gear from slowing down your network. However, distance and interference from things like walls may negate any advantage.){quote}
William: I was gone most of yesterday, but had a chance to implement your recommendations today. I added the 5 GHz network as you suggested, but in order to connect to that at all with my 802.n11 MacBokk Pro, I need to be within a few feet of the AE (base station). If I try to access that network even from the next room (well within reach of both the AE and the livingroom AX, I get one bar and "failure to connect" messages just trying to logon to that network.
However, I did some experimenting that (as of right now, anyway) resulted in much faster network access, not only from my MacBook, but also from the older iMac which is the furthest Mac from the AE. According to my wife, that iMac is "loading web pages faster than I've ever seen them!"
Here's what I did:
1. Moved all three units to places where it seemed they would have the least amount of interference with the clearest path from unit to unit, also raising the height of both AXs from about 2-3 feet from the floor to about 5-6 feet from the floor.
2. Changed one setting on the AE (base station): Wireless Tab > Wireless Network Options > Multicast Rate ---> Changed this from Low to High.
I have a feeling the location shifts made the real difference, but I will try changing the multicast rate back to "Low" just to see what happens.
Paul

How's playback from external hard drives and 802.11g?

I'm thinking about putting my movies on an external Firewire hard drive connected to my iMac Intel Core 2 Duo.
Does it make a difference in playback jumpiness if any with:
1. The movies on an external Firewire hard drive connected to my Mac?
2. The movies on an external USB 2 hard drive connected to my Mac?
3. 802.11g shared network with one other computer and internet connection.
4. 802.11g adhoc network and second 802.11g network for internet on other machines in the neighborhood?
5. 802.11n adhoc network with 802.11n upgraded machine and a second 802.11g network for internet with other machines in the neighborhood?
6. Must the video play on the AppleTV hard drive to stream to the TV, or can video that is not on the AppleTV be played back?
7. Unrelated question, but do TV shows show menus which are alphabetical with submenus which are also alphabetical?
Please only people who have already received their AppleTV let me know what you find.

what if I want all my movies and shows and music served from my HD but my photos to reside on the ATV...is that possible!?It is what I am doing. Basically, I simply set the main iTunes host to sync all music (115 files) and all photos (928), but nothing else. When I want to look at the photos (with music), I merely switch to the "TV" (sync) mode. When I want to stream any of the movies, TV Shows, and/or Podcasts, I just switch to the Named Music Library (streaming) mode for the same iTunes host.

Trying to set up 2 Airport Extremes to replace my old 802.11g pair.

Hello...
I am trying to set up my extended Airport Extreme network with new Extremes to replace my older 802.11g pair.
Here is the situation: I have Cable 'net access that comes into my studio. It is then wired to the "Studio Extreme" into the WAN port. Then there is an Ethernet wire from the Ethernet port to a hub, which is wired through the wall to hub 2, that goes apx 500ft via CAT6 to my house. Then there is another hub that wires all the Ethernet ports in the walls of the house. Out of one port is AirPort Extreme # 2.
The Problem:
My old AirportExtreme #2 works fine. The new one won't play nice.
The Studio Airport is set to: Create A Wireless Network with WPA2 Personal security. It is happy with a green light.
The New AirportExtreme 802.11n is set to: Extend a wireless network with WPA2 Personal Security. It says Connect using: Wireless network.
I have tried to set it up with the Ethernet cable going into the WAN port, and the Ethernet port. When it is in the WAN port, it says "nothing is in the WAN port". When it is in the Ethernet port, it says It can't find the network. I have tried unplugging everything and turning it back on, in reverse order etc. When I bring the New Extreme #2 to the studio, it plays nice, but I suspect it is working wirelessly with the Studio Extreme. (?).
I have tried to set it to "Create a wireless network" as I have seen suggested in some forums. Still doesn't make it happy.
I also tried to let the software " replace the old Airport with the new Airport" . that didn't work either.
The Old Extreme 802.11g still works and is happy also. Its cable is plugged into the Ethernet port and it transmits throughout the house.
I am going nuts trying to get this to work! Why does the old one work and not the new one?
HELP!!!!
Thank you!

You got ahead of things here (and chose the wrong settings), but we can correct things.
Reset the AirPort Extreme again, please.
Then open AirPort Utility, select the AirPort Extreme, and click Manual Setup.
Click the Base Station tab under the row if icons to name the AirPort Extreme, assign a device password and adjust Time Zone settings.
Now, click the Wireless tab next to the Base Station tab and adjust settings as follows:
Wireless Mode = Create a wireless network (Extend is used only if you connect using wireless...and you are connecting using Ethernet)
Wireless Network = Same name as your "main" AirPort Extreme
Enter a check mark next to Allow this network to be extended
Radio Mode = Automatic
Radio Channel = Automatic
Wireless Security = Same setting as the "main" AirPort Extreme
Wireless Password = Same password as the "main" AirPort Extreme
Confirm Password
Click the Internet icon, then click the Internet Connection tab
Connect Using = Ethernet
Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)
Click Update and wait 25-30 seconds for a green light
Very Important......Power off the entire network and wait a minute or two
Power up the modem first and let it run a minute by itself
Power up the "main" AirPort Extreme the same way
Power up the "remote" AirPort Extreme the same way
Continue powering up devices one at a time until everything is powered up
The network should now be functioning correctly.

Setting up 802.11g WDS

Hello,
I have an older model Airport Extreme Base Station and an older model Airport Express that both use 802.11g. I am trying to set up the Airport Express to extend the range of my network. I reset both devices to their factory defaults, and then set up the AEBS in AirPort Utility in the following way:
Under the "Wireless" tab I set the Wireless Mode to "Participate in a WDS network", set the Wireless Network Name to "Home Network", left the Radio Mode at "802.11b/g compatible", set the channel to "1" and set a password.
Under the "WDS" tab I set WDS Mode to "WDS main", checked "Allow wireless clients" and added the AirPort ID of the Airport Express in the WDS Remotes section. I then hit the Update button.
After doing this, the Airport Express still did not show up as part of "Home Network" but instead kept creating its own network, "Apple Network 072671". So, I switched over to that network and did a Manual Setup of the Airport Express as follows:
Under the "Wireless" tab I set the Wireless Mode to "Participate in a WDS network", changed Wireless Network Name to "Home Network", left Radio Mode at "802.11b/g compatible", and set Channel to "1".
Under the "WDS" tab I set WDS Mode to "WDS remote", checked "Allow wireless clients" and entered the AirPort ID of the AEBS into the WDS Main field. I then hit the Update button.
The Airport Express now shows up under "Home Network", but the AEBS is nowhere to be seen, and the network is no longer connected to the internet. I can only access the AEBS by resetting the Airport Express to its factory defaults, at which point the AEBS shows up under Home Network again.
So, what am I doing wrong? Is there a step I've missed or a mistake I've made at some point? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, as I am at my wit's end.

I just can't think of why it is doing this. Could it be a hardware problem?
Maybe, but I don't think so.
The following are the instructions I use and share with others. Please check it against the steps you took as a means to double-check if any item was missed.
(Note: To facilitate the WDS set up, place the base stations within near proximity of each other during the set up phase, and then relocate them to their desired locations when complete. Also, jot down the AirPort IDs (MAC addresses) for each of the base stations to be used in the WDS. The AirPort ID and is printed on the label on the bottom/side of the base station.)
Main Base Station Setup
o Click the AirPort status menu in the menu bar and choose the wireless network created by the base station you want to set up as the main base station.
o Open AirPort Utility (located in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder on a Macintosh computer, or in Start > All Programs > AirPort on a computer using Windows).
o Select the main base station, and choose Manual Setup from the Base
Station menu, or double-click the base station to open the configuration in a separate window.
o Enter the base station password if necessary. If the base station is using the
default password of public, you will not be prompted for a password.
o Click Wireless in the toolbar, and then choose “Participate in a WDS network” from the Wireless Mode pop-up menu.
o Click WDS and then choose “WDS main” from the WDS Mode pop-up menu.
o Select the “Allow wireless clients” checkbox if you want client computer to connect to this base station.
o Click the Add "+" button and enter the AirPort ID of the base station you want to connect to this base station.
o Click Update to send the new settings to the base stations in the WDS.
Remote Base Station Setup
o Click the AirPort status menu in the menu bar and choose the wireless network created by the base station you want to set up as a remote base station.
o Open AirPort Utility (in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder on a Macintosh computer, or in Start > All Programs > AirPort on a computer using Windows).
o Select the remote base station, and choose Manual Setup from the Base Station menu.
o Enter the base station password, if necessary. If the base station is using the default password of public, you will not be prompted for a password.
o Enter the same network password as the main base station, if necessary.
o Click AirPort in the toolbar and click Wireless. Choose “Participate in a WDS network” from the Wireless Mode pop-up menu, and choose the same channel as the main base station from the Channel pop-up menu.
o Click WDS and choose “WDS remote” from the pop-up menu.
o Enter the AirPort ID of the main base station in the WDS Main field.
o Click Update to transfer the settings to the base station.
(ref: Pages 42-46 of "Designing AirPort Networks.)

Can Airport Extreme Base Station 802.11g Connect To Park's Free WiFi?

The RV resort where I'm staying has free WiFi for Internet connections. It shows up on my iBook's Airport list of possible networks in the menu bar, along with my own local network which is an older Airport Extreme Base Station (white dome 802.11g) which has my HP printer plugged into it via an ethernet cable.
However, when I am connected to the park's WiFi via the laptop's Airport network choices, I am NOT connected to my AEBS, and therefore cannot print to the printer wirelesslessly. Is there a way for the AEBS to make the connection to the park's WiFi so I can use both Internet and printer from my iBook G4 without having to switch from one network to use the other?

Is there a way for the AEBS to make the connection to the park's WiFi so I can use both Internet and printer from my iBook G4 without having to switch from one network to use the other?
Sorry, but no. You cannot connect your iBook's AirPort to more than one wireless network at a time. Since it will be highly unlikely that you will be able to create a Wireless Distribution System (WDS) between your RV resort's Wi-Fi and the 802.11g AirPort Extreme Base Station (AEBS), you won't be able to extend it to meet your needs.

Do I need to replace my airport extreme 802.11g?

last week I started having problems with airport extreme 802.11g dropping wireless signal and/or having to connect manually. I have been pulling out AC waiting for 10 seconds and plugging back in. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't. I will have connect for a minute and then drops again. Maybe another minute and it finds the signal again, then drops it again.
Yesterday, I changed Airport Extreme to different channel and added interference robustness. I am still having to pull the plug on extreme to reset signal and get connected on wireless network.
Have not added new hardware - all using 802.11g (did buy iphone 4S but can't believe that is the problem)
Cable signal fine
Tring to determine if buying new extreme will offer solution or if problems will continue - suggestions?

I am afraid that the interference that you are picking up is coming from outside sources. Unfortunately, you will not be able to do much about this other than try different locations for the AirPort Extreme.
I'm assuming that your AirPort Extreme is not located close to a televison or other electronic device. If it is, try to move it as far away as possible. Also try to keep it as far away from any outside walls or windows in the apartment as possible.
I was helping a friend recently who moved into a a new high rise apartment/condo development and we found that he simply could not use 2.4 GHz wireless reliably in his area due to the number of other networks and interference issues. That is likely the case in many other situations due to the explosion of wireless networks in the last few years.
For your reference, the most accurate way to judge signal quality is Signal to Noise or SNR.
Hold down the option key on your Mac and click on the Apple icon in upper left corner of the screen
Select System Profier.
Look down the list for the Network heading and then click on AirPort to highlight it
Look in the window to the right for the name of the wireless network, then look for the Signal / Noise readings. These will be negative numbers. Example: Signal / Noise -60 dBm / -80 dBm
SNR = Signal minus Noise, so -60 dB - (-80) dB = 20 dB
Then use the reference chart posted by expert user Tesserax to get a general idea of the connection quality
o 40dB+ SNR = Excellent signal
o 25dB to 40dB SNR = Very good signal
o 15dB to 25dB SNR = Low signal
o 10dB to 15dB SNR = Very low signal
o 5dB to 10dB SNR = No signal
With only 10 feet between the computer and router, you definitely should see 40 dB+ readings under normal conditions
How does your signal look if you use this method?

Slow wireless speed with new iMac Intel- problem with 802.11g?

There IS a problem with the new Intel Mac, I have tried both the Intel iMac and the new Intel Mac mini and they both have the same problem with slow wireless speed (or rather it variates, if I do a ping to another computer on the network the speed goes from < 1 ms up to 1000 ms and then down to < 1 ms and so on). The older mac minis, my Linux boxes and my Windows PCs don´t have that problem. I have also read reports on the net and it appears that most users experiencing this problem have wireless card firmware version 101.3 (3.120.28.3) . A possible "fix" is to change to 802.11b on the router and then it works. No speed fluctuations and a stabile network! I know it is a bad solution, I would prefer to use 802.11g and get the speed. However I think this points to a problem with the drivers regarding 802.11g. I am starting up a new thread on this and those of you with problems, please try to switch to 802.11b and if it works let us make Apple aware of this.
/Tobbe

Which home hub do you have?
There is some general help at this link Wireless connection problems
There are some useful help pages here, for BT Broadband customers only, on my personal website.
BT Broadband customers - help with broadband, WiFi, networking, e-mail and phones.

AEBSn - Unable to switch to 802.11n - Installation Bugged!

If you have a fairly recent Mac and an AEBS which supports 802.11n (the Gigabit or "802.11n" model) then you are supposed to be able to get 802.11n which has advantages over 802.11g.
I run late-2006 iMacs and these are 802.11n possible machines, providing 802.11n has been enabled. Downloading the "2007-002" enabler is not necessary, as the enabler will tell you. That's because a similar enabler is embedded into the AEBS installer on the supplied disc.
I assumed that the instal process for the Gigabit AEBS would handle things automatically in terms of getting everything moving at 802.11n speed or at least allow easy selection.
Nothing like it. This is a warning to others.
I noticed in my Airport Utility that I was running at 2.4GHz and not 5GHz which is for 802.11n. So clever me decided to simply switch and restart my AEBS. (An incentive too was to move above all the shops across the road. They seem to have channels 1, 6, and 11 working hard.)
Lost my connection to the AEBS as a result of that. The AEBS instal process did NOT update my computers to support 802.11n. Can be checked via Network Utilities. I hadn't thought to check first.
133MAC in Australia were very helpful - they spent almost an hour working through things his morning. Top Notch support!
Solution required the Airport instal to be rerun but a lot of other poking around first in order that the embedded 802.11n enabler would indeed run. And you'll need a LAN cable and possibly need to move one computer over to the AEBS!
Couldn't find an Apple Knowledgebase article on this problem with the Airport instal disc but I suspect it is a known issue.
(I had nothing quirky in my network setup / machines. All using the most recent system software updates, default settings in network and sharing preferences and so on)

Yes I know about all that as these are the very options presented in the pop-up menu on the relevant configuration tab.
What I'm saying is that selecting the 5GHz option resulted in my iMacs being unable to communicate with the AEBSn through WiFi - the 5GHz spectrum.
Leaving the AEBSn in "default radio mode" as you call it will mean that it will actually be using 802.11g at 2.4GHz due to its inability to use 802.11n at 2.4GHz or 5GHz. The Apple Tech people I spoke to recognised this.
Many purchasers of the AEBSn, like myself, will really want to take advantage of the 802.11n capabilities in the 5GHz spectrum. They wish to dedictae the AEBSn to 5GHz throughput and deliberately exclude 802.11b/g on their AEBSn. Let some other boxes take care of that in the 2.4GHz range.
For a little home office thing with a mix of old and new clients the default setting for the AEBSn is a very good thing as the admin doesn't really care about throughput.

What iMacs are compatible with Airport Extreme 802.11g?

I am switching my question from the PPC iMac forum to here, hoping I can find the answers. I am trying to figure out which used 20" iMac will work for me, and a key element is that I need to limit the wireless to the 802.11g spec.
(1) do all Intel-based iMacs have built-in wireless, and
(2) when did they go to the "n" spec (which I do NOT want!), and
(3) whether it is possible to disable built-in wireless in an iMac and add a card to substitute the "g" spec. (I doubt that is possible, but I'm sure somebody here knows the answer.)
thank you!

Yes
802.11n first appeared in late 2006 model iMacs.
Yes, you could use a USB dongle instead if you so choose, but why? You could just as easily limit this capability in your router.

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.

High Latency experienced once connected to 802.11g, but linktest results appear healthy?

I was connected at 802.11g and was running a continual ping to the DG interface on the L3 switch to which the WLC is connected too.
Response times were healthy almost all day and then they jumped very high. They continued to stay high for a long period. I disconnected (to wired) and then reconnected to the wireless and got the same results. I then disconnected for some time (connected via wired) and then reconnected via Wireless again - to which I got the same results. I stayed on the wireless connection and then it decided to come right. During this time high response time period I ran a linktest to my MAC address from the WLC and got the following results.
(Cisco Controller) >linktest 1C-65-9D-E4-55-16
Link Test to 1C-65-9D-E4-55-16.
        Link Test Packets Sent.......................... 20
        Link Test Packets Received...................... 19
        Local Signal Strength........................... -50dBm
        Local Signal to Noise Ratio..................... 44dB
Seems healthy? But yet I was getting these appalling response times. The WAP and WLC are plugged into the same L3 switch. When I connected to the wired interface my response times returned to what is expected.
I have attached the output to this discussion for review.
Any ideas as to what this would be a result of? please note that this occurred outside of peak usage hours - also note that I have seen this before another time during peak times. But no alerts or traps seen on the WCS or WLC?
Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.

Why put up with all that when a call to VZ will get you a replacement router?
The Westells were a good router in their day, but are now obsolete and no longer issued by VZ.

To Switch to 802.11G or Wait

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