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cbelt is so correct, and I would add to look out for 2.4 Ghz cordless phones also.
cbelt3 wrote:
What Doc said. please keep in mind as you design your wifi setup that there are a number of unexpected things that block wifi signals. Some problems to be aware of include:
Mirrors (the metal back blocks wifi signals 100%)
Plaster / lath. Metal lath is a metal screen, and seriously attenuates wifi signals.
Stone. Especially ferrous stones. Granite, for example.
Metal backed insulation. That aluminum foil backed stuff.
Aluminum siding.
Kitchens with active microwave ovens (great for nagging 'intermittent" problems. )
When I do a residential wifi survey I set up an access point in a central spot of the house and walk around 'sniffing' to see where I can see it. I had one house that we had to put in four AEBS on an ethernet backbone. I personally prefer the ethernet backbone if the cost to run the cable isn't an issue, because it's more reliable and you end up with a futureproofed distributed high speed network.
I've used omni antennae, which work well, but have their own issues.
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pinkoos wrote:
But, if the Express is hard-wired (either to the AExtreme or a switch), then signal strength/quality should be as good as being adjacent to the AExtreme, correct?
Yes, but if it's hard-wired then it won't be repeating (extending) the wireless signal from your original Airport base station. You'd be setting up a second wireless network.
There's nothing wrong with that if you take care to put the two wireless networks on widely different channels and give the networks different names and disable NAT on the Express so that you don't get duplicate IP addresses... and if you don't care that -- depending on dozens of little variables -- your Mac might pick up a different network each time it's restarted or you may switch between networks just by moving your laptop 6 inches to the left.
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Doc wrote:
[quote=pinkoos]
But, if the Express is hard-wired (either to the AExtreme or a switch), then signal strength/quality should be as good as being adjacent to the AExtreme, correct?
Yes, but if it's hard-wired then it won't be repeating (extending) the wireless signal from your original Airport base station. You'd be setting up a second wireless network.
There's nothing wrong with that if you take care to put the two wireless networks on widely different channels and give the networks different names and disable NAT on the Express so that you don't get duplicate IP addresses... and if you don't care that -- depending on dozens of little variables -- your Mac might pick up a different network each time it's restarted or you may switch between networks just by moving your laptop 6 inches to the left.
Man, this networking stuff is complicated! Who the heck came up with this stuff!
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May seem like a silly question, but what does "go gigabit" mean? What specs should I be looking for in a switch?
Most of them read something like this:
10/100 fast ethernet
Some of them have specs like this:
10/100/1000 gigabit ethernet
Which type are you recommending?
cbelt3 wrote:
Pinkoos-
As noted above. Bad advice from your installation guys.
Which, considering I've done that sort of work specializing in Macs, is not a surprise. Most of them are in the school of "Macs are too hard to figure out" and will happily try to push you into some weird Linksys / Windows solution.
So here's the solution alternatives:
Method #1- Distributed network over Cat5 to WiFi
1- Run the Cat5e (can't have enough of them) as a 'backbone' through the house. In fact, pull two of them at the same time.
2- Buy ANY cheap ass wifi 'router' and RTFM to turn off the DHCP They're all capable of it.
3- Connect up like this:
Modem (Cable, satellite, FIOS, direct quantum tunneling FTL link, whatever) connects to the AEBS in the "WAN" port. Cat5 switch (cheapo is OK, but go gigabit) connects to the AEBS in the "LAB" port. Cat5 cable to the other side of da house connects to a free port on the switch. Other end of the cable connects to the cheapo wireless access point (or Airport Express base station if you like), in the "LAN" port.
Option B:
Don't run the Cat5. Buy an Airport Express base station, read the Manual, and set up your AEBS and Airport Express to function using Wireless Distribution System. (WDS) Wiring is like this:
Modem wired to AEBS ("WAN" port). Airport Express plugged in farther away (but so it can 'see' the AEBS) and setup as a WDS access point.
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pinkoos wrote:
Some of them have specs like this:
10/100/1000 gigabit ethernet
Which type are you recommending?
That one.
At today's prices, getting anything less than a gigabit switch for a household is a silly waste.
Also, I'd get a switch that supports "jumbo frames."
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10/100/1000 gigabit ethernet - what you want.
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Okay, thanks for the quick replies.
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mattkime wrote:
Option 1) Run TWO ethernet cables to the middle of the house. One into the router, one out which goes back to the closet and into a switch which connects with all your closet bound devices.
Option 2) Airport Express
Just wanted to reiterate mattkime's Option 1 suggestion here. If you can get by with needing only one router (i.e. one access point) simply by moving it to a more agreeable location, do what it takes to make that happen. You can experiment by getting or making a very long CAT5 cable and walking the router around to different areas of the house and "test driving" a landing spot for it prior to running the cables within the walls etc. Home Depot or Lowes will sell you a large spool in a box, the RJ45 ends and the tool to crimp the RJ45 ends.
Running CAT5 in the way he mentions may at first seem "like a waste" or silly since it's going back and forth, but in truth it's very elegant and reliable considering the alternatives of having to buy a second box that will have to be configured, re-conconfigured at some point, replaced one day and so on. Complexity now and later, without an increase in performance necessarily. A Gigabit switch on the other hand, is a dumb box that needs no setup. Even the Apple link for setting up WDS mentions that the routers utilize some bandwidth for maintaining the network, and so you lose some throughput. Maybe not much, but some.
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Thanks for all of the great advice and discussion.
Ended up buying a $30 (after rebate) D-Link gigabit switch and an Airport Express. Set those up in the middle of the house, connected the ethernet from the wall/attic to the switch and hard-wired the Express to the switch.
Plugged it in, configured it and now I have whole house wireless!
Thanks again.
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My situation is parallel but unique.
I am trying to extend my signal uphill 40 yards to a cottage with trees in between. I hoped replacing my linksys G router with a new airport extreme that my signal would be extended. I had a faint signal on the deck of the cottage with the linksys, but the AE is no better. I have tenants coming tomorrow expecting hi speed internet. What is my easiest, quickest solution? I live in rural Maine with no access to any apple products. I could upgrade my router or buy an extender or try to link my router and AE with a complicated work around not supported by Apple or linksys.
Any prompt, on point comment will be greatly appreciated. I am not tech savvy ;-(
thanks!
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