Extending range of Airport Extreme Network

[Doc]

pinkoos wrote:
Unless I'm misunderstanding what you're saying, that is kinda what I was thinking of doing (and what I mentioned in my post): AExtreme at one end of the house ------> ethernet (cat5e) through attics/walls ------>AExpress in middle or opposite end of house

Yes, but if you can run Ethernet to the middle of the house for a WAP, why not just put the current router in the middle of the house and avoid the complications?

[pinkoos]

mattkime wrote:
>>Unless I'm misunderstanding what you're saying, that is kinda what I was thinking of doing (and what I mentioned in my post): AExtreme at one end of the house ------> ethernet (cat5e) through attics/walls ------>AExpress in middle or opposite end of house

Maybe i'm missing something here -

AExtreme at one end of the house (Why have it here? is this where your cable modem is? move it if you can!) -------> ethernet (cat5e) through attics/walls ------> spot in middle of house

Can't be moved - it's part of a "TAC" closet with all the other A/V components.

[mattkime]

>>Can't be moved

....why? Using the switch functionality to connect to other devices?

[pinkoos]

mattkime wrote:
>>Can't be moved

....why? Using the switch functionality to connect to other devices?

Yes, it's a Control4 system:

http://www.control4.com/

[Doc]

pinkoos wrote:
Can't be moved - it's part of a "TAC" closet with all the other A/V components.

Ahhhh.

Okay.

Yeah. I'd get an Express.

Put it in a room where you still get at least 3 bars of signal from the original router. Set up WDS while connected to the Express via Ethernet.

Have patience and proceed through Apple's instructions carefully. It might take a few resets to get it working properly and Expresses always take a few minutes to restart and become available to the admin software again.

[mattkime]

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

[the_poochies]

I bought an Airport Express 2 years ago to extend the range of my older Airport Extreme and my reception improved marginally. I was expecting 4 or 5 bars constantly, but it varies between 1 and 5 bars.

[Doc]

the_poochies wrote:
I bought an Airport Express 2 years ago to extend the range of my older Airport Extreme and my reception improved marginally. I was expecting 4 or 5 bars constantly, but it varies between 1 and 5 bars.

Maybe you need to move it to another wall or another room.

Radio is line-of-sight. Any obstructions between either base station and your WiFi devices could be screwing it up. Plus, the Express needs a strong signal from the original base station.

[pinkoos]

Doc wrote:
[quote=the_poochies]
I bought an Airport Express 2 years ago to extend the range of my older Airport Extreme and my reception improved marginally. I was expecting 4 or 5 bars constantly, but it varies between 1 and 5 bars.

Maybe you need to move it to another wall or another room.

Radio is line-of-sight. Any obstructions between either base station and your WiFi devices could be screwing it up. Plus, the Express needs a strong signal from the original base station.
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?

[cbelt3]

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.