blights
Level 1 (23 points)
Apple TV

Q: Does an Airport Express need to lay flat to work properly ?

Juse purchased an Airport Express to use to extend the Wi Fi network created by my Time Capsule. Setting up was virtually automatic. Well done Apple !

 

Ideally I would like to fix the the Airport Express so it is on one end rather than laying flat on its base on a desk/shelf. Can anyone advise if this is OK or must the Airport Express really be laying flat on its base. Thank you.

Airport Express

Posted on Sep 4, 2016 5:23 AM

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blights

Q: Does an Airport Express need to lay flat to work properly ?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Csound1,Helpful

    Csound1 Csound1 Sep 4, 2016 5:35 AM in response to blights
    Level 9 (50,048 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 4, 2016 5:35 AM in response to blights

    You will change it's radiation pattern by doing that, I've no idea how that will turn out in your location. Try it.

  • by Tesserax,Helpful

    Tesserax Tesserax Sep 4, 2016 8:56 PM in response to blights
    Level 9 (53,877 points)
    Wireless
    Sep 4, 2016 8:56 PM in response to blights

    Apple has not released any official antenna pattern diagrams for any of the AirPort base stations, but the current models (including the 2nd gen. Express) were designed to be mounted horizontally.

     

    If the Apple antennas provide a basic omnidirectional type pattern (not talking about the special case for 802.11ac beam-forming) they would resemble a somewhat flattened sphere. The most antenna gain would be about the horizontal axis with decreasing gains moving up or down vertically from there.

     

    So, in theory, mounting the Express vertically against a wall, you should experience some loss in gain in the horizontal direction, but an additional gain in the vertical one. This should be more effective for wireless clients in rooms located above or below the base station; less so for those in the same room.

  • by blights,

    blights blights Sep 4, 2016 9:55 PM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (23 points)
    Apple TV
    Sep 4, 2016 9:55 PM in response to Tesserax

    Thank you for both replies. I have decided to make a small shelf so the Airport Express can lay flat as it was intended.