Q: Airport Express doesn't extend WiFi range

Do you have a Mac laptop handy? If so, we can run some tests to understand the current signal quality at each location where you want to have Wi-Fi access. Hopefully, we can find out where best to place your extending Express to meet your networking goals.

Should I expect full signal strength right next to the Express locations (regardless of throughput)? Both are placed in area's where the Extreme's wifi reach is good.

In theory, yes. You should expect to see strong signal strength near the base station ... and, you are correct, that it may not necessarily be directly related to the throughput available.

Since you don't have a laptop handy, we may be able to use your iPad or iPhone instead. I am still researching to see if there is an app out there that can provide SNR measurements, but have not found any as of yet.

One option, is to enable the Wi-Fi Scanner option in the iOS version of the AirPort Utility.

To do so:

• Tap on Settings
• Tap on AirPort Utility
• Enable the "Wi-Fi Scanner" option.
• Exit Settings, and then, tap on the AirPort Utility to run it.
• In the upper right hand corner you should now find the Wi-Fi Scan option in blue.
• Tap on Wi-Fi Scan
• Leave the scan duration set to: Continuous
• Tap on Scan
• After a few moments, any Wi-Fi network that the AirPort Utility finds will be listed.
• You want to look at two specific items:
  • The MAC address of your base station. They are unique for each base station.
  • The RSSI value. This value represents the Wi-Fi signal strength as it is perceived by your iPad/iPhone. The less negative the number, the stronger the signal. FWIW, I was getting readings around -45 dBm near my 802.11ac AirPort Extreme.
• Tap on Stop to discontinue the scan.

Again, this is not ideal as it only shows the perceived signal strength at the wireless client (the iPad or iPhone in this case). It does not show the amount of Wi-Fi signal noise in the same area. Together these two values would give you the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). One method of determining signal quality.

What I suggest, at this point, is to take these measurements as follows:

• Temporarily power-off the Express. Leave only the Extreme running.
• Using your iPad/iPhone, note the RSSI values at the following locations:
  • Near the Extreme.
  • Near the location of the Express.
  • Just outside where the Express is located.
  • At the location you want Wi-Fi coverage in the garden.
• Power-up the Express.
• Again, using your iPad/iPhone, note the RSSI values at the following locations; however, this time be sure to note the MAC address values as they will be different depending on whether your iOS device is connected to the Extreme or the Express. You want the values for the Express.
  • Near the location of the Express.
  • Just outside where the Express is located.
  • At the location you want Wi-Fi coverage in the garden.

Please post back your results.

-I'm seeing x5 scan reports on for my network; This is because have x2 devices that simultaneously broadcast on the 5GHz and 2.4GHz freq's and x1 just using 2.4GHZ. I can see Mac Addresses that are the same except for the last 2 numbers - am i correct in assuming they're both from the same device, just the different freq's?

Each wireless radio on the simultaneous dual-band base stations will have its own MAC address. Apple calls these AirPort IDs. In addition, the built-in Ethernet switch will also have its own MAC address (Ethernet ID). So, the 5x scan reports will correctly identify each of the wireless networks that it finds.

Also, you are correct in that the one-off AirPort IDs do represent the same base station. You can easily find all of these addresses using the AirPort Utility on your iOS device, as follows:

• Tap on the AirPort Utility app.
• Tap on a base station.
• Tap on Hardware Info
• The MAC addresses will be listed

-On the scanner, the strongest signal always appear at the top of the list. Therefore the the Mac Address from that report is from the closest device.

Yes, and no. Yes, in that the scan does place the wireless network with the strongest signal at the top of the list ... and that the list itself is being dynamically updated.

The no part is that, specifically iOS devices, then to "lock on" to a wireless signal and don't always switch to the strongest or closest one. The Mac desktops/laptops don't seem to have this problem. The "workaround" is to go into an out of AirPlane Mode to "force" the iOS device to reconnect to the strongest signal.

One bit of information and one question for you if you don't mind:

• Information - It is important to understand how the Apple base stations work in an extended wireless network. This of this network as a wagon wheel with the base station being extended at the hub of this wheel and each extending base station are located on a separate spoke at varying distances from the hub. In this scenario, the extending base station do NOT work in a linear fashion. That is, they will not extend the hub in a "daisy-chain" method. Instead, each extending base station can only extend the one at the hub. It looks like you are trying to use the far base station to extend the mid one. Instead that far one is will try to extend your Extreme, albeit with limited success due to distance between them.
• Question - What exact models are each of your base stations?

If you open AirPort Utility and glance at the system layout display, both of the extending AirPorts must connect directly to the "main" base station.  So, the display would show the two extending AirPorts side by side with both of them connecting to the main AirPort.

You do not want the display to show extenders in a vertical orientation.  That would indicate that the bottom extender is not connecting to the main base station.....which it must in order to extend the signal.

Apple explains it a different way:

Good news.