Force 802.11n Only?

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Level 1

5 points

Force 802.11n Only?

I'm using my Airport Express in 'Connect to a Wireless Network' mode.

It resides in my living room and it's primary duties are to provide iTunes streaming to my main stereo and ethernet connectivity to my TiVo. It has no wireless clients of its own.

Despite that, it sometimes joins my main 802.11n network in b/g mode rather than a/n mode.

I'd like to force it to use 802.11n only, as I get a lot of interference and audio streaming drop-outs in 802.11g mode.

Is there a way to force it to use n-only?

MacBook Pro 2.2 GHz Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.5.6), Airport Express 802.11n

Posted on May 16, 2009 1:05 PM

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Answer 1

Watchnerd Author

Level 1

5 points

May 16, 2009 5:04 PM in response to Watchnerd

"So I'd have to say, at least on the dual-band AXP, running in 'Extend a Wireless Network' mode does not allow it to also act as an ethernet bridge."

Update:

Counterintuitively, you apparently have to check 'Allow Wireless Clients' to allow ethernet clients to connect.

After doing so, TiVo can now connect via Ethernet.

However, it's still running in dual 802.11n & 802.11b/g mode because my iPhone is also wifi. So still not running in n-only.

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Answer 2

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,024 points

May 16, 2009 1:46 PM in response to Watchnerd

Watchnerd, welcome to the discussions!

"I get a lot of interference and audio streaming drop-outs in 802.11g mode." If you are getting interference and drop outs in "g", your performance may likely worsen in "n" mode.

The reason that your Express is sometimes dropping down to "g" now indicates that your broadcast signal is either not strong enough or already has significant interference issues.

Download iStumbler, www.istumbler.net, to get a look at your wireless network to check the relative strength of your signal and noise on your network. iStumbler will also display other networks in your proximity so you can see some of your competition.

If you find another network that is operating on the same or close adjacent channel as yours, change your channel using AirPort Utility to another channel that is as far away as possible from other channels in use.

Unfortunately, iStumbler will not display networks with hidden names. Most newer routers provide this feature, so it is possible and probably likely that there may be other networks interfering with your network that you cannot identify.

Cordless phones in the house? They are a primary cause of interference. Security cameras nearby?

You can set your Express up for 802.11n only using AirPort Utility. Is that what you are referring to when you say "force" it to use 802.11n?

You didn't provide any details on your main router. Is it an Apple as well? If so, you may be able to make use of the "extend a wireless network" feature in the Express. This almost always provides better performance than "join a wireless network".

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Answer 3

Watchnerd Author

Level 1

5 points

May 16, 2009 2:30 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Bob, I've actually used iStumbler multiple times.

There are about 12 g networks in my area.

Thus, I actually get FAR better audio streaming in n than I do in g. There are no other n networks visible.

My other router, the main one, is an Airport Extreme, the dual-band version.

As long as I can keep the Airport Express using n-only, the audio streaming doesn't suffer from interference-related drop-outs.

Regarding Extend a Wireless Network, will the Airport Express still act as an ethernet bridge (it's connected via Cat5 to the TiVo) if I do so?

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Answer 4

Watchnerd Author

Level 1

5 points

May 16, 2009 3:27 PM in response to Bob Timmons

"You can set your Express up for 802.11n only using AirPort Utility"

Actually, with the dual-band versions of the Airport Extreme and Express, that options seem to have gone away.

I used to see that in an older version of the Express, but it no longer shows up in the Airport Utility.

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Answer 5

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,024 points

May 16, 2009 4:28 PM in response to Watchnerd

Did you try holding down the "option" key when you were looking for choices? I don't have the dual band version, but I find it hard to believe that the extra choices would not be available in a newer version.

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Answer 6

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,024 points

May 16, 2009 4:37 PM in response to Watchnerd

"Regarding Extend a Wireless Network, will the Airport Express still act as an ethernet bridge (it's connected via Cat5 to the TiVo) if I do so?"

Yes, it works for me. If you have the dual band base station, I assume that it will work for you as well.

Wouldn't hurt to give it a try when you have a few minutes. Be sure to put a check mark next to "Allow this network to be extended" in AirPort Utility / Wireless Tab for your base station if you elect to try this, otherwise, the Express will not "extend" even though you have it set up that way.

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Answer 7

Watchnerd Author

Level 1

5 points

May 16, 2009 4:53 PM in response to Bob Timmons

I switched to 'Extend a Wireless Network' and while it did work okay from a wireless point of view, it definitely eliminated the ability to act as an ethernet bridge.

In this mode, the checkbox 'Allow Ethernet Clients' doesn't exist. Looking in the Wireless Clients list, the MAC address for the TiVo isn't there.

The connected TiVo no longer shows up via DHCP, isn't pingable, is reporting no connection.

So I'd have to say, at least on the dual-band AXP, running in 'Extend a Wireless Network' mode does not allow it to also act as an ethernet bridge.

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Answer 8

Watchnerd Author

Level 1

5 points

May 16, 2009 4:57 PM in response to Bob Timmons

"Did you try holding down the "option" key when you were looking for choices? I don't have the dual band version, but I find it hard to believe that the extra choices would not be available in a newer version."

It's there in the dual-band Airport Extreme and definitely not there in the dual-band Airport Express. Holding option key makes no difference.

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Answer 9

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,024 points

May 16, 2009 5:02 PM in response to Watchnerd

A bit puzzling that features are being subtracted in the newer versions.

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