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Roaming Network Xfinity to Airport Extreme

Hi, folks...


I am behind the times and I've got a 5th Gen (? I believe, the short square one) Airport Extreme that still works fine, and I'm trying to use it to extend my network into a roaming configuration.


PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS/Equipment:


I have a brand new Technicolor Xfinity modem/router, but the telephone poles on my house are in the BACK of the house and the modem has been set up in the back room for years. I have an older, long house with the living room in the front, so it's been a challenge to get good signal to the front.


So, couple years ago, I bought a 100' ethernet cable and fed it through the house all the way to front and placed the Airport Extreme in the rafters of my basement, right up against the basement ceiling. The Extreme is literally 10 feet away (albeit through the floor) when I'm sitting on the couch. Yet I still seem to be struggling. I would guesstimate that my house is about 75' long, and the distance between the Xfinity router and the living room couch is probably about 60'. There are a number of walls and rooms in between. Can't help that without tearing down the house LOL. That's why I set up the APX to roam.


SETTINGS:


As far as I can tell, all the settings seem to be correct and I get green lights across the board on my Airport Utility. Devices do come up in the clients list when I click on the Extreme, which must mean that things are connecting. I am connected using DHCP, Creating a wireless network that is identical to that generated by the Xfinity router, and the APX is in bridge mode. So I'm at a loss why we still seem to have spotty issues throughout the house, especially in the front.


XS MAX the issue?


The only thing is that the most spotty offender appears to be my iPhone XS Max. I have read that it has some issues with WiFi, which is upsetting for such an expensive phone. But then again, it is not just the phone... I seem to have issues here and there with other devices as well.


Final question is: Are there any setting I am missing? Something on the Xfinity router perhaps? My only other option is to put the Xfinity router into bridge mode and use the Extreme as the main router, then attach an Express or another Extreme to the network. But I will not get full functionality of the Xfinity router, which actually seems pretty powerful and has some cool new security features that I don't want to lose.


What do the experts say?

AirPort

Posted on Apr 28, 2020 10:28 AM

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Posted on Apr 28, 2020 2:13 PM

The Xfinity Technicolor modem/router uses 802.11n for 2.4 GHz and 802.11ac for 5 GHz. The AirPort uses 802.11n for 2.4 GHz and also 802.11n for 5 GHz, so you have a mismatch.


A device that is connected to the 802.11ac 5 GHz signal on the Xfinity will not likely want to switch over to 802.11n 5 GHz when it moves from the Xfinity wireless area to the AirPort Extreme area. The device will try to hold onto the "ac" signal to the bitter end, even though it will be very slow and weak that far away from the Xfinity router.


In other words, the WiFi device won't "roam" because you don't really have a roaming network......you have different networks with different characteristics.


As an experiment, try using only one name for the AirPort Extreme network for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signals and make it a different wireless network name than the Xfinity Technicolor network. You'll have to have devices log on to the AirPort network.....a hassle.....but you may have better WiFi performance from the AirPort Extreme.


My best option may be the xFi pods that Comcast sells, of course in packs of 3 (which I really don’t think I need 3) for $119.99 which creates a mesh network.


My first impression is that this might be your solution, since it appears that the pods are designed to match up correctly with the Xfinity Technicolor modem/router. In addition, most devices in general tend to "roam" better on a mesh network than other options.


If you can get a return privilege for the xFi pods, I would be tempted to try that first, rather then spend additional time on the AirPort Extreme........which (in my opinion) is far behind the Technicolor in terms of capabilities.


The AirPort Extreme 5th Gen was introduced in June 2011. That means that it was designed and developed in the 2010 timeframe. As such, it is using technology that was available in 2010. That might be really all that you need to know.




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6 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Apr 28, 2020 2:13 PM in response to jmv1701

The Xfinity Technicolor modem/router uses 802.11n for 2.4 GHz and 802.11ac for 5 GHz. The AirPort uses 802.11n for 2.4 GHz and also 802.11n for 5 GHz, so you have a mismatch.


A device that is connected to the 802.11ac 5 GHz signal on the Xfinity will not likely want to switch over to 802.11n 5 GHz when it moves from the Xfinity wireless area to the AirPort Extreme area. The device will try to hold onto the "ac" signal to the bitter end, even though it will be very slow and weak that far away from the Xfinity router.


In other words, the WiFi device won't "roam" because you don't really have a roaming network......you have different networks with different characteristics.


As an experiment, try using only one name for the AirPort Extreme network for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signals and make it a different wireless network name than the Xfinity Technicolor network. You'll have to have devices log on to the AirPort network.....a hassle.....but you may have better WiFi performance from the AirPort Extreme.


My best option may be the xFi pods that Comcast sells, of course in packs of 3 (which I really don’t think I need 3) for $119.99 which creates a mesh network.


My first impression is that this might be your solution, since it appears that the pods are designed to match up correctly with the Xfinity Technicolor modem/router. In addition, most devices in general tend to "roam" better on a mesh network than other options.


If you can get a return privilege for the xFi pods, I would be tempted to try that first, rather then spend additional time on the AirPort Extreme........which (in my opinion) is far behind the Technicolor in terms of capabilities.


The AirPort Extreme 5th Gen was introduced in June 2011. That means that it was designed and developed in the 2010 timeframe. As such, it is using technology that was available in 2010. That might be really all that you need to know.




Apr 28, 2020 11:22 AM in response to jmv1701

A 5th Gen AirPort Extreme is at least 7 years old and as much as 9 depending on when it was placed into service......and 5 years on average is about it for most routers designed for home use as far as useful life is concerned. So, that may or may not be a factor here.


In addition, roaming is now a lot more complicated to set up, especially with devices from different manufacturers. For example, The Xfinity router may be one of the newer 802.11ax products, or it might be an 802.11ac product while the AirPort Extreme is an 802.11n product from a few generations back. Roaming always works best when the two devices are identical or closely related


Can you clarify with a few more details about the Xfinity modem/router?


A few other questions as well.......


The Xfinity product is likely a dual band device, meaning that it produces both a 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signal. Do both bands use the exact same wireless network name? Or, are there different names for the two bands on the Xfinity product?


How is the AirPort Extreme currently set up? Does it use the same wireless network name for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, or are you using separate names for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands?


I'll be surprised if there are any easy fixes for your setup, so it will take some time, patience and probably experimentation to arrive at the best setup, which still may not work all that well as far as roaming is concerned.



Apr 28, 2020 1:19 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Bob,


Thanks so much for the detailed reply! You’re the man.


There is little info regarding the xFi router other than it is a Technicolor CGM4140COM. I am pretty sure both routers are broadcasting on both GHz channels under the same name. Is that ideal?


My best option may be the xFi pods that Comcast sells, of course in packs of 3 (which I really don’t think I need 3) for $119.99 which creates a mesh network. What are your thoughts on that?


Apr 28, 2020 3:38 PM in response to jmv1701

Not saying it is bad, saying it is out of date. It would probably be OK though, if it was your only router, or you had another matching AirPort Extreme.


I'm still using two AirPort Extremes that are about 4 years old in a roaming network, and things are just fine. Fast, reliable connections everywhere throughout the house. But, I'll be swapping things out in a another year or so once things start calming down with the new "ax" products.


Right now, they are pretty much bleeding edge, and I have found out the hard way that when you live on the bleeding edge, you will usually get bloody.

Apr 28, 2020 4:44 PM in response to Bob Timmons

My original set up was to use my old xfinity router as a bridge to my Extreme, but that was when I had a very old and outdated Arris machine. Now, it just seems like I’m driving a Corolla for fun when I have a Mustang in the garage. Doesn’t make much sense.


But I did order the xFi Pods; I can return or even sell them (apparently there’s a market for people who just want one) but we’ll see how it goes once they come in. For now, I’m just going to live with what I have because the Extreme is doing nothing. I unplugged it. Have a feeling it’s just gumming up the works and making things worse.

Roaming Network Xfinity to Airport Extreme

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