multiple airports: Help on a home network setup

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multiple airports: Help on a home network setup

I just ordered a new dual-band Apple Airport Extreme and am now looking ahead to the best wireless set-up with my existing hardwear I own. I'd be interested in any suggestions. Bear with me on this I'm a novice and this will take some explaining.

First the hardwear:

- Airport express (few gens old)

- single band airport extreme (3 gen or so old)

- Soon an 2013 iMac (upon release)

- a early 2011 MBP

- 1st gen and 3rd gen iPads

- iPhones

- iTouch's

- 2nd gen Apple TV

- LG TV with wireless capabilities

- Wii

Currently I have the single band Extreme (call it "A") downstairs connected to the modem. I have that set to broadcast variable wireless channels for all the hardwear that runs on the g-band signal still. Attached to that Extreme(A) is an HP printer and occasionally my wife's PC laptop using an ethernet cable.

Upstairs I have the Express set up as a wireless bridge to extend Extreme(A) network. Attached to that with the audio plug I have a radio for Airplay use. Also up stairs will are the MBP and the iMac with only wireless access (our internet at this time only enters the house downstairs).

Here's what I might do if it works.

- Put the new dual band Extreme(B) downstairs attached to the modem. Set that to broadcast both the 2.4 and 5ghz signals and activate the Guest acct.

- leave the Express upstairs attached to the radio

- move the old, single-band Extreme (A) upstairs and extend the network, but have this router set to only the 5 ghz channel.

My intended purpose is to ensure wireless g devices can still connect throughout the house, but to try and make sure I have a strong 5 ghz signal throughout also (especially upstairs) for the iMac, MBP, ATV and any other devices that can use that band. Would it make the most sense to avoid setting the single band Extreme(A) as a WDS bridge and instead make it ProxySTA with the dual-band Extreme(B) and hook the iMac up to it with an ethernet (kind of like this: http://www.tireddonkey.com/files/EthernetBridge.html)? Will that give me a stronger signal?

Given my equipment, does the setup I described make functional sense? I appreciate the help and the time.

Macbook Pro (early 2011)-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.7), 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7, 8gb Ram

Posted on Nov 23, 2012 7:53 AM

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Answer 1

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Tesserax

Level 10

148,453 points

Nov 24, 2012 12:41 PM in response to mjconn75

Here's what I might do if it works.

- Put the new dual band Extreme(B) downstairs attached to the modem. Set that to broadcast both the 2.4 and 5ghz signals and activate the Guest acct.

- leave the Express upstairs attached to the radio

- move the old, single-band Extreme (A) upstairs and extend the network, but have this router set to only the 5 ghz channel.

This, in theory, would work. The only issue that I see is using the Extreme (A) to extend only the 5 GHz radio of Extreme (B). The 5 GHz band has a very limited range; typically only useful in a single room. The chances of successfully extending, meaning have an extended 5 GHz network with useful bandwidth will be iffy at best. I would recommend that you configure Extreme (A) to extend the 2.4 GHz band instead.

Proper placement of your base stations should also be taken into consideration for best bandwidth performance. Please check out the following AirPort User Tip for additional details.

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Answer 2

mjconn75 Author

Level 1

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Nov 24, 2012 2:52 PM in response to Tesserax

Tesserax,

Thanks for the advice. I'll give the extended 5ghz setup a try and I fits poor I'll switch it over to the 2.4. I'd really hate to not have any 5ghz signal to the iMac and MPB upstairs. We'll see I suppose.

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