Twistan
Level 1 (12 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Help needed: Airport Extreme Roaming Network

Hello all,

I have set up a wirelss roaming network with a Cisco router and two AE (4 Gen) precisely as described in http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4260.

Network backbone: Gigabit wired, 5e/6 Cat.

AE #1 WAN port connects to router, LAN port connects to WAN port of AE #2.

Same SSID, same WPA2, different channels for all three radios.

 

The issue is:

1) When I  place a Macbook Pro (OS 10.8.2) 50 cm away from AE #1 I get a 300 Mbps connection. I can back-up "wirelessly" 60 GB in approx. 2 1/2 hours.

 

2) When I move the MBP away from AE #1 and to a distance of 50 cm to AE #2; the MBP  sticks to AE #1 despite the fact that the Transmit Rate drops to much below 10 Mbps. (the connected AE can be identified by holding the option key and clicking the Finder's WIFI menu)

 

3) When I move the MBP from AE # 1 to the Cisco router the MBP immediately connects to the Cisco's radio signal.

 

4) when I switch the MBP's airport card off and back on it connects correctly to the "closest" AE with the best connection.

 

 

Is this behavior state of the start or just typical for Apple's Airports ?

It is actually not what I understand by a roaming network. I need a solution that maintains a permanent conenction in order not to corrupt back-ups.

 

I would be very grateful for help, I have experimented for days to no avail.

 

Regards,

Twistan

Mac mini (Mid 2010), Mac OS X (10.7.3)

Posted on Mar 9, 2013 12:27 AM

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Twistan

Q: Help needed: Airport Extreme Roaming Network

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  • Helpful answers

  • by pcd251s,

    pcd251s pcd251s Mar 9, 2013 12:38 AM in response to Twistan
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Mar 9, 2013 12:38 AM in response to Twistan

    Set your MBP so it will not recognize the Cisco Broadcast and configure your second AE to extend the AE base signal.  I think that will fix the jumping between AE signals which should even out your overall signal connectivity. 

  • by Twistan,

    Twistan Twistan Mar 9, 2013 1:32 AM in response to pcd251s
    Level 1 (12 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 9, 2013 1:32 AM in response to pcd251s

    Well, the Cisco is too far away from AE #1, I even had the Cisco radio switched off altogether.

     

    In my understanding of Apple's KB documents

    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4145

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4259

     

    the options "Allow this network to be extended" (to be applied to say AE #1) and “Extend a wireless network” (to be applied to AE #2) are for "Extended Wireless Networks" and not for "Roaming Networks".

     

    I started off with an "Extended Wireless Networks" between AE # 1 and AE #2, meaning that I had AE # 1 hardwired into the backbone and AE # 2 connected wirelessly to AE # 1.The transmit rates were horrible and so I plugged both AE into the backbone.

     

    Please correct me if I should misunderstand Apple's directions.

     

    Regards,

  • by pcd251s,

    pcd251s pcd251s Mar 9, 2013 2:47 AM in response to Twistan
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Mar 9, 2013 2:47 AM in response to Twistan

    No, you are understanding it correctly.  AE2's max performance is slave to the performance of your network provider when it is in extend a network mode and I believe it is capped at 11Mbps wireless.  So if you're getting speeds upwards of 300Mbps it would not make sense to have it in that mode.  I was aiming at troubleshooting the connectivity issues as not to interrupt your backups.  I spent hours trying to get those AE's to work the way I was led to believe they would work by the in store Apple sales associate but my effort ended with no success. I am an all things apple kind of guy but unfortunately I had to return those.  It didn't make sense to me to keep them if I was just going to hard wire into them to get the speed I wanted when I could accomplish that feat with the network provided router.  Let me know if you find something else that states otherwise because I have not found anything.

  • by Twistan,

    Twistan Twistan Mar 9, 2013 4:00 AM in response to pcd251s
    Level 1 (12 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 9, 2013 4:00 AM in response to pcd251s

    If I understand you correctly you are now only using the modem/router that has been provided by your ISP ?

    If that works it's fine.

     

    Our situation appears to be more complex. We live in a rather big U-shaped house. In one "wing" we installed the ADSL modem/router, in the middle of our house and in the opposite wing we installed an AE, both hardwired into the cat 5e/6 backbone.

     

    As you asked I have learned recently that there is technical alternative: Netgear are selling wireless extender that you plug into power points. These gadgets supposedly give you 300 Mbps. Refer

    http://www.netgear.com.au/home/products/wireless-range-extenders/WN3500RP.aspx

     

    Regards,