Two Airport Extremes on Same Network...#2 Slow.

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Level 1

5 points

Two Airport Extremes on Same Network...#2 Slow.

I have set up two Airport Extreme Modems (5th generation) on the same network following the instructions provided in other discussions on this board. They seem to work fine except the second Airport Extreme is slow compared to the first. (Download is 35+mps on #1 and often about 4 mps on modem #2 with multiple tests on both.) Also, I am certain when I am a client on each of the modems, so that I can check the respective speeds on each.

The second modem ("Airport Extreme 2") is set to "Create a wireless network" and is connected via Ethernet, uses the same network name and wireless security, and is using DHCP and is in Bridge mode. Both modems are v.7.6.4. See attached images from Airport Utility 5.6 and 6.3.

Any suggestions are welcomed. Thanks.

[MacBook Pro OS 10.7.5; iPad 2 iOS 7; iPhone 4S iOS 6]

Airport Extreme-OTHER

Posted on Sep 27, 2013 1:18 PM

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Answer 1

Tesserax

Level 10

158,526 points

Sep 27, 2013 7:24 PM in response to tjcs2

It looks like you have properly set up a roaming network with your two AirPort Extreme Base Stations. The only thing that comes to mind on what may be a possiblity for the issue you are seeing is the Ethernet connection between them.

What is the rough length of the Ethernet cable that you are using between the Extremes? Is it a CAT5e or CAT6-type cable? Is the Ethernet connection between them a single cable, or multiple cables using Ethernet switches or Powerline adapters to create the connection?

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Answer 2

tjcs2 Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 28, 2013 6:51 AM in response to Tesserax

The length of the single Cat 5 cable which is directly connected between the two modems is about 60 feet. The Ethernet cable has been in place for about 10 years and runs outside my house (under an eve), so it may in fact need replacing by now. Thanks for the suggestion.

Tesserax wrote:

It looks like you have properly set up a roaming network with your two AirPort Extreme Base Stations. The only thing that comes to mind on what may be a possiblity for the issue you are seeing is the Ethernet connection between them.

What is the rough length of the Ethernet cable that you are using between the Extremes? Is it a CAT5e or CAT6-type cable? Is the Ethernet connection between them a single cable, or multiple cables using Ethernet switches or Powerline adapters to create the connection?

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Answer 3

tjcs2 Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 30, 2013 8:43 AM in response to Tesserax

Do you recommand CAT6-type cable?

Also, I run the outside ethernet cable from modem #1 to a wall outlet and then connect an additional cable from the wall outlet to modem #2. Is there anything special about the wall outlet that might help maintain the speed of the connection? (actually two wall outlets, one at modem #1 end and another at modem #2 end)

Thus, the arrangement is as follows:

Motorola Cable modem -> Airport Express #1 -> ethernet to wall outlet -> wall outlet via 60 feet ethernet to wall outlet-> wall outlet via ethernet to Airport Express #2.

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Just to convolute the entire initial problem (which was a slow modem #2 in a roaming network)... I now see full speeds (20+ upload, 5+ download) on modem #2. But this seems to fluctuate; at other times I see slow speeds on modem #2. Modem #1 maintains high speeds.

Thanks for any suggestions. It may actually have worked itself out for the most part.

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