I want to boost the Wi-Fi signal around my house. I have a 3TB Airport Time Capsule connected to my Virgin Media modem via a WLAN connection but wonder if an Airport Express device can be used at a remote location purely wirelessly - apart from a power connection obviously?
MacBook Pro, iOS 8.1.3
Does AirPort Express require a wired connection.......if I already have a wired AirPort Time Capsule on the Network?
No, but you will have much better network performance if you do wire the AirPort Express.
The reason for this is that when you try to extend a network using wireless, you will typically lose about a half of the potential speed capability on the network.
There is no network speed loss when you wire the Express.
Here is what Apple's support document says about this:
In the case of a wirelessly extended network, throughput may be reduced to less than 60 percent of that of a single device. The general rule is to keep the Wi-Fi network as simple as possible. You can accomplish this by using the minimum number of Wi-Fi base stations required to service the physical network area and by using Ethernet wherever possible.
Extending the range of your Wi-Fi network by connecting Wi-Fi base stations together using Ethernet is always the best option, and will provide the best throughput
Thanks very much for your helpful reply. I thought that this would be the case but I was hoping that I wouldn't have to arrange metres of Ethernet cables around my house to extend the signal! The signal is fine on the ground floor but upstairs in the kids' bedrooms, it is lost.
I think one or even two airport expresses Is a good option for me but I'll just have to have a think about how I wire them without having people tripping over the cables the whole time!!
Thanks again for your reply.
There is nothing wrong with trying wireless. It might work well enough for your purposes, and you won't know until you try.
This may be a case of comparing "best" with "good", and sometimes they are enemies of each other.
If you decide to try to extend the network using wireless, the trick is to locate the AirPort Express about half way between the Time Capsule and the general area that needs more wireless signal coverage.
Does an Airport Express require a wired connection to boost a Wi-Fi signal if I already have a wired Airport Time Capsule on the Network?
