I have successfully extended a wireless network by adding an Airport Express to my Time Capsule configuration, all lights are green, however the internet speed I am getting close to my Time Capsule is consistently way better than close to my Airport Express. Any clues?
iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G, iOS 8.3
That's pretty much the way you can expect it to work. The speed will never be faster than what you can get adjacent to the Time Capsule.
Temporarily disconnect the Express. Using your iPad, test the speed where the Express used to be. That's as fast as it will ever get in that location.
If you want to wirelessly extend your network, find a location for your Express in which you are also able to realize a speed that is acceptable to you. Plug it in there. That will effectively increase the range of your wireless network, but the speed you get – at that location – will be as good as you will ever get from the Express.
That's pretty much the way you can expect it to work. The speed will never be faster than what you can get adjacent to the Time Capsule.
Temporarily disconnect the Express. Using your iPad, test the speed where the Express used to be. That's as fast as it will ever get in that location.
If you want to wirelessly extend your network, find a location for your Express in which you are also able to realize a speed that is acceptable to you. Plug it in there. That will effectively increase the range of your wireless network, but the speed you get – at that location – will be as good as you will ever get from the Express.
You don't indicate whether you are trying to extend using a wired Ethernet connection between the Time Capsule and Express.....or.....whether you are trying to use a wireless connection between the devices.
We will guess wireless, since that is where speed problems almost always are found.
If you are trying wireless, temporarily, power off the AirPort Express and run a few checks on your Internet connection speed at the same point where the AirPort Express is located.
What are your results?
Whatever they are, if you are using wireless, you need to understand that the Express can only extend the quality and speed that it receives......and you have just checked to see what that might be. The Express is a "repeater". It does not "boost" the connection speed.
There is usually some additional loss of speed when you try to extend using wireless as well.
A good location for the Express when you try to extend using wireless is a point that would be about half way between the Time Capsule and the general area where you need more wireless signal.
In other words, if you need a better wireless signal in a remote bedroom, locate the Express about half way between the Time Capsule and the bedroom.
If you can use a wired Ethernet connection between the Time Capsule and Express, there will be no signal loss at all through the Ethernet cable.
Thank you, I wrongly assumed that the network extension would boost the signal, but now I realize it makes perfect sense not to.
I'll try the Ethernet cable solution.
Thank you, I wrongly assumed that the network extension would boost the signal, but now I realize it makes perfect sense not to.
I'll try the Ethernet cable solution.
"I wrongly assumed that the network extension would boost the signal,"
When you extend using wireless, the Express will "boost" the signal strength....so you will have improved range for the network.....but the Express cannot "boost" the signal speed that it receives.
Airport Express Poor Performance v. Time Capsule
