Apple Router issues

Question

Level 1

0 points

Apple Router issues

I decided to go with apple routers for my home networking (2 Extreme and an Express) and worked fine for the first day when configured but then started to see a series of problems...

The Airport Utility would show the routers offline or in conflict. Either one router or all three at the same time. In some cases I would have Internet access, in other cases, no.
Wireless speeds started to degrade. I have a 40Mb/5Mb connection and was seeing 1Mb/0.5Mb connection or even lower. I made sure I was connected to the closest router before testing.

I have the latest firmware on all three routers and am running a Cat5 cable to each of them and have extended (thru Ethernet) the network to ensure best possible connection.

Any thoughts around what the problem may be? Is this just an apple issue all together and the hardware is not good?

MacBook Air, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Aug 2, 2015 7:35 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Aug 2, 2015 8:03 PM in response to jramirez07

I have the latest firmware on all three routers and am running a Cat5 cable to each of them and have extended (thru Ethernet) the network to ensure best possible connection.

You cannot use extend wireless when you use ethernet.. you must setup roaming network.. that means each apple router will create a wireless network of the same name and same security setting and password.

Extend wireless in this setup will cause looping because you have both ethernet and wireless links..

Reply

Answer 2

jramirez07 Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 3, 2015 8:22 AM in response to LaPastenague

Sorry, I didnt express myself well... I setup all three to be roaming as you say, transmitting same wireless connection with same passwords and am getting the problems highlighted earlier.

I noted that when trying to log into the wifi network using my iPhone, it asks for the password and when typing correctly, it denies access stating that the USN/PWD is wrong...

connection speeds vary heavily and on the airport utility, I see that the routers switch from 'Green' to 'Not on the network'

Any ideas?

Reply

Answer 3

Aug 3, 2015 1:50 PM in response to jramirez07

Give us a bit more info..

What modem / router do you use??

Actual make and model please.

Which device takes the role of main router?? Is it the AE or ISP modem?

The rest of the devices should be bridged.. but Apple do have issues on the newest AE with the WAN port connections.

Cut the network back to modem and just one AE.. and test how it goes.. If you have trouble here it will carry on up the line.

So it is important to test this carefully and make sure it works reliably.

Also if you can give us a screenshot from your airport utility and show the summary page from each Extreme and Express that will help us figure out what is happening.

Reply

Answer 4

jramirez07 Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 3, 2015 4:10 PM in response to LaPastenague

My current ISP Plan: 40Mbp/5MBp

I could never get this speed thru my wifi on my provider’s ISP Modem

ISP Router -> Huawei EchoLife HG8245

Connected to the ISP router without any Apple Routers connected. 21.18Mbp/5.82Mbps

When I connected the AEBS to the ISP Router on bridge mode and ran a Speed test, these were my results. 42.98Mbp/5.59Mbp

Tested that all was working well and ideed it was. 10 minutes later, I started to set up the Airport Express (2nd Generation) to my bedroom connected with a Cat5 cable to the ISP Router, Here’s the setup.

Note that when setting up the Airport express, I selected “Create New Wireless Network” and put same Network name and password as the AEBS named GRG. I also set it up on bridge mode.

When connected, here’s the speed of my AEBS “GRG”: 42.63MBps / 5.65MBps

Here is the speed I got on the Airport Express afer I connected to it. 3.07MBps / 5.76Mpbs

Then I noticed this conflict:

Then this one, 2 minutes Later

mind you, I never lost connectivity from my MBA and decided to test again, I got this speed. 19.6MBp/5.93Mbp

I saw this third error 5 minutes Later while connected to the 'Wei-Ling" router

But again I decided to do a Speedtest again and got the one below while both routers show in conflict. 27.45MBps/5.78Mbp

Connected back to the Network on ‘GRG’ to test speeds and got 43MBps/6MBp download speeds and everything shows green on the Airport Utility.

Back to the Airport Express and it now shows ‘GRG’ in conflict.

Even though it shows this way, I decide to configure the third Base Station, another AEBS named ‘Jorge’ thru Cat5 cable into my ISP modem and created the same network with same password as the previous two.

After setting it up like below the image above and trying to connect to the ‘Jorge’ basestation, it prompts me to enter the Password and fails every time I type the right password.

I can still get on both GRG and Wei-Ling base stations but I haven’t been able to get on “Jorge”

In previous attempts, It was hard to get on Airport Express ‘Wei-Ling’ and on another ocasion, on ‘GRG’

at other times, I suffered speed degradation and my apple TVs get choppy when connected wirelessly to both ‘Wei-Ling” and “GRG”.

This has been a very frustrating experience so far…

HELP!!!! 😟 😟 😟

Reply

Answer 5

Aug 4, 2015 4:55 AM in response to jramirez07

I have looked at your pictures but my head is spinning as badly as yours.

Even though it shows this way, I decide to configure the third Base Station, another AEBS named ‘Jorge’ thru Cat5 cable into my ISP modem and created the same network with same password as the previous two.

This is wrong. If the modem is bridged.. as you indicated at the start..

When I connected the AEBS to the ISP Router on bridge mode

Then only the first AE can connect to it.. all the other equipment connects to the first AE.

If you are putting the huawei back to router mode.. and then using the airports all plugged into it.. that could cause your problems.. I do not like huawei routers.. IMHO bridge it and leave it bridged.. as a pure modem it can do little harm.

So you want the First AE plugged in and running PPPOE mode.. then other Extreme and express both running bridge.. they all get IP addresses from the AE that is router.

When I connected the AEBS to the ISP Router on bridge mode

However I could be reading your quote wrongly.. and you do mean that the AEBS is in bridge..

If that is the case it is still wrong way to do it.

Use static IP mode.. this is a bit more tricky to setup but works well.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5981989?answerId=25135547022#25135547022&ac_cid=tw123456#

All the other Airports are plugged into this AE and bridged plus create a wireless network.. that will work.

Reply