Garagelizard

Q: Airport Express Slow Upload Speed

Hi,

 

I have a Time Capsule base station that is fed from the router of my ISP. Attached to a LAN port is a Airport Express that is configured in bridge mode, with all wireless settings the same. My Service provides for 50mb down and 5mb up.

 

I am able to get the full 50 down but only 1mb up when speed testing.

 

If I connect directly to the LAN of the time capsule on the same cable feeding the express I get full speed both directions.

 

I have two express units and get the same results from both.

 

Last night while trying numerous re-boots and cables, I was able to get the full 5 up, but only 10 down. Rebooted the express with no changes to the configuration and I am back to 50 down and only 1 up.

 

Any ideas? Can't seem to locate any articles similar.

 

Update the firmware?

 

Thank you for your thoughts.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Jan 15, 2016 7:43 AM

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Q: Airport Express Slow Upload Speed

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  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Jan 15, 2016 9:51 AM in response to Garagelizard
    Level 9 (54,684 points)
    Wireless
    Jan 15, 2016 9:51 AM in response to Garagelizard

    Which exact models are both of your AirPort Express base stations? Are they configured to extend the Time Capsule or to join its Wi-Fi network? Where are each located in relation to the TC? Are both connected back to the TC by Ethernet?

  • by Garagelizard,

    Garagelizard Garagelizard Jan 15, 2016 11:26 AM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 15, 2016 11:26 AM in response to Tesserax

    Hi,

     

    I cannot see any model number. The express is about 3 yrs old and has a single LAN, WAN, and USB Port. The Time Capsule base station is similar age, and has multiple LAN ports and a single WAN port.

     

    This is all wired ethernet and here is the connection sequence:

     

    Cable Modem to Time Capsule WAN Port then out of Time Capsule LAN port to Express WAN port, then out of Express LAN port to PC.

     

    The Express is configured to extend(bridge mode)

     

    In this configuration the upload speed is only 1mb. If I plug same cable form the Time Capsule Lan directly into the Macbook, I get full speed both directions.

     

    The second one I spoke of is currently off line. I use it to extend wirelessly and swapped with the other one suspecting I had a bad express but got the same result.

     

    Hope this is clear.

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Jan 15, 2016 11:37 AM in response to Garagelizard
    Level 9 (54,684 points)
    Wireless
    Jan 15, 2016 11:37 AM in response to Garagelizard

    I cannot see any model number. The express is about 3 yrs old and has a single LAN, WAN, and USB Port. The Time Capsule base station is similar age, and has multiple LAN ports and a single WAN port.

    The AirPort Utility can help here. To verifying the model, run the utility, select a base station, and then, before clicking on Edit hold down the Option key. The model will be shown on the Summary tab.

    This is all wired ethernet and here is the connection sequence:

     

    Cable Modem to Time Capsule WAN Port then out of Time Capsule LAN port to Express WAN port, then out of Express LAN port to PC.

     

    The Express is configured to extend(bridge mode)

    Ok, thanks for the additional configuration information. When connected by Ethernet, the Express should NOT be configured to "extend a wireless network." This setting is designed to be used when the connection between routers is a wireless one. Instead you want it to be configured to "create a wireless network." This is known as a roaming network. Note that the Express will still need to be in bridge mode. This type of network actually provides better overall bandwidth than the extended one. Each base station will broadcast their own Wi-Fi network, but they will all use the same Network Name & wireless security type / password so that wireless clients will just "see" a single network.

  • by Garagelizard,

    Garagelizard Garagelizard Jan 15, 2016 12:36 PM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 15, 2016 12:36 PM in response to Tesserax

    Thank you.

     

    The model is a Air Port Express 802.11n (2nd Generation)

     

    I think I am confusing you with the two descriptions above.

     

    The one I am having this slow upload speed with is wired via Ethernet Ports and is configured as follows:

     

    Base Station Tab - just name and password

    Internet Tab - Connect using DHCP

    Wireless Tab - Create Wireless Network - network names and passwords are the same as the Time Capsule Base Station

    Network Tab - Off(Bridge Mode)

     

    I thought this looked right from all the documentation I have read.

     

    Thoughts?

     

    Thank you for your replies.

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Jan 15, 2016 12:42 PM in response to Garagelizard
    Level 9 (54,684 points)
    Wireless
    Jan 15, 2016 12:42 PM in response to Garagelizard

    Ok, those looks like the correct settings for a roaming network configuration.

     

    Another thing to consider. The Ethernet ports on the Express base station are 100 Mbps ports; those on the Time Capsule are 1000 Mbps ones. Traffic between these two will be reduced to support the slower link and will affect the overall bandwidth performance for both wired and wireless clients connected to the Express.

  • by Garagelizard,

    Garagelizard Garagelizard Jan 15, 2016 1:00 PM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 15, 2016 1:00 PM in response to Tesserax

    Yes thank you. Still perplexed here as I can unplug the Express from the Time Capsule and the upload speed goes up by 5x without changing anything.

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Jan 15, 2016 1:07 PM in response to Garagelizard
    Level 9 (54,684 points)
    Wireless
    Jan 15, 2016 1:07 PM in response to Garagelizard

    If you are connecting directly to the Time Capsule when you get these results the other thing that may be the cause is the Ethernet cable between the two base stations may be suspect. Try again, connecting your computer to the cable coming from the TC. Same results?

     

    When in bridge mode, the Express' WAN/LAN port function changes to just an Ethernet port and the device performs as an Ethernet switch, albeit a slower one than your TC's.

  • by Garagelizard,

    Garagelizard Garagelizard Jan 15, 2016 4:29 PM in response to Garagelizard
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 15, 2016 4:29 PM in response to Garagelizard

    If I unplug the Express and use the same cable directly into the Macbook - viola I have the expected speeds. I would still expect it to have 5mb up as a switch but maybe that is the problem? The down side is fine.

     

    Again thank you for your replies.

  • by Garagelizard,

    Garagelizard Garagelizard Jan 15, 2016 4:34 PM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 15, 2016 4:34 PM in response to Tesserax

    If I unplug the Express and use the same cable directly into the Macbook - viola I have the expected speeds. I would still expect it to have 5mb up as a switch but maybe that is the problem? The down side is fine.

     

    Again thank you for your replies.

     

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Jan 16, 2016 10:59 AM in response to Garagelizard
    Level 9 (54,684 points)
    Wireless
    Jan 16, 2016 10:59 AM in response to Garagelizard

    Sorry, but I didn't quite understand that. Are you saying when you connected the Ethernet cable directly from the TC into your MacBook you got the same results (poor upload speeds) or that you got the expected speeds (5 Mbps UP)? If it is the former, then I would suspect the cable; the latter, the Express.

     

    FWIW. If you want to get a better idea on how both of your current routers perform ... or any others for that matter, I would suggest that you take a look at the following SmallNetBuilder site. Especially take a look at both the router's WAN to LAN Performance & Total Simultaneous Throughput values. You will find a remarkable difference between these routers. Hopefully, this can help you decide on which will work best for your situation.

  • by Garagelizard,

    Garagelizard Garagelizard Jan 16, 2016 12:45 PM in response to Garagelizard
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 16, 2016 12:45 PM in response to Garagelizard

    Thank you.

     

    Yes I get the expected speeds - 50/5 when the macbook is connected to the TC directly through the same cable I am using for the express. Unplug the macbook and plug in the express and plug the express into the LAN port of the express = poor performance.

     

    What had me scratching was i tried a second in express in the same config and got and same results.

     

    I think I am at the point of new router to replace the express.

     

    Appreciate the tip on small net builder. I will look there for sure as I have been out of networking details for some time.