Airport express low speed as bridge mode

Question

Level 1

8 points

Airport express low speed as bridge mode

Hi,

I use a Aiprot Express (AE) as access point (wired ethernet) to extend wifi. The AE is working just as bridge mode while my main Huawei device do all the router task, in the house i use two differents SSID two identified which unit (AE or Huawei) I'm connecting with.

The problem began when I increase the speed service from 20Mbps to 40Mbps, with the main router I have full speed but with the AE just half 20Mbps.

I did:

Change channels (Manual from bottom to top)

Change frequency.

Reset

Change a b g n protocolos: I get 20 Mps on a-b protocols, other cases 15 Mbps.

Could anyone give me peace of advice.

Regards,

MacBook Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.3), null

Posted on Feb 11, 2016 10:47 AM

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Answer 1

Tesserax

Level 10

148,263 points

Feb 11, 2016 11:00 AM in response to aluf07

I understand the you have the AirPort Express connected back to the Huawei gateway via Ethernet and that you have the Express configured as a bridge, but what is the base station's Network Mode set to? That is, "Create a wireless network," "Extend a wireless network," or "Off?"

Which exact model of the Express do you have? When connected by Ethernet the only method to extend an existing Wi-Fi network is to configure both devices for a "roaming" network, but this would require that both wireless routers use the same SSID, wireless security type & password.

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Answer 2

aluf07 Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 11, 2016 1:16 PM in response to Tesserax

Hi Tesserax

Network Mode: Create a Wireless Network (Only mode that i get to work)

Express model: A1392

I try to set up a roaming network but didn't work, I puted the same SSID, security type and password. The signal streght was poor. I don't know if I missed somenthing in the process.

Thanks for reply.

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Answer 3

Tesserax

Level 10

148,263 points

Feb 11, 2016 2:05 PM in response to aluf07

Network Mode: Create a Wireless Network (Only mode that i get to work)

... and that would be the correct setting when both devices are configured for a roaming network. However, the AirPort also needs to be configured to use the same SSID, wireless security type & password as the Huawei device as I mentioned before. This type of network will NOT work if you use different SSIDs.

I try to set up a roaming network but didn't work, I puted the same SSID, security type and password. The signal streght was poor. I don't know if I missed somenthing in the process.

I am assuming that you are saying that the signal strength of the Express was poor ... correct? If so, were you trying to connect to the Express when you were in the same room as the Express or from another location. One way to verify which wireless access point you are connected to is to check the BSSID value in the OS X AirPort menu. Note: You may need to hold down the option key before clicking on the AirPort icon to see this value. It should be the same value as the wireless MAC ID of the Express.

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Answer 4

aluf07 Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 11, 2016 8:02 PM in response to Tesserax

I made a roaming network again with identical setting in both Huawei (main) and Express access point. The real problem is the download speed when I'm connected to the Express, just 15Mbps when I have 40Mbps.

I'm very close to the Express.

I tried the same ethernet cable that use the Express and got 40Mpbs downloading through ethernet

As I told you before, I changed channels one by one, frecuency and nothig improve the download speed.

Right now there is no problem setting the roaming network (I think ):

Network Mode: Create a wireless network

Wireless Securtity, password and SSID: The same in both acces point

Router Mode: off (Bridge Mode)

Right now my main problem is the dowload speed on Express.

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Answer 5

Tesserax

Level 10

148,263 points

Feb 12, 2016 10:08 AM in response to aluf07

I'm very close to the Express.

Being close and being connected to it are two different things. Please be sure by checking the BSSID value in the AirPort icon menu on your MBP when you are "close" to the AirPort Express. This should match the wireless MAC ID of the base station, NOT the one for the Huawei.

I tried the same ethernet cable that use the Express and got 40Mpbs downloading through ethernet

As I told you before, I changed channels one by one, frecuency and nothig improve the download speed.

Thanks for verifying that the Ethernet cable and connection is not the problem, and that, it would be the wireless from the Express.

Again, be sure that your MBP is connected to the Express and not the Huawei when near the Express. Once verified please provide the following information from the AirPort menu on the MBP:

Security
Channel
RSSI
Noise
Tx Rate
PHY Mode
MCS Index

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Answer 6

aluf07 Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 12, 2016 1:36 PM in response to Tesserax

Sorry for my english, when I said close it was that I was connected to the Express and very close as well. When I did the test I turned of the main router wifi signal in order to be sure that I was connected to the Express.

BS Express:

Mac per Protocol

Summary---------->

Ethernet: 48:D7:05:EC:EE:FD

Wifi 2.4 Ghz: 48:D7:05:F0:F0:46

Wifi 5Ghz: 48:D7:05:F0:F0:47

Macbook Pro:

Hold Option Key and click on Wifi:

BSSID: 48:D7:05:F0:F0:46 (Match with my Express Wifi 2.4Ghz) I was connected to the Express all the time because I turned of the main router wifi (just the wifi, no the router).

Security: WPA/WPA2 Personal (In the main router is set WPA/WPA2 Pre-Shared) Remember that I turned of the Wifi f

Channel: 1

Noise: -81dBm

TX Rate : 130Mbps

PHY Mode: 802.11n (I forced the main Huawei router to transmit in this mode)

MCS Index: 15

The Express continue just with 15Mbps download speed.

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Answer 7

Tesserax

Level 10

148,263 points

Feb 12, 2016 2:33 PM in response to aluf07

Security: WPA/WPA2 Personal (In the main router is set WPA/WPA2 Pre-Shared)

I would suggest that you change the wireless security type on your AirPort Express to: WPA2 Personal. This is not only more secure but it should provide for better data transfer speeds.

Noise: -81dBm

Could I also get the RSSI value too please?

TX Rate : 130Mbps

This would be the potential maximum bandwidth of the wireless connection between the Express and your MBP. This is also the highest possible on the 2.4 GHz band. Note: 802.11n uses both the 2.4 & 5 GHz bands. If your MBP connected to the 5 GHz band this value could be as high as 270 Mbps.

MCS Index: 15

This value would indicate that your MBP got the best connection possible with your Express base station.

Try changing the wireless security type as I suggested above, and then, try taking the download speed measurements again. Please post back your results.

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Answer 8

aluf07 Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 12, 2016 6:31 PM in response to Tesserax

RSSI:40 dBM 2.4 Ghz channel 1

Noise:-89 dBM

Tx rate: 54Mbps

PHY Mode: g ( I put this mode manually to see the behaviour, nothing! I know that N mode is faster).

I was reading about security and find out that that WPA/WPA2 "Pre-Share Key (PSK)" is the same as "personal". Please confirm because I'm not 100% sure.

My main router doesn't has "personal" as the Express. You can configure enterprise in both but you need a server service for authentication. What i did was use WPA2 PSK in the main router and Express as well. Download speed 15-17 Mbps.

I was thinking try to get another router to do some test.

😢

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Answer 9

Tesserax

Level 10

148,263 points

Feb 13, 2016 8:51 AM in response to aluf07

RSSI:40 dBM 2.4 Ghz channel 1

Noise:-89 dBM

Tx rate: 54Mbps

PHY Mode: g ( I put this mode manually to see the behaviour, nothing! I know that N mode is faster).

802.11n operates on both the 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz bands. The above would indicate a connection to the 2.4 GHz with the 802.11g mode. In this case 54 Mbps would be the theoretical maximum bandwidth available in this mode.

I was reading about security and find out that that WPA/WPA2 "Pre-Share Key (PSK)" is the same as "personal". Please confirm because I'm not 100% sure

Manufacturers tend to use a bit of "freedom" when using networking nomenclature.

The following would be a guideline for Wi-Fi security types:

Security Type Non-Apple Routers Apple Routers

WPA WPA/WPA2 PSK WPA/WPA2 Personal

WPA2 WPA2 PSK WPA2 Personal

As you already noted, the Enterprise option requires a RADIUS server to first identify/confirm a user BEFORE allowing an encrypted connection.

What I am still recommending is that you use WPA2 Personal on the AirPort Express. This would be the correct match for "WPA2 PSK" on the Huawei.

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Answer 10

aluf07 Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 13, 2016 4:54 PM in response to Tesserax

WPA 2 PSK / WPA2 personal is what I'm using since yesterday. I appreciate all your time but it seems that I'm short of option because the speed continue 15 to 18Mbps.

I really don't know what else to do. I tried with every single channel and frequency getting the same results, I also did a factory reset.

Thanks!!!

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Answer 11

aluf07 Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 13, 2016 5:56 PM in response to Tesserax

I did another try and I get a little improvement with this configuration:

PHY Mode: a, 5Ghz, channel manual 161, speed: 2.6 MB/s = 20.8 Mbps but is not enough, i want al lest 35/40 Mbps

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Answer 12

Tesserax

Level 10

148,263 points

Feb 14, 2016 11:26 AM in response to aluf07

The only other thing I would like you to test is to temporarily connect your MBP to the LAN port on your AirPort Express. Connected this way does the MBP get the desired speed you are looking at. Note: Be sure to enable Ethernet and disable Wi-Fi on the MBP when you do this.

If you do get the desired speed, then it would be the wireless radio on the Express. If not, then it would be the Ethernet switch on the Express.

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Answer 13

aluf07 Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 14, 2016 4:57 PM in response to Tesserax

I did as you told me connecting my MBP to the port available on the Express with Wifi off, but had the same result 15 to 18 Mbps. At this point I would like to have another Express to do a test.

After this test you proposed I tried the main ethernet cable( this is the cable tha come from tha main router Huawei) again, connecting to my MBP instead the Express, the result 40Mbps. I think my Express is damage.

I didn't realize before because my service (ISP) was 20Mbps and as you can see the Express hit this speed from time to time. Everithing pop up infront of my eye when I increased the speed from 20 to 40Mbps.

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