the_arkitecht

Q: Has anyone found a fix for Apple's Airport Express Music Skipping?

I've been searching for weeks for a solution to my intermittent gaps in music, aka skipping. It is so frustrating. I really don't want to have to go to a wired solution. It will require too much time and an unattractive cable running through my rooms.

 

I use the Bright House Networks 5 ghz Arris DG1670 Router/modem that my provider rents to me.

The router is less than 30 feet from my airport express

The airport express is on the floor hooked up via fiber TosLink cable to my Focusrite Safire Pro 24.

  • Thinking this might be an issue I have since turned it sideways to try that as a remedy so that the surface area in contact with the floor is less. The next step I will try is placing it on something instead of being on the bare floor. But considering how close everything is it shouldn't be too much of an issue either way.

I've tried:

  • changing the channel on my router from 11 to 40 to 47 to auto. They all skip.
  • I've tried both 5 ghz and 2.4 ghz connections.
  • Streaming from my Macbook Pro, Streaming from my iPad Air 2
  • Changing the setting from Mixed A/N to N only (since the Express only has N)
  • Enabling and disabling WMM in the router settings.
  • Changing the Bandwidth from 20/40 to 20 only and back again to 20/40.
  • Changing the Beacon Interval to 500 ms from 100. (This supposedly helps with battery life and throughput.)

 

It all skips. Though after changing the channel to a higher one 44, enabling WMM, and putting the Express without anything right around it to block the antenna inside, it seems to skip a little less. It is likely that there are too many networks in my apartment complex nearby that are competing for bandwidth in the spectrums but I'm hopeful that someone may be able to suggest something else.

 

I suggest to anyone reading having the same issues to try some of the "fixes" I've tried above.

 

Thanks.

iPad Air, iOS 9.3.4, also on iPhone 9.3.3

Posted on Aug 13, 2016 9:30 AM

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Q: Has anyone found a fix for Apple's Airport Express Music Skipping?

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  • by Tesserax,Helpful

    Tesserax Tesserax Aug 13, 2016 1:38 PM in response to the_arkitecht
    Level 9 (54,344 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 13, 2016 1:38 PM in response to the_arkitecht

    It may just be possible that you have a faulty AirPort Express ...

     

    I am assuming that you have a 2nd generation 802.11n AirPort Express AND that you have it configured to join the Wi-Fi network provided by your Arris gateway ... correct?

    The router is less than 30 feet from my airport express

    As you are probably already aware the AirPlay stream goes from your MacBook Pro or iPad Air 2 to the Arris first, and then, on to the Express. In theory, you should get the best streaming when all of these devices are co-located. As you can imagine, if you take either device to another room or floor, the stream will have to go through a number of walls, floors, ceilings, etc. which will affect the overall bandwidth available.

    • Changing the setting from Mixed A/N to N only (since the Express only has N)

    Not quite correct. The Express supports 802.11a/b/g/n radio modes. 802.11a operates only on the 5 GHz band. 802.11b or g operates only on the 2.4 GHz band, and 802.11n can operate on either.

    • Enabling and disabling WMM in the router settings.

    The AirPort base stations do not support QoS so this setting should not have any effect.

    • Changing the Bandwidth from 20/40 to 20 only and back again to 20/40.

    This setting typically only applies to the 2.4 GHz radio. All of the AirPort base stations only support 20 MHz-wide channels on this band. I would suggest that you leave this set to the "20" option.

    and putting the Express without anything right around it to block the antenna inside, it seems to skip a little less.

    Most likely, this was the most effective solution. All wireless routers should be placed so that they are in a clear (as possible) space for their antennae to be unobstructed ... especially from metal objects.

    It is likely that there are too many networks in my apartment complex nearby that are competing for bandwidth in the spectrums...

    This is, unfortunately, a very real problem ... and may be worth further investigating, if only, to verify that it may be a cause. In a Wi-Fi intense environment, most folks will try to get the "best" out of their network's performance. That could mean, they set up their wireless routers to produce a network that will interfere with others without thinking about it.

     

    At best, you can try changing channels as you already have to find one that is located on a least used channel ... but, non-overlapping channels, especially on the 2.4 GHz band are very limited. (1, 6, or 11 in the U.S.).

  • by the_arkitecht,

    the_arkitecht the_arkitecht Aug 13, 2016 1:38 PM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 13, 2016 1:38 PM in response to Tesserax

    Thank you for the information. Some of it I had not ever heard before. I didn't realize it had a/b/n capability. I'm going to consider buying a new one. I changed it back to 20 and I'm just going to keep playing around with it and maybe buy an cat6 and just deal with it. Seamless, skip-less music seems to be worth it to me.

     

    Also YES I do have the 2nd generation Apple Express.

     

    Thanks again.