airport extreme

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Level 1

17 points

airport extreme

Hello,

I have a 6th generation AirPort Extreme (set up as an access point only) that recently began to show slowing upload/download speeds. It was as low as barely 1 Mbps download within the LAN or WAN networks. Wired speeds in my network were unaffected. No changes with restarts, reset/reinstall, or other troubleshooting. No new 2.4 GHz band interference is known. As it turns out, only the 2.4 GHz band was the only one slow and switching wireless devices that I could to the 5 GHz band returned normal speeds.

So, I take it that this is a sign that my four year old AirPort Extreme is failing. Any further troubleshooting comments? It is generally suggested to replace a 24/7 wifi access point every 4-5 years anyhow.

Otherwise, I read last year that Apple had disbanded their department dedicated to wifi router development and no updates since. I apparently need to replace my AirPort Extreme with a same model or a competitors product. Any suggestions there?

Peace,

Dr. Z.

Airport Extreme 802.11ac, iOS 11.1, null

Posted on Nov 15, 2017 12:41 PM

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Answer 1

Tesserax

Level 10

148,447 points

Nov 15, 2017 12:56 PM in response to zeigh

If you haven't already, I would try first performing a "factory default" reset on your AirPort Extreme to see if this resolves the issue.

If the Extreme is performing as a Wireless Access Point, then you must have it configured as a bridge ... correct? If so, then it would be the upstream router that may be the issue related to data throughput performance through the WAN-LAN interface on that router.

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Answer 2

zeigh Author

Level 1

17 points

Nov 15, 2017 1:06 PM in response to Tesserax

Thanks, Tesserax. I did indeed do a factory reset in my troubleshooting, then imported a copy of the previous settings. Maybe another reset and basic manual settings is worth a try.

You are correct in my bridge configuration. The AirPort Extreme is downstream of a Ubiquity route and gateway. While I was doing all of my troubleshooting, I had a 4th generation AirPort Extreme plugged in temporarily and both bands worked well. I'll still check various settings just to be safe.

Peace,

Dr. Z.

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Answer 3

Tesserax

Level 10

148,447 points

Nov 15, 2017 1:18 PM in response to zeigh

Let's see what happens after you reconfigure the Extreme after the reset.

I will be interested in how you like your Ubiquiti router/gateway device. I have been slowly implementing Ubiquiti Unifi APs replacing any of my 5+ year old AirPort base stations. I just ordered the Ubiquiti USG and US-8-60W Unifi Switch to replace my current Cisco VPN router. Do you have the USG or the EdgeRouter?

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Answer 4

zeigh Author

Level 1

17 points

Nov 15, 2017 1:33 PM in response to Tesserax

I will post back after I get a chance to test further.

As for the Ubiquity products, I have their Security Gateway (USG), POE Switch (US-24), and Cloud Key. Downstream of that are two basic 24 port Monoprice switches. I am relatively new to the Ubiquity line in my home, but an ISP I briefly worked for used all Ubiquity products for their customers. I will very likely choose a few of their products for access points soon, unless Apple re-emerges in the market with new wifi products. Then again, the Ubiquity dual band long range (600 feet) wifi models retail at only $100. Implementing them into what I already have would be relatively easy.

Peace,

Dr. Z.

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Answer 5

Tesserax

Level 10

148,447 points

Nov 15, 2017 1:36 PM in response to zeigh

Thanks. I can't address their gateways ... yet, but I have had nothing but a great experience with their Unifi AP-PRO devices. Both for ease of setup/configurability and Wi-Fi performance. Also I haven't experienced any issues with my roaming type network using both Ubiquiti and Apple APs.

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