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Level 4

1,015 points

How to set-up a DUAL BAND wireless network.

Lots of people are reporting problems caused by replacing an existing wireless network with the new Airport Extreme 802.11n base station.

* Xbox360 compatibility.
* Airtunes issues
* 802.11n slowed down by 802.11g devices

One workaround is to set-up a dual-band network. Your old 802.11g base station looks after the older "g" devices. And the new Airport Extreme looks after the 802.11n devices.

There are a number of benefits to this solution.
* Everything that did work, carries on working. No reconfiguring needed.
* Everything works at its fastest possible speed. You can use the full 270Mb 5Ghz band for n devices.
* 802.11g traffic does not interfere with 802.11n traffic at all.
* It's easy to set up.

The downside is
* There are two boxes. I want one.

This is the diagram (again)

Note that in this configuration, the new Airport Extreme base station is set-up in Bridging Mode.

Glyn

Mac Pro + Powerbook G4 + Intel Mac Mini + iMac G3, Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Posted on Feb 11, 2007 2:16 PM

165 replies

Magpie

Level 4

2,345 points

Feb 13, 2007 1:07 PM in response to Glyn Williams1

Thanks. I used your suggestion and networked my slow (802.11b&g) to my snow airport base, and faster stuffs to the new extreme base. life seems so much better. I cannot wait for the Apple TV to ship. YEAH!

Feb 13, 2007 3:33 PM in response to Glyn Williams1

Glyn, thanks for everything, one q if you don't mind.

I've set up exactly as your diagram.

My "G" network flies even when I have my MBP (n) on the G network... BUT,
when I connect airport card in my MBP to the N network nothing!

I am set up for bridgeing on both.
Thank you,
Tom

Glyn Williams1 Author

Level 4

1,015 points

Feb 13, 2007 4:01 PM in response to Tom Aellis

Tom,
Not sure what is happening.
AE(n) should have the Ethernet cable attached to the wan port on the AE(n).
AE(n) is in bridging mode.

It might be sensible to allocate a fixed IP number to the AE(n)
(I use 192.168.0.3) for the AE(n) - and the DHCP server allocates number 192.168.0.10 onwards.

Use a different SSID for the N network. "MyHouse_N"
Can you connect to MyHouse_N ?
If you do, can you ping 192.168.0.3?

Glyn

Feb 13, 2007 5:37 PM in response to Glyn Williams1

Glyn, thank you big time. I did in fact have a ip conflict.
Now she rocks..... I cannot see my usb HD off the AEn but I'm thinking
I should have config'ed it for sharing before I plugged it into the AEn, no?

Again, thank you.
Tom

Glyn Williams1 Author

Level 4

1,015 points

Feb 14, 2007 12:31 AM in response to Tom Aellis

Well done.
I'd check the sharing options again.
I think Apple are using Rendezvous to make the USB drives available across the whole network - so you should be able to see it.

Feb 14, 2007 6:20 AM in response to Glyn Williams1

Glyn, I have everything as your diagram. Everything is up and running excellent execpt one minor issue.

ThroughPut between the AEn HD hanging off the n network and HD on my g network is terrible.

4 hours to copy about 600meg of files?

Gotta be something easy.
Any thoughts?
Thank you.
Tom

Ryan3587

Level 1

39 points

Feb 14, 2007 6:36 AM in response to Tom Aellis

I just read a post that said throughput to an AirPort Disk is about 2.2-4.4 Mbps, so when you are copying your 600MB file, expect it to take close to FOREVER!

One solution I am working on right now is to use Apple's Backup 3.1 program... Connect the drive to your laptop directly the first time you run Backup 3.1 and then switch back to the AirPort Disk for backups thereafter, because then it will only backup what has changed, in essence leaving you with less MB's to backup thereafter.

Now if I can just figure out the AFP/SMB located in this discussion I would be set!

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=854601&tstart=0

Glyn Williams1 Author

Level 4

1,015 points

Feb 14, 2007 6:39 AM in response to Tom Aellis

That sounds wrong.

With this kind of transfer
MacPro -wifi/n-> AEn -ethrnt-> BelkinG -wifi/g->MacMini

I get 3.7MB/s (so it should take about 2.5 mins)
Four hours seems excessive. AirDisk is slower but it shouldn't be that slow.

What are you trying to do exactly?
Copy a file from the AirDisk on the AEn to where? A HD on a Mac?
There might be some conflict going on.

Try to manually assign IP addresses to the two base stations.
eg 192.168.0.1 192.168.0.2

Glyn

Feb 14, 2007 6:47 AM in response to Glyn Williams1

Glyn -

I will definitely try your suggestion, and hope it works.

When I configure the APEX, do I designate it as a seperate network that is in Bridge mode?

Thanks -

Dudley Warner

Feb 14, 2007 6:47 AM in response to Glyn Williams1

Glyn, thanks again.
What I'm trying to do is this.
My network is set up exactly like your diagram however
I simply have external HD's hanging off my G5 which is on the
'g' network via AE xpress. Web etc. is excellent off my 'g' network.

I'm simply trying to xfer files from the external HD off the G5, 'g' network to the external usb HD hanging off the AP 'n' (the new AE)

I agree, it is quite wrong, ip on the 'g' G5 is 10.0.1.3 and ip off the 'n' is 10.0.1.9 (Static)

Thank you again.
Tom

Glyn Williams1 Author

Level 4

1,015 points

Feb 14, 2007 7:10 AM in response to Dudley Warner

Dudley,
If you have two base stations

Master - Connected to WAN / DHCP server.
Slave - Connected by ethernet / Bridge mode

Glyn Williams1 Author

Level 4

1,015 points

Feb 14, 2007 7:12 AM in response to Tom Aellis

Tom,
How is the G5 connected to the 'G' network?

Feb 14, 2007 7:13 AM in response to Glyn Williams1

Also glyn, do I config both AE's for Bridging or just the AE 'n'
Slave per your diagram?
Tx

Feb 14, 2007 7:14 AM in response to Glyn Williams1

G5 is connected via a AP express

Glyn Williams1 Author

Level 4

1,015 points

Feb 14, 2007 7:17 AM in response to Tom Aellis

Sorry need clarification...

You mean that the G5 does not have a built-in wireless board?
You have the Airport Express plugged into the ethernet port of the G5 and your are using that as a Wireless Receiver?

How to set-up a DUAL BAND wireless network.