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Alscott

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 28, 2008
16
0
Hello,

I used to have one airport express (first gen.) in my house. The problem was the airport express was too far away from my bedroom to get a good connection. This airport express was connected to my modem. A man at my Apple store told me I could buy another Airport express, connect it to my wireless internet connection, put it in my room and receive a faster connection. I bought a second one (second gen.) I plugged it into the wall, set it to pick up my internet connection and it has a green light on. But I am noticing no change as far as internet connection. Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong?

Thanks.
 

waw74

macrumors 601
May 27, 2008
4,664
938
you want to set it to extend the network of the first one.
and you'll want to put it somewhere in the middle between your room and the main express. not in your room.
 

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,665
5,879
Could you tell me how I would do that please? Thanks.

if you have the airport utility app either on your iphone, ipad, mac, or PC....there is a setting when you click on the new airport to make it a wireless extender. Just play with the menus. I am not 100% sure which one it is under, but there is only like 5 menus.
 

Alscott

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 28, 2008
16
0
Thank you for sending me those two links, I apologize for the late response. With the instructions you gave I was able to connect several of my devices to my internet connection such as my iPod touch and DVD player. However, I am still noticing that the internet speed is still very slow compared to when I am closer to the original airport express (which has the modem connected to it.) And that goes for my computer, dvd player, etc. Is this a problem with my internet provider? Is the modem at fault for not sending a faster connection farther away?

Thank you again for your help.
 

drsox

macrumors 68000
Apr 29, 2011
1,702
199
Xhystos
Thank you for sending me those two links, I apologize for the late response. With the instructions you gave I was able to connect several of my devices to my internet connection such as my iPod touch and DVD player. However, I am still noticing that the internet speed is still very slow compared to when I am closer to the original airport express (which has the modem connected to it.) And that goes for my computer, dvd player, etc. Is this a problem with my internet provider? Is the modem at fault for not sending a faster connection farther away?

Thank you again for your help.

If you are extending via WiFi then the data rate is halved compared to a single AE. This is because the data has to be sent twice between the two AEs. If you use a wired connection between the two AEs then this halving doesn't happen.
 

Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
55,097
52,705
Behind the Lens, UK
If you are extending via WiFi then the data rate is halved compared to a single AE. This is because the data has to be sent twice between the two AEs. If you use a wired connection between the two AEs then this halving doesn't happen.

If this is a problem due to them being to far apart, you could go for a pair of power line converters. Basically it uses your ring main as an Ethernet cable. Plug one in the room with the modem and connect by Ethernet, the other in the room where you plan to use the second AE and connect. That way you don't lose any wifi bandwidth. See the URL below which will show you what I mean.

https://www.google.co.uk/shopping/p...mD9CAhQfB-YGQBg&ved=0CDcQ8wIwAQ#hsec:overview
 
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drsox

macrumors 68000
Apr 29, 2011
1,702
199
Xhystos
If this is a problem due to them being to far apart, you could go for a pair of power line converters. Basically it uses your ring main as an Ethernet cable. Plug one in the room with the modem and connect by Ethernet, the other in the room where you plan to use the second AE and connect. That way you don't lose any wifi bandwidth. See the URL below which will show you what I mean.

https://www.google.co.uk/shopping/p...mD9CAhQfB-YGQBg&ved=0CDcQ8wIwAQ#hsec:overview

Yes, but two possible problems :

1. Data rates will be limited to about 15% of the rated speeds (e.g. 15% of 500Mbps = 75Mbps).
2. PowerLine units don't work well in old houses of where there is a lot of power noise. Also there is an issue with the phase relationships of some power lines. (e.g. it won't work between all the floors of my house, only some of them. Beats me why - maybe it's the way the power box was installed, maybe it's the crappy wiring that was installed when the house was refurbished in 2000.)
 

Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
55,097
52,705
Behind the Lens, UK
Yes, but two possible problems :

1. Data rates will be limited to about 15% of the rated speeds (e.g. 15% of 500Mbps = 75Mbps).
2. PowerLine units don't work well in old houses of where there is a lot of power noise. Also there is an issue with the phase relationships of some power lines. (e.g. it won't work between all the floors of my house, only some of them. Beats me why - maybe it's the way the power box was installed, maybe it's the crappy wiring that was installed when the house was refurbished in 2000.)

More likely each floor has its own separate ring main and they aren't connected. In other words if you had a fault upstairs only the upstairs sockets would trip out. This is standard safe practise with modern wiring.
 

drsox

macrumors 68000
Apr 29, 2011
1,702
199
Xhystos
More likely each floor has its own separate ring main and they aren't connected. In other words if you had a fault upstairs only the upstairs sockets would trip out. This is standard safe practise with modern wiring.

Yes, obviously - that's why the mains box has individual fuses for multiple power ring mains, light ring mains and dedicated ones for cookers etc. My mains box has more than 10 individual fuses.

The unanswered question is why can't the PowerLine LAN signal complete the link between : Socket on Floor A>Ring Main A>Fuse A>Mains Box>Fuse B>Ring Main B >Socket on Floor B but CAN complete the link between Socket on Floor A>Ring Main A>Fuse A>Mains Box>Fuse C>Ring Main C >Socket on Floor C.

It also isn't a 3 phase supply (which would defeat PowerLine) as is found in many mixed Business/Residential houses. (Mine isn't - although used to be in the 1950s with the old wiring and power setup).
 
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