Airport Express in 2 level home

[Jimmieboy]

Hi there.

My family is moving house in a few weeks and I'm thinking about the proposed network set-up for our new house. We have 3 imacs, a MBP, and 2 dell's. (not that any of that info is worth anything...). At the moment I just have thhe older AE (g, version), connected to our modem, which provides wireless to all the computers. Our new house is two stories high, instead of our current one. I'm wondering how the single AE is going to cope, having to broadcast to 2 levels. I would assume that placing the AE on the ground floor would provide better coverage? Since 2 out of the 3 imacs will be in this level? Also, I was considering purchasing another AE. Since you can't run the AE in both PreN and g, modes simultaneously, I should just get the AEg at a cheaper price?

Main main concern is, will the AE work on both levels and if not, if another AE will suffice. People who live in 2 story houses and have AE's, please let me know!

 

[TEG]

I've had mixed success in two levels, but I would assume that having the APX on the top floor would work best since it would be closer to the center of the house, especially if you can get near the middle of the house. Using just one Base Station really depends on the construction of the house, if it uses brick internally, 2x6 walls, or metal studs you may have problems, but otherwise you should be good.

TEG

 

[Jimmieboy]

I've had mixed success in two levels, but I would assume that having the APX on the top floor would work best since it would be closer to the center of the house, especially if you can get near the middle of the house. Using just one Base Station really depends on the construction of the house, if it uses brick internally, 2x6 walls, or metal studs you may have problems, but otherwise you should be good.

TEG

So you would assume that a single APX would be fine?

 

[psycoswimmer]

I have two stories and it works fine. The only part where it gets a little shaky is in the upstairs addition in the far back of the house, as the AE (g) is located in the front 1/3 of the house.

 

[rickvanr]

I use one Airport Express in my house. It's a fairly large house and it works fine. I would recommend putting the base station on your lower level. Truth is though, you won't know how it'll work until after you try it. Factors like building materials and a slew of other things come into play. Best case scenario it works great. Worst case you'll have to buy an Airport Express to boost the signal. Good luck

 

[WHM]

I think you will need at least a new Airport Extreme and a new Airport Express with( 802.11n) to get full signal in any room of a two story house. Until recently I had the older Airport Extreme (802.11g) as my base upstairs. Downstairs I had the older Express (802.11g) one on each end of the first floor and had excellent signal everywhere. I installed the new Airport Extreme (802.11n) as my base and Time Capsule downstairs to extend the network and now I have full coverage and full signal and much faster speed.

 

[Jimmieboy]

Thanks for everyone's replies.

I'll just see how things go and then if I have to, I'll grab another APX and that should fix things up. It's a cheap way to fix the problem.

 

[TanToday]

I have my Time Capsule on the ground floor of a three story townhome.

The son's computer is on third floor. The new Airport Express N, set at N only, 5GH.

Connects fine, good throughput. Totally acceptable.

Horizontal distance offset is 12 feet, vertical is 24 feet, with two wooden floors between.

 

[iTattoo]

I live in a 2 story home, plus basement for 3 levels, There are metal beams in the floors of each level and the basement walls are concrete. My iMac is at one end of the house on the 2nd floor, and it can read both the AEBS in the office on the 2nd floor as well as the express in the basement without issue. The total horizontal distance is about 50 feet, and vertical distance is about 25 feet, through two steel reinforced wooden floors, and one concrete wall.

The express is the just replaced model with 802.11g.

You should be OK.

Cheers.

 

[ausdave]

I use an AE(802.11g) in our 2 story house and it works perfectly 99.9% of the time (occassionally if you take a laptop right to the top story at the other end of the house away from the AE it will drop a bar... but thats as bad as it gets).

It will probably depend on the thickness/materials of the floor and walls though in your house.

I've certainly been much much happier with the AE than my mates have been with their PC wireless systems.

 

[monjones]

I have an older AExpress(g) on the ground floor of my three story townhouse. coverage is good on the first and second levels, but a bit patchy on the third. But for the most part it's ok on the third. I would give what you have a try first, but if it is a problem I would guess that a new AExpress(n) would give you enough of a boost to cover the whole house.

 

[EB66]

ya i would like an airport express too but am worried about the range