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Airport Extreme External HDD video lag

D

dolemite45

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 25, 2010
14
0
Hi everyone

I have an airport extreme with a 1TB seagate external connected to it. I watch videos on my macbook pro (late 2009 model) through the wireless. The video works fine and has no lag or freezes. But when I open safari and load up a site or use skype, while watching a video, it starts to freeze and lag a lot when a site is being loaded. Everything is fine when I hook up an Ethernet cable on my macbook.

Is there anyway to stop the lag on the video when im loading websites?
 
took me a couple reads to get this but ...

You're having problems when watching video, and trying to load a web page at the same time?

sounds like you're getting close to the bandwidth of your wireless connection. there are a couple things you can check, but it may not be possible.

what version of wireless are you using? G, N (2.4 or 5)

1. check out which channels your neighbors are using, use a program like istumbler you want to be as far away from your neighbors channels as possible.

2. Certain cordless phones can cause interference with 2.4GHz (which G is). as well as bluetooth devices and microwave ovens.

3. Try moving the airport extreme closer to where you use it. or if that's not possible, then where the signal goes through the walls closer to 90 degrees. it all depends on the construction of your house as to how well the signal will go through walls.

4. if you're on G, and connect a B device, the whole network drops to B speeds.
If you've on 2.4GHz N, and connect a G device, the rest of the network will slow down (not all the way to G, but still will be slower)
Try disconnecting slower devices, like iphones or ipods.

5. and unfortunately, if you've tried all those and nothing works, then plug in a cable.
 
let me explain again. I have a airport extreme and a macbook pro (late 2009 model). I have a 1tb seagate external connected to the airport extreme by using usb.

On an Ethernet cable connection from the mac to the airport, there are no problems with anything. But on a wireless connection, when I watch a video on the external without doing anything internet related, the video runs smooth as silk. But when I load a web page or use skype, the video I stream off the hard drive starts to freeze and lag.

I have a macbook pro so I assume is it N and as for 2,.4 or 5..I have no idea. I thought that the airport extreme is also N.

2. I have no coreless phones

3. The airport is less then 3 feet away from my macbook

4. I though macbook pros were all N and so is the airport.
 
sounds like your extreme might be running on 2.4ghz 802.11g mode.

this allows for about 4MB/s max throughput - what quality videos are you watching? how much network utilisation is there according to Activity Monitor.app (found in Applications->Utilities on your hard drive).
 
DoFoT9 said:
sounds like your extreme might be running on 2.4ghz 802.11g mode.

this allows for about 4MB/s max throughput - what quality videos are you watching? how much network utilisation is there according to Activity Monitor.app (found in Applications->Utilities on your hard drive).
Click to expand...

how do I turn it on to N 5ghz?
 
dolemite45 said:
how do I turn it on to N 5ghz?
Click to expand...

Your wireless has to be compatible with it. If you are infect on the g spectrum then you will only just be able to stream a ripped DVD, it will chew through about 3MB/s of your max of 4 if at all. You will have to specify what model of extreme your airport is. You can check by using the airport utility.app :)

dolemite45 said:
also im watching standard dvd rip.

and heres what my activity monitor looks like

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/6564/screenshot20100625at111.png
Click to expand...

Ok that's good, but take a picture of that graph when you are watching a DVD :)
 
Hold down Option and click on the WiFi "fan" at the top right near the time. What does it say for Transmit Rate?

If it says 54, your MBP is joining the Extreme using wireless G. If it says 170 or 300, it is joining using wireless N 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz respectively.

In AirPort Utility, if you enter Manual Setup, you should be able to choose the proper radio modes and even name your 5 GHz band to prevent automatic switching between the two. Just navigate to the Wireless sub tab in the AirPort tab and you'll find those settings (unique 5 GHz SSID will be under Wireless Network Options).
 
dolemite45 said:
I checked 5ghz under "wireless network options". which radio mode should I choose?

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/3529/59747543.png

and what should I set the multicast rate at? its default at low.
Click to expand...

yup the one you have ticked will give you the best speeds. it means that its using 5GHz dual band 802.11n, and in dual band there is 802.11a/b/g running simultaneously. shouldnt present any problems but it clearly is for some reason.

on that band you should get a max of 8.8MB/s real world throughput - which SHOULD be enough to do all those tasks, but by the looks of it maybe not :(
 
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