AirPort Extreme with Verizon FiOS

[rocknblogger]

I currently have a Linksys E3200 router set up on my home network.

Having FiOS I have to use their modem/router but I was never happy with the performance of the Verizon router so I hooked up my Linksys E3200 and use that as my primary router for everything including Wireless.

I have 4 devices that need wired ethernet connections and 6 or 7 wireless devices including iPhones and iPads and a Macbook Pro on occasion.

I'm not thrilled with my current setup either in that speeds seem to fluctuate quite a bit. For example, sometimes I can download an app from the App store on my iPhone and it installs in seconds and other times an app about the same size can take a minute or two to finish downloading.

Sometimes videos start almost immediately and other times I have to wait a few seconds. And if I leave the room where the router is located I immediately drop a bar and sometimes 2 and 3. We live in a fairly small house so I don't think going to me bedroom, kitchen or dining room should affect the strength of the signal.

I also just bought an Apple TV2 if I stream or mirror video you can tell the signal fluctuates as the quality of the video goes from good to bad and back and games stutter sometimes.

So, I'm considering buying the Apple AirPort Extreme as almost all of my wireless devices are Apple products and I'm hoping to get a better experience.

But since I'm connecting via the Verizon router do you think it's going to make any difference? I'm hoping someone else around here has FiOS and can give me their impressions.

Thanks!

 

[balamw]

I use an older Airport Extreme as a WAP behind the VZ supplied Actiontec.

Works very well for me.

I have wired stuff connected to both the Actiontec and Airport Extreme as I have a number of devices that are fixed, but require 'net connections.

EDIT: FWIW one of the wired devices is the ATV2. It seems to work best that way even though it is in the same room as the router.

B

 

[rocknblogger]

I use an older Airport Extreme as a WAP behind the VZ supplied Actiontec.

Works very well for me.

I have wired stuff connected to both the Actiontec and Airport Extreme as I have a number of devices that are fixed, but require 'net connections.

B

As I was sitting here thinking about all this I realized that I don't need all my devices on the same network. Primarily I guess it would have to be my Macbook Pro and all iDevices.

I think I need to make diagram of all my stuff to work it out

I have another question. I use an external Seagate drive for my Time Machine backups. Can I plug it into the AirPorts USB port and use it that way?

 

[balamw]

I think I need to make diagram of all my stuff to work it out

Always a good idea.

re: Time Machine. Yes, it works, but is not 100% supported last time I checked.

e.g. http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=483621

B

 

[EvilC5]

I have my AE bridged to my fios router so I can control the cable boxes from my iDevices and it works well. I get speeds from my ipad at around 12mbps according to the speed test app. I have 2 ipads, 3 airport expresses, 2 iphones, an itouch, and 2 ATV2's, along with my MBP all wifi. I probably have never used them all at the same time, but never had any issues with my AE.

about to run some cat6 and gigE switches to take some of the wifi load off the network.