Apple Airport Extreme 802.11n is not performing where it should be.

[CU125]

I have a 100mbps connection through Charter Communications as my home internet provider. I live in a 2 bedroom apt totalling 1,250 sqft.

I have a MBP that gets 100mbps hardwired from modem to comp, hardwired from router to MBP, or using on Wifi. All of which I am in the computer room within a 3 foot radius of the router. If I step about 10-12ft away from the router my speed will drop (using wifi) to around 75-80mbps. The further I go, the more it drops.

I also have two iPhone 5's connected to the router, an iPad 2, Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV, and my DirecTV Genie box.

When checking the speed on my iPhone 5 I am pulling around 30 mbps, the iPad 2 stays around 18-20mbps.

The interesting thing is that my iPhone will sometimes pick up around 80mbps, but it's very rare. The speed tests using the iPhone 5 (speedtest.net) app jumps all around with speed tests.


Can someone help me out. I know I have a steady internet connection from Charter, so I feel it has something to do with my Airport Extreme router.

I would very much appreciate it! Thank you!!

 

[brentsg]

That all sounds pretty normal to me. I'm surprised you get any 802.1n performance that's near that on the notebook, especially in an apartment.

 

[CU125]

If my connection is 100mbps, shouldn't my devices be pulling near that? I understand not every device can because of its processor, but for the two iPhone 5's and laptop it should be in the 90's.

I don't understand how the range drops so quickly in a small apartment; in a large home I can understand because of the various levels.

 

[brentsg]

Do some Googling for real world throughput. It's lower than you think it is.

Regarding the appartment, you have a small place but I guarantee you are being interfered with by a zillion other wireless devices due to close proximity of all your neighbors.

Example: http://www.speedguide.net/faq_in_q.php?qid=374

 

[southerndoc]

This is exactly why I installed CAT6 cables throughout my home. Expensive and labor intensive (took me a few days to put everything through the walls), but always get consistent speeds for my AppleTV, computers, TiVo, NAS, etc.

 

[paulrbeers]

If my connection is 100mbps, shouldn't my devices be pulling near that? I understand not every device can because of its processor, but for the two iPhone 5's and laptop it should be in the 90's.

I don't understand how the range drops so quickly in a small apartment; in a large home I can understand because of the various levels.

Wifi is as much about luck as it is hardware....

As already stated: you live in an apartment. Your neighbors probably all have just as many wifi devices as you. Your speed will decrease quickly. Ethernet is the only way to get the max speed you expect.

 

[CU125]

This is exactly why I installed CAT6 cables throughout my home. Expensive and labor intensive (took me a few days to put everything through the walls), but always get consistent speeds for my AppleTV, computers, TiVo, NAS, etc.

If I got a few CAT6 cable to connect the Modem to the Router and from the Router to my laptop and my Router to my work VOIP phone...do you think that would help?

Where would you recommend I pickup some CAT6 cables?

Currently I have all CAT5 cables...3 to be exact.

Modem to Router
Router to laptop
Router to Work phone

 

[opinio]

If I got a few CAT6 cable to connect the Modem to the Router and from the Router to my laptop and my Router to my work VOIP phone...do you think that would help?

Where would you recommend I pickup some CAT6 cables?

Currently I have all CAT5 cables...3 to be exact.

Modem to Router
Router to laptop
Router to Work phone

I am running almost an identical setup to you. Even have 100mbps fibre Internet. Your speeds are totally normal.

I run CAT6/a cables though and get full throughput to the gigabit devices. I buy the cables from eBay. It is the common 'flat blue CAT6/a'. Run a search. Very thin and flexible and very fast.

 

[brentsg]

I think OP was misunderstanding the message about the cables. No, you don't need to swap out any cables to improve your wireless performance. You're probably getting all you are going to get.

Perhaps I am the one misunderstanding, but that's how I interpreted his response.

The message was that the stated performance is within the normal range for 802.11n and to get better performance you ditch the wireless setup for wired.

 

[darster]

I have the latest TC, and my ISP provides me with 60 Mbs DL and 10 Mbs UL. I get that speed via wifi on all my apple devices throughout the house.. This includes my iMac, Iphone 5 and iPad 4 all connected on the 5 GHz band.

 

[marzer]

If I got a few CAT6 cable to connect the Modem to the Router and from the Router to my laptop and my Router to my work VOIP phone...do you think that would help?

Where would you recommend I pickup some CAT6 cables?

Currently I have all CAT5 cables...3 to be exact.

Modem to Router
Router to laptop
Router to Work phone

Try your Cat5 cables first. They should work fine for you. My house is wired with Cat5e and I can run gigabit speeds.

 

[pdutta2000]

In actually having a similar issue as the OP but with my wireless N airport express. I live in the burbs so interference isn't an issue nor is the performance of my 2 airport extremes. It's only when I connect to the Express that my speed drops. I go from 42Mbps down to 8-10Mbps down. It's easy to test because I can walk 10 feet into the next room and my speed will skyrocket. I use the Express to reach one corner of my house and have tried moving it around but still can't get higher. I'm not too worried but it would be nice to get faster throughput. Any ideas on what I should try?

 

[brentsg]

In actually having a similar issue as the OP but with my wireless N airport express. I live in the burbs so interference isn't an issue nor is the performance of my 2 airport extremes. It's only when I connect to the Express that my speed drops. I go from 42Mbps down to 8-10Mbps down. It's easy to test because I can walk 10 feet into the next room and my speed will skyrocket. I use the Express to reach one corner of my house and have tried moving it around but still can't get higher. I'm not too worried but it would be nice to get faster throughput. Any ideas on what I should try?

If you are using the Express to wirelessly extend a network, you'll half your bandwidth b/c the Express is having to talk to your device as well as the Extreme (or whatever is the main source). That's a big chunk of the difference.

 

[pdutta2000]

If you are using the Express to wirelessly extend a network, you'll half your bandwidth b/c the Express is having to talk to your device as well as the Extreme (or whatever is the main source). That's a big chunk of the difference.

I am and thank you. Makes sense.