Extending network -- Time capsule with an airport express

[werthan]

All,
Sorry, I asked this as a part of another thread, but didn't receive a response and could not find an answer. I was responding to the following post:

"If you extend the network by WiFi then the data rate from anything connected to the second AE will be halved. This is because the data has to be sent twice back and forth between the second AE and the first TC/AE. If you connect the two by LAN cable then the data rate is at max. This is a roaming config (second AE is in bridge mode) not the extend network mode."

Moreover, I am wondering if I just made a mistake. So I have an iMac on the way. I bought a Time Capsule, and already had an airport express. I have two floors, very old house, and reception downstairs is not great. No Cat wiring etc.

My current setup will be:
1 iMac
1 iPad
2 iPhones
2 Roku
1 Dell Windows 7 laptop
1 Kindle Fire

The TC would go upstairs, and I was planning to put the AE downstairs and bridge them.

It sounds like the poster is saying I would be better off somehow rewiring the house to add a direct connection from the TC upstairs to the AE down? I could do that, but hadn't even considered it. I have Comcast cable.

Is there anything easier than running new lines through the house? More importantly, is it worth it. I am happy to run the lines if there is a significant benefit.

Thank you very much in advance.

 

[apunkrockmonk]

Buying something like this would be an alternative option to running a CAT cable between the two.

I've never personally used these but the speed can be effected by the quality of the electrical wiring in your house.

 

[drsox]

That was my answer to the question.

If your WiFi reception is a bit weak between floors then just extending WiFi won't give you fast data transfers. Weak reception will give you a lowish WiFi data rate which will be halved by extending.

There are other ways to get a LAN connection then by rewiring. The main other alternative is PowerLine (uses the power cabling), but the max you will get is about 15% of the rated speed (e.g. 15% of 500Mbps = 75Mbps). Also as you say you have an old house, the power box (thing that connects the Utility lines into your house to the internal wiring) might not be up to the job anyway.

Whether a LAN connection will be better for you depends really on how much stuff you want to send over it. If all your data hungry devices are co-located then your data rate needs may well be modest. I on the other hand, wanted to transfer lots of stuff from the PCs and MBA to/from the NASs which are 2 floors away as well as get a guaranteed data rate for HD video (hard to do by WiFi).

I decided to run CAT6 everywhere 5 years ago and I get very good response and data rates, but I also have Gigabit Switches (a must have).

I have 2 Express units and 1 Extreme connected as a roaming network so that the iPad, iPhone4S, iPhone5 and MBA can be on any floor and still work fine without any problems. I also have PCs and NASs that don't move about that do fine just on the LAN.

Don't know if this answers your question but post again.