Help optimizing my wireless network

[RedCroissant]

Hello all.

I am using an Apple Extreme Base Station and it has been awesome. The only problem recently is that my iPhone 4S does not get more than 6Mbps download and hasn't for the past couple of months. In fact, most of the time it averages between 0.5-4 for download speed and 0.3-1.5 upload.

I have the following devices connected to my wireless network:
1.)iPhone 4S
2.)iPhone 3GS
3.)21.5 inch iMac Mid 2010
4.)iPad mini(never less than 6.5 mbps and as high as 20.22 mbps DL)
5.)iBook G4

I think my iBook G4 is the problem, but not entirely sure since even when it's powered off and not connected to my network, my iPhone still gets really bad speeds.

Does anyone have any advice regarding a better setup with simultaneous networks and guest networks to make sure every device works as fast as possible? Thanks in advance!

 

[mfram]

Do you have the newer AEBS that does simultaneous dual-band? If so, set up a second parallel wireless network and configure it as 802.11N-only. Then take the devices that support N have them join the N network.

Of what you listed, I think the following can do 802.11N:
iPhone 4S
iPad Mini
iMac (probably)

Put the others on the other network.

If your AEBS doesn't support simultaneous dual-band, then you'll have to get another base station. You could get the newest AEBS/Time Capsule and use the dual-network feature. Or you could get another base station and leave your existing one alone. On the new base station, create an N-only wireless network.

You could make the N network a 5GHz network. That would theoretically increase the maximum speed. But sometimes a 5GHz network can't reach as far as a 2.4GHz network. So what out for that limitation.

 

[RedCroissant]

Do you have the newer AEBS that does simultaneous dual-band? If so, set up a second parallel wireless network and configure it as 802.11N-only. Then take the devices that support N have them join the N network.

Of what you listed, I think the following can do 802.11N:
iPhone 4S
iPad Mini
iMac (probably)

Put the others on the other network.

If your AEBS doesn't support simultaneous dual-band, then you'll have to get another base station. You could get the newest AEBS/Time Capsule and use the dual-network feature. Or you could get another base station and leave your existing one alone. On the new base station, create an N-only wireless network.

You could make the N network a 5GHz network. That would theoretically increase the maximum speed. But sometimes a 5GHz network can't reach as far as a 2.4GHz network. So what out for that limitation.

I do have the "newish" one that does support simultaneous dual band. So do I have to just check the "5 GHz network name" to make the network I already created the 5GHz one? Does that mean that just the basic and initial network that I set up is only operating at the 2.4GHz frequency? I guess that would make sense that the default frequency is the lower wavelength for homes and such, but do you happen to know how the 5GHz band is affected by distance in comparison to the 2.4?