Help with Wifi Network

[Logo123]

Folks

I have an Airport Extreme as well as Airport Time Capsule.
I am currently using the Airport Time Capsule as my main router.

However as I live in a duplex house, the network coverage on the Ground Floor is quite patchy.

Currently I am using Airport Express as a Network Extender to help manage the coverage issues. But I was wondering if there was any way in which I could use the Airport Extreme to improve the network coverage.

Any ideas on what I can do?

Regards
Logos

 

[stark93]

Folks

I have an Airport Extreme as well as Airport Time Capsule.
I am currently using the Airport Time Capsule as my main router.

However as I live in a duplex house, the network coverage on the Ground Floor is quite patchy.

Currently I am using Airport Express as a Network Extender to help manage the coverage issues. But I was wondering if there was any way in which I could use the Airport Extreme to improve the network coverage.

Any ideas on what I can do?

Regards
Logos

I am not a pro with this because I have not messed with an Airport extreme that much, but HERE are instructions from Apple on how to extend the Wifi.

 

[Logo123]

Powerline Adapters

Thanks.
Will connecting the Airport Extreme to the Airport Time Capsule using Powerline adapters work? I cant see a way of connecting them using Ethernet cables at the moment so maybe powerline works better?
Cheers
Logos

 

[swordfish5736]

It sounds like you set the express up to extended the wireless network on the first level. Have you tried doing the same thing except with the extreme? It may be worth looking at where you are placing it, find where the signal is strongest from the main router on the first floor and place the extreme there.

The extreme may do a better job of getting the wireless signal from your time capsule than your devices or the airport express.

 

[Logo123]

That is a good point.

That is what I was thinking by connecting the Extreme to the Airport Time Capsule using Powerline Adapters (connection via ethernet is not possible).

Extreme would be a more powerful extender than the Express.

There is another alternative. I also have the Asus AC66U router. That is a pretty powerful router and has significant coverage.

I can use that as my main router. The only challenge then is that I cannot use the Airport Time Capsule to back up my MBA? Or can I still do so? I.e. is there a way I can connect the Time Capsule to the ASUS and back up my MBA to the time capsule?

Is there a way I can check the strength of the network on my MBA? Any specific software or do I simply look at the WiFi bars to determine coverage.

Many thanks.
Logos

 

[Bruno09]

Is there a way I can check the strength of the network on my MBA? Any specific software or do I simply look at the WiFi bars to determine coverage.

You might use iStumbler (99 or beta will work). Free.

Or Wifi Explorer (App Store).

 

[swordfish5736]

That is a good point.

That is what I was thinking by connecting the Extreme to the Airport Time Capsule using Powerline Adapters (connection via ethernet is not possible).

Extreme would be a more powerful extender than the Express.

There is another alternative. I also have the Asus AC66U router. That is a pretty powerful router and has significant coverage.

I can use that as my main router. The only challenge then is that I cannot use the Airport Time Capsule to back up my MBA? Or can I still do so? I.e. is there a way I can connect the Time Capsule to the ASUS and back up my MBA to the time capsule?

Is there a way I can check the strength of the network on my MBA? Any specific software or do I simply look at the WiFi bars to determine coverage.

Many thanks.
Logos

even just using the extreme to extend the network wirelessly may work. Try something like istumbler or the built in wifi diagnostics utility to check signal strength around the first floor.

If you want to keep your time capsule in the mix and try the asus router, set either the time capsule or asus to manage DHCP, turn off wireless on the time capsule and connect them via ethernet.

 

[priitv8]

You might use iStumbler (99 or beta will work). Free.
Or Wifi Explorer (App Store).

Or just the Apple Wireless Diagnostics utility, that comes with every OS X (well at least with 10.8 and 10.9).

 

[drsox]

Thanks.
Will connecting the Airport Extreme to the Airport Time Capsule using Powerline adapters work? I cant see a way of connecting them using Ethernet cables at the moment so maybe powerline works better?
Cheers
Logos

If you are going to go wired, then extending the WiFi won't work. You need to Create a Network on the "second" unit instead.