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New Airport Express vs old Airport Extreme
- Thread starter Sangdushi
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So you're saying ill notice no difference at all during a time machine backup if i would use the airport express as an wired extender instead of the extreme?
In theory the wireless is faster than 100mbps ethernet, but in reality, even with a very strong signal 802.11n on the express wont saturate the ethernet IMHO.
Interesting, i can't see the graphs though for some reason, is that an error on your side or mine? Only the text of the write up appears
The main reason I'm surprised is that looking at small net builder charts (http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanwan/router-charts/bar/81-2_4-ghz-dn-3s) there isn't anything on there, in real world throughput that would saturate 100mbps ethernet, including the extreme 5g.
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dual band means you have a choice of:
longer range, slower speed 2.4ghz that interferes with cordless phones, microwave ovens, etc.
OR
high speed (300-450 megabit) with 5ghz if you are sitting 4-6 feet from your access point.
most portable devices (MacBooks excepted) only support 2.4ghz.
Very interesting!
So it looks like if you want to build/extend a home wireless network, it's best to use a series of Airport Extremes instead of 1 extreme + multiple expresses.
Honestly, I would not have believed you until you posted these graphs. Thank you!
Nicely done. If I'm not mistaken, MB/s can be converted to Mb/s by multiplying the number times about 8.4, which means that the Express was maxing out at about 96Mb/s throughput on that file transfer which would seem very, very good for a 100Mb/s port.
Not sure if it should matter, but did you also try transferring the file *from* the server *to* the laptop? I'd be interested to see if the numbers differed significantly.
The data that I found most interesting was the 2.4GHz vs 5GHz tests. As throAU stated, 2.4GHz should have a range advantage over 5GHz, so I might have expected to see that translate to a speed advantage in your long-range test, but perhaps your long-range distance isn't 'long enough' and perhaps so long as you can get *any* signal on 5GHz (even one bar) it will outperform a stronger 2.4GHz signal? Just guessing here.
Can someone confirm if it makes sense to allocate some devices to 2.4GHz and others to 5GHz just to portion out the burden of the two wireless bands? With my Extreme I think I've been configuring our laptops to use the 2.4GHz band and the iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, and non-ethernet-connected AppleTV's) to use the 5GHz band. If anyone thinks I should just use 5GHz for everything, please advise.
Some other questions...
So, can a 2nd AirPort Extreme also be used as a network extender, or do you *have* to use the Express for that purpose?
Also, one thing I found surprising on Apple's site is that you can extend your network with the Express without physically connecting the Express to the Extreme (it will just pick up the Extreme's signal wirelessly and then extend it). Was that true of the old Express as well? Regardless, if you can physically connect the main unit to the extender, I would think you'd be best to do so.
I think the biggest difference between the 5Ghz and 2.4 is consistency. Although I got good results with 5Ghz at a distance, one with better insulated walls, or metal studs may get very different results. Theoretically 5Ghz will give you better speeds, and the iPad supports 5Ghz, which I have all my devices except iPhones on. It just depends on the size of your space. I still think the express will work nice as an extender if Internet is all your looking to extend (vs LAN file transfers).
An Airport Extreme can be used as a network extender.
The old Airport Express could expand a network without being connected via ethernet cable.
That doesn't surprise me, but it reminds me of something else...there was a rumor a while back that a next-gen AirPort might run on iOS. I'd be curious if anyone (iFixit?) has taken this thing apart yet and determined whether it might be using one of the A-series CPU's.
Airport express 2012 teardown:
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wire...apple-airport-express-2012-and-wd-my-net-n900
How would simultaneous dual-band work if you extended your wireless network using an old Airport Express? Would it still work for devices that can connect to this one?
Also, I only just learned about this when I saw Apple updated the Airport Utility app. What else did they update/introduce that got drowned out by all the MacBook excitement?
Also, I only just learned about this when I saw Apple updated the Airport Utility app. What else did they update/introduce that got drowned out by all the MacBook excitement?
i'd guess you'd have to set the old AE to either 2.4ghz or 5ghz. 5ghz would probably be the better choice for speed but if something that is 2.4ghz and was out of range of the newer AE you wouldnt have a signal
Can anyone tell me whether or not the new APE is faster in buffering songs when you are using Airplay??
This is all I use my APE for, and I hate the delay from when you change trck, skip ahead in a track, etc.
I would buy a new APE if it reduced the lag between actions at computer and what comes out of the speakers.
This is all I use my APE for, and I hate the delay from when you change trck, skip ahead in a track, etc.
I would buy a new APE if it reduced the lag between actions at computer and what comes out of the speakers.
I'm streaming from my MacBook Pro 2009 to a Samsung D8000 using an AE from 2009. When movie files is bigger than 4-4,5GB per hour the TV loads irregularly throughout the movie. Do you think it would improve switching to the new AE?
Guys i just bout a 2nd gen Airport Express. set it up, works great, i have a seperate SSID for 5Ghz Mode,
the range isn't that great and i live in an apartment, does the airport extreme have a MUCH better range?
i have using 5ghz mode with my iPhone, ipad and apple tv, my xbox 360 and ps3 are connected in 2.4ghz mode..
if i go to the kitchen which is about 25ft away from the airport express with my iphone which is connected in 5GHz mode the iphone's wifi meter drops to 2 bars, is that normal?
the range isn't that great and i live in an apartment, does the airport extreme have a MUCH better range?
i have using 5ghz mode with my iPhone, ipad and apple tv, my xbox 360 and ps3 are connected in 2.4ghz mode..
if i go to the kitchen which is about 25ft away from the airport express with my iphone which is connected in 5GHz mode the iphone's wifi meter drops to 2 bars, is that normal?