Optimizing the airport settings?

[itsjustmeee]

I just got a new Mini (which I'm using for my htpc) and also a new Airport extreme. I'm not really that good with the whole wireless thing, but I am curious to know if there are any things I can do to optimize my setup other than just the basic airport utility and doing just the most basic wpa personal option.

Anything I can tweek on the mini or the airport extreme to get the best performance??

 

[flopticalcube]

Use the 5GHz n only band.

 

[itsjustmeee]

I'm sorry to sound like such a newbie, but do I change the 5GHz n only on the airport utility with the router, or is that something I change on the mini itself?

 

[flopticalcube]

Change it in Airport Utility. The mini should find the network on its own.

 

[itsjustmeee]

A couple of other questions .... will I not be able to connect to the airport with my iphone wifi if I change it?

And also, I just looked at the Mini (holding down option and clicking on the airport icon) and it says it's connected at 2.4 ghz. Shouldn't it be at 5 right now?

 

[psxguru]

A couple of other questions .... will I not be able to connect to the airport with my iphone wifi if I change it?

And also, I just looked at the Mini (holding down option and clicking on the airport icon) and it says it's connected at 2.4 ghz. Shouldn't it be at 5 right now?

I presume since you said it's new that it's a simultaneous dual band extreme.

By default it uses the same SSID (network name) for both the 2.4 and 5Ghz networks. I found it was easier to rename the 5Ghz one (I just appended 5Ghz to the name to keep it simple) and give that priority in my network preferences (drag it so it's the first one). My ipod touch connects to the 2.4Ghz as normal.

 

[OptyCT]

I presume since you said it's new that it's a simultaneous dual band extreme.

By default it uses the same SSID (network name) for both the 2.4 and 5Ghz networks. I found it was easier to rename the 5Ghz one (I just appended 5Ghz to the name to keep it simple) and give that priority in my network preferences (drag it so it's the first one). My ipod touch connects to the 2.4Ghz as normal.

Do you do this by creating a "guest" network running at 2.4GHz and your primary network running at 5Ghz, each with separate SSID names?

 

[psxguru]

Do you do this by creating a "guest" network running at 2.4GHz and your primary network running at 5Ghz, each with separate SSID names?

No, with the simultaneous dual band, it defaults to the same SSID for both the 2.4 and 5Ghz networks.

Go to...
Airport | Wireless | More Options | Wireless Network Options
then override the 5Ghz Network Name.

I don't have guest networking enabled on mine

 

[itsjustmeee]

Interesting. So basically I can set the router to only 5 ghz as the main network (which my mini and my macbook will access) and then enable the guest network (with the same name as the main) to both 2.4 and 5 and my iphone will be able to connect using that? But if I use the same name, won't the mini just connect to the guest if it can not connect at 5? Or should I keep them as completely different networks so that it forces the 5 ghz on the mini?

 

[psxguru]

To clarify my setup, forget guest networking for now.

Your 'main' network will be on 2.4 AND 5Ghz (radio mode 802.11a/n-802.11b/g) with the same SSID by default.

Like most people I like to keep my mac on the 5Ghz n channel, and use the 2.4Ghz b/g channel for my ipod touch/ps3 etc.

However in my experience with the same SSID on 2.4 and 5Ghz, the Mac doesn't always find the 5Ghz channel first or stay on it all the time regardless of the network order in network preferences.

Therefore I give the 5Ghz a different name and make that first in the list of networks so I can guarantee being on the 5Ghz channel. I also add the 2.4Ghz but don't need to use it. That's the way I have it configured, I'm sure other people may do things differently but I find it works for me.