Poor performance from brand new Airport Express 6th Generation

[wwusa]

Just started using my Airport Extreme Base Station (6th generation). Since I started using it the performance from it has been spotty and inconsistent. The machine I browse the web on is a Windows 7 64bit with a wireless N adapter. I use Opera web browser. The symptoms are as follows:

1. Many web pages stall and the browser reports "sending request" for a long time before loading.

2. Some pages won't load at all and I'll get an unavailable screen on Opera. HOWEVER, if I hit refresh the page will load fine.

3. The weirdest one..... some pages will only partially load, so I'll some text and a few graphics.

The airport is not in bridge mode. I have 2 ipads and 2 iphones on the network too. Pages load slow for them too. I am really frustrated with this. I bought an airport extreme for an easy and powerful solution. It performs worse than the router it replaced which was a N router. Any help you guys can offer is appreciated. Thank you.

 

[sjinsjca]

Sounds like a settings problem. Try a different DNS setting, such as https://www.opendns.com/home-internet-security/opendns-ip-addresses/ or Google's https://developers.google.com/speed/public-dns/

I can attest that the current AE absolutely screams.

Also, have you powered-down your cable modem for a good thirty seconds? It may need to re-set.

 

[wwusa]

I don't have a modem, I literally have an ethernet cable that comes from a unit on the outside of my house. I will try your solution when I get home. My old router performs better at this point... what do you think is going on the APE.... why would the DNS setting be messing it up? Thanks.

 

[mmomega]

All websites are IP addresses but "google.com" is easier to remember than 216.58.218.174.

Every time you type a website name into your browser a DNS server must translate that name into the IP address of the website so that it shows on your browser. So if you have an incorrect DNS in your router, or if for some reason it cannot translate a particular website it must rely on another, if those listed in your router can't translate the name then the website won't be pulled up.

Your modem will typical point to your ISP's DNS server by default, for whatever reason it just may be down, slow, overrun with request, etc but you can set your own DNS server on your router.

Choosing one of google's DNS servers would be a good place to start to see if this very simple change fixes your issues.

IMO, I would change the DNS setting, Apply the settings and then restart the router and then try a website.

 

[boast]

Can you try with a wired connection to eliminate it being a wi-fi issue.

 

[wwusa]

Ok,

I changed my DNS setting to google DNS and the problem went away!! My only other question is why would my ISPs DNS play nice with my old router and not the Airport express? Is there a minor problem with the Airport express? Thanks.

 

[takeshi74]

Did you actually test again with the old router to verify or are you assuming causality?

 

[wwusa]

I know for a fact I never had websites fail to load or partially load on my old router.