I current run 2 AirPort Extremes in my house. One upstairs (current Gen) and one down stairs (5th Gen). I just ordered a referb Time Capsule (current Gen) from Apple because I needed a bigger backup drive and the price was right. My question is will 3 APEs create any issues at home? My house is lonely 2700 Sq Ft.
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Too many AirPorts?
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Altemose
macrumors G3
No. At school we have a total of 12 AirPort Expresses connected to an AirPort Extreme serving 150+ clients.
Yeah but I'm sure ur school is few thousand Sq Ft. My concern is having so many in such a small space
Altemose
macrumors G3
Ensure they are on different channels or automatic to reduce interference and channel overlap.
Is it possible to "turn off" the wifi broadcast from the APE thats extending the network and just use as a access point?
Altemose
macrumors G3
Altemose
macrumors G3
If you want to disable the wireless you can do that in the AirPort Utility. If it is connected via wireless and you want to only use it as a network device then set it to join the network instead.
On the Airport Express > Wireless
There is an option to extend a wireless or join a wireless. Joining a wireless would only bridge the routers wireless but not setup a 2nd wireless access point.
I am not sure if AEBS has this option as well.
Worried bout having so many APE's in such close proxsimity (2700 Sq Ft) that it will cause me issues. One will be upstairs and two down stairs about 30 ft apart.
Too many AirPorts?
If you have 2700 sq ft of space... Why must they be 30ft apart? Which one is your main router and which floor do you mainly reside on?
My suggestion is do this:
The main router be the newest time capsule and be on the floor you will spend more of your time. Wire the 2nd router on the opposite side of the house and gain better coverage on the same floor. 3rd router wireless bridge the other floor that you aren't on as much. a wireless bridge (with wifi extension) loses half its throughput in concept no matter how well it works.
Your 3rd router Ethernet ports will have full throughput though.
If you have 2700 sq ft of space... Why must they be 30ft apart? Which one is your main router and which floor do you mainly reside on?
My suggestion is do this:
The main router be the newest time capsule and be on the floor you will spend more of your time. Wire the 2nd router on the opposite side of the house and gain better coverage on the same floor. 3rd router wireless bridge the other floor that you aren't on as much. a wireless bridge (with wifi extension) loses half its throughput in concept no matter how well it works.
Your 3rd router Ethernet ports will have full throughput though.
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One is used at my AV cabinet to connect my AVR/TV/Blu-Ray via ethernet. The most logical space for the other one would be on top the fridge which is about 30 ft away.
I would just leave the wireless on both of them to extend the coverage
Just make sure 2.4 is on channel 1,6,11 whichever is less congested.
I have 4 AEBS in my 2400sq ft (+finished basement) home and it's fine. I think I also have an Express running.
Altemose
macrumors G3
You run into chances of clients sticking to an AP even when not the best one. Yes. An AirPort can join a network only.
With them being about 30ft of each other, it is already a less than optimal. I would do a site survey and see what the actually signal strength is at each AP.
Altemose
macrumors G3
That is why OP wants one to simply join which is a simple settings change in AirPort Utility!
my 5th Gen AEBS does not show a join network, but my AExpress shows join network. The OP mentioned it did not show that option either.
Altemose
macrumors G3
Altemose
macrumors G3
I have seen it before. I may need to do some other testing to verify under which conditions it appears.