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WiFi extender for my Time capsule

M

MrMister111

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jan 28, 2009
3,900
382
UK
I have a time capsule, works great, it's the older flat shape with N WiFi. However with my setup it is located in my loft (attic), and so is sort of hidden.

Now I can get coverage I'm just thinking to improve it I might get a extender for downstairs to give good WiFi coverage all over the house.

Can anyone recommend please? What do I need? Does it have to be Apple? The smaller the better really, not looking to spend much at all, as not sure on the improvement.

Thanks
 
Can I use anything? Should I buy older Airport express pluggy in thing? Will this suffice?
 
drsox said:
Yes, it will work.
Click to expand...

Great so just buy a "N" type and plug it in anywhere in house? and then bridge? It to my existing network?

Is it worth getting the airport express or does it not matter? Any similar unobtrusive devices out there? I have an old "N" router but it's large and so would rather not use it.
 
MrMister111 said:
Great so just buy a "N" type and plug it in anywhere in house? and then bridge? It to my existing network?

Is it worth getting the airport express or does it not matter? Any similar unobtrusive devices out there? I have an old "N" router but it's large and so would rather not use it.
Click to expand...

Apple stuff tends to like Apple stuff to work with so AEs are preferred. Set it to Extend and it should be OK. You might also try reversing the config and use the AE in the attic with the TC as the extender.
 
drsox said:
Apple stuff tends to like Apple stuff to work with so AEs are preferred. Set it to Extend and it should be OK. You might also try reversing the config and use the AE in the attic with the TC as the extender.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that. Tbh it's not to bad, but if I could pick up a 2nd hand one up it won't harm will it! Is this what other people use to extend their WiFi home networks? I'd never really thought about it until I was in garden and it dropped WiFi

Thanks
 
The best way to extend the coverage is to hard wire (Ethernet) the Airport Express to the TC, and set the AE to "create a wireless network", with the same SSID (network name), same password, same security (WPA2), and different channel.

This is a "roaming" network, your computer (or tablet or smartphone) will automatically connect to the access point (TC or AE) it receives the best signal from.

However, when you can't hardwire the AE to the TC for whatever reason, the other option is the "extend a wireless network" way.
 
MrMister111 said:
Thanks for that. Tbh it's not to bad, but if I could pick up a 2nd hand one up it won't harm will it! Is this what other people use to extend their WiFi home networks? I'd never really thought about it until I was in garden and it dropped WiFi

Thanks
Click to expand...

Yes, but it's not as good as a wired connection between AEs. If that's not possible, then extending by WiFi does the job. Personally I use a wired connection, but I already have a LAN wired up and use the AEs to allow all the WiFi devices to connect.
 
Bruno09 said:
The best way to extend the coverage is to hard wire (Ethernet) the Airport Express to the TC, and set the AE to "create a wireless network", with the same SSID (network name), same password, same security (WPA2), and different channel.

This is a "roaming" network, your computer (or tablet or smartphone) will automatically connect to the access point (TC or AE) it receives the best signal from.

However, when you can't hardwire the AE to the TC for whatever reason, the other option is the "extend a wireless network" way.
Click to expand...

Ah didn't know that. I could actually do this I think as I have a hardwire from the TC upstairs to a hub behind the TV for PS3 and the iMac, so I could fit it there with another link from the hub and do as you say have a roaming one? Any better benefit than the extend the network type though for what I want just in house? It would restrict, as I could unplug the AE and move it anywhere if using the extend option?
 
TC---Ethernet---AE (roaming network) is the best solution, as you will have the same transfer speed from the TC or the AE.
This is the benefit over the "extend" option, which is slower.

For info you can have as many additional access points (the AE's) as you need.

But as you say, the "extend" option allows you to plug the AE wherever you want (as long as the AE get enough signal from the TC).
 
Bruno09 said:
TC---Ethernet---AE (roaming network) is the best solution, as you will have the same transfer speed from the TC or the AE.
This is the benefit over the "extend" option, which is slower.

For info you can have as many additional access points (the AE's) as you need.

But as you say, the "extend" option allows you to plug the AE wherever you want (as long as the AE get enough signal from the TC).
Click to expand...
So I'm thinking all the AE in extend mode will give me is extra coverage, but not speed. If it can "just" connect to the TC then it will still be slow, the same speed for example if I don't have an AE and can still connect to me TC from a low signal area now?
 
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