I have a wireless network using the latest Airport Extreme (ME918LL/A) with a symmetrical 500 Mbps Internet connection. I can get >400 Mbps on an iPad Air 2 in an adjacent room through a wall. I'd like to extend to another location ~200 feet away (with 20-30 feet elevation difference), with no line of sight, several intervening walls, and many other networks nearby.
I tried extending with another Airport Extreme (FE918LL/A), via 2.4 GHz (5 GHz wasn't visible). Clients at both ends use 5 GHz, which I hope allows the Airports to connect at maximum speed via 2.4GHz. Using Ookla Speedtest app on iPad Air 2, downloads were often ~10 Mbps (sometimes ~20), and uploads were often ~5 Mbps (sometimes ~10), and pings often ~10ms.
I thought a Netgear extender (model EX6200) might be faster. I used FastLane, so 2.4 GHz is used only for backhaul, with the clients connecting at 5 GHz. However, even with the extender claiming to be connected at >100 Mbps and a green link light, download and upload speeds were usually < 1 Mbps, at best slightly above 1 Mbps, and ping times much worse, with huge variability from second to second (with many pings timing out). I also tried two Ubiquiti Nanostation Loco M2's as a wireless bridge (testing with a MacBook Pro connected via Ethernet cable to the remote Nanostation). With all 4 link lights active, the speeds didn't go much over 1 Mbps, and often < 1 Mbps, with huge short-term variability in speeds and pings.
Given the distance and obstacles, I was surprised the Airport Extreme even worked, but I then expected other options (especially Ubiquiti) to do even better. If configured properly, should the Netgear or Nanostations provide faster speeds than the Airport Extreme? Are there other wireless extenders or bridges (perhaps 900 MHz) that should provide better performance?
I tried extending with another Airport Extreme (FE918LL/A), via 2.4 GHz (5 GHz wasn't visible). Clients at both ends use 5 GHz, which I hope allows the Airports to connect at maximum speed via 2.4GHz. Using Ookla Speedtest app on iPad Air 2, downloads were often ~10 Mbps (sometimes ~20), and uploads were often ~5 Mbps (sometimes ~10), and pings often ~10ms.
I thought a Netgear extender (model EX6200) might be faster. I used FastLane, so 2.4 GHz is used only for backhaul, with the clients connecting at 5 GHz. However, even with the extender claiming to be connected at >100 Mbps and a green link light, download and upload speeds were usually < 1 Mbps, at best slightly above 1 Mbps, and ping times much worse, with huge variability from second to second (with many pings timing out). I also tried two Ubiquiti Nanostation Loco M2's as a wireless bridge (testing with a MacBook Pro connected via Ethernet cable to the remote Nanostation). With all 4 link lights active, the speeds didn't go much over 1 Mbps, and often < 1 Mbps, with huge short-term variability in speeds and pings.
Given the distance and obstacles, I was surprised the Airport Extreme even worked, but I then expected other options (especially Ubiquiti) to do even better. If configured properly, should the Netgear or Nanostations provide faster speeds than the Airport Extreme? Are there other wireless extenders or bridges (perhaps 900 MHz) that should provide better performance?
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