new router (Air Port Extreme) and streaming

[The Computer Audiophile]

Is the network setup as an all 802.11n 5GHz network?

 

[jtwrace]

it's a 802.11n Don't know about the other stuff...how do I check?

 

Then my older laptop can't connect?

 

[cfmsp]

 

Jason,

 

have you made an offering to the network gods?

 

If so, you might want to up the ante, perhaps even human sacrifice is in order, but only consider offering up those who actually sold you said device, never those who merely recommended it.

 

clay

 

 

[jtwrace]

HAHA

 

[Bob Stern]

Try temporarily moving the Extreme Base Station closer to the Express. If that eliminates the dropouts, I suspect they are too far apart.

 

The refurb Extreme Base Station you bought is the previous generation 2-band model. A model introduced 2 months ago has 3 antennas rather than 2. According to Apple's product page: "improvements in antenna design give you up to 50 percent better performance and up to 25 percent better range than with the previous-generation AirPort Extreme Base Station." Therefore, you might consider returning the refurb Extreme Base Station and buying the current version. (Your Express is still current.)

 

If you want to delve into the details of using Airport Utility to configure the Extreme Base Station, download:

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/Apple_AirPort_Networks_Early2009.pdf

 

To configure the Express as a client, see the instructions for using Airport Utility on the lower half of this page:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1731

 

You almost certainly are using the fastest "N" protocol rather than the old "G" protocol. When both N and G are enabled on two devices, they will automatically communicate using N. The only way to disable G on the Extreme Base Station is to use a non-obvious trick in Airport Utility: hold down the Option key while clicking the Radio Mode popup menu.

 

One trick you might try is to force the Extreme Base Station to use the N protocol on a 2.4 GHz channel instead of 5 GHz. That may provide a faster data rate when the signal is weak. I am not completely sure because I have an older model Extreme, but I think you can do that in Airport Utility by selecting Airport > Wireless > Channel, and choosing a channel from 1 to 11. When Channel is Automatic, it reverts to 5 GHz.

 

To compare whether 5 GHz (Channel=Automatic) or 2.4 GHz (channel 1-11) gives you a faster data rate, you can view a log of the data rate between the Extreme Base Station and each connected client using Airport Utility. Click on the Express Base Station's icon, click the Manual Setup button, then from the Base Station menu, choose Logs & Statistics. Click the Wireless Clients tab. Ignore the graph, but in the table below, look at the Rate column for the Express client (identified by its MAC address = Airport ID).

 

[jtwrace]

Bob,

 

Thank you for that. I have Apple issuing a return and am headed to the Apple store to get the new Extreme.

 

Thanks

 

[cfmsp]

 

"The refurb Extreme Base Station you bought is the previous generation 2-band model."

 

Thanks for this info, Bob,

 

I hadn't kept track of the Extreme and was about to buy a refurbished model - as I almost always do - and didn't stop to wonder WHY there was a refurb Extreme available for such a lower price.

 

OTOH, living in Manhattan, I might not NEED the newer model, at least now I can make an intelligent decision.

 

cheers,

clay

 

 

[jtwrace]

Bob,

 

Got the latest Extreme today and sent the other back.

 

I will repot back when I get it all working.