Apple AirPort Extreme 802.11n WiFi question

[readstoomuch]

I just purchased an AirPort Extreme 802.11n WiFi today and have it all set up with my Mac OS X 10.6.4 desktop computer. It works with my Dell laptop and my IPod Touch perfectly . . . when they are no further than 30 yards apart.

When I move the laptop another ten yards it only has a one bar connection . . . and on into our family it has no connection at all.

Is this typical? I was under the impression that I could use the wireless all throughout our home and onto the patio and am so bummed that it is not working.

What are your experiences with the AirPort Extreme? Inquiring minds want to know! (Before I return it to BestBuy tomorrow!)


I asked a question in June about purchasing a router and got several answers . . . but, when I went to the Apple store (of course) and to Best Buy they both said that the AirPort was one of the best around.

[RandyP]

No experiance with an AirPort, but with my Cisco wifi router I can be anywhere in the house, on any floor and have 3+ bars available.

[DonnaNJ]

I have the airport and my son's Mac works fine and it's up one floor and all the way at the other end of the house.. it's probably 75 - 100 feet away. There are settings on it for transmission strength.. I don't remember how to change it offhand I'll go see if I can find the manual

[digigrandma]

It seems that should give you a much great range of reception than you are getting, Mollie. I hope you get it figured out real soon. I wish I could help, but, I don't know why you're getting such a short range.

At the lake I have the Airport Express Base Station that costs $99.00 and we can use it anywhere in the cabin and just outside the cabin, too.

At home, I have an earlier version of the Airport Extreme Base Station purchased many years ago and I can go all over our house and out into the front and back yards, too.

[echogirl]

DO you have a router as well?

[readstoomuch]

Thanks so much . . . I am "bum-fuzzled"!

Doris . . . yes, I do have a router and I had Comcast (our internet provider) walk me through the set up. It works terrific when no further than two rooms away, but further than that it shuts down.

[echogirl]

Well it's definitely supposed to give you better service than that Mollie.

We had some issues with our router and our airport (a much older version) before we got Time Capsule/Machine. Our internet provider had to replace the router. Is speed an issue at all? Do you use Time Capsule?

[readstoomuch]

Speed isn't an issue . . . and, yes I do use Time Capsule.

[echogirl]

Mollie then for sure you should be getting better WIFI. Our set up is such that the router is plugged into the Time Capsule in the basement. The Time Capsule gives us Wifi through the house even on the 2nd floor. We were told that the Airport could augment the Wifi but since ours wasn't an issue we never rehooked it up since we got the Time capsule.

Who walked you through the setup?

[hendon]

Mollie, I have used the Airport Express (free with the iMac) and now have a Time Capsule machine and they both work fine with my Mac. They are/were plugged in upstairs with the router and my mac is downstairs and runs wirelessly. I get great connection/service. But I also have a dell pc near the mac and it has to be turned and twisted to just the right angle to get a strong connection! I think you should be able to get better coverage than you're getting

[JALong]

My router is on the main floor and my Imac is upstairs and my internet is pretty spotty up there. My internet provider said that I should call Mac for help--which I haven't done yet-- but they may be able to help.

[readstoomuch]

One of the fellows at the Apple store that I spoke with today said that it sounds like something that is in our house . . . perhaps metal in the walls. He may be right . . . the WiFi picks up great until I reach the point where our newly added on wing meets the old part of the 1950's house. Ummmm . . . something to think about . . . we may need to just put in a second wired modem and add wireless to it in the old part of the house if we can do so. I'm talking with the Apple tech man from Best Buy tomorrow and if that doesn't work for suggestions, we will go back to our Comcast Cable company.