Multiple AirPort Extremes to extend network

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Hi there

I have 1 AirPort Extreme that distributes the Internet around my home. I have tonnes of PC's, Mac, games consoles and other devices that are all around my house. The problem is the only fixed phone socket (where our net modem is plugged into) is on the ground floor and all devices that need to use the net and internet are on the floors above.

I have a slight problem with picking up a connection in the top floors of my house (it's really a small old flat that for some reason has like 1 room on a floor). Would buying a 2nd AirPort Extreme and sticking it in the middle floor of my house/flat/apartment help extend the reach of my wireless network?

I was also thinking of buying a third AirPort Extreme and wiring all the devices on the top floor (there are 3 devices) together and using that to wirelessly connect to the other AirPorts (so to get internet connections). Would that work?

If I had my way I would get the phone socket moved or run a lot of Ethernet cable around the place but I am not allowed to that (living agreement won't allow me to drill holes or pull up carpet and everyone else does not want to see cables running up flights of stairs).

Does anyone know if this plan would work?
 
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Don't buy Airport Extremes, buy Airport Expresses. The follow what I wrote in post #2 in this thread:

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77342

This is what I have done to extend the range of my network in my home, works fine. It also has the advantage of adding printers and wirelessly streaming music to wherever it is convenient to do so.
 
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Don't buy Airport Extremes, buy Airport Expresses. The follow what I wrote in post #2 in this thread:

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77342

This is what I have done to extend the range of my network in my home, works fine. It also has the advantage of adding printers and wirelessly streaming music to wherever it is convenient to do so.

Interesting.....

Will the AirPort Express give me 802.11n or will it bring the network speed down (I would love to get everything in my home running at 802.11n speeds)?

I did buy a AirPort Express to plug my Xbox 360 into but every time I set it up it would restart my AirPort Extreme and crash the AirPort Extreme (would flash green and orange for hours). I called Apple Tech support and went through a few setup processes for the Extreme (we thought the Extreme was the issue) but after sending back 2 AirPort Extremes the tech support guy said the AirPort Express was causing the issue and I sent it back.
 
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Unfortunately, the Airport Express is only 802.11G as of now. If your looking to keep 802.11N, then maybe you want to go with the Airport Extreem. I would think 3rd party wireless might work in this case too, but I'm not sure.

As for the crashing part, I have no idea.
 
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Thanks for your help. 802.11G is not a major issue for me as my 360 is a G device (not to mention that everyone else's items in my home aren't N devices baring my Mac stuff :)) and from what I understand that plugging in a G device on a N network slows down the network to G

I got an AirPort Express and plugged it in on my middle floor and now I get now get a stronger signal that is not always dropping. On the top floor the signal is not as strong as I would have hoped but it does not drop and so far all the wireless devices on my top floor (this is my floor) have not yet dropped a signal since I set it up an hour ago.

You sir are a legend!

Do you think I could improve the signal strength if I buy another AirPort Express and stick it nearer my top floor? Also would there be any point in improving the signal strength further?
 
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Another one would help to give you a stronger signal and thus improve your throughput. If nothing else it will assure you that you won't lose the signal if something else, like a 2.4Ghz phone or some other wireless device, comes between the devices and the Express.

I personally would rather have good signal strength and throughput.
 
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Would the 2nd AirPort Express be a remote of the AirPort Extreme or the AirPort Express?
 
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Since the Airport Extreme is the main base station, you would set it as an extension of that. The upside is that by default it will also be an extension of the other Airport Express and can actually access the main base station via that if it needs to. In other words, any base station can access any other base station to get the signal needed to get the required devices on-line.

Remember if you use MAC addressing, you need to set all of the base stations (express and extreme) up with the other addresses so they can all connect to one another.
 

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