AirPort Extreme: Need Help

[Marrk]

I don't even know how to phrase this question, but here goes.

I'm getting 31 Mbps download, and I should be getting 232 Mbps download. Spectrum says everything on there end is fine, and it is. We checked.

Do I need a new AirPort Extreme or can this one be fixed?

Thanks.

 

[MacInWin]

How are you testing? Can you do a wired connection to the AirPort Extreme to do a test that isn't through your WiFi? That may disclose if it's a WiFi issue or more general in the APE altogether. Also, does the Spectrum router have Ethernet port available that you can connect directly to to check the speed there? Despite the assurances that Spectrum thinks it's all fine, unless they have come to your house to test that modem/router they don't really know.

 

[Marrk]

I have no built in Ethernet port on this laptop, and I have no adapter. So, everything is WiFi. However, I have an older MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 manufacture) that does have an Ethernet port. When we (Spectrum over the phone and I) connected directly from the modem to the older MBP, we got consistent speeds of 232+.

Here's a new wrinkle: Now I'm getting 89 Mbps on the new MBP, and 156 Mbps when I move to within three feet of the router.

 

[MacInWin]

OK, so Spectrum is ok, it's the WiFi. Does the older MacBook Pro get better speeds over WiFi? We're trying to determine if the WiFi issue is in the Spectrum router or your Mac, or maybe something else interfering with the signals.

 

[Marrk]

Old: 141.0 Mbps download 11.6 Mbps Upload

New: 193.7 Mbps download 11.2 Mbps Upload

 

[MacInWin]

So that seems about right. I don't really see the problem, sorry. Spectrum says max is 232, you are getting close to 200 on the newer machine. Remember, you are competing for the Spectrum line with your neighbors and maybe your entire community. They say 232 as a max, but I rarely see max from Xfinity (my provider). The 200 is plenty fast for almost anything you might want to do, I think. You only need about 30-40 for streaming videos, so you plenty of cushion.

 

[Marrk]

Thanks, Jake. The problem is consistency. Earlier tonight I was getting 10 Mbps on the new machine. You may be right about "traffic on the line."

Question: My AirPort Extreme is approx. 10 years old. Would a new one be better in any way?

 

[MacInWin]

Apple stopped making them so a new one isn't really available, unless you get on from someplace that has them in a warehouse. A new router would probably be an improvement overall, as the technology has moved on since the APE came out, but I don't know if it would make a difference for you. Without knowing anything about where you live, you could well be competing with neighbors for WiFi channels and interfering with one another. Or a wireless landline phone could be interfering with the WiFi (they are on the same band). Or just about any wireless system (home security, remote controllers, home automation, etc). You could try to change channels in the APE. And I think the APE does both 2.4gHz and 5 gHz, so you could try setting up the 5gHz with a different name and log all your devices into that instead of just going general. 5 gHz has less interference from other devices, but a shorter range overall, so it's a tradeoff. And the entire problem could be very sporadic and you just happened to hit when it was at its worst.

One other thing is that the wavelength at 2.4 gHz is about 5 inches, or 12 cm, so if you move the Mac or the router about half that, you might move from a low-signal trough to a high signal peak. And if it's interference, maybe from a high noise to a low noise point. Inches matter at these frequencies.

 

[Marrk]

My channel is set up with 5gHz at present.

I live in an apartment in a densely populated area, so I'm sure your right about competing with neighbors -- when I pull down the WiFi icon on the menu bar, I see 40 other devices along with my own.

Just to have it, I ordered one of these: Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter. Hope that's the correct adapter.

Thanks for your help. Much appreciated.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

My channel is set up with 5gHz at present.

I live in an apartment in a densely populated area, so I'm sure your right about competing with neighbors -- when I pull down the WiFi icon on the menu bar, I see 40 other devices along with my own.

Just to have it, I ordered one of these: Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter. Hope that's the correct adapter.

Thanks for your help. Much appreciated.

For greater consistency, you may want to look at getting a mesh router system. Have the main unit connected to the cable modem, then have a couple beacons spread around the apartment. I would think this would be overkill for an apartment since they are usually intended for larger homes, but maybe it will be what you need here. Actually an article on Wirecutter has this to say:

"Mesh-networking kits, instead of using a single router, use multiple access points spread around your house to improve the range and performance of your Wi-Fi, and they’re great for large homes or old apartments or houses with plaster, brick, or concrete walls." "Most people, however, don’t need mesh Wi-Fi. Our testing showed that most people in smallish homes and apartments can do fine with just a router."

So the usefulness may depend much on how your apartment is built. If you are willing to make the investment, I would give this a shot. Just purchase from Best Buy or elsewhere with a generous return policy in case it doesn't help. I use the Eero system here and it works well, love the app, although I do have some tin foil hat misgivings about them having been bought out by Amazon since I purchased this system. You can look over Wirecutter's recommendations, but if the Eero Pro looks too pricey, they have a non-pro system that is fine to use also. The nice thing about these is you can get mounts to put them flat on a wall if you desire.

 

[chscag]

If I ever decide to get rid of the FIOS system that we currently have, I would definitely consider a mesh system. They are generally a bit pricey but that's seems to be changing as the competition widens.

 

[MacInWin]

I had several dead spots in my three-floor house (Basement, Ground and upper floors). So now there is a base on the main floor and two satellites, one on each floor. No more dead spots! The base on the ground floor is in one corner of the house, the basement one is in the middle of the floor and the upper floor at the opposite end from the ground floor. They all talk to each other so it's not a stretch from just the base station. I have Apple TV boxes on all three floors and the dead spots were killing the streaming. Not any more!

 

[RadDave]

If I ever decide to get rid of the FIOS system that we currently have, I would definitely consider a mesh system. They are generally a bit pricey but that's seems to be changing as the competition widens.

@ Marrk - also have an old Apple Airport Extreme (802.11n) bought in 2013 - I'm on a 100 Mbps Spectrum cable plan - just checked w/ an iPad app called SweetSpots - getting about 50 Mbps in my den (a room away from the router) where we stream music and movies/TV shows w/o a problem - jumps up to nearly a 100 Mbps when I walk the device next to the router - but waiting for that router to die any day? Believe that w/ our needs, I could go either way, i.e. a traditional newer router vs. setting up a mesh network - with the money we are saving on not going on our usual trips or out to eat, the added cost of a mesh setup seems unimportant at the moment? Dave

 

[Marrk]

Regarding a mesh setup: What's the loss of signal strength from the base to any given satellite? Also, my groovy bachelor pad is swinging and far out, but it's small. If I got a really, really long Ethernet cable, would I lose signal strength as percentage of cable length?

 

[MacInWin]

What's the loss of signal strength from the base to any given satellite?

That factor doesn't matter as long as the satellite has sufficient signal to get the data at speed. It then retransmits the signal to the devices connected to it with full strength. So as I move around, for example, my iPhone switches from one station to another as the signal strength changes, all invisible to me. In the Orbi system, the stations are constantly negotiating what channel to use between them to avoid signal loss from interference. That backchannel negotiation takes place on a separate, dedicate frequency so that it does not affect the data capacity of the "real" network. Pretty clever design, IMHO.

Also, my groovy bachelor pad is swinging and far out, but it's small. If I got a really, really long Ethernet cable, would I lose signal strength as percentage of cable length?

With Ethernet the signal loss is minuscule unless you have a really, really long cable run (over 180'). Over the sort haul a good CAT-6 cable should cover your apartment pretty well with almost no degradation.

 

[chscag]

Just for information sake.....

I've run CAT-6 cable 100' with no noticeable signal loss. Make sure you buy good CAT-6 cable rated for low signal loss.

Check with these guys for the cable:

www.monoprice.com

 

[Marrk]

@chscag: How about 100 feet of this bad boy?

 

[chscag]

@Marrk:

That should be okay. 24 AWG is thick enough but yet not too thick to run over long distances. And at $15.79, is a good price.

Measure off exactly how much you will need from point A to point B and then allow some extra footage for looping, bending, etc.

 

[Marrk]

^^Thanks, chscag. I'm thinking of getting the 100-ft. I've got the crazy idea that I will move from room to room while connected to the cable.

That is a good price, but they want $7.99 for shipping. Anybody got a coupon code?

 

[chscag]

Just for the heck of it, check Amazon to see what their prices are for the same 100 foot cable. Usually Amazon shipping is cheaper than others.

Another option might be to check with Home Depot or Lowes to see how much they charge for 100 foot. I know both stores sell CAT 7 cable as I recently purchased some from Lowes. That will save you shipping charges.