AirPort Express or AirPort Extreme?

[LazyStarGazer]

Just started looking at these Apple products as a possible solution to my home network difficulties, wondering if anyone here might have some helpful feedback.

Upgraded my DSL service from Rogers ( my cable/Internet provider).
They gave me a new Linksys router which apparently I had to use.
(I had a Linksys that I bought myself, into the closet it went)
New one was a...Piece of crap! Had to reboot it every other day, signal range in my house was a joke.
Got fed up, asked for a replacement. They gave me a Cisco router.
No more reboots, but signal in my house is still very limited.
Tried to get the new Cisco router to play nice with my original Linksys as an access point, but no luck.

So, now I wonder if an airport device will solve this.

-Will an Express be enough to improve signal strength and range?
-Or do I need an Extreme to solve this?
-Or both?

I'm going to confirm with Rogers if I have to use their router or not.
If yes, I'll run an Ethernet cable to connect from router (basement, back of house)
To AirPort device (main floor, central location)
Ideally, I'd like access on the front porch and in the backyard, not the 20 foot radius I currently 'enjoy'.

It's a small house, but its old, brick and plaster, which I've read are not kind to wifi signals.

Any advice iMore ?

 

[Peligro911]

Just started looking at these Apple products as a possible solution to my home network difficulties, wondering if anyone here might have some helpful feedback.

Upgraded my DSL service from Rogers ( my cable/Internet provider).
They gave me a new Linksys router which apparently I had to use.
(I had a Linksys that I bought myself, into the closet it went)
New one was a...Piece of crap! Had to reboot it every other day, signal range in my house was a joke.
Got fed up, asked for a replacement. They gave me a Cisco router.
No more reboots, but signal in my house is still very limited.
Tried to get the new Cisco router to play nice with my original Linksys as an access point, but no luck.

So, now I wonder if an airport device will solve this.

-Will an Express be enough to improve signal strength and range?
-Or do I need an Extreme to solve this?
-Or both?

I'm going to confirm with Rogers if I have to use their router or not.
If yes, I'll run an Ethernet cable to connect from router (basement, back of house)
To AirPort device (main floor, central location)
Ideally, I'd like access on the front porch and in the backyard, not the 20 foot radius I currently 'enjoy'.

It's a small house, but its old, brick and plaster, which I've read are not kind to wifi signals.

Any advice iMore ?

As far as signal if the new extreme can not do it then there is not a router that can. If that one don't get you the range you need then buy a express to use as a access point just plug In as far from the base as you can while still getting a strong signal. Both device will play nice with each other as well as have airplay options. Really easy to setup also


Brought to you from my iPad 4 LTE routed and bouncing across the globe on multiple servers from Tapatalk !

 

[Trees]

As far as signal if the new extreme can not do it then there is not a router that can. If that one don't get you the range you need then buy a express to use as a access point just plug In as far from the base as you can while still getting a strong signal. Both device will play nice with each other as well as have airplay options. Really easy to setup also


Brought to you from my iPad 4 LTE routed and bouncing across the globe on multiple servers from Tapatalk !

Pelligro911 basically nailed it.

I've gone through many router and extender combinations, and from major brand top of the line products. Finally bought an Extreme a few years ago and added Express as additional access points/extenders in areas where I was getting complaints from my users (family). So now I have three Express, one right next to my wife's office area, the TV room, and back of the house. It's probably more than I need, but no more complaints. The good thing is that this combination works well with the various Mac, PC, Apple TV, game system, printer, and iDevices we have.

 

[LazyStarGazer]

Just spoke to a Rogers tech person, and I do have to use their box.
He also told me that if I wire an access point, wireless functions on the Cisco box have to be turned off to avoid conflict. I was under the impression that I had to avoid this I just had to have slightly different addresses at the 3rd or 4th set of numbers, eg:
Xxx xx xxx .00
&
Xxx xx xxx .01

Question.
If I turn the Cisco box into a LAN terminal (by using Ethernet cable), does the AirPort device become an access point, or am I creating a new WAN network that is 'fed' by the Cisco router?

Thanks for the help, I'm kinda green at this.

 

[Fausty82]

Just spoke to a Rogers tech person, and I do have to use their box.
He also told me that if I wire an access point, wireless functions on the Cisco box have to be turned off to avoid conflict. I was under the impression that I had to avoid this I just had to have slightly different addresses at the 3rd or 4th set of numbers, eg:
Xxx xx xxx .00
&
Xxx xx xxx .01

Question.
If I turn the Cisco box into a LAN terminal (by using Ethernet cable), does the AirPort device become an access point, or am I creating a new WAN network that is 'fed' by the Cisco router?

Thanks for the help, I'm kinda green at this.

The internet providers often give you crapware boxes that try to do everything, and end up doing nothing well. Turn off the wireless part of the box that Rogers provides to you... then set up your Airport Extreme as a wireless access point. I think the phrase you’re looking for in the setup is CREATE A WIRELESS NETWORK. Since you (will) have disabled the wireless portion of the provider's box, there is no wireless network to extend. You are creating a new wireless network that is connected via ethernet to your wired network.

 

[Peligro911]

Just spoke to a Rogers tech person, and I do have to use their box.
He also told me that if I wire an access point, wireless functions on the Cisco box have to be turned off to avoid conflict. I was under the impression that I had to avoid this I just had to have slightly different addresses at the 3rd or 4th set of numbers, eg:
Xxx xx xxx .00
&
Xxx xx xxx .01

Question.
If I turn the Cisco box into a LAN terminal (by using Ethernet cable), does the AirPort device become an access point, or am I creating a new WAN network that is 'fed' by the Cisco router?

Thanks for the help, I'm kinda green at this.

Your situation is similar to mine with uverse there box sucks so I basically use there box to pass Internet to my airport express
I went into the Dmz firewall setting on my cable company's box and passed and disabled all firewall Etc so it basically will pass the main IP address to my express.
From there my express handles everything else
And I disabled the wireless on my uverse
The express just needs to setup as a router not a access point because it will be the one controlling your dhcp and routing .. In this case it could be your extreme then if you add a express it could be a acres point


Sent from my iPhone 5 from a galaxy far far away (in the USA ) using Tapatalk !

 

[LazyStarGazer]

Maybe I'll hold off for a week or two, just in case.

AppleInsider

 

[Jerry_]

Did the same as Faust82 and Peligro911,
i.e. used the providers hardware to connect, but turned off its Wifi.
Then I connected a router of my choice by connecting it with an ethernet cable.

All my home network (cabled & wifi) is now connected to my own device which gives me all features and benefit I may want, while not having the trouble with my provider's device (and its settings). Connecting access points or range extenders was an easy issue.

As regards specific devices, one (and only one) will work as a gateway to your providers device and manage security and DHCP settings. All others just need to be access points ( if the main concern is wifi). Btw. If you add a Timecapsule it can be an access point, too.