Express -Extreme-Time capsule?

Antibac

Hi all

I was thinking of getting a wifi extender and was considering the above. Is it worth getting either the extreme or time capsule with the hard drive? We wouldn't be they most tech savvy and am looking for convieience

Thanks in advance for any replies

Type 17

What are you extending? - if it's not an Apple Airport device, you won't be able to extend the network (wirelessly) with a new Apple unit.

Assuming you already have an Apple device (or are going to extend the network by Ethernet, or Ethernet over Powerline), I'd go for an Extreme, because you can attach your own Hard Drive, and change/upgrade it whenever you like.

Airport devices are pretty convenient, but you will need to commit to all Apple devices for a wirelessly-extended network (plus your ISP's modem not being used for wi-fi).

Antibac

Type 17 wrote: »

What are you extending? - if it's not an Apple Airport device, you won't be able to extend the network (wirelessly) with a new Apple unit.

Assuming you already have an Apple device (or are going to extend the network by Ethernet, or Ethernet over Powerline), I'd go for an Extreme, because you can attach your own Hard Drive, and change/upgrade it whenever you like.

Airport devices are pretty convenient, but you will need to commit to all Apple devices for a wirelessly-extended network (plus your ISP's modem not being used for wi-fi).

Currently I have an eircom router and signal upstairs ain't great. Commuting to Apple only is not a problem as all my stuff is Apple at present.would I need to replace the router aswell?

Type 17

No, you wouldn't need to replace the Eircom modem/router (no Airport device has a modem in it, as there are too many different types with cable DSL, Fibre, Satellite, etc), but you won't be able to use the Eircom router's wi-fi with the Airport device extending the signal upstairs wirelessly, so your choices would be:

Put the Airport device upstairs, and connect it to the Eircom unit by a long Ethernet cable (unlikely to be convenient) or by using a pair of Ethernet over power line units (they use the electric mains circuits of your house to connect devices on a network). You might have to have two separate wi-fi network names, as your user devices may get confused by two different networks with the same name.

Buy two airport devices, connect one by Ethernet to the Eircom unit for downstairs coverage (turn off the Eircom unit's wi-fi), and plug in the other one upstairs and set it to join/extend the network created by the Airport unit downstairs.

I'd go with the second option by buying an Extreme for the main downstairs location (add a hard drive if required), and an Express for upstairs (add speakers or a printer if required).
You can often get Airport units cheaper by buying refurbished ones in the Apple store (same warranty as new items) - http://store.apple.com/ie/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/mac_accessories

Antibac

Type 17 wrote: »

No, you wouldn't need to replace the Eircom modem/router (no Airport device has a modem in it, as there are too many different types with cable DSL, Fibre, Satellite, etc), but you won't be able to use the Eircom router's wi-fi with the Airport device extending the signal upstairs wirelessly, so your choices would be:

Put the Airport device upstairs, and connect it to the Eircom unit by a long Ethernet cable (unlikely to be convenient) or by using a pair of Ethernet over power line units (they use the electric mains circuits of your house to connect devices on a network). You might have to have two separate wi-fi network names, as your user devices may get confused by two different networks with the same name.

Buy two airport devices, connect one by Ethernet to the Eircom unit for downstairs coverage (turn off the Eircom unit's wi-fi), and plug in the other one upstairs and set it to join/extend the network created by the Airport unit downstairs.

I'd go with the second option by buying an Extreme for the main downstairs location (add a hard drive if required), and an Express for upstairs (add speakers or a printer if required).
You can often get Airport units cheaper by buying refurbished ones in the Apple store (same warranty as new items) - http://store.apple.com/ie/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/mac_accessories

Cheers. Option 2,looks like the option for me. I just have 2 questions can the express but substituted for a time capsule and how would I switch off the router wifi?Will def get the refurbs!

Type 17

You can use any combo of Airport devices in any location, I was only giving an example of the Extreme and Express above, you can, for example, use an Express with the modem, and a Time Capsule upstairs if you like. PS: The reason I prefer the Extreme to the Time Capsule is that the cost per Terabyte of the TC is a lot more than an Extreme with your choice of Hard Drive (a hard drive which is then upgradeable at any time, unlike the drive in the TC). In my case, my old Time Capsule's wi-fi failed (network kept hanging, losing connectivity etc), so now I have its radio turned off, and it's connected by Ethernet to an Extreme as an external drive(!).

The Eircom router wi-fi can be turned off by logging into it (192.168.1.254 is their default IP address, and the admin username and password should be online if you Google "<Router make and model> Eircom default admin password" (Eircom have had many different router models over the years, so check yours and insert the correct details).

flyguy

I would start with just getting a time capsule or extreme and then see if you need to extend the network. I have the latest model time capsule, located in a cabinet in the living room and have nearly full wifi reception all over the house (including attic) and garden. Wifi speed has much improved as well over the standard UPC router (last test 123Mbps).

Type 17

Very true, the 802.11n Airport devices are a lot better than the 802.11g ones, and I presume that the new 802.11a/c stuff is better again, but I still need an Express to extend the network upstairs, as my house has foil-backed plasterboard on the internal walls and ceilings, and this blocks the signal very well - in fact, I had to use a pair of Ethernet-over-Powerline units to connect the upstairs Express to the Extreme downstairs, as it kept losing it.

However, if your house allows it, one (decent) unit might well be enough.

flyguy

The 802.11a/c is very good especially the "beam forming" seems to work very well on the new apple routers.
Of course you will need to have a fairly new model MacBook or the latest model iPhone6/iPad to be able to use 802.11a/c (Newer non-apple devices will have the same wifi capabilities so it doesn't have to be an apple product).

Deep Thought

Ok..so What i did was get the new Airport Extreme (AE)

Hooked it up to the Modem, Put Modem into Bridge Mode and turn off Wifi broadcasting

Thus the AE is now managing the Network. the new Extreme has a far better wifi signal that previous and I can use it at good speeds upstairs

I also use the 5GHZ as no own else on my road is using that Frequency.

I then have my NAS connected by Ethernet to the AE