Please help with wireless set up using Fios router w/Appple Airport Extreme (dual mode) and Express
gellie
Newbie

Fios router and Apple's Airport Express and Airport Extreem.  I have the Airport extreme set in bridge mode. However i have noticed a fare amounts of drops mostly on my Ipad since upgrading to the new Airport extreme. I have noticed I have three networks that have been set up in my house. IE "Bob network 2.5 ghz", Bob network 5.0 ghz", "Bob network Verizon". Does this seem ideal? Is there anything i can do to improve drops and get better range in my house?  Thanks

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Re: Please help with wireless set up using Fios router w/Appple Airport Extreme (dual mode) and Expr
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

Well, assuming you have the Airport in bridge mode such that devices on the Airport are on the same network (192.168.1.x) as the Verizon ActionTec router, I would either turn OFF the Verizon wifi (it could be stepping on the 2.4ghz frequency being used by your Airport) -or- I would make the SSID, security mode, and password identical for the Verizon router and the 2.4ghz network on your Airport.

Turn if OFF if your Airport is essentially sitting next to the Verizon router.  It's providing no useful function.

Change the SSID if your Airport is place physically distant from your router (say on the other side of the room, etc.) where it's radio may help cover other parts of the house not being hit by the Verizon router).

If use this latter configuration, go into the Airport and ActionTec and change each to use a fixed radio frequency.  Use one of channel 1, 6, or 11 for the ActionTec and use a different one of the remaining two (1,6, or 11) for the Airport.  Do NOT place them on the same frequency and don't use other channels (you need 5 channels of seperation to keep the two access points from interfering with each other).

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Re: Please help with wireless set up using Fios router w/Appple Airport Extreme (dual mode) and Expr
gellie
Newbie

Thanks , I do have the same security code and passcode the same for both. The fIOS router and Airport are sitting next to eachother. Would it help if i took the fIOS router out of wireless mode? Would my set top boxes for my TV's work correctly? My main goal is to get beter range and eliminate some drops. Thanks again.

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Re: Please help with wireless set up using Fios router w/Appple Airport Extreme (dual mode) and Expr
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

Yes, turning off the Verizon wireless in this case would be best.   Having two transmitters using neighboring radio frequencies in such close proximity to each other can cause a variety of issues.   You'll find a more stable environment if you have only one of them turned on.

As for the STB's ... they'll work just fine.   The STB's use MoCA (IP networking over Coax) to communicate to the router and get their information.  The wireless in the Verizon router serves solely to give you the ability to connect your computers to it wirelessly -- which if you have another device doing that for you already makes it totally redundent.

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Re: Please help with wireless set up using Fios router w/Appple Airport Extreme (dual mode) and Expr
gellie
Newbie

Thanks. I disabled the wireless mode from the router and now only see 1 network(bob network 1, which is 2,4ghz) Everything is working fine and i have pretty good range. Will i benefit from setting up the 5ghz network? My Airport is Dual mode, and most of my computers/Ipads can use 5ghz. But my FIOS router is not. Thx

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Re: Please help with wireless set up using Fios router w/Apple Airport Extreme (dual mode) and Expr
Anti-Phish1
Master - Level 1

@gellie wrote:

Will I benefit from setting up the 5ghz network? My Airport is Dual mode, and most of my computers/Ipads can use 5ghz.


That depends on whether the Airport is dual-radio, or just dual-band.  If it is dual band (single radio), you will not benefit because the wireless will use the lowest common speed (2.4 Mhz 802.11g).  If it is dual radio, then yes, your N devices will benefit from the faster N speeds, the 40Mhz channel width and the less crowded 5Mhz band.

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Re: Please help with wireless set up using Fios router w/Appple Airport Extreme (dual mode) and Expr
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

Yes, setting up the 5ghz network will be beneficial.  The Airport is simulataneous dual-band which means it has two radios in it and will use both.   As the 5ghz "N" network is in the less crowded airspace, you may find better thruput there for devices which support it.   You will need to establish a second SSID and then chose between the two.

I use the 5ghz network for my home office and put the rest of my families computers on the 2.5ghz range which keeps the two of use in seperate bandwidth until we reach the internet gateway. 

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Re: Please help with wireless set up using Fios router w/Appple Airport Extreme (dual mode) and Expr
gellie
Newbie

Thanks what is a SSID and how do i establish one?

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Re: Please help with wireless set up using Fios router w/Appple Airport Extreme (dual mode) and Expr
Anti-Phish1
Master - Level 1

A SSID is simply a name that identifies a particular wireless network.

When your wireless device is searching for available networks, it will diplay the SSID of each available network.

You want your G and N networks to have different names so that any devices that support both G and N can choose the N network.

Your Airport and Actiontec probably already have different SSIDs.

If you want to change the Actiontec SSID to something more meaningful:

  • Login to the router
  • Select the Wireless Settings icon at the top.
  • Select Basic Security Settings on the left.
  • Change the SSID on line 2.
  • Apply
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