[Buck_W]

I'm setting up a small network in our offices and already have an Airport Express. We have DSL service. I'm the only one who uses a Mac, my two colleagues have Dell laptops with wireless cards. Will they have any problems connecting wireless through the Airport Express?

[ghporter]

No problems. AirPort Express (like all AirPort devices) complies with the WiFi standards; that's all you'll need.

[Buck_W]

Originally Posted by ghporter

No problems. AirPort Express (like all AirPort devices) complies with the WiFi standards; that's all you'll need.

Thanks for the feedback, that's good to know. Do you (or anyone else) know how the wireless reception with Airport Express compares with say, Linksys, Netgear, D-Link, etc.? I know everyone has their opinion about which router is the "best." I'm simply interested in knowing if it is at least an "Apples-to-Apples" (pardon the pun) comparison and does Airport Express hold its own in that regard?

[tooki]

Apple's base stations, lacking large external antennas, don't tend to have the best range. They are, however, of above-average build quality and reliability, and have outstanding software to configure them (not just a web interface).

tooki

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Buck_W

I know everyone has their opinion about which router is the "best." I'm simply interested in knowing if it is at least an "Apples-to-Apples" (pardon the pun) comparison and does Airport Express hold its own in that regard?

Your first statement here is exceptionally apt; the question of what consumer-level network equipment to purchase is sometimes more heated (and irrational) than the question of whether one should buy a Mac or a PC.

As tooki says, AirPort bases sometimes lack the range of third party devices. I say "sometimes" primarily because the environment you use such devices in is key. In a wide-open floor plan apartment, you may not notice any difference between say an AirPort Express Base Station and a Linksys WRT54G (which features TWO external antennas). On the other hand, trying to cover a house with a more broken-up and compatrmented floorplan could be a different story.

Unfortunately, I've NEVER seen an unbiased, head-to-head comparison of coverage capabilities of different base stations, wireless routers, and access points. There are tons of comparisons on the Internet, but I have yet to see one that's been honest and scientific enough to provide real data you can use. Sorry, but that's the way the market is today.

[Buck_W]

Originally Posted by ghporter

As tooki says, AirPort bases sometimes lack the range of third party devices... trying to cover a house with a more broken-up and compatrmented floorplan could be a different story.

This may present a problem because there is a concrete wall between one office and where the Airport Express is physically located. The other office is directly beneath the AE, but it is separated with a concrete floor, metal truss, etc. The third variable is that I currently have the LOWEST DSL package (384 Kbps I think) but I am planning on upgrading to at least 1.5 Mbps.

In light of this, would I be better off trying to set up a wireless AP in the other two offices? If I decide to go that route, is it possible to use the AE as a router? It would seem that the AE would need to be at the end of that type of network since it only has one ethernet port. Please advise. Thank you.

[ghporter]

Reinforced concrete is a major obstacle to wireless connectivity. It is dense and includes steel rods and/or mesh that helps block radio signals, particularly in the 2.4GHz range.

Typically, concrete walls make it hard, but not impossible, to get signals through. On the other hand, there are often penetrations through such walls that make it possible to run ethernet cables from room to room (often inside drop ceilings). This would allow you to do something a bit different: use a wireless access point in the room separated by the concrete wall, and connect the access point to a wired router in the room with the DSL modem. This technique may also be useful for the lower floor office, depending on where the utility conduit penetrations are.

Is this building new or old? Older buildings often have more penetrations, but they area also typically more "well used" and stuffed with cables.

[Buck_W]

I meant to say that there is a cinder block wall between one office and where the Airport Express is physically located (the floor is concrete). But still, I do think that I am going to need to use a wired router as a base. There are plenty of penetrations, so gaining access should not be a problem. But that does raise another question: Is there a limit to how far I can run an ethernet cable from the wired router to an access point?

Second, in my office, which is where the DSL modem and wired router will be located, I plan to go ahead and use my Airport Express (Modem–––Wired Router–––Airport Express). If I create a wireless access point in the room directly next to mine (separated by a cinder block wall), will I inadvertently create a problem with competing signals (between my AE and the WAP in the adjoining room)?