[junebug630]

I gotta ask this as searching the forums seems to only answer whether someone is happy with their reception or not . I am looking into a specific setup question. I am in the market for a new Powerbook 17" rev C and would like to get people's opinion on the following. I rent a 3 level townhouse that has highspeed internet thru cable. works great. I currently have the connection and my computers in the basement, but would like to use the Powerbook, whenever I get it, in the upstairs bedroom on the second floor.
My questions are:
1) Am I living in a dreamworld thinking that a wireless router in the basement will allow me to surf the web and send e-mail in an upstairs bedroom ? Assuming typical 8 ft ceilings, two floors and about 20 feet offset from the basement location.
2) Is the apple Airport (the round bulbous thingy) the best wireless connection for a Powerbook or are there other routers that work better ?
3) If in fact #1 is not possible, has anyone had any experience with repeaters and their effectiveness ? I really don't want to pay for another internet connection in the upstairs bedroom apart from the original in the basement and seeing that I am a renter may not be able to get permission to have another hole cut into the upstairs bedroom anyway.

Any constructive input is welcome. I really am not concerned about getting the full 2.5mps speed up there just want to surf the web at night and first thing in the morning. I currently do not and have not ever owned a laptop. Thanks.

[Darksider]

It's better to have your wireless router up high as opposed to the basement. You get a wider range of coverage.

[junebug630]

are you saying up high as in the 2nd floor ? Unfortunately I don't have the luxury of putting a hole in the wall on the 2nd floor where the livingroom is as there is no cable connection there. Is there anyone that has a similar connection currently or in the past that can tell me what kind of connection, if any, they were able to get ? Thanks.

[Snake]

On my Netgear, I can walk down the street about 100-200 ft and still get 3 bars on my Powerbook. 2.4ghz wireless technology goes pretty far, do you have a cordless phone that works up there as well? That would be a fairly accurate guage.

If in fact you do not get the speed or connectivity strength you are looking for, a repeater (such as the Airtunes Express) is a perfectly valid option. Depends on your budget, but I don't see the need for another connection at all.

Certain substances are easier for the signal to pass through than others. On my netgear box, it says wood and sheetrock offer minimal signal degredation, while concrete (like cinderblock construction) is very high in interference. So is any other metal that may be lining your floors. Do you happen to know if you house is make from wood, concrete, or bricks?

[SplijinX]

I think the previous message ment that you should place it as high up in the basement as possible, like on top of a bookcase.

I have a similar setup to the one you described. I am currently living at my folk's place for the summer and have my Netgear wireless router hooked up in the basement.

Standing directly above the router on the 2nd floor I can get about two bars worth of reception and does a pretty good job for websurfing. In my experience you can get about two floors up and be able to walk around 5-10 feet away from where the router is located.

There is one catch though...there is this huge steel I-beam that provides support across the middle and effectively blocks all signals. Reception is present until you cross over that I-beam even on the first floor. Placing a repeater (ie Airport Express) on the first or even the second floor would probably solve the problem and give coverage to the whole house.

I'd go around your basement to see if there are any large metal structures. If none exist, place the router as close to the area where you will be working on the 2nd floor and you should be able to get some signal.

[madmacgames]

I believe you will get much better range with something like a Linksys wireless router or Netgear than you will with Apple's basestation.

I love Apple and all, but c'mon, Linksys (made by Cisco) knows networking better than most.

[kafoochy]

Originally posted by madmacgames:
I believe you will get much better range with something like a Linksys wireless router or Netgear than you will with Apple's basestation.

I love Apple and all, but c'mon, Linksys (made by Cisco) knows networking better than most.

I've had much better luck with Apple basestations that with Linksys. Although my dad has a linksys router in the basement and I can get reception from the second floor. When you compare basic basestations, I don't think you're going to notice a huge difference. I'd stick with Apple though, if you really need to you can also get an AirPort Express to use as a router on the second floor. Another solution that nobody has mentioned is getting an external antenna for the AirPort Extreme basestation. This is probably one of the reasons you'd buy the Extreme over the Express. DrBott makes two, one omnidirectional and one directional.

[Spartan24]

I have a simialr setup to what you describe.... Townhouse with 3 stories (counting the finished basement). I have ownled D-Link/G and Linksys/G and now the Airport Base Station and the reception is clearly better on the top level with the Airport. My base station is set up on the top shelf of a bookcase in the basement.

However, I ran a check at grc.com and the Apple Basestation is now where's near as security minded as the D-Link or Linksys. My Linksys reported all "Stealth" on grc.com, however the Apple Base Station is almost all "Closed". Personally I am very disappointed in this for the price points of these models.

Anyone know a way to get the Apple Base Station to test all "stealth" from internet pings?

[romeosc]

Extend Your Network

If you already have a wireless network in your home and would like to extend its range, AirPort Express is your answer. Suppose you want to connect to the Internet with your PowerBook in an area that lies beyond the 150-foot range of your AirPort Express or AirPort Extreme Base Station. You can use AirPort Express as a wireless bridge to extend the range of your primary base station.(5)

There�s no need for extra wires or cables � serving as a bridge, AirPort Express doesn't have to be physically connected to your primary base station or to your DSL or cable modem. Simply place AirPort Express within the range of your primary base station and near the area where you�d like to enjoy your wireless connection.

1. Requires compatible stereo system or powered speakers.
2. AirTunes requires iTunes 4.6 or later.
3. AirPort Express uses the 802.11g wireless standard. Accessing the wireless network requires an AirPort or AirPort Extreme enabled computer or Wi-Fi-certified 802.11b or 802.11g computer. Achieving data rates of 54 Mbps requires that all users have an AirPort Extreme or Wi-Fi-certified 802.11g enabled computer and connect to an AirPort Express Base Station. If a user of a Wi-Fi-certified 802.11b product joins the network, that user will get up to 11 Mbps and AirPort Extreme and Wi-Fi-certified 802.11g users will get less than 54 Mbps. Actual speed will vary based on range, connection rate, site conditions, size of network, and other factors.
4. Wireless Internet access requires a wireless-enabled computer, a base station or other access point and Internet access (fees may apply). Some ISPs are not currently compatible with AirPort Express.
5. AirPort Express can extend the range only of an AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express wireless network.
6. Wireless printing over USB requires Mac OS X v10.2.7 or later or Windows XP or Windows 2000 and a compatible printer.
7. Cables for connecting the AirPort Express Base Station to a DSL or cable modem, USB printer or a stereo or a set of powered speakers are sold separately.

AirPort Express with AirTunes now shipping.
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Get the Kit

The AirPort Express Stereo Connection Kit with Monster Cables includes everything you need to get the most from AirPort Express: a Monster mini-to-RCA left/right audio cable, a Monster mini-to-optical digital Toslink audio cable and an AirPort Express power extension cord.

Use one or the other audio cable to connect AirPort Express to your stereo or powered speakers (which one you use depends on whether your stereo or powered speakers have an analog or optical digital connector). Use the power extension cord for greater flexibility over placement of the base station. Priced at $39, it�s available at the Apple online and retail stores.
Presenting AirPort Express
Easy Setup

Listen wirelessly, connect wirelessly, extend your network wirelessly, print wirelessly � no matter what you want to do with AirPort Express or whether you use a Mac or PC, you can bet it�s a breeze to set up.

With the AirPort Express Assistant, it�s just a matter of a few clicks. The software automatically detects what you have connected to AirPort Express � whether it�s your stereo, DSL or cable modem or printer � then walks you through the easy steps to complete the setup.(7)
AirPort Express in hand
AirPort on the Go

Extremely portable, AirPort Express weighs less than seven ounces and fits in the palm of your hand. And because it contains an internal universal AC adapter, there�s no need to carry extra cables or a power supply. Just unplug and go.