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I have a Motorola cable modem connected to my AirPort Express. The AirPort Utility shows strong signal throughout the house. However, various internet services occasionally slow or fail anyway, e.g., pictures don't send from a phone or video stutters. I've tried restarting both devices to no avail.
Any ideas?
Test Series 1
Log on to a site like speedtest.net to check the actual speed of your Internet connection.
Run one check with the laptop in the same room as the AirPort Express and note the results
Ping: 11 ms Download: 62.56 Mpbs Upload 9.63 Mbps
Move the laptop a room or two away, perform the same check and note the results:
Ping: 12 ms Download: 39.05 Mpbs Upload 10.20 Mbps
Finally, move the laptop to a location that is as far away from the AirPort Express that you intend to use, perform the same check and note your results:
Ping: 12 ms Download: 38.6 Mpbs Upload: 5.74 Mbps
Test Series 2
Locate the laptop in the same room as the AirPort Express
Hold down the option key on the laptop while you click on the WiFi menu at the top of the screen
Note the reading for RSSI: -47 dBm
Note the reading for Noise - 95 dBm
Perform the same checks with the laptop a room of two away and note the results
RSSI: -65 dBm
Noise: -92 dBm
Perform the same check again with the laptop located as far away from the Express that you plan to use and note the results.
RSSI: -66 dBm
Noise: -90 dBm
I understand that dBm is a power level measure, but I'm not sure how to interpret it in these results. Please explain for RSSI and Noise.
Am I correct in interpreting the download speeds to mean that I'm getting less than half the speed my ISP is offering?
I know nothing about new WiFi routers. Can you recommend one or a good page that compares them?
Thank you.
Test Series 1
Log on to a site like speedtest.net to check the actual speed of your Internet connection.
Run one check with the laptop in the same room as the AirPort Express and note the results
Ping: 11 ms Download: 62.56 Mpbs Upload 9.63 Mbps
Move the laptop a room or two away, perform the same check and note the results:
Ping: 12 ms Download: 39.05 Mpbs Upload 10.20 Mbps
Finally, move the laptop to a location that is as far away from the AirPort Express that you intend to use, perform the same check and note your results:
Ping: 12 ms Download: 38.6 Mpbs Upload: 5.74 Mbps
Test Series 2
Locate the laptop in the same room as the AirPort Express
Hold down the option key on the laptop while you click on the WiFi menu at the top of the screen
Note the reading for RSSI: -47 dBm
Note the reading for Noise - 95 dBm
Perform the same checks with the laptop a room of two away and note the results
RSSI: -65 dBm
Noise: -92 dBm
Perform the same check again with the laptop located as far away from the Express that you plan to use and note the results.
RSSI: -66 dBm
Noise: -90 dBm
I understand that dBm is a power level measure, but I'm not sure how to interpret it in these results. Please explain for RSSI and Noise.
Am I correct in interpreting the download speeds to mean that I'm getting less than half the speed my ISP is offering?
I know nothing about new WiFi routers. Can you recommend one or a good page that compares them?
Thank you.
You might think that the AirPort is providing a "strong" signal, but most utilities do not take into account the noise or interference that is present with the signal. So, it is easy to be mislead into thinking that you have a strong signal, when you really don't at all.
In that regard, unfortunately the "bars" at the top of the screen on a Mac or iPhone / iPad tell you virtually nothing about the actual quality of signal that you are receiving.
Do you have a Mac laptop that can be used to run a few quick signal quality checks?
Apple buried the small Wi-Fi antennas inside the AirPort Express, so you cannot expect the device to deliver much signal speed when a WiFi device is more than a room or two away from the Express. Some new types of wall construction will hardly let the signal through at all.
What is the speed of your Internet connection from your provider? We ask because the AirPort Express will never deliver more than about 70-80 Mbps even with a very good connection with the WiFi device in close proximity to the Express.
Yes, I have a Mac laptop. How do I run the tests?
My internet connection is 150 Mbps download. Is an AirPort Express the wrong device to have given a 70 - 80 Mbps capacity? If so, what device do I need?
On your laptop.......
Test Series 1
Log on to a site like www.speedtest.com to check the actual speed of your Internet connection.
Run one check with the laptop in the same room as the AirPort Express and note the results
Move the laptop a room or two away, perform the same check and note the results
Finally, move the laptop to a location that is as far away from the AirPort Express that you intend to use, perform the same check and note your results
Post back on your findings
Test Series 2
Locate the laptop in the same room as the AirPort Express
Hold down the option key on the laptop while you click on the WiFi menu at the top of the screen
Note the reading for RSSI
Note the reading for Noise
Perform the same checks with the laptop a room of two away and note the results
Perform the same check again with the laptop located as far away from the Express that you plan to use and note the results.
Post back on your findings.
At best, with all of the planets in perfect alignment, the Express might provide about half of the speed that your ISP plan is providing to you if the laptop is close to the Express. Speeds will be much slower as the laptop moves further away from the Express.
Apple abandoned the WiFi router business more than 3 years ago, so best to go with newer WiFi 6 router. If you need wide coverage, you would want to look for a "mesh" WiFi system.
Thanks for running the checks. The best that your Express can do is about 63 Mbps, with an "average" connection speed probably in the range of about 40-45 Mbps.
The "speedtest" only checks one WiFi device, and things will slow down even more with multiple devices connected to the WiFi at the same time. So, you likely are losing about 70-75% of the speed of your Internet connection with the Express. Basic email might be OK, but more demanding things like downloads and streaming are going to be really "iffy" at best once devices are located a room or more away from the Express
The Signal to Noise ratio is the most accurate way to analyze the quality of the Internet connection. Signal to Noise is obtained by subtracting the Noise from the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator).
So your first check is -47 dB - (-92 dB) = 45 dB
Second is -65 dB - (-92 dB) = 27 dB
Third is -66 dB - (-90 dB) = 24 dB
A reading of 25 dB is Fair
30 dB is Good
35 dB is Very Good
40 dB is Excellent
Bottom line.....the Express (designed in 2012) is in need of replacement. If you need good performance a room or more away from your new router, it would make sense to consider a "mesh" system with multiple broadcast points.
Google "Wi-Fi mesh systems" for more info. My neighbor is thrilled with his new 3 piece Netgear Orbi mesh system, for what that is worth.
WiFi 6 is supposed to be backwards compatible with earlier WiFi systems. The iPhones won't connect at WiFi 6 speeds, but they will connect at lower speeds. I would expect close to 150 Mbps if the iPhone is close to the WiFi router.
My iPhone 11s won't connect at WiFi 6 levels, but they average about 275 Mbps on a 300 Mbps Internet connection.
Hmm, now I find that my next problem is that my iPhone 8s won't connect to WiFi 6. Have to check my other devices.
Excellent! Thanks for all your help!
Happy to help. Good luck!
AirPort Express - Strong Signal, Weak Data Throughput
