Best Range with multiple Airports?

[fxscreamer]

Looking for the best range to expand across a big house.

1 Airport Extreme + 2 Expresses

or

3 Airport Extremes?

I understand the extremes latest revision have a boosted antenna, and much further reach, that's why I ask.

 

[mainstay]

3 AEBS beyond a doubt...

if you can wire between them, even better.

Configure Airport Extreme + Extension Station:

1. In AEBS1 setup your wireless network and other DHCP settings as desired. Ensure "Allow this network to be extended" is checked in Airport >> Wireless.
2. In AEBS2 use the setup assistant and:
a. Give it a name and password
b. I want my Airport Extreme to join my current network
c. I want to connect my Airport Extreme to my network using Ethernet to extend my existing wireless network
d. physically connect your AEBS1 LAN 1/2/3 to the WAN port on your AEBS2
e. Select your AEBS1 from the list of devices to connect to...
f. Update...

 

[fxscreamer]

3 AEBS beyond a doubt...

if you can wire between them, even better.

Configure Airport Extreme + Extension Station:

1. In AEBS1 setup your wireless network and other DHCP settings as desired. Ensure "Allow this network to be extended" is checked in Airport >> Wireless.
2. In AEBS2 use the setup assistant and:
a. Give it a name and password
b. I want my Airport Extreme to join my current network
c. I want to connect my Airport Extreme to my network using Ethernet to extend my existing wireless network
d. physically connect your AEBS1 LAN 1/2/3 to the WAN port on your AEBS2
e. Select your AEBS1 from the list of devices to connect to...
f. Update...

Thanks. This house is for an event lasting a month, and is roughly 4000sq ft. Wiring ethernet won't be ideal, but the extended network should be good enough. I own an extreme and express myself, so am familiar with the concepts, but just needed confirmation from another person that AEBS are far superior in range.

Now 3 AEBS's covering 4000sq ft..that's the real question.

 

[mainstay]

cleverly placed... they should work just fine.

I cover a half acre property with several buildings using 2 AEBS.

This was mentioned in another post and I can't wait to try it out:

http://www.netspotapp.com/

 

[DarkHeraldMage]

cleverly placed... they should work just fine.

I cover a half acre property with several buildings using 2 AEBS.

This was mentioned in another post and I can't wait to try it out:

http://www.netspotapp.com/

So glad I found this thread! I'm actually in the works of setting up a brand new wifi network in a friend's house larger than 4000 square feet and thinking that the best way to ensure coverage is 1 AEBS and 4 different AEs. The house isn't just big, it's strangely shaped so getting signal across the whole house on both floors is going to be a huge undertaking. Wasn't sure how I was going to even make sure that the 4 would cover the desired space, but I'm hoping that app helps! Thanks.

 

[alphaod]

At my parent's place (which is L-shaped), i have set up 3 Extremes on the each of the 3 corners of the house. Then I have an Express that acts only as an extender to a 4th Extreme in the basement. That covers the entire house, the driveway, front and back yards.

The Airport Extreme as excellent range compared to the Express, so I would definitely go for 3 Extreme APs instead of the other combo.

 

[mmomega]

I don't have a doubt that 3 5th gen AEBS, maybe even 2 could do the job.
Also are you looking for 5GHz across the board or is 2.4 fine? In our last home, 1900 sq ft, 1 AEBS in the front right corner provided full WiFi throughout to the opposite corner and backyard, showing full signal anywhere in the home.
I later added a 2nd to make sure i had 5GHz coverage throughout. I removed the Express from the network because it cut my bandwidth in half by extending.

Now having a 2900sq ft 1 story I still use the 2 AEBS, although I have 2 more 3rd gens just in case I want to expand 5GHz to my workshop/garage.

Also I have 1 4th gen AEBS at my office of 6,500 sq ft with 14 computers connected to it on various ends of the office, the AEBS is in a far right corner and still provides adequate coverage.