Teacher
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25 Messages
setting up multiple MicroCells in one house with one router
I have a bit of a complicated set up at my house. In order to get a wifi network to cover my entire house I have had to use poweline adapters from my main router to extend the network wo the other end of my house where I have set up an accesspoint that covers the other side of my house.
In all of the years I have had att I have never had service at my house so as soon as the mcell came out I got it. It works great if you are in really close proximity to it. So I would like to add another mcell to the other end of my house.
My current set up is: the modem connected to my apple airport router and then to my mcell. Then I have a powerline adapter connected to my router than extends the network to the other end of my house where another powerline adapter is connected to my apple airport extreme which is set up as an access point.
Is there any way to connect a second mcell to my apple airport router acting as an access point at the other end of my house?
I am also open to any other slution anyone has to setting up a second mcell.
OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.2K Messages
10 years ago
Hmm, you could always conduit the CAT-6 outside of your house and then bring it in thru a convenient wall. I did that with my security cameras running the cable underneath the eaves of the house from one end of the house to the other end where my router is (no conduit). Ideally, I should have run it thru the attic and down the inside of the wall but my wiring/construction skills aren't that good. We recently remodeled so I had the electrician wire the CAT-6 from router to family room being as we already had the ceiling and walls open.
But as Avedis53 pointed out, you still may have issues because the MicroCell's aren't designed to transfer signal between each other. They would be independent femtocells sharing only the internet connection to the AT&T servers. You still need GPS lock and ideally a tower nearby to adjust transmission strength and to hand off from MicroCell to macrocell (tower) when moving in and out of range.
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daclarkjr
Teacher
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25 Messages
10 years ago
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Avedis53
Professor
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2.2K Messages
10 years ago
Ok....thanks for the clarification.
Yes, you should simply plug the second Microcell into one of the LAN Ethernet ports of the remote Airport Extreme. It does not have to be a router.
If you have problems with the Powerline adapter connection (the Microcell is pretty finicky about this) then there are other alternatives.
Do you have Gen 4 or Gen 5 Airport Extremes? On its label there should be a FCC ID number.
Gen 4 - BCGA1354
Gen 5 - BCGA1408
If you have Gen 4 AE's then upgrading to Gen 5 AE's could help as the power output was substantially increased as shown in the table below.
If you already have Gen 5 AE's, there are routers/range extenders that have even higher outputs than that. You might look at the Amped Wireless equipment line. They have up to 700 mW routers, access points and range extenders.
http://ampedwireless.com/
I have their SR 10000 range extender (600 mW) and it covers the entire house. Granted, upgrading either the AE's to Gen 5 or getting a new router and repeater is an expensive proposition. If you already have Gen 5 AE's, I'd seriously look at going with higher powered Amped Wireless products. If you have Gen 4 AE's I'd still look at the Amped Wireless products unless you can buy the Gen 5 AE's and then return them if they don't have enough power to connect.
Keep in mind that the higher the signal strength between the router and the range extender, the higher the bandwidth you will have, so getting the highest output power units you can will be better.
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.2K Messages
10 years ago
I understand that but I just want to make sure you understand that if you're on a call on one MicroCell, and then move within range of the other MicroCell, the call will probably get dropped because the MicroCell's can't hand-off calls to one another. An interesting situation for sure. If the PowerLine Adapters/repeater doesn't work, then some sort of a hardwire solution may be your only option. The MicroCell can be a touchy device and the fewer "hops" between it and the router, the more reliable it's going to be.
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daclarkjr
Teacher
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25 Messages
10 years ago
What do you think about the Apple ACs?
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.2K Messages
10 years ago
Good info Avedis53. It's nice to have backup
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daclarkjr
Teacher
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25 Messages
10 years ago
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.2K Messages
10 years ago
The reviews seemed to be mixed from what I've read. I've been very happy with my AEBS (gen 4) so even though your needs are pusing the limits somewhat, I think it would be better than what you have now. It's not so much the power output of the PowerLine Adapters though, it's the condition of the electrical wiring betweens points A and B, what other devices are using that line, etc. that's the sticking point.
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daclarkjr
Teacher
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25 Messages
10 years ago
So back to my original question - connecting a second mcell to my extreme access point shouldn't be a problem?
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Avedis53
Professor
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2.2K Messages
10 years ago
Keep in mind that the maximum bandwidth claimed by the Powerline adapter will be affected by the AC wiring in the house. So a 600 Mbps Powerline Adapter, may not ultimately connect at that speed. Still, that speed will most likely be greater than what an AE can provide.
I see that Apple has upgraded their Airport Extreme Gen 5 to the Airport Extreme AC (Gen 6), which is suppose to provide faster data transfer and have a greater range due to a better antenna array. Have they increased output power? I can't find any information about that.
Connecting your second Microcell to your AE won't be a problem. Whether the AC system in your home is pristine enough to not cause dropped connections across the Powerline connection won't be known until you try it.
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