I’ve learned that wireless routers work best when mounted higher. The original AirPort Base Stations came with acrylic mounts for mounting on walls and ceilings. However, the newest AirPort Extreme 802.11n doesn’t. This is due largely in part to the antenna array that is built in. The experts say that the new Extreme Base Station is best positioned into a horizontal flat orientation. Knowing this doesn’t change the fact that your range will increase drastically when positioned higher.
One of the base stations that I manage is located in a garage just outside the meeting room that MacGroup-Detroit meets in. Luckily the ceiling is open and I have access to the rafters. This meant that I could mount the AirPort up high for maximum coverage. However, the beams are only 2 inches wide and the AirPort is much wider. So I turned to the folks over at H-Squared who make the tvTray for the Apple TV. They enhanced their Air Mount product for the new AirPort Base Station. This mount is custom designed for the AirPort Extreme and therefore is a PERFECT FIT. It comes with the base and the screws for mounting to a wall or ceiling.
I mounted it horizontally up high and like I suspected, this position provides coverage for the entire area. They even make an optional $15 USB backlight to add a little flare to your AirPort Base Station. However, since this one is mounted where no one will see it, the light would go unappreciated.
The bottom line is that if you need to mount your Apple gear there are no better mounts than those from H-Squared. The Air Mount is $37.99.
Thanks for the info and a great website in general. By mounting the unit high, do you mean it should be at the top floor of a multistory home? Mine’s in the basement right now, but I’d move it if that would improve network speed.
David,
Absolutely higher is better than lower. You’ll see a big difference if you move it upstairs as opposed to downstairs. Try it as a test.
Thanks!
Couldn’t you turn the wireless router upside down and put it in your basement?
Jimbo,
It’s not a matter of orientation as much as it is height. Your computer’s wi-fi card is looking for signal to be UP in the air. If your router is in the basement, then the signal will be seen, just not as efficiently. For example, I used to have my main router in the basement and I couldn’t reach it from an upstairs bedroom. As soon as I moved it upstairs, I could reach it from everywhere in the house including the basement. Just think radio towers. They’re up high for a reason.
makes sense. Now I just need to turn my laptop over and learn to type upside down!-)
It is not the orientation in terms of 0 or 180 (upside down), it is the factor of position relative to the ground and objects. In terms of orientation, polarization is the factor… for brevities sake… vertically “on it’s side/wall” instead of horizontally/”on a table/ceiling/floor” is 90 degrees off will reduce your coverage by 30dB. This is A LOT. (FYI: “upside down” is the same as “rightside up” as the second 90 degree rotation undoes the first.) 0 and 90 do not match, 0 and 180 match (If you wish to go through life sideways, 90 and 270 match, mount it on the wall and hold your laptop on one side if you wish!)
Beyond polarization, the antenna ARRAY (and that is important in this case) creates a pattern of directionality. Think of the IDEAL coverage as an electric field shaped like a regular (not peanut) M&M out of the bag on resting on a table, with the Airport at the center. This would only be if the Airport was “in free space” (significantly away from other objects). Even before considering absorption and reflection effects, basement routers are only showing the top third of the M&M on the main floor, and just barely the small circular tippy-top of the M&M on your upper floors in the space directly above the router, drastically minimizing effective coverage. By moving the Airport to the center of your usable space, say, the floor of the second floor, or the ceiling of the first floor (upside down is FINE), you can drastically improve signal strength in your house.
Many time MORE important than signal strength is the new location is “out in the open,” preventing “hidden transmitter.” By letting more neighbor wireless devices “see” or “hear” your wireless signal, your performance improves. Funny hunh? The wireless protocalll is designed such that they work together to get the best throughput for all.
Consider also coordinating with neighbors on channel selection. EVERYBODY should be on 1, 6, or 11, as they are the only three channel (in the US) that are fully indendant of the other two. It is best to have everyone on their own channel, but it is MUCH better to be on the SAME channel than overlapping (, overlapping but not same conflict that). 1 overlaps 2, 3, 4, and 5. 2, overlaps 3, 4, 5, &6, 3 overlaps 4, 5, 6 &7 etc. Again, ONLY 1, 6 or 11.
I assume your security needs are met through encryption, otherwise you shouldn’t have wireless anyway.
Hi JLG,
It’s nice to see your great job here , not much people understood the polarization of an antenna and how radio work. Someone will think that is beauty enough to mount it on wall vertically. hunh~~~~