Extending network questions - 2.4/5Ghz and Wireless-N/AC

Atty

Golden Member
Aug 19, 2006
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In my home I have a Time Capsule (airport extreme, current revision with AC) where the main office is. This is the top floor far left side of the house. That is where the drop is, modem, all the hardwired equipment, etc.

Almost anywhere (except maybe the far corner of the far right bedroom on the second story, about a 50-60ft hallway away) you get internet access on the second floor. On the the first floor about halfway through the house its intermittent. On the far side of the house its nonexistent. You can see the 2.4GHz network (not the 5Ghz) and connect but you don't get any real download/upload speed so nothing happens.

What I am thinking and need help with is how I will extend this network.

Current plan is to get a Airport express (2 macs, 3 iPads, 2 iPhones, 3 AppleTVs, we are an Apple Family) and install it on the first floor about 1/3 of the length of the house away from the current router. In this area we get strong signal. My hope is that this will extend the rest of the first floor.

Questions -
The Airport express is dual band - so will it just extend the 2.4GHz/5Ghz networks independently?

Being that the Extreme upstairs is Wireless-AC, how will AC capable devices connect to it? Is there anyway to make sure I am connecting to the AC connection and not the N version (assuming the extended network will be wireless N)?

Any other options to consider?