Using the New Airport Express an n Router
First off, I got this idea from a friend, but the implementation rocks, so I thought I'd share it with everyone. He didn't do this using the new Airport Express, so I can claim credit for that thought!
802.n is the fastest spec for wireless networks. But you knew that. The problem is that if you only have an "n" capable router any devices that connect using 802.g (or gasp, 802.b) will degrade the speed of our "n" wireless network. His solution was to plug an "n" router into his Verizon Fios router that already had a "g" router. Then connect your "n" machines directly to the "n" router and have all the old stuff connect to the "g" router. Brilliant.
But me being an Apple fanatic I wanted to do it the Apple way. So I waltzed into an Apple store wondering about the Airport Extreme. But at $179 it seemed like overkill. Apple answered my dreams the next week with the release of the revised Apple Express. At $99 is did everything I needed at "n" speed.
Here is my current setup. A Verizion FIOS router that has built in "g" wireless. All my older devices connect to that. I have my Airport Express plugged into one of the ethernet ports on the Verizon router and acting as a "n" wireless router. All my "n" only devices (Apple TV, Macbook Pro, Macbook) are connected to the Apple Express.
This is a relatively cheap and easy way to get the most out of wireless speeds. And trust me, "n" does make a difference (especially with a super-fast connection like FIOS).
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I did something similar when I got my AEBS. I ethernetted* my old D-Link wi-fi to one of the AEBS ports and ran all my ‘g’ devices on it while the AEBS ran pure 5GHz ‘n’.
*Look it up in any 2008 dictionary. They put in this verb to compensate for the official delisting of the adjective ‘gullible’.
I also use Actiontec (FiOS/MoCA) 11g routers as part of my research (no FiOS in my neighborhood yet) ]( so yep, these babies have robust 11g routers with minimal reboots.
Meanwhile, most 11n routers should be able to de/select which band you would like the 11n signaling to occupy - whether 2.4GHz or 5.1GHz. I don’t have an Airport Extreme N but I have dabbled with the Belkins, Netgears, D-Links, and Linksys N routers and most of these can operate at either band or both simultaneously.
The performance hit that you mentioned is not because your 11n router becomes a 11g or, worse, 11b router when those are detected.
No. Draft 1.0 downrates to use a 20MHz channel (same as the legacy protocols) from the wider 40MHz “true” 11n-spec. Newer Draft 2.0 allows 40MHz in “coexistence” mode but the frame header’s CTS must be coded to prevent collisions with older 11b/g 20MHz systems. Still, it is not as bad as you surmise from your friends experts opinions.
That means MIMO-capable notebooks and USB dongles will still have the wider range and a better than 54Mbps rate of 11g. They may not be 300Mbps but still much better at any distance from your AP.