john banks

Have a BT Home Hub (the latest 802.11n one) and a network that involves:

Mains cable networking to:
Printer
BT Vision box
Desktop PC (out of range of Wifi router running 802.11g)

802.11g networking to:
iPad
iPhone
Various other 802.11g phones/laptops

Questions:

1. Whilst the iPad and iPhone will do 802.11n the other stuff is only g so I believe the whole wireless network is g? I could update my main laptop to 802.11n with a new card if it would increase range/speed, but no point whilst g devices force it all to g?

2. I would like to send iTunes and possible Spotify content from laptop and iPad/iPhone to up to 4 sets of speakers around the house. Presently use ugly dangling cables to do this with one device and one set of speakers at a time as Belkin Bluetooth music receiver wouldn't sync well and audio was poor. Apple Airport Express was suggested, now I'm not going to go and buy four of them straight off, but might try one. However, I read a lot of problems with the Home Hub 2 as it doesn't have a wireless repeater feature and I don't have a wired network near to many of the speakers. Is the idea of the Airport Express that it will wirelessly link to the main router? Could it help by having the main routers wireless N only and then using an Airport Express to make an 802.11g or mixed network if it can do that?

JackClark

Buy one and play with it, you won't regret it.

If you want the Express to make a wireless network then it'll either need an ethernet feed or a router that supports repeating.

I often use mine to create an ethernet feed to my Macbook and or an amp, I can share the internet via my Macbook if needed. Another saved profile creates a wireless network from an ethernet feed, shares a printer and does music output.

Ant

I didn't think routers outputted only one,well mine doesn't .

The wife connects to G on her blackberry and the mac and iPhone use N.

Ant

I'm using a WNR2000 netgear router

john banks

Sounds like the Airport Express in client mode could be just the ticket for the audio, but there is still a lot of conflicting info as to whether it actually works with a Home Hub 2.0.

If it is in client mode it would join the BT Home Hub network wirelessly rather than create one of its own, so a laptop or iPad for example could use their existing wireless connection and then stream music through that connection to the Airport Express sitting on the same network?

JackClark

As long as the iPad and Airport are on the same network then it'll work great. If you want to stream from anything other than iTunes then there are applications. Try the Remote app on your iPad and phone now, it's very good.

john banks

So I could have a netbook running iTunes plugged into the amp and use remote app to control it, nice idea, thanks.

Gordo

Get a better router - the BT ones are pants - one of the dearer netgears will transform your coverage.

we have a netgear with an airport express that we plug in where we want it (usually either in the house or in an outbuilding with amp and speakers out there) - spotify on a laptop links wirelessly to the netgear, which itself is linked wirelessly to the airport express. airport a pita trial and error set up but it's terrific - means we have a laptop for people to mess with playlist etc at parties. I've mostly binned itunes and rarely play any of our mp3s through the hi fis.

long winded way of saying yes, airports are great once they're set up.

G