Need help with Apple Airport Express

You most likely get dropouts caused by interference like microwave oven. Changing channel helps but I ended up replacing router with dual band Linksys. My AE operates now only on 5GHz where there is very little traffic since dual band routers are not very common. In addition any outside interference is suppressed since 5GHz does not penetrate walls very well.

AE is dropping first second of each song with some DACs, that are not fast enough to re-sync. My Benchmark DAC1 doesn't do that but remedy for this is to crossfade songs in the player. Itunes has this option.

Hi Kijanki, Thanks for your reply. I have a 2wire 3800hgv-b gateway router. How can I find out if this is dual band ? What model Linksys router do you have. ? Thanks, Matt

Matt, I read your modem's data and it doesn't say it is dual band meaning it isn't (most common).
http://www.2wire.com/pages/pdfs/5100-000383-000_2W_Rev_B_0107.pdf

It also looks dated since it isn't 802.11n. My Cisco Linksys E2500 is only a wireless router while 3800hgv-b is a gateway (has modem inside). I had similar 2-wire modem before and started having internet dropouts (perhaps age - old caps). Decided on separate modem and router. Modem I use (Motorola 3360) works like charm (no dropout ever) but had poor reviews since previous versions were overheating (this version has better airflow). The reason for Motorola is support from my provider - AT&T that lists this model. Setting Modem-Router can be a little tricky and should be done the way they recommend it but it is easy if you follow steps. Linksys has other versions like for instance E2700. You need to find out what you need (USB ports etc.). It isn't high power wireless, so if you need distance over walls something else might be better (or use repeater). Mine is pretty much in the same room (loft). Hope it can help you. I'm not a computer wiz but I know who is - Almarg, in case you need help. He also has better overview of the situation and can recommend if you need the change.

Kijanki, thanks very much. But I should point out that I have no experience with Apple products. My computer experience is mainly with computers I've built myself, running Windows in most cases, and Linux in one case.

Matt, I take it that the dropouts are occurring during streaming from the Internet. Do they also occur when you are streaming from files stored in your own computers, if you have tried that? And what is it that you are streaming when the dropouts occur -- music, video, both? If video, what kind of resolution? And can you indicate approximately what the physical distance is between the 2Wire gateway/router and the AE, and how many walls or other obstructions are in between?

Pending answers to those questions, and assuming that the problem occurs with Internet streaming, here are some things to try. The items which involve changes to the settings/configuration of the 2Wire gateway/router should be doable by accessing its configuration menus via a web browser program (Safari, Firefox, etc.) on one of your computers. The manual for the 2Wire should indicate exactly how to do that.

1)Change channels, as Kijanki suggested.

2)Temporarily turn off the stateful packet inspection firewall in the 2Wire device, which may improve its throughput.

3)Turn off the content screening/access control feature that the 2Wire device provides, which if presently enabled may also be degrading throughput.

4)Change the power level the 2Wire device is transmitting at. The datasheet Kijanki linked to indicated that the power level can be adjusted between 100 and 400 mw (milliwatts). If it is at the low end of that range, increase it. If it is at the high end of that range, decrease it! Sometimes these kinds of devices reduce bit rates and throughput when power is increased, based on the assumption that higher power levels will only be used under non-optimal conditions such as particularly long range.

5)Go to Speedtest.net and test your internet connection speed. Only click on the button that says "Begin Test," and after it concludes, if you wish to repeat the test, the button that says "Test Again." DO NOT click on any other buttons, such as the ones that say "Start Now." Those are ads for things that will allegedly "improve" your computer's performance, which I would avoid.

6)Not sure if there is a buffer size setting that is involved that can be changed in the AE or the Marantz, but obviously if there is try increasing it.

Regards,
-- Al

Hi Al,
Thanks very much for your reply. I will work on your suggestions and make another post tomorrow. The dropouts occur on Internet radio. The station I listen to mostly is a classical station that transmits at 128 Kbps. I'll spend more time listening to my computer library and see if the dropouts are more or less frequent. Until tomorrow. ..Matt