802.11b/g clients in an 802.11n bridged network

Question

I have an Time Capsule set up in 802.11a/n - 802.11b/g/n Automatic mode. I have an Airport Express set up to extend this network.

Does the Airport Express just share the 802.11n part of the network or the 802.11b/g too?

I ask because I have a set of Airplay speakers with 802.11b/g which are much closer to my Airport Express but insist on joining the Time Capsule which is further away. AirPlay to these speakers is awful. If I could convince it to join the Airport Express bridge instead then I believe it would work, since there would be fewer hops from my phone which is already connected to the Airport Express.

Is there a way to have the 802.11b/g speakers join the nearer Airport Express?

Answer 1

It depends on the rev of Airport Express. The older Airport Express' only extended the 2.4GHz band.

The last Airport Express (before the change that makes it look like a white AppleTV) could extend either band.

The latest rev (looks like white AppleTV) will also extend either band. From what I understand, if your 2.4 & 5GHz band have the same network name, it will extend the band that has the strongest signal (since there isn't a way to select it in the Airport Setup).

If you have separately named 2.4 and 5GHz network names, then it will extend the network you specify.