The Apple Airport Express is, in fact, a MIMO device with a 4-channel antenna split on the inside for , and two additional intermediary antennas that work on both frequencies. In order to find that out though, it is necessary to open up the airport to find out. Previously, one of the projects has been to add an amplified to the antenna, mostly for the purpose of extending the range of the 802.11g network for IoT devices. However, the project is now revisited in order to pull out SMA connectors for all antenna terminals on the airport.

As it is already known from the HAM radio 30/70 rule, the radio being used can be as expensive as you want to spend, but ultimately its contribution to the range will be 30% whereas the contribution of the antennas will be 70%. With that being said, the Apple Airport Express, even the older models, are decent devices, small enough and perfect to be used just as dumb radios while being bridged to the main network via a more expensive switch.

• RP-SMA connectors to SMA cables - note that for maximal compatibility, the RP-SMA socket is technically female (but note that for RP-SMA that means it does have a central pin, so it actually looks male but still called female).

• simple drilling capabilities

The disassembly will only be covered briefly. The disassembly consists in removing a rubber hood from the bottom and then removing five screws disposed across the bottom plastic cover like a dice of value 5. With the bottom cover removed, the Airport is then easily disassembled, and the main circuit board removed.

Note that the Airport has a top shield, these being actually there due to EMI regulations but in practice this top shield does not provide any EMI protection at all and do nothing but add to the overall weight and bulkiness of the device, as well as being a good candidate to produce a short in case it comes in contact with exposed traces on the PCB of the board.

It is, in fact, recommended to remove this plate and store it because it is not needed.

With the shield off and the PCB rotated around, the IPEX connectors on the mini-PCI wireless board can be observed across the top. Drilling the holes for the RP-SMA connectors is fairly easy, the plastic material that the airport is made out of is easy to work with and does not burn easily. The best place for the holes is across the very front of the device, close to the "green" LED of the Apple Aiport an disposed with equal distances from each other.

The cable length bought for the project for each individual cable was of about 20cm and it seems to be a perfect fit.

Finally, the case is reassembled, which is now fairly easy and the airport gets a new set of antennas to boost the signal.

As an antenna choice, just remember that the extreme sides are each for and whilst the ones in-between are used for both, such that mixing and matching antennas as suitable is possible. There are various commercial solutions available, starting from "sector" and/or directional antennas that transmit and receive in one given direction, as well as very large omi-directional antennas that can now be fitted to the Airport conveniently. In any case, the gains are huge compared to the little "patch" antennas that the airport is sold with.