Airport Extreme without Base Station

[arogge]

I'm interested in starting a small wireless network and connecting it to my existing network, but I don't want to use the Airport Base Station. Can the Airport Extreme card act as its own base station?

[Ensoniq]

Install the Airport Extreme card into your Mac, and turn on the "Software Base Station" option in the Airport control software. Voila...instant base station for your other computers.

I've never really understood why anyone would pay $299 (now $199) for an Airport Base Station when a $99 Airport card in your Mac does pretty much the same thing. :)

-- Ensoniq

[gotohamish]

Originally posted by Ensoniq
Install the Airport Extreme card into your Mac, and turn on the "Software Base Station" option in the Airport control software. Voila...instant base station for your other computers.

I've never really understood why anyone would pay $299 (now $199) for an Airport Base Station when a $99 Airport card in your Mac does pretty much the same thing. :)

-- Ensoniq

People buy them because they don't want their mac connected - it's really that simple.

Imagine you have an 'Book - you want it online, wirelessly, you'll need a base station if you don't have another computer, and a base is much cheaper than a second computer!

Alternatively, people might buy a base because their desktop is in an area not serviced by their ethernet plug/network.

Quite obvious really.

[MacBandit]

Originally posted by gotohamish
People buy them because they don't want their mac connected - it's really that simple.

Imagine you have an 'Book - you want it online, wirelessly, you'll need a base station if you don't have another computer, and a base is much cheaper than a second computer!

Alternatively, people might buy a base because their desktop is in an area not serviced by their ethernet plug/network.

Quite obvious really.

Also the base station will provide better speed at longer distances then the built in antenna in a desktop mac.

[gotohamish]

Originally posted by MacBandit
Also the base station will provide better speed at longer distances then the built in antenna in a desktop mac.

The list goes on....

plus they look cool on your wall!!!