Why go Airport?

[lankox]

What is the advantage to using Apple's AEBS versus using a non-apple brand such as Linkys, Belkin? I will be using with a SR MBP. Thanks for your help!

[steeler]

There's two reasons I know of:
1. The friendly interface
2. It's pretty

I don't own one and opted for the Linksys WRT54GL instead. It works just fine with my SR MBP, PB G4, a friend's iBook G4, and my sister-in-law's Dell Inspiron.

[err404]

The AEBS is also a decent 'n' router with a built-in bonjour Print Server and NAS support and with TM*. The OS X integration offers automatic feedback of router problems and near seamless updates.

I should add that a Wireless TM solution is very important for a laptop...

I would have preferred if Apple had included a basic Web UI for non Mac clients in addition the the Mac friendly/robust UI. As it stands you have to install additional software to administer the router from Windows and there is no way to access the configuration with Linux at all.

*I don't recall if TM officially support, but it does work out of the box...

[wordmunger]

It's also the only way you can play protected iTunes AAC content over the network.