Airport Extreme Base Station?

[darraghsmyth]

Before I order my 12" PB :D, I have a few questions concerning the Airport Extreme Base Station:

- Does it facilitate multiple users simultaneously, i.e. is there a router built in to the box, as well as the wireless antenae?

- If so, how many users can be facilitated at once?

- Does it have additional ethernet and/or USB ports to connect to your machine, if you wanted an assured solid signal?

ta
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[Horrortaxi]

I think the limit is 50 users at a time.

It does have 2 ethernet ports, so you can wire a computer (or a switch or a router) to it. It has 1 USB poprt, which only works for printing.

[mactastic]

I think the limit is 50 users at a time.

It does have 2 ethernet ports, so you can wire a computer (or a switch or a router) to it. It has 1 USB poprt, which only works for printing.

The limit is indeed 50 users, but there is only ONE useable ethernet port. There are two ports back there, but one is the WAN port that you have to plug your internet connection into. The other can be used for your LAN, but if you want to hook up more than one computer physically you'll need a switch of some kind.

[Horrortaxi]

The limit is indeed 50 users, but there is only ONE useable ethernet port. There are two ports back there, but one is the WAN port that you have to plug your internet connection into. The other can be used for your LAN, but if you want to hook up more than one computer physically you'll need a switch of some kind.
Isn't that what I said? I guess I wasn't too clear.

[mactastic]

Isn't that what I said? I guess I wasn't too clear.
Sorry, I wasn't sure if you were getting the AE mixed up with the older base stations which did have two LAN ports so I figured I'd clarify for the original poster.

[cyks]

There's only 1 LAN port on the AEBS? That answers my "which should I buy" question rather quickly.... even 2 would be tough (but more managable) since i don't intend on buying Airport cards for all of my computers/ game consoles/ etc...
I guess I'll be taking a harder look at either the D-Link or Netgear models (I've read good things about both on here).

[PlanB]

ok so does this mean that i can hook my mums emac up via ethernet but still have powerbook wireless (i dont want to buy a ae card for the emac)

cheers

[crazzyeddie]

There's only 1 LAN port on the AEBS? That answers my "which should I buy" question rather quickly.... even 2 would be tough (but more managable) since i don't intend on buying Airport cards for all of my computers/ game consoles/ etc...
I guess I'll be taking a harder look at either the D-Link or Netgear models (I've read good things about both on here).

You can hook another hub or switch up to that 1 LAN port. The Airport base station will assign IPs to all machines connected to that LAN port, even via another hub.

[cyks]

...it would just seem weird to buy a AEBS....and still have to use my current router so I can hook everything up at once.

...especially when I could spend only a 1/4 of the price- buy a PC equivilant and use it to hook up everything.

...just not as pretty as the AEBS :)

[Horrortaxi]

...especially when I could spend only a 1/4 of the price- buy a PC equivilant and use it to hook up everything.
PC equivalent? 802.11 is a cross-platform standard.

[cyks]

PC equivalent? 802.11 is a cross-platform standard.

Yes, I meant the Netgear or D-Link.... (not an Apple brand)