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best alternative to the Airport Express for travel?

ElDogman

ElDogman

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 8, 2008
300
6
I'm looking for a small and light wireless router for my travels. I'm considering the airport express but wanted to know what are the best alternatives?

so far I've found this Asus model: ASUS 802.11b/g/n Portable Wireless Router (WL-330N) which is pretty small but wondering if there are any others.

I found a list upon google but its somewhat old and wondering if any new ones have appeared since then.
 
ElDogman said:
I'm looking for a small and light wireless router for my travels. I'm considering the airport express but wanted to know what are the best alternatives?

so far I've found this Asus model: ASUS 802.11b/g/n Portable Wireless Router (WL-330N) which is pretty small but wondering if there are any others.

I found a list upon google but its somewhat old and wondering if any new ones have appeared since then.
Click to expand...
I'm curious why you're looking for an alternative. I have two of the original model and they work VERY well. (I actually "lost" one at a customer site, ordered a new one and eventually found the original.) I've used it on customer sites to support a nine person cloud delivery team when the customer's network security people couldn't figure out a way to issue is credentials for their internal WiFi. I'm a big fan.
 
ElDogman said:
I'm looking for a small and light wireless router for my travels. I'm considering the airport express but wanted to know what are the best alternatives?

so far I've found this Asus model: ASUS 802.11b/g/n Portable Wireless Router (WL-330N) which is pretty small but wondering if there are any others.

I found a list upon google but its somewhat old and wondering if any new ones have appeared since then.
Click to expand...

I was looking for the same thing about six months ago, but I couldn't find anything that trumped the Airport Express as a travel companion in any way. Unless there are new products on the market today, I would say the old model is still king for travels.
 
hafr said:
I was looking for the same thing about six months ago, but I couldn't find anything that trumped the Airport Express as a travel companion in any way. Unless there are new products on the market today, I would say the old model is still king for travels.
Click to expand...

any reason why the old AE is superior to the 2012 AE for travel?
I was searching for some old posts and it seems that the older AE tended to have issues related to overheating while the 2012 one stays cool?
 
ElDogman said:
any reason why the old AE is superior to the 2012 AE for travel?
I was searching for some old posts and it seems that the older AE tended to have issues related to overheating while the 2012 one stays cool?
Click to expand...

simple...no power cable, more compact. I have been running multiple AEs (Old Models) since they were first introduced. I currently have two running and have never had a problem with overheating and I am in SW Louisiana and one of them runs in my barn which is not air conditioned.
 
ElDogman said:
any reason why the old AE is superior to the 2012 AE for travel?
I was searching for some old posts and it seems that the older AE tended to have issues related to overheating while the 2012 one stays cool?
Click to expand...

It is more compact, and has an integrated wall adapter.

/Jim
 
ElDogman said:
any reason why the old AE is superior to the 2012 AE for travel?
Click to expand...
As others have said, the older one (bottom in the pic) is smaller and doesn't have an external cord required, like the newer one. The wall plug prongs are built into the older AE and swivel out to plug it in.
old-new-airport-express-536x650.jpg
ElDogman said:
I was searching for some old posts and it seems that the older AE tended to have issues related to overheating while the 2012 one stays cool?
Click to expand...
I've been using the older model for 4+ years with no heat issues at all. It's been plugged in 24/7 for that time, except the times I unplug to travel.
 
ElDogman said:
I'm looking for a small and light wireless router for my travels. I'm considering the airport express but wanted to know what are the best alternatives?
Click to expand...

Here is a new DIR-505 from DLink that is the same form factor as the original Airport Express. The initial reviews on Amazon are a little spotty though. It does have some nice features.
 
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Been using 2 AE's for many years (old model obviously). 1 permanently in the house, the other is my travel one. Never had any problems with either. Fantastic, compact unit.
 
Last edited:
Weaselboy said:
Here is a new DIR-505 from DLink that is the same form factor as the original Airport Express. The initial reviews on Amazon are a little spotty though. It does have some nice features.
Click to expand...

thanks for the link! seems to cost as much as a refurb last gen AE, in which case might as well get the apple.

my windows notebook should be okay to use with the AE yes? in addition to my ipad and iphone.
 
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ElDogman said:
thanks for the link! seems to cost as much as a refurb last gen AE, in which case might as well get the apple.

my windows notebook should be okay to use with the AE yes? in addition to my ipad and iphone.
Click to expand...

It will work fine with Windows and your iOS devices. Apple even has a Windows and iOS version of Airport Utility so you can reconfig the AE from them.
 
Weaselboy said:
Here is a new DIR-505 from DLink that is the same form factor as the original Airport Express. The initial reviews on Amazon are a little spotty though. It does have some nice features.
Click to expand...

ElDogman said:
thanks for the link! seems to cost as much as a refurb last gen AE, in which case might as well get the apple.

my windows notebook should be okay to use with the AE yes? in addition to my ipad and iphone.
Click to expand...

I agree, thanks for the link! I found a review of it, seems to be no real cons to it to be honest: http://www.gadgetreview.com/2012/06/d-link-dir-505-all-in-one-mobile-companion-review.html

For travels, I would probably get one of those instead of the Airport Express, only reason being the ability to plug in a USB-storage device in it. That's the one thing I'm missing from Apple's product...
 
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hafr said:
For travels, I would probably get one of those instead of the Airport Express, only reason being the ability to plug in a USB-storage device in it. That's the one thing I'm missing from Apple's product...
Click to expand...

How well does that "storage thing" work with iPhones or iPads ?

And, don't forget: AEs can act as AirPlay receivers for stereo systems / powered speakers. Huge plus in my opinion.

-t
 
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