What Does Airport Extreme/Express Do?

[The_Man]

Can anyone help explain to me Airport Extreme and Airport Express and their functions?

[rainman::|:|]

http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/

[The_Man]

Thanks for that link! I had no idea to check APPLE.COM!

I obviously have already been to the apple website to look at the information on the product. I have previously read the description but I was just wondering if anyone could give me a more detailed description of what exactly it does and not just post a link to apple.com.

[strider42]

Originally Posted by Theman2290

Thanks for that link! I had no idea to check APPLE.COM!

I obviously have already been to the apple website to look at the information on the product. I have previously read the description but I was just wondering if anyone could give me a more detailed description of what exactly it does and not just post a link to apple.com.

airport extreme is a wireless router. Airport express is a smaller form factor device that can be used as a wireless router, but lacks some features of the extreme model. it can also be used as a wireless range extender and for streaming music to a stereo wirelessly. In most cases, airport extreme is a complete ripoff, since if you look around you can get a wireless router for under 20 bucks after rebates. Airport express is best used for the music and wireless extender capabilities.

[broken_keyboard]

It just saves you a few wires that's all...

Instead of running cables from your modem to your computer and from your computer to your other computers, you just buy one of these and it uses radio waves instead.

[mike423]

Originally Posted by strider42

airport extreme is a wireless router. Airport express is a smaller form factor device that can be used as a wireless router, but lacks some features of the extreme model. it can also be used as a wireless range extender and for streaming music to a stereo wirelessly. In most cases, airport extreme is a complete ripoff, since if you look around you can get a wireless router for under 20 bucks after rebates. Airport express is best used for the music and wireless extender capabilities.

When you say wireless extender you mean? like say I have a siemens router at home in living room, so the connection is little low...If I put the apple airport in my room will it connect to the siemens router and give me better network?

[dXTC]

Originally Posted by mike423

When you say wireless extender you mean? like say I have a siemens router at home in living room, so the connection is little low...If I put the apple airport in my room will it connect to the siemens router and give me better network?

Precisely. This is done by setting the Airport Express in Bridge mode. The computer in your room connects with strong signal to the Airport Express, which relays that signal to the Siemens router, and back. The Siemens router remains the "main" router. Theoretically, this "router hop" cuts your throughput in half, but you'll most likely never notice in normal usage, especially if your Siemens router is Wi-Fi N speed.

At the same time, the Express can play back any iTunes library through its 1/8" stereo jack; this function is called AirTunes.

The Express has a USB port, but it's good only for connecting a printer. However, any networked computer will be able to connect to that printer. The Extreme's USB port, by contrast, will accept USB external hard drives as well as printers; it will also accept a powered USB hub for connecting multiple USB devices.

The 3 main things the Extreme can do that the Express can't:

• Allow wired (Ethernet) clients-- it has three Gigabit Ethernet client ports, while the Express only allows wireless.
• Allow USB hard drives or flash drives on its USB port.
• Allow WiFi-G and WiFi-N devices on the same network, with all devices going top speed (called Simultaneous Dual Band).

The 2 things the Express can do that the Extreme can't:

• Portability: Its compact size works well for business travelers who use it in hotels that provided only wired connections in rooms.
• AirTunes (see above).

Originally Posted by strider42

In most cases, airport extreme is a complete ripoff, since if you look around you can get a wireless router for under 20 bucks after rebates.

If you're looking for a barebones router, perhaps. However, if you have a mixed-client situation-- a WiFi-N iMac in Dad's office, Mom's older WiFi-G iPod touch, and a teenager who insists on Gigabit Ethernet for his water-cooled gaming rig, the Extreme is worth the money, because no connection slows down any other-- there is no WiFi speed fallback with Simultaneous Dual Band. Competing routers that can do this are-- guess what?-- right about the same price as the Extreme.

[flopticalcube]

Note that most of this thread is 5years old so some of the comments should be read with that in mind.

[dXTC]

Originally Posted by flopticalcube

Note that most of this thread is 5years old so some of the comments should be read with that in mind.

Right. I only answered mike423's question, as it was posted yesterday. I decided to be more complete about my answer, as the advances in the Airport Extreme make it a considerably different (and IMHO better) value from its 2005 equivalent-- especially Simultaneous Dual Band, which wasn't available when strider42 made the "ripoff" comment.

[mike423]

Originally Posted by dXTC

Precisely. This is done by setting the Airport Express in Bridge mode. The computer in your room connects with strong signal to the Airport Express, which relays that signal to the Siemens router, and back. The Siemens router remains the "main" router. Theoretically, this "router hop" cuts your throughput in half, but you'll most likely never notice in normal usage, especially if your Siemens router is Wi-Fi N speed.

At the same time, the Express can play back any iTunes library through its 1/8" stereo jack; this function is called AirTunes.

The Express has a USB port, but it's good only for connecting a printer. However, any networked computer will be able to connect to that printer. The Extreme's USB port, by contrast, will accept USB external hard drives as well as printers; it will also accept a powered USB hub for connecting multiple USB devices.

The 3 main things the Extreme can do that the Express can't:

• Allow wired (Ethernet) clients-- it has three Gigabit Ethernet client ports, while the Express only allows wireless.
• Allow USB hard drives or flash drives on its USB port.
• Allow WiFi-G and WiFi-N devices on the same network, with all devices going top speed (called Simultaneous Dual Band).

The 2 things the Express can do that the Extreme can't:

• Portability: Its compact size works well for business travelers who use it in hotels that provided only wired connections in rooms.
• AirTunes (see above).

If you're looking for a barebones router, perhaps. However, if you have a mixed-client situation-- a WiFi-N iMac in Dad's office, Mom's older WiFi-G iPod touch, and a teenager who insists on Gigabit Ethernet for his water-cooled gaming rig, the Extreme is worth the money, because no connection slows down any other-- there is no WiFi speed fallback with Simultaneous Dual Band. Competing routers that can do this are-- guess what?-- right about the same price as the Extreme.

Thank s alot this helped alot too.