I'm honestly really surprised they've stayed away from this given the pricing I've seen on some mesh systems.
Some of these systems are nearly $2k ... at that price, surely Apple could figure out how to make it something worth their time?
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This is one reason why I slowly collected more and more AirPorts instead of buying a system from another brand. The AirPorts function well in a mesh-like fashion when used with Apple devices, including recent ones just released in the past year. It works perfectly with my M4 Mac mini, M4 iPad Pro, and iPhone 16e.
The main drawback is that it does NOT function like a true mesh with Windows / Android / Chrome / Linux devices, and I can understand Apple not wanting to bother to support those. Fortunately, in my setup, all my non-Apple devices are stationary (TVs, smart thermostat, doorbell, etc.) so it's not an issue in my house. So, I've continued to use them as WiFi access points, although they are all on a wired Ethernet backbone, and I am now using my ISP's gateway to do the actual routing. This is my setup, as posted in the other thread:
I only bought one of these new, and for the last few AirPort Extremes I paid like US$30 each or something. I only need 3 or 4 in this house but I have six 802.11ac models in key positions in the house to maximize speed. I also have a 802.11ac and a 802.11n model outside (which stay there even through the winter here in Toronto, at -20C temps) to give strong signal in the backyard.
I only use the AirPort Express units for audio distribution though. I've turned off the WiFi on those.
Literally the only justification to buy an Apple router was, and remains, that you absolutely must have one with an Apple logo on it. The Time Capsules in particular dissipated heat extremely poorly, their performance overall was
middling at best, the management interface was pretty but terrible, and at a time that the industry was rapidly churning technology, Apple rapidly fell behind.
Apple has made a lot of decent peripherals that justified their higher price (various Apple monitors are a good example—Apple's early embrace of LCD was a boon. Even the Studio Display remains a decent option) over, at times, more capable alternatives. Their wifi routers were not among them.
I have never owned a Time Capsule, but I disagree about the AirPort Extremes. I have bought numerous access points from various brands over the years, but the Apple ones were always the most stable. In fact, that's the main reason I've stuck with them despite the more limited feature set. The other reason is I didn't want to spend $1000 to buy 3 mediocre access points, or even worse, CA$3000 for a Netgear Orbi 970 set.
I agree the range of the AirPort Extremes are at best just OK, but as mentioned my solution was just to buy more of them, at $30 apiece on the used market.