Airport Express Questions

[Apple!Freak]

1) Is the Airport Express predicted to be updated very soon?
2) What is its range and how well does it perform through walls?
2 1/2) Is it fast? p)
3) Is it easy to setup?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mad jew]

1. Maybe, but really who knows. Everyone's far too enthralled in the Intel debate at the moment anyway.
2. Useable range depends on what you're using (iBook has better reception than iMac) and how your house is set up. I have two to extend my range a little from about 20 metres to about 35-40 metres in a house made of bricks with quite a few things that could and do interfere (cordless phones).
3. I get a maximum transfer rate of between about 4MB per second but generally it's closer to 2MB per second according to Activity Monitor.
4. It is extremely easy to set up. Much easier than anything else I've ever used, and I've tried a few.

 

[Apple!Freak]

1. Maybe, but really who knows. Everyone's far too enthralled in the Intel debate at the moment anyway.
2. Useable range depends on what you're using (iBook has better reception than iMac) and how your house is set up. I have two to extend my range a little from about 20 metres to about 35-40 metres in a house made of bricks with quite a few things that could and do interfere (cordless phones).
3. I get a maximum transfer rate of between about 4MB per second but generally it's closer to 2MB per second according to Activity Monitor.
4. It is extremely easy to set up. Much easier than anything else I've ever used, and I've tried a few.

Well, I will be using my Powerbook for the wireless. How can you extend your range, why would you want a short range if you can have a long range, anyway?

 

[G5Zealot]

1) Not sure and could care less. My cable modem connection is 2Mbps / 384KBps, and the current speed of the Airport Express exceeds my expectations.

2) My G5 is 50' away from my AE and it gets full signal.

3) Of course.

4) Straightforward for even the lowest common denominator.

A solid investment!

 

[Apple!Freak]

2) My G5 is 50' away from my AE and it gets full signal.

Thats great news! I was hoping to be able to use the wireless around 30 feet away, but its through a wall. Is a wall inbetween your G5 and your base, by chance?

 

[mad jew]

Well, I will be using my Powerbook for the wireless. How can you extend your range, why would you want a short range if you can have a long range, anyway?

You can add another base station to the network which will (using WDS technology) extend the range but of course, you have to buy a whole new Express.

I personally have about ten or so walls not to mention the countless bookcases, filing cabinets, people and random junk in between my DSL modem and my computers but it's fine.

I highly commend the Express.

 

[Apple!Freak]

You can add another base station to the network which will (using WDS technology) extend the range but of course, you have to buy a whole new Express.

I personally have about ten or so walls not to mention the countless bookcases, filing cabinets, people and random junk in between my DSL modem and my computers but it's fine.

I highly commend the Express.

You don't need an Airport Extreme for this right? Just an Express and I'm all set to go, right?

This will be great because as I understand it, I can take it with while I travel and plug it into say an ethernet port in the (real - airplane based) airport, stay within visual of the Express and utilize wireless internet while waiting for my flight. Or rather, I could do this in my hotel room, which would turn my room into a wireless WiFi activated room.

 

[mad jew]

Yeah, you only need an Express. I wouldn't recommend plugging it into the (real) airport lounge though. Being portable, it's pretty easy to steal. Plus, I'm pretty sure most airports have their own wifi networks for travellers.

The only real benefit of an Extreme over the Express is the extra hardwired ethernet port and the ability to put more than ten (fifty) users on the same network.

 

[Apple!Freak]

Yeah, you only need an Express. I wouldn't recommend plugging it into the (real) airport lounge though. Being portable, it's pretty easy to steal. Plus, I'm pretty sure most airports have their own wifi networks for travellers.

The only real benefit of an Extreme over the Express is the extra hardwired ethernet port and the ability to put more than ten (fifty) users on the same network.

Great! Thanks for letting me know!!!

 

[superbovine]

on the airport express update...

http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=951

 

[Apple!Freak]

on the airport express update...

http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=951

Thanks for the link.

Anyhow, I bought the unit and had it setup within all of 4 1/2 seconds.

Works great! Couldn't ask for a better product. The goal was for it to work in our dining room, around 75 feet from the actual unit. It passed this test well. While in the dining room, two out of the four signal bars are present. Not spectactular but good enough, and much better than any other product I have used (not to mention the other products being five times the size).

I love that fact that I can take it with me because its so portable.


Soooo... Monday may usher a 45. mag bullet, through my wallet. If a new wireless mouse is introduced (have to buy that!), a new Powerbook introduced (have to return mine that I bought three days ago, and buy that minus the restocking 10% fee!), a new Shuffle introduced (have to buy that!), and a new Airport Express introduced (have to buy that!), among other things (have to buy that!). Ha-ha-ha!

Honestly though, I may have to eat Mcdonalds $0.99 burgers for the next six months.

 

[After G]

There's $0.99 burgers at other places too. Carls Jr., Jack in the Box, just to name a few. Or you could always eat ramen ... :-D

I might have to do the same thing come Monday too.
New hardware ... soo tempted ... but can't wait to see it!

 

[sourcemonkey]

for the price, i can't think of a better piece of hardware (in my career as a consumer). glad to hear you are as enthused about the product as i was.

(i'm still getting a clicking noise when i'm playing music through air tunes and im only 10 ft away from my base unit - has anyone else had this problem?)

 

[buffalo]

Another Airport Express Networking Question

Hello,
I am a soon-to-be switcher once the iBooks are updated. I will want to go wireless with the iBook and will probably buy Airport Express. I already have a linksys wired router that runs our broadband internet. Three PC's are using the router so I can't replace my curent router with a wireless one. Will the Airport work if it's internet cable is comming from the Linksys wired router?

 

[zach]

Your iBook will work fine with your existing linksys wireless router.

The wireless standard is the same, I'm currently posting this from a AirPort extreme enabled PowerBook connected to a Netgear router.

 

[buffalo]

I have a Linksys Wired router. My question is if Airport Express will work if it's connected to the internet using the wired router.

 

[mad jew]

I have a Linksys Wired router. My question is if Airport Express will work if it's connected to the internet using the wired router.

No doubt, plug and play.

 

[G5Zealot]

Thats great news! I was hoping to be able to use the wireless around 30 feet away, but its through a wall. Is a wall inbetween your G5 and your base, by chance?

Yes, it's in a large apartment. The walls are wood and sheetrock.

 

[dpeachey83]

Scanning Wirelessly?

I was wondering - I've got an Airport Express (AEX), and it was the easiest thing ever to set up - through a wired ADSL router, plug and play - it was so easy, and I've got my stereo plugged into it as well - with excellent sound reproduction without any cracking or skipping noises...

However, I also have a multifunction inkjet printer (Canon MP110), and I was wondering, while all has been good for printing using the AEX wireless - I was wondering if it were at all possible to use the scanner over AEX; to get images/OCR whatever on my powerbook without having to physically unplug the printer from the AEX and plug it directly into my powerbooks USB and then scan...

Any ideas? I wasn't sure if this was in a previous post or not, but I couldn't find anything...

 

[mad jew]

However, I also have a multifunction inkjet printer (Canon MP110), and I was wondering, while all has been good for printing using the AEX wireless - I was wondering if it were at all possible to use the scanner over AEX; to get images/OCR whatever on my powerbook without having to physically unplug the printer from the AEX and plug it directly into my powerbooks USB and then scan...

I'm in the same boat. I'm pretty sure the AirPort is print-only. I'm not 100% sure of the reason, but I think it has something to do with the fact data can only go from the Mac to the USB port and not the other way. I've got no idea why though, and this is only what I've heard from dwelling round here far too much.