AirPort Express with AirTunes

[k.double]

I'm pretty sure that's wrong.

no, you are wrong. the specs comparison chart shows that the airport express and airport extreme have ethernet WAN ports but the airport express does NOT have an ethernet LAN port. this means that the airport express ethernet port can only be used to connect to a dsl modem and share an internet connection. as listed in the tech specs for the airport express:

AirPort Express Base Station Interfaces
10/100BASE-T Ethernet WAN port (RJ-45 connector) for connecting a DSL or cable modem

He's wrong anyway, Kyle, because it says on the Airport Express tech specs page itself that the ethernet port is an "Intelligent port for connecting to DSL or cable modems or a local network" (emphasis added).

--Cless

no this is wrong. you are reading the specs for an airport EXTREME, not airport EXPRESS. under airport EXPRESS tech specs, it lists it as WAN port only.

for the record, the AIRPORT EXPRESS wireless router CAN NOT be connected to a computer via the ethernet port to server as a wireless adapter for that machine. the ethernet port is only capable of distributing a dsl/cable connection.

 

[bcharm]

It's nice when you get something from your wishlist . Thanks!

 

[Sir_Giggles]

Do you think this will extend the range of a 802.11b Linksys router?

It won't extend it wirelessly. But if you need longer range, you'll probably have to physically run an ethernet cable from your Linksys router to the Airport Express, which would give you two points of access.

Considering how cheap it is, I think most consumers starting out in Wi-Fi will get 2 Expresses rather than 1 Airport Extreme, at about the same price point.

 

[DGFan]

it makes sense like this:

i go to a hotel with broadband access and my powerbook is with me, i pop the adapter into the wall, attach the ethernet cable and then i can use the powerbook all over the room, such as in bed, etc. like i would at home. later when the battery needs topping up i just go plug it into the same device. it's more the idea of having a wi-fi access point with you whereever you go that i think would be cool. yes if the ports were in a convenient place it wouldnt' matter, but usually they aren't

Having an all-in-one device is useful in two situations:
1) when significant components are reused - this allows for a much smaller package than would be the case with two separate packages
2) when both features will be used simultaneously

I sincerely doubt #1 is true. And your example is clearly not a case of #2.

I just don't see someone using a wired recharger and a wireless router with a laptop at the same time. If you're plugged in for recharging you can just run an ethernet cable to the laptop.

Both devices are small enough that they will easily fit together in a regular laptop bag. So, yes, you can have them both with you

 

[starboard]

This looks awesome.. Also points to the iTunes update that will support iTMS Europe.

But I'm afraid at the 129 price point it's gonna cannibalize base station sales :X

AirPort Extreme is way overpriced anyway. This thing acts as a base station and brings Apple's back to the top of the market, in terms of product offering. The small size, mobility, easy set up, printer share, and music out at a very competititve price. If you're looking for a wifi solution, this is among the best among 802.11g/b.

 

[nina]

This just SCREAMS for a 4G iPod with WiFi capabilities! This would offer a whole new market for the iPod - not just 10.000 (or 15.000 ) songs in your pocket on the go, but also on your stereo with the funkiest remote control on the planet: the iPod itself! Bring it on, Apple!

EXACTLY what I was thinking. The next iPod will have WiFi built in. Forget all this talk about a crazy WiFi remote control - the iPod will be the remote control! Imagine streaming iPod music wirelessly to your home stereo? Or controlling iTunes on the "mothership" main Mac with the iPod? This would be enough to make me buy an Airport Express AND a new iPod (even though my 2G 10GB is still fine!).

 

[andiwm2003]

can one connect a display to this?

It's nice when you get something from your wishlist . Thanks!

I'm just wondering if one could connect a display via its usb and get wireless video? is 54mbps enough? would somebody bring the drivers needed?

 

[cmx08]

Can i use it as a router ?

Just wondering,

can this express b use as a router (AEBS).

So one can connect the modem to the express and not have to buy a wireless router.

I want to sell my router and use this as the router since I have all 11g at home.

no need for ethernet cable, besides I want to share my printer and only FM and tape stereo at home.

 

[mikafu]

that's an awfully dear alternative, checking in at just under $900 for one player and one controller.

Well, if it's compatible with the AirTunes, all you would need is the remote. Still, at 399, it pricy, but you get it all: color display, control all your AirTunes-devices, and it's a wlan-device (take it to the garden).

What puzzles me is the similarity with the products, as mentioned in my earlier post. If it's a collaboration, it's unlike apple, but a great move to bring consumers more options...

 

[mactastic]

Considering how cheap it is, I think most consumers starting out in Wi-Fi will get 2 Expresses rather than 1 Airport Extreme, at about the same price point.

Factor in the costs of wireless cards for any desktops that don't have them though. This has no WAN port. If everything you have is wi-fi already, great. If not you'll need AE cards for each computer. Thus an AEBS could still come out cheaper overall sometimes.

 

[DGFan]

The SONOS system is interesting in this concext:
http://www.sonos.com/products/

How else would you explain why
a company named SONOS has released something that smells
like Apple.

They certainly have a website that smells. Try visiting it with FireFox.....

 

[ftaok]

this may have been said already but...


US: $129

exchange rate: roughly 1.75

UK price = £75 ?

No!

£99 grr!!

Don't forget to add the VAT into the British price. What's the VAT in England these days?

 

[mikafu]

EXACTLY what I was thinking. The next iPod will have WiFi built in. Forget all this talk about a crazy WiFi remote control - the iPod will be the remote control! Imagine streaming iPod music wirelessly to your home stereo? Or controlling iTunes on the "mothership" main Mac with the iPod? This would be enough to make me buy an Airport Express AND a new iPod (even though my 2G 10GB is still fine!).

Yep, this seems likely now. Apple is going for wireless.

However, I think the WiFi will come as an add-on accessory to a new revision of the iPods. Perhaps they can pack in a little battery there too - WiFi cards can get quite small now.

 

[dogcowx]

COOL!

My family does an amazing Halloween display every year. I can use these puppies to transmit the audio from the 4 Macs in the house and stop having to burn "sound effect" CDs every year!

COOL!

 

[denisg]

AirBox!

I suspect this is only the first AirTunes-enabled device. What about the AirBox, enabled with AirTunes, AirPhoto, AirMovie, AirportExtreme - that would be a piece of work

 

[soosy]

Thinking that most people's main stereo is probably hooked to their tv and if they have a game machine it's right there... I agree this product would be even awesomer with:

1) video out for photos/videos on TV
2) Ethernet out for game machine broadband access
3) A way to route all sound not just itunes (perhaps it does this if it shows up in Sys Prefs>Sound>Output pane)

and also, but perhaps less useful (to me at least) than above:
3) Firewire out for shared hard drive
4) remote

I guess it's the balance between portable base station vs. full home media box.

All that said, I'll most likely be ordering one.

 

[montex]

This is not a pretty product. Sure it's less expensive, but I'll take my Extreme Base Station to this block any day.

Then again, had this come out before I bought the Base Station I'd likely bought it instead. Sigh.

 

[cr2sh]

Hmm... there's got to be something more here.

I can see where a cable modem comes in, to ethernet, to wall-outlet, to airport express.. everything is right there.. by your tv.

We will be getting the iTV application / hardware we've been wanting.

Why have a usb on it thought.. why near your tv?

---

A few other things: Complaint.. as someone who's used this type of wall socket (my 17"pb power adapter) I can tell you.. they fall out of the wall quite easily... I'm not sure its the best design.

Also a question.. I can use the base station I already have, that's in the main bedroom... and use this guy in my study, in the socket behind the desk. That way, I can print wirelessly from the front room.. to the printer in the study? It almot seems like I'd need a dual channel airport card. I'm connecting to both the Airport Express and the Base Station... aren't I? Time to read up some more...

Answer: from Apple..

"Share a Single Printer — Wirelessly
Have several computers in your home but only one printer? No problem. Just connect a printer to the USB port on the AirPort Express Base Station and the printer instantly becomes available to everyone on your wireless network.(6) No longer do you need to move your printer from one place to another to connect it to this or that computer. No more dealing with tangled cables or emailing files from one computer to another that’s connected to the printer."

 

[msconvert]

My family does an amazing Halloween display every year. I can use these puppies to transmit the audio from the 4 Macs in the house and stop having to burn "sound effect" CDs every year!

COOL!

Um, with the rediculous cheep price of CDs it would take centuries to make back your money if you stopped burning only 4 CDs a year.

 

[kylos]

no, you are wrong. the specs comparison chart shows that the airport express and airport extreme have ethernet WAN ports but the airport express does NOT have an ethernet LAN port. this means that the airport express ethernet port can only be used to connect to a dsl modem and share an internet connection. as listed in the tech specs for the airport express:

Ok, first, I know for a fact that the WAN port on basestations can connect to a downstream connection from a router. I am doing this this very moment. Now if bridging is allowed with the aexpress, then that implies that the audio-out on these devices is not simply an upstream connection to the router, but that it must also downstream the audio to the aexpress, hence, it is likely assigned an ip address. If the WAN port on the aexpress is connected to a router and the aexpress is set to bridge the ethernet signal, then the aexpress is essentially on the same LAN as the computer. So therefore, it seems that audio-out is simply another device on the LAN, just as it would be if you connected to your aexpress wirelessly. Now, I'm not an expert at networking, but I think you are not fully examining how this is possible. You'll have to explain how the process I described does not work if you want to convince me otherwise.

 

[sinisterdesign]

sign me up!

i've tried a couple different ways to get my Tivo hooked up wirelessly to my Mac. i bought the Home Media option for my Tivo (so i could listent to music through my stereo), but since i can't get a wireless connection going, it stifled it's usefullness.

the probs i had were 1) couldn't get tivo to connect if i had encryption enabled and i'm not letting my neighbors share my connection and 2) the bandwidth wasn't high enough to stream music through the little M$ wireless USB dongle that i connected to the back of the Tivo.

this little Express deals kills 2 birds w/ 1 gadget. i can now connect my Tivo via the ethernet connection to auto download program info AND i can stream tunes to the stereo! sweeeeet

now i just need a remote to control iTunes from anywhere in my house. anyone in cupertino writing this stuff down???

 

[macridah]

Everyone will still need an airport extreme to use the airport express. The airport express is basically an access point with and audio out. So instead of buy 2 airport extremes, you need to buy 1 with an airport express. I bet more profit is made selling airport expresses anyway ... so that's good for apple.

 

[jettredmont]

I don't think you are correct, it says that it supports 10 users. I would assume that makes it a router.

No, it doesn't. My SMC access point at home supports up to 16 users. A wifi access point can be seen as somewhat synonymous with a wired ethernet hub: everything it sees on the LAN side is sent to all users on the wireless side, and vice versa.

However, Apple says that the ethernet port is a "WAN", which implies that the wireless users will be on a LAN and the wired port is outside that LAN. Not sure what kind of firewalling this little bugger will do, but Apple seems to be saying that it is a gateway (aka "router" but not quite the same thing ... but you're not using a "router" to connect to broadband; you are using a gateway), not just an access point.

 

[tooflets]

Airport Express Oops

I wonder how many people will buy one or some of these & then have to make a separate 2nd shopping trip because they neglected to notice the difference between "Airport equipped" & "Airport capable". It seems like the store website should query about whether or not you actually have a card installed.

 

[drewbert]

Um, with the rediculous cheep price of CDs it would take centuries to make back your money if you stopped burning only 4 CDs a year.

Besides, it looks like you can only stream to one set of speakers at a time. Right?