Airport Extreme... benefits?

[Snoezzz]

Hi,

I am am intending to buy a wireless solution that is able to do 5 GHz wireless. Since the beginning of 2013 i replaced my PC with a mac and my laptop with a Macbook. Now i am wondering if an Airport Extreme router has any "Apple computer specific" benefits over a, for example, Cisco Linksys router?

Thanks in advance!

 

[jamesjingyi]

Hi,

I am am intending to buy a wireless solution that is able to do 5 GHz wireless. Since the beginning of 2013 i replaced my PC with a mac and my laptop with a Macbook. Now i am wondering if an Airport Extreme router has any "Apple computer specific" benefits over a, for example, Cisco Linksys router?

Thanks in advance!

Its cute You can also make stuff Apple Air--- Like a stereo can become AirPlay or a printer AirPrint.....

 

[drsox]

Hi,

I am am intending to buy a wireless solution that is able to do 5 GHz wireless. Since the beginning of 2013 i replaced my PC with a mac and my laptop with a Macbook. Now i am wondering if an Airport Extreme router has any "Apple computer specific" benefits over a, for example, Cisco Linksys router?

Thanks in advance!

Unless you need the extra LAN ports on the Extreme, the Express is pretty much the same device as far as functionality at about half the price.

 

[EwanMcTeagle]

I would recommend the Airport Express or the Time Capsule (if you want an additional storage + seamless back up).

 

[Bartzca]

Just to add my 2 cents, the Extreme has been the best router I have ever owned.

I get very good signal over the whole house and even back yard and front yard (Router is located in the basement of 2 story house).

I actually really like the Guest network. When we have a baby sitter over or friends visiting I can give them a much easier password so they can get online without them seeing anything else.

Mine is connected wirelessly to Samsung TV, Apple TV, Windows PC, Mac Mini, iPad, 2 iPhones, ipod, Sony Blu Ray player, and connected through Powerline Network Adapter to Yamaha receiver and hard wired to Synology Disk Station. Has NEVER missed a beat or needed to be reset/rebooted.

In the past I have used D Link, Sysco, Netgear, and the Extreme has outperformed them all, albeit at twice the cost.

 

[troy14]

What kind of user are you? I purchased the AirPort Extreme and while it is a good router, it's features are very limited and in typical Apple fashion there are many things you just can't do.

I also recommend forgetting about the 5ghz band unless you need it ( a lot of interference, other 2.4 signals, etc) as the 5ghz has worse wall penetration so the signal will not be as strong as a 2.4 network

 

[Apple fanboy]

I bought a TimeCapsule last year and it gives me a much stronger and more consistent signal than the Virgin Media super Hub. And because it's Apple 'it just works"!

 

[cocacolakid]

I have an Airport Extreme I bought used off eBay and it's the best router I've ever had. Years of using mostly Netgear stuff with some other brands mixed in and having nothing but problems. The AE, for me at least, works great. Very stable and a strong signal.

 

[drsox]

What kind of user are you? I purchased the AirPort Extreme and while it is a good router, it's features are very limited and in typical Apple fashion there are many things you just can't do.

I also recommend forgetting about the 5ghz band unless you need it ( a lot of interference, other 2.4 signals, etc) as the 5ghz has worse wall penetration so the signal will not be as strong as a 2.4 network

Depends what you want to do with the 5Ghz band. I have 3 AExpresses in a roaming network for a large 4 story house. Most of my devices are on 5Ghz for speed and isolation from the surrounding cloud of others' WiFi. Works just fine (but might be different if I were extending a network). Hopefully I can ditch the iPhone 4S soon and then there will be 100% 5Ghz !

 

[lexvo]

The Airport Extreme is more expensive than comparable routers. But in my experience it is very realiable and easy to configure. It also integrates very nice with Apple products (of course).

 

[kapalua12]

The Airport Extreme is more expensive than comparable routers. But in my experience it is very realiable and easy to configure. It also integrates very nice with Apple products (of course).

Just for some interesting reading check out this Anandtech article:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4577/...-and-time-capsule-4th-gen-review-faster-wifi-

 

[lexvo]

Just for some interesting reading check out this Anandtech article:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4577/...-and-time-capsule-4th-gen-review-faster-wifi-

Thanks!

 

[smithrh]

Unless you need the extra LAN ports on the Extreme, the Express is pretty much the same device as far as functionality at about half the price.

I was unaware that Apple had significantly upgraded the Express.

Looks like you're right that the functionality is about the same, but I suspect performance will be less, perhaps much less so.

* Doesn't look like it's big enough to support MIMO. There needs to be some physical separation between the antennas for MIMO to work well.

* The Ethernet ports are only 100MBPS, which is pretty bad these days.

Other than that, looks pretty cool!

 

[eric/]

Bought a refurb express. Best router I've ever owned. Lots of functionality, easy Apple support.

I'd wait and see if they refresh it though, if you can.

 

[lexvo]

Forgot to mention in my previous post: besides an Airport Extreme I also have an Airport Express which is just as reliable and easy to operate. Another advantage of the Express: you can create you own WiFi access point when only cabled internet is available, for example in a hotel. And because it is relatively small, it fits easily in your luggage.

 

[drsox]

I was unaware that Apple had significantly upgraded the Express.

Looks like you're right that the functionality is about the same, but I suspect performance will be less, perhaps much less so.

* Doesn't look like it's big enough to support MIMO. There needs to be some physical separation between the antennas for MIMO to work well.

* The Ethernet ports are only 100MBPS, which is pretty bad these days.

Other than that, looks pretty cool!

I've replaced my Extreme with another Express. I had WiFi connection problems with the Extreme - never with my other 2 Expresses. I don't need the extra ports nor the Gbit connection. The Expresses are only to connect my WiFi units into the backbone LAN that I have. When WiFi gets up to Gigabit rates, then I'll swap them out - at the same time as I get a new MBA (2014?).

 

[jojolafrite]

I also like to add my 2 cents.

I bought airport extreme because i had issues with my previous router when i watch video streaming on my apple TV originating from my Macbook. My router connection used to drop.

However, i also noticed other things. I have noticed internet was more responsive on every computer (10 to 15% faster). More importantly i have noticed my internet is more stable. It was quite curious to me because i thought this issue was related to the ADSL & what happens in the "wires" outside my house.

The signal is stronger and i think the airport extreme cover a wide area.

After use, i noticed Wifi printers was faster to answer (10 to 15% faster).

Internet connection used to drop by the past with previous routers when bandwidth was too much for the router (on the local network). With Airport, there is no problem at all.


-----

Some years ago, except computers we had nothing connected to the router.
Today we have wifi printers, ipad, smartphones, media, backup Hard drive, Ip cameras....

We don't see it but that's a lot of things for one router. The router has to be really robust. That's the case for apple extreme.

Nevertheless, if you live in an apartment with one computer, i guess it is useless for you. On the other hand, if you have a house with several rooms & more than 4 devices, airport extreme is for you.