Any use for 802.11b Airport?

[MacKenzie999]

Hey all...

Was just given an old Airport Base Station, is an m8440 (802.11b), am wondering if it's any use at home as a LAN extender or something? Longtime Mac user but I'm not a tech guy, as this question probably illustrates esp in terms of network stuff. Just wondering if it's at all useful?

My current home network is an 802.11b Belkin router. My mac is hardwired in, My iPhone and Powerbook are the only things that access the wireless network at this point.

Also, a good friend has an Airport Extreme, so if this older airport would be of any use to him I'd like to know so I can give it to him.

Thanks!

 

[viggen61]

Check this article to positively identify the unit you have:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TA21440

It certainly can be used to extend a network, but some of the earlier units (the "Graphite" in particular) are limited in the security level they can offer. Of course, you'll be limiting the devices connecting through the 802.11b unit to 802.11b speeds, if you have an 802.11g or .11n network.

Those are the biggest concerns with the early units.

For a simple, open WiFi net, they work fine. I had an old graphite working for about 6 years before some of the capacitors crapped out. I replaced them, and it still works today, at a different location.

 

[MacKenzie999]

Thanks for the info!

 

[Michael CM1]

Prop for Star Trek spoof?