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Apple Begins to Sell Out of AirPort Base Stations [Updated]
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People who bought an Apple Mac computer saw no reason to buy some 'other' brand of peripheral - unless it was something such as an external hard drive that could not be found at Apple. Part of that reasoning is that whatever is an Apple product must be designed to JUST WORK.
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Will the Google system send your data home - to Google?
I always had popular non-Apple routers even after buying two Macs. I’d read about Time Machine and back then the only way to use it wirelessly was with a Time Capsule. After owning TC for a while I realized I no longer had to routinely reset the router to restore WiFi.
I changed to the Netgear Orbi system in December 2017....base station and two satellites. Much better than my dated Airport Extreme. Some on the netgear site have had issues with updates, but that's true of any system...no problems at all so far, better coverage through entire house (upstairs to basement), fast and EASY to set up.
Because they are powerful, way easier to configure than others and rarely gives any headaches (if they give at all). It is not enough?
What support do they need? They’re rock solid, and if you need an airplay extender or the like, they are a pretty nice solution for the moment.
Personally, though, I’m switching all my routers/access points over to AmpliFi.
Got rid of all of mine and gave them to my sister and her family. Using Eero routers now. They look like Apple routers but more updated when it comes to home network technology.
Thanks . . . that part hadn't been clear to me. I know the cloud key controller allows configuration from outside network, which isn't something I need, but one article suggested your computer running the controller software needs to run all the time. That wouldn't be so great . . . but if it just is needed for configuration, then it's basically like opening up Airport Utility to change settings . . .
I was using my 2008 Time Capsule as a wired and wifi Airport router until recently. It worked well, together with one Airport Express in the living room, to drive wifi from the 1st floor of this very old house up to the 3rd floor- until, that is, Comcast/Xfinity upgraded my modem, which also is a router. While my Time Capsule continued to work, it no longer could get the wifi up even to my second floor bedroom because the Comcast router was not sending a strong enough signal to get through the stone walls and construction of this 1875 building.
So, I looked into buying a mesh network system, a fairly pricy idea. But Comcast came through with xPods, which plug into power outlets and extend the wifi network, costing me 1/2 or 1/3 of a separate mesh system. Now I again have wifi throughout the house. And I have the Time Capsule hooked up again.
It's too bad Apple is dropping Airport, but at least I found another solution.
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So, I looked into buying a mesh network system, a fairly pricy idea. But Comcast came through with xPods, which plug into power outlets and extend the wifi network, costing me 1/2 or 1/3 of a separate mesh system. Now I again have wifi throughout the house. And I have the Time Capsule hooked up again.
It's too bad Apple is dropping Airport, but at least I found another solution.
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Any external hard drive will run it. I have a 2TB WD hard drive connected by USB to my iMac. It works great!
Another bad decision from Apple, heading into the wrong direction. Prior to Apple routers, my experience with other brands was, and still is, terrible. Apple routers are the most reliably one! Why Apple? Why are you abandoning your royal customers?
I have an Apple Express and an Apple Time Capsule. Both work flawlessly. Configuration via AirportUtility is easy and convenient. I never had to restart or go through horrible Web GUIs to set them up properly. I hooked up my hi-fi speakers to the AirPort Extreme. Hopefully, there will be a firmware update for Airplay 2.
What's the point of releasing Airplay 2 if there are no compatible routers/option to replace the AirPort Extreme for hooking up "dumb" speakers via 3.5mm jack?
As I've read this article, I rushed to the city and bought another AirPort Extreme – it was the last one in a tech store. Had to check a few stores...
Apple, what are you doing???
I have an Apple Express and an Apple Time Capsule. Both work flawlessly. Configuration via AirportUtility is easy and convenient. I never had to restart or go through horrible Web GUIs to set them up properly. I hooked up my hi-fi speakers to the AirPort Extreme. Hopefully, there will be a firmware update for Airplay 2.
What's the point of releasing Airplay 2 if there are no compatible routers/option to replace the AirPort Extreme for hooking up "dumb" speakers via 3.5mm jack?
As I've read this article, I rushed to the city and bought another AirPort Extreme – it was the last one in a tech store. Had to check a few stores...
Apple, what are you doing???
Any synology NAS should let you wirelessly backup via time machine. I’ve been using them successfully for years.
I am one of MILLIONS of satisfied Airport users. In the past 11 years I purchased 2 Airport Extremes and 3 Airport Expresses. These units are STABLE and trouble free. The majority of the 25 devices I have in my medium sized home are wired via ethernet and strategically placed gigabit switches. There are 3 people in the home and when home are all using multiple devices on the home network with NO NEGATIVE ISSUES WHATSOEVER. ELEVEN YEARS of the devices just doing what they were designed to do. The set ups were always child like simple. I can say the original Airport I purchased in 2007 to go with my iMac has been the MAIN reason I have stayed in the Apple "infrastructure". I have purchased MacBook Pro's iPads, iPhones, AirPods, Apple Watch all in large part due to the ease of network connectivity of these devices through the Airport/Airport Utility system. I also have 7 rooms in my home connected to Airplay. Personally this is not good for me. But I certainly am not alone here.
Apple really should have taken some of it's $200B in cash and bought Ubiquiti for it's $6B market cap, continued development of those products and creating a mac-friendly control screen and selling the devices with an apple logo.
I still like my Time Capsule. It has AC band and will not be replaced for a long time.
Sadly, there are products with inferior appearance but superior range and bandwidth with competitive price out there.
I'm ok with the idea to push some older products obsolete, because they are.
Sadly, there are products with inferior appearance but superior range and bandwidth with competitive price out there.
I'm ok with the idea to push some older products obsolete, because they are.
And through that optical connector. People forget the Airport Express has it, but I happened to score a very great set of powered bookshelf speakers with an optical-in port, so it's an all digital signal from AirPort Express into the speaker itself. That was attention to detail on Apple's part.
And as far as AirPlay 2, it will still work with Apple TVs, HomePods and any future AirPlay devices... and, if we're really lucky, existing Airports might get to use it through a firmware update.
Had the Airport Extreme for a while. What a horrible router it was. Couldn't get it to work properly with Ziggo as main ISP in the Netherlands. The Airport Extreme just refused to work with the Ziggo modem. Not only this was a major problem of the AE, the range was average too.
Satisfied with a lot of Apple products, but networking just wasn't their thing. Got a Nighthawk R7000 for a while now and never had any problem. It just always works, with very good speed and range.
Satisfied with a lot of Apple products, but networking just wasn't their thing. Got a Nighthawk R7000 for a while now and never had any problem. It just always works, with very good speed and range.
Meh mine drops to 7mbps randomly and loses connectivity under sierra (5ghz wireless AC). It's already been replaced under warranty too. It works generally fine under windows so i guess it must have something to do with how sierra handles network