You would think that a company, were its laptops can only connect to the internet via WiFi out of the box, would do a better job of keeping it's routers up to date. I remember when Apple's Airports were one of the best on the market.
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Apple Now Selling Linksys Velop Mesh Wi-Fi System But Will Continue Offering AirPort Line
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My drive on my previous gen TC went out (again) last year. Had the choice to put in another new drive, upgrade to the newer TC that is still 4+ years old, or go 3rd Party. I also had been getting more drops lately connecting into my work VPN. So I decided to go 3rd party and got a Netgear AC3200 (R8000) on sale for around $120 as it was one of the few that supported AFP so I could to Time Machine. It has been really good (no VPN drops) other than from time to time a backup would be missed. Enjoying the extra features that Apple never got around to adding.
I've been really considering the Netgear Orbi, but held back a little wondering if we'd see 4x4 MIMO in mesh systems this year as I'd be replacing a single 4x4 router. Even still, I'm thinking the mesh will balance the load better than a 4x4 can handle since less would be pulling from a single device at a time.
Truth is that the AirPort lineup, while outdated, is still solid. I continue to use 2011 + 2012 AirPort routers, and they BEST the crappy routers that are provided by ISPs.
When 802.11 stops being a standard, then it will signal the end of the devices. Until then, they continue to do what they were designed to do, and do it will.
Update meaning they haven’t released a newer version not updating firmware.
I second this. I was an airport time capsule user, went to the eero Pro system. While pricey, it works like a charm. Set up was as easy if not easier then Apple’s. I have over 30 devices connected in my house and CONSTANTLY get 280 down and 30 up. All over the house. Amazing system. Highly recommend.
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I hope Apple gets back into the Airport business. I would prefer a modem/router not just a router.
Apple product rely on good secure easy to manage internet connection. I though that Airport would be an important link in the chain.
Apple product rely on good secure easy to manage internet connection. I though that Airport would be an important link in the chain.
This reminds me of Apple's regrettable decision to discontinue its own monitor, only later realizing maybe that wasn't a swell move. One could hope they as well reconsider the fate of their AirPort line. Traditionally many of their customers have preferred remaining Apple-centric if possible—for good reason.
Given Apple's recent history with security one might wonder, but the ideal remains being able to look to and trust someone [Apple] with not only their security but overall computing experience. Especially in an age when electronic security is all the more important, and Apple doesn't even see fit to offer a headphone jack on new iPhones, one might think they would have an interest in covering your wireless needs.
Routers can be hacked as well. It would be nice to know there was a solution and product offered by someone who had thoroughly thought this through, something simple and elegant. Rather like what they had, only in this case actually improved.
Not at all too much to ask or expect.
Given Apple's recent history with security one might wonder, but the ideal remains being able to look to and trust someone [Apple] with not only their security but overall computing experience. Especially in an age when electronic security is all the more important, and Apple doesn't even see fit to offer a headphone jack on new iPhones, one might think they would have an interest in covering your wireless needs.
Routers can be hacked as well. It would be nice to know there was a solution and product offered by someone who had thoroughly thought this through, something simple and elegant. Rather like what they had, only in this case actually improved.
Not at all too much to ask or expect.
Totally agree.
It's clear that Tim Cook's Apple has de-emphasised these areas and put most of their effort into iOS/iPhone and pushing Apple Music and TV Shows. It seems Wall Street and the institutional shareholders/creditors may like this direction though.
For the LIFE of me, I don't understand why Apple TVs can't also act as WiFi extenders/repeaters.
Synology network-attached storage device, which is handling Time Machine backups for several Macs flawlessly over a Ubiquiti Amplifi wireless mesh.
loved my apple router and was tempted to get the wireless AC version a few months ago but went with a cheap ARcher C7 Tp-Link and so far it hasn't hiccuped or needed rebooting. App isn't as nice to use as Apple's but works.
Not really sure I needed to upgrade to wireless AC. I didn't really notice a difference from my wireless N Apple Extreme router. But my kid claims internet (youtube) is better in 3rd stall of garage. So that's something.
Not really sure I needed to upgrade to wireless AC. I didn't really notice a difference from my wireless N Apple Extreme router. But my kid claims internet (youtube) is better in 3rd stall of garage. So that's something.
I moved to using Ubiquiti edgerouters as my edge devices. All WiFi is still being served via Airports, they're really rock solid. And AirPlay, of course, is great.
Some neat tricks:
* you can use two Airport Expresses as a wireless extender. Your normal wifi router is A. Set airport B as a wireless client of A. Set airport C as an AP, and connect B and C with an ethernet cable. Ta-da, wifi extender without the service degradation of WDS.
* you can use an Airport Express as a wireless bridge. I have a printer and some other devices hooked to the wired side, and have the AE as a wireless client to my main WiFi.
* need a guest network with network isolation? Just plug an AE into your normal router and use that as your guest. No issues with LAN access, saving passwords, etc. Plus they probably can't compromise the AE, unlike that D-Link or Netgear most people have. Then when your guests leave just unplug it.
Overall, these little AEs are great. I have like 10 of them for various things like the above.
Some neat tricks:
* you can use two Airport Expresses as a wireless extender. Your normal wifi router is A. Set airport B as a wireless client of A. Set airport C as an AP, and connect B and C with an ethernet cable. Ta-da, wifi extender without the service degradation of WDS.
* you can use an Airport Express as a wireless bridge. I have a printer and some other devices hooked to the wired side, and have the AE as a wireless client to my main WiFi.
* need a guest network with network isolation? Just plug an AE into your normal router and use that as your guest. No issues with LAN access, saving passwords, etc. Plus they probably can't compromise the AE, unlike that D-Link or Netgear most people have. Then when your guests leave just unplug it.
Overall, these little AEs are great. I have like 10 of them for various things like the above.
What a shame.
I remember when Steve Jobs showed off the Mac Book with wireless networking, it was truly a revolutionary game changer.
Now I guess we get watch bands from Little Timmy "Bonus+Jet" Cook.
I remember when Steve Jobs showed off the Mac Book with wireless networking, it was truly a revolutionary game changer.
Now I guess we get watch bands from Little Timmy "Bonus+Jet" Cook.
I recently went from 100Mbps to 1Gig fiber at my home and my only issue is that with an AirPort Extreme Tower connected to my CenturyLink router and the CL router WiFi disabled I am not realising the speed. I get better results with the CL router as my network though the downside is my network setup is not ideal and I have devices I can’t properly connect.
Do we really know for sure they're not going to update the Airport any time soon?
There hasn't been a new generation of wireless tech since the current Airport Extreme came out. 802.11ac is still where it's at. It could be that Apple is waiting for the next generation to update the products.
There hasn't been a new generation of wireless tech since the current Airport Extreme came out. 802.11ac is still where it's at. It could be that Apple is waiting for the next generation to update the products.
Really? Because with my Airport Extreme and satellite Airport Express to handle AirPlay to a particular set of speakers and extend my range, I'm getting great speeds throughout my place with tons of devices connected, get timely and easy-to-install security updates, and the whole thing is just generally robust and was a snap to set up.
My cousin drove me to airport. My wife picked me up.
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I love it when you speak French. It gives your article , how the French say, a certain "I don't know what"
Was this recently? I've noticed it sometimes when going between a router (extreme) and AP (express) but haven't at all since going to an Orbi (needed additional coverage and it works wonders for that).
The only thing I could find on a quick search was wifi assist may cause some problems... Is there a bigger issue out there I'm not aware of (which is entirely possible)?
Can a company with 1000% brand recognition and 100-200 billion in the bank, walk and chew gum at the same time? I don't get it. I have no clue what the real answer is to why they have so much trouble being a phone maker and a computer maker and a software maker at the same time. They have already excelled in each field.
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