Apple Officially Discontinues AirPort Wireless Router Lineup [Updated]

[DakotaGuy]

If you don't need the entire mesh system, the standalone Amplifi by Ubiquiti is an excellent Wi-Fi router. It also has a very nice iOS and Android app to go with it. It also has that attractive "Apple" looking style if that is important to you. I found in my smaller house that the router alone is just fine, but if I ever wanted I could also easily add a mesh point to it. I enjoyed my Airports, but I knew it was time to move on.

 

[Yoms]

I dont know if it's officially open to 3rd parties, but there are repositories for linux that are available to make a linux OS network share behave exactly the same. Have my home server setup this way.

Well, hopefully Apple will change something in the next release of osX to make backuping to network/wifi hard drive a 2-click operation.

 

[neutralguy]

Apple is becoming Ford

 

[MrGuder]

This TERRIBLE news!!!

 

[DNichter]

It is not an either or game - why not do both? Comments abound about the AEBS has not been updated for ages, meaning no Apple $$$ have been spent on AEBS product engineering, so what is the problem with continued building of them? Tim Cook is the supply chain guru, right?

Apple stock continues to crater, negative for the year.

I have no issue with it if they chose to still make them, but they are a business and chose to no longer do so. Not sure what else really needs to be said. It's just a router, not like there aren't plenty of options.

 

[avanpelt]

Could someone tell me how it’ll be possible to use Time Machine over Wifi without a TC? My understand is that the protocol is not opened to third party yet.

Synology NAS's have supported Time Machine backups (over both ethernet and Wi-Fi) for a long time. My family has had a Synology for five years and we've been backing up two MacBook Pros via Time Machine just fine since 2013. Here's a link to the relevant page on Synology's website: https://www.synology.com/en-us/know...es_from_Mac_to_Synology_NAS_with_Time_Machine

 

[lparsons21]

That is correct. I have not observed any problems with Time Machine with that setup.

I do the same thing with my tp-link Deco router. The TV’s WiFi had gone flakey and since it looked like Apple was going to quit on routers, i decided to go in a different direction but still keep my TC for backups and such. Nary a problem and the Deco router is much faster than the TC ever was.

 

[theluggage]

How can you blame a manufacturer if an admin or user doesn't change the default password?

...because they should assume that many consumers won't change the default password, and choose a batter system. Many devices come with a random 'default' password printed on a sticker - not perfect but 100% better than every Acme router in the world having the password "AcmeRouters".

 

[Gorms]

so im guessing AirPlay2 is not coming to AExp

Homepod is probably one reason they've killed the AExp

 

[imola.zhp]

Some of these responses are hilarious.

I'm a big apple fan but I know these devices are behind current technology, and we have two of them!

We'll be using them both, however, until they die, they work just fine for out current needs, even with the recent explosion of homekit devices we have added. In the time between now and then likely even better technology will come to market.

 

[elvisimprsntr]

Apologies if this has already been covered in the thread, but are there any options to replace my AEBS that can do wireless Time Machine backups?

I'm assuming not… :-(

Yes. #425
[doublepost=1524842184][/doublepost]

Could someone tell me how it’ll be possible to use Time Machine over Wifi without a TC? My understand is that the protocol is not opened to third party yet.

All third party NAS manufacturers support TM #425

You can even roll your own Linux based NAS to get TM support

 

[theluggage]

He gave up on the Apple TV, quit making monitors, and now no airport, killing the entire apple eco-system concept where things "just work", but hey, we got a crappy "politically correct" car coming in the future... this guy single handily destroyed the Apple that Jobs built. How pathetic.

To be fair, some of the "complete ecosystem" concepts date from the good old bad old days when the Mac couldn't use third-party products designed for PCs. Different connectors, different network protocols...

The modern Mac is far easier to connect up to "industry standard" systems than in the past - because, although it may not feel like it, things like the Internet, USB, mobiles and "Bring your own device" policies have made the meaning of "industry standard" less of a euphemism for "current best-selling proprietary kludge" than it used to be.

 

[belvdr]

...because they should assume that many consumers won't change the default password, and choose a batter system. Many devices come with a random 'default' password printed on a sticker - not perfect but 100% better than every Acme router in the world having the password "AcmeRouters".

I don't read of many hacks because of that, but users should be reading the included guide.

I wouldn't swear by it, but I thought my Linksys of a few years ago prompted you to change the password upon first login.

 

[bigboyz12000]

Apple has officially ended development on its AirPort line of products, which includes the AirPort Express ($99), the AirPort Extreme ($199), and the AirPort Time Capsule ($299).

"We're discontinuing the Apple AirPort base station products. They will be available through Apple.com, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers while supplies last," an Apple spokesperson told iMore.

Apple has not updated its AirPort products since 2012 (Express) and 2013 (Extreme and Time Capsule), and in late 2016, Bloomberg said that Apple had stopped development on the AirPort lineup with the AirPort engineers reassigned to other products.

Apple reportedly began shutting down its AirPort unit in early 2016, in an effort to "sharpen" its focus on the "consumer products that generate the bulk of its revenue."

Following news that Apple had shuttered the AirPort unit, the company began selling third-party routers in January of 2018 when it offered the Linksys Velop Mesh Wi-Fi System.

Apple's AirPort base stations provided unique benefits that are not available through third-party options like built-in Time Machine backup support in the Time Capsule and AirPlay functionality for the AirPort Express.

While the AirPort line is being discontinued, Apple will be providing service and parts for current generation AirPort Base Stations for the next five years. iMore says Apple also plans to share some knowledge-base articles in the coming weeks to assist customers who are transitioning away from the AirPort Express, Extreme, and Time Capsule.

Apple plans to continue to sell the three AirPort products online and in its retail stores until available supplies are exhausted. No price drops have been implemented at this time.

Update: Apple has shared a new support document offering tips on choosing a Wi-Fi router to use with Apple devices. The company recommends a router that offerrs 802.11ac, dual-band support, WPA2 Personal encryption, and MIMO or MU-MIMO.

Article Link: Apple Officially Discontinues AirPort Wireless Router Lineup [Updated]

I would rather a company (Apple in this case) admit that they are not "all in" on a product, discontinue it and offer third party stuff that is just as good or better. To me that is considered good business. With that being said, i still use my Airport Extreme and am very happy with it.

 

[belvdr]

Yes. #476
[doublepost=1524842184][/doublepost]

All third party NAS manufacturers support TM #476

You can even roll your own Linux based NAS to get TM support

Why are you quoting post 476 for this?

is’s a pity. like others have said, i’ll miss the ease of operation and great life/service expectancy. i’m off to buy a spare express

 

[elvisimprsntr]

Why are you quoting post 476 for this?

Fixed

 

[AppleMad98004]

I just hope they keep the Airport Firmware and Airport Utility app up to date

I think they will be locked at the current firmware version. The App will not see any further development. Apple is putting up a lengthy support document on moving off the Airport ecosystem, that alone is telling.

 

[panjandrum]

Could someone tell me how it’ll be possible to use Time Machine over Wifi without a TC? My understand is that the protocol is not opened to third party yet.

There are alternatives, such as using CCC to NAS devices using disk-images. Not sure which NAS devices, if any, support TM. There are work-arounds however, such as (again) creating a disk-image on your NAS: https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/turn-nas-windows-share-time-machine-backup/

Don't ever rely on TM as your only backup anyway - it's got a great interface and is easy to use, but it isn't exactly what one would call reliable. Always have a redundant backup using CCC or a similar product. (For best practices your redundant backup should be offsite and should not be cloud-based (which is too slow for most people and may not protect you from ransomware) - you want an external drive that just sits somewhere safe, disconnected from anything, except when you are updating the backup or you need to restore the backup - prevention for flood, fire, theft, ransomware, etc...)

 

[Dingboche]

Not sure why but this decision really bothers me, for the first time ever I'm losing my "feel good" about Apple, and I have an original Mac in the garage.

The Airport is the hub through which all my and my family Apple devices use to get to the web. It's simple and easy and has always "just worked". The last thing I want to do is learn and mesh an outside router to it all.

As stated elsewhere, what's happened to the ecosystem? They make so much money you'd think this simple little device would get some attention. Instead we get new watch bands? I've lived with this off loading legacy stuff for to long now so they can make billions they stash over seas.

 

[kemal]

Which completely frees up the resources needed to work on merging the Mac mini with the Beats line of headphones.

 

[Porco]

A shame, but they were looking long in the tooth and overpriced, even by Apple's standards.

I think they should have made new ones rather than discontinued though.

 

[Arran]

I have Airport Express and Airport Extreme... is it worth buying another Airport Extreme for discounted to have just in case if one of them would flop?

I would. Especially if discounted.

I’m still kicking myself for not grabbing an iPod classic when Apple discontinued them.

 

[boodle]

I have an ASUS RT-AC88U.
The only missing feature I like is that streaming music an old via Airport Express.

Still using mine! It even shows up in HomeKit.

 

[Larry MacPhee]

Apple should keep improving AirPort because it helps support the entire Apple ecosystem. The AirPort line has features that 3rd party devices don't, like AirPlay, Time Capsule support, AirPort Disk, etc. Also, they have the simplest, easiest to configure devices on the market. This demonstrates that Tim Cook is focused only on the big profit items, and that Apple will soon be nothing more than a phone company. http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/lrm22/airport/airport.html

 

[Glideslope]

... the difference being that Ford has continued to develop the Mustang since 1968. Apple has largely neglected non-iOS devices the last 4 or 5 years. I still retain my MacBook Pro (1,1) for the same reasons you keep your '68 Mustang. Through product neglect Apple has created a "chicken and the egg" situation. Sales of certain devices decline along with consistent lack of development or support. Eventually non-Apple products become more attractive. I certainly no longer buy Apple laptops, and no, would not have bought an Airport device the last several years.

Point taken. In todays Apple it's still more about "Look What I Have" than software quality, or value for the money.