Thanks for the confirmation. I started snatching them up on Craigslist and FB Marketplace after the 7.8 update. We already had radios with aux inputs in almost every room anyway, so it was kind of a no-brainer.
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Apple Releases AirPort Base Station Firmware Update 7.8.1
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Thanks for the confirmation. I started snatching them up on Craigslist and FB Marketplace after the 7.8 update. We already had radios with aux inputs in almost every room anyway, so it was kind of a no-brainer.
When I need to replace my AirPort Express, I'll go full-in with Ubiquity.
Until then, and with my current internet-connection, it's doing well enough.
Until then, and with my current internet-connection, it's doing well enough.
I know Apple exited the router business because a lot of other companies joined in, but I don't know of any companies that have truly simple plug-and-play Time Machine compatibility like the Time Capsule and AirPort Extreme (via an external USB hard drive) had. I really hope Apple revives them.
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Indeed - I kept waiting for a new TimeCapsule with at least a 6TB HD for Time Capsule use (ideally with upgraded software so it can backup more than one Mac. Also better USB support for external HDs that power off the USB port).
The AirPort Express with a TOSLink port and AirPlay 2 allows you to play music from your iPhone/iPad/Mac to every single receiver made in the last couple of decades - an absolutely priceless feature that no one else supports.
Please Apple, bring it back!
If we look closely at Apple's hardware releases in the last several years, it's possible to interpret their strategy and understand why Apple got out of the router game.
The answer is that each Apple device is its own piece of a mesh network. Every Apple device recognizes Apple devices around it and seamlessly creates a network of all devices logged into the same Apple ID and known Apple ID's.
The reliability of transferring files via AirDrop has gotten to a point where it really does just work. iCloud puts storage in the cloud where any device can access it, even outside of a traditional local network. Printers connect directly to each device, without having to configure them manually. These functions constitute the majority of uses for a home network.
The obvious piece that's missing is of course internet access. iPhones connect to the internet directly via LTE and can even get other devices online like Macs and iPads. But LTE data is expensive and Macs and AppleTVs consume large amounts of data. This is where 5G will come in. Speeds are expected to exceed terrestrial internet and available bandwidth will enable ISP's to charge the same for wireless data as they do for traditional internet — with the added benefit that it's much cheaper to deploy 5G infrastructure than it is optical cabling under city streets and on poles.
Some people will probably say that this isn't viable for offices. Commercial networks were never AirPort's focus. IT departments didn't buy a bunch of AirPort to build networks. It was always primarily a consumer device. We have to see this from a consumer perspective and so for consumers, a direct internet connection via a 5G chip built into each device makes far more sense than configuring WiFi networks at home.
Mesh networks are experiencing a bit of a moment now but I don't think that will last as 5G is deployed and people start relying on their future iPhone's 5G connection when data prices drop to the price of traditional home internet prices. Apple wasn't looking at the short term when they decided to abandon AirPort. They're thinking ahead. I fully expect Macs and even AppleTV's to come with built in 5G chips in the coming years and for Watches and iPads to come with cellular chips standard.
The answer is that each Apple device is its own piece of a mesh network. Every Apple device recognizes Apple devices around it and seamlessly creates a network of all devices logged into the same Apple ID and known Apple ID's.
The reliability of transferring files via AirDrop has gotten to a point where it really does just work. iCloud puts storage in the cloud where any device can access it, even outside of a traditional local network. Printers connect directly to each device, without having to configure them manually. These functions constitute the majority of uses for a home network.
The obvious piece that's missing is of course internet access. iPhones connect to the internet directly via LTE and can even get other devices online like Macs and iPads. But LTE data is expensive and Macs and AppleTVs consume large amounts of data. This is where 5G will come in. Speeds are expected to exceed terrestrial internet and available bandwidth will enable ISP's to charge the same for wireless data as they do for traditional internet — with the added benefit that it's much cheaper to deploy 5G infrastructure than it is optical cabling under city streets and on poles.
Some people will probably say that this isn't viable for offices. Commercial networks were never AirPort's focus. IT departments didn't buy a bunch of AirPort to build networks. It was always primarily a consumer device. We have to see this from a consumer perspective and so for consumers, a direct internet connection via a 5G chip built into each device makes far more sense than configuring WiFi networks at home.
Mesh networks are experiencing a bit of a moment now but I don't think that will last as 5G is deployed and people start relying on their future iPhone's 5G connection when data prices drop to the price of traditional home internet prices. Apple wasn't looking at the short term when they decided to abandon AirPort. They're thinking ahead. I fully expect Macs and even AppleTV's to come with built in 5G chips in the coming years and for Watches and iPads to come with cellular chips standard.
I have just updated the firmware of my AirPort Extreme from 7.7.9 to 7.9.1 successfully. Everything works fine.
I would have been much more excited if the headline would have simply read “ Apple releases Airport Base Station”...a guy can dream, right?
It's not going to happen. See my explanation a couple of comments above yours:
That right there is where your argument falls completely flat on its face. At least in the US, you’re absolutely insane if you think wireless carriers are going to give up the gobs of money they make charging people out the *** for data.
I’ve long thought Apple could have used HomePod, Apple TV, iMac as ways to extend an airport based (mesh) network.
They will have no choice. The market will drive change, like it has many times before.
It always amazes me when people aren’t capable of thinking three dimensionally. Data plans in the future will not be dictated by the conditions that exist today, they’ll happen in the realm of the conditions that will exist at that time. Today, it’s cheaper to offer terrestrial based internet because LTE is expensive and existing terrestrial infrastructure is cheap.
But when internet service providers are offering 5G data at comparable rates to terrestrial based internet because it’s cheaper to deploy 5G than it is to spend billions installing optical fibre under city streets, then today’s terrestrial ISPs will have to evolve to offer comparable rates.
Today’s 10GB plans would have cost THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS a decade ago. But of course, the market dictated better prices due to competition and demand for that kind of service at affordable rates.
Why would an update remove this feature that they only just added recently? Plus you can, and always have been able to revert airport firmware versions.
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I’m confused as to why you’re saying terrestrial ISPs will be the ones having to evolve to offer comparable rates. Their prices aren’t great either, but they’re certainly a far better deal than wireless ISPs. The wireless ISPs are the ones who need to change and drop prices. The terrestrial ISPs are downright benevolent compared to the wireless players.
I also don’t know why you think carriers will drop 5g pricing rather than pocketing any theoretical infrastructure savings versus LTE, which is a supposition that for now I’ll take at face value. They didn’t drop prices from 3g to LTE, quite the opposite actually.
This isn’t a market where anyone can come in and compete to drive down prices either. There is only so much available wireless spectrum.
And 10GB plans would’ve cost thousands of dollars a decade ago?? You realize a decade ago unlimited data was the only thing available right?
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Nope. The smaller footprint 'tower' Airport Extreme Base Station is the last base station made by Apple.
Same happened when I got notification of the firmware update and updated my Extreme. Later, maybe the next day when I checked, the update was in effect.
Two of the reasons are ScreenTime and HomeKit Security (No reason that Apple should aks users to buy Linksys routers for that!)
Aside from (some) dedicated wireless music streamers that is, but they are typically more expensive and don’t have the other AirPort functionality. Others don’t have AirPlay support. But what they gain are higher quality DACs and components and more capable (higher resolution) streaming, including to TOSLink digital pass through.
It always bothered me that—as of the last time I tried a year ago—the AirPort Express didn’t/couldn’t stream TV and cinema audio in its native 48 kHz, but downsampled-converted it to 44.1. Granted this is imperceptible, but I don’t see the point in them doing so; from a design perspective it just seems lazy. Surely the minor increase in bandwidth isn’t an issue. Needless to say I couldn’t stream my other higher-resolution music (up to 24/96) in its encoded format either.
The AirPort Express was, however, a good, affordable and reliable Wi-Fi router and audio streamer that suited many people. I don’t see why they gave up on it. For a company that built its success on products like the iPod and iTunes; and have always claimed music is in their DNA; they don’t seem to appreciate audio quality that much.
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That's for the AC models, this article is on the N models (square extreme & airport express models)
Yes. Multiple remote vulnerabilities. The security content is always listed on Apple's detailed information page about each update. In this case, here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210091
Wish that Apple would allow us to use the airport time capsule as an alternative to iCloud storage, much more capacity, local so faster sync speeds and when remote some of us have internet plenty fast enough for access.
I have two of these devices on my 5 express guest and audio network - they are working perfectly since the firmware upgrade.
Is your Airport Express the first gen 802.11n model (shaped like a MBP power brick)? I have one of these and it downloads an update for it but then says "The selected firmware file is not compatible with this AirPort base station.".
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You can put in a larger HDD into a Time Capsule yourself. I did put a 3 TB one into my (originally) 1 TB 'tower' model (using iFixit instructions). And TCs can backup multiple Macs just fine already.
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