Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Updates Airport Express (802.11n)

live4ever said:
The ethernet port is still only 10/100.
Click to expand...

mdntcallr said:
yeah that is pretty lame, it ought to be up to 1000 now.
Click to expand...

There's really no need for gigabit. It's mostly designed to be a small wireless router for an apartment, small house, traveling, etc. The ethernet port is to connect it to the modem or whatever, and since most internet connections are ~5mbps (I haven't seen any above 30mbps except in Japan) then you don't need it. If you have to computers connected to the wireless, they'll still share over it at N-speeds.
 
4np said:
Yeah, you are indeed right. That might be a limitation. Or a reason to get an Aiport Extreme instead. However, the only reason I did not get an Airport Extreme or a Time Capsule was the fact that it was lacking AirTunes. Weird that a more high end device does not contain the feature of a low end device...
Click to expand...

Of course, you're less likely to set a time capsule next to your stereo/powered speakers. Not saying won't happen, but express seems more sensible.

What I'd really like an airport express mini that was solely a wireless receiver with line out that I could connect for the stereo--not a router, not anything more than an airtunes product.
 
I haven't read the entire thread, so could someone please explain how this product actually works? I don't quite get what it does.

First, here's my setup. I have a Netgear CG814WG router that is the heart of my wireless network. (I have a weird house, and as such, it's impossible for us to have a wired setup, we can only use wireless.) Now, is there any way I can use the Express with my current network setup to allow a) more devices to connect and b) expand the actual range of the network? One of the computers in our house doesn't get a great connection, and I think if the network had a better range, it'd get better speeds. (The router is 802.11g, so even though my iMac has a 802.11n card, I can only get 54 Mbps.)
 
Quillz said:
I haven't read the entire thread, so could someone please explain how this product actually works? I don't quite get what it does.
Click to expand...


I really can't grasp why folks cannot understand what this is. It transmits your internet signal via WIFI like any other wireless router would, but it only has one ethernet port meant for your broadband modem.

The extra feature it has is the ability to 'wirelessly' transmit your iTunes music to it, which in turn it plays through a Toslink Optical (mini) to your stereo if you chose to do so.
 
flopticalcube said:
Unless you want to use it in WDS mode and have something like a gigabit-capable NAS or a mini connected to it.
Click to expand...

Yet neither the mini or a gig-e capable NAS will reach the theoretical throughput of Gig-E. Hard drive peak speeds (real world) are still much faster than Gig-E peak speeds (again real world).
 
Quillz said:
I haven't read the entire thread, so could someone please explain how this product actually works? I don't quite get what it does.

First, here's my setup. I have a Netgear CG814WG router that is the heart of my wireless network. (I have a weird house, and as such, it's impossible for us to have a wired setup, we can only use wireless.) Now, is there any way I can use the Express with my current network setup to allow a) more devices to connect and b) expand the actual range of the network? One of the computers in our house doesn't get a great connection, and I think if the network had a better range, it'd get better speeds. (The router is 802.11g, so even though my iMac has a 802.11n card, I can only get 54 Mbps.)
Click to expand...

Yes, you can use it. Are there limits to how many devices connect to your wireless router? If so, well, this will expand it by 10(?). On (b), yes, you can "bridge" from the first router to the second. Put the Express in a location where signal is decent. It will repeat the signal or relay it further along in the house.
 
Le Big Mac said:
Yes, you can use it. Are there limits to how many devices connect to your wireless router? If so, well, this will expand it by 10(?). On (b), yes, you can "bridge" from the first router to the second. Put the Express in a location where signal is decent. It will repeat the signal or relay it further along in the house.
Click to expand...
My ISP told me the router only supports four connections, which designated as 192.168.0.10-.13, but I later extended this to .20 and haven't had any issues.

So, it sounds like I could make use of this Express then. Do I just plug it in and it automatically picks up my signal and repeats it? And then I can also make use of .21-.30?
 
Mindflux said:
Bah. Give me something with a real throughput number, not via drag and drop. That's all estimation.


Try rsync or ftp. :p
Click to expand...

How about cp:
 

Attachments

  • Picture 5.png
    Picture 5.png
    7.9 KB · Views: 115
Quillz said:
My ISP told me the router only supports four connections, which designated as 192.168.0.10-.13, but I later extended this to .20 and haven't had any issues.

So, it sounds like I could make use of this Express then. Do I just plug it in and it automatically picks up my signal and repeats it? And then I can also make use of .21-.30?
Click to expand...

Why don't you extend it to .30 and see what happens? Are you already at 10 connections?

but, yes, basically, although you need to do some configuration. Easy to follow instructions on apple's website.
 
flopticalcube said:
Unless you want to use it in WDS mode and have something like a gigabit-capable NAS or a mini connected to it.
Click to expand...

But isn't even base 100 ethernet enough to saturate N wireless? What is maximum real world throughput of each?

flopticalcube said:
Yes but the bottleneck will continue to be the 100baseT rather than the WiFi.
Click to expand...

Will it? When I searched for benchmarks, the ones I found said that N was still only about half the speed of base 100 ethernet.
 
flopticalcube said:
Theoretical: 270Mbps n vs 100Mbps 100baseT
Click to expand...

I know that. I asked for real world benchmarks, you never see anything close to theoretical in actual use.

Benchmarks? I did find one where N was able to get to about 120 on one specific test.
 
I ran out and got one of these things today at the Eaton Centre Apple Store in Toronto. Actually, they exchanged my previous Express for a new Wireless-n one under their 14-day policy, since i got my last Express less than 14 days ago... and they issued me a refund for $26 for the price difference. All of which is nice.

But I use WDS to extend the range, and bridge my Xbox 360 onto my wireless network, and here are my observations: in WDS mode, the Express (nor the Extreme) will function in 5Ghz Wireless-N. In fact, they will only function in 2.4GHz, n/b/g backwards-compatibility mode.

This is a particularly upsetting limitation, since the 2.4GHz band in my condo in downtown Toronto is heavily saturated with cordless phones and other Wi-Fi hotspots. I was really, really, hoping the Express would let me move to 5Ghz... but nope.
 
milo said:
I know that. I asked for real world benchmarks, you never see anything close to theoretical in actual use.

Benchmarks? I did find one where N was able to get to about 120 on one specific test.
Click to expand...

How about NetworkWorld:

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/091007-gigabit-ethernet-speeds-up-apple.html?inform

In the 5GHz band, the AirPort Extreme can use a wide channel, employing twice the frequency as standard 802.11b and 802.11g channels. This enabled us to achieve a consistent rate of 140Mbps from the AirPort Extreme 802.11n network interface in an Intel Core 2 Duo Macintosh transmitting to a Gigabit Ethernet-equipped Mac attached to a LAN port on the base station.
Click to expand...

All this is moot if the Express fails to WDS in 5GHz mode.
 
lazydesi said:
US model $99

Aus Model $149

what a ripoff apple
Click to expand...

Im not sure when u checked the prices but
http://store.apple.com/133-622/WebO...a/RSLID?mco=31F247B0&fnode=home&nplm=MB321X/A

the AUS model is $129
you also have to remember that our prices are GST inclusive ( 10%) and the American prices are before tax.( Correct?)
so to sum it up
lets make it easier to read,
Before tax and Converted using todays exchange rate to USD
gives us
AUD model: $106.80 US
compared to
USA model $ 99 US

So before tax, its only a $7.80 price difference, that aint that bad.
how much do you Americans pay on tax anyway?
 
Well, traded in my 10-day-old AirPort Express for one of the new 802.11n models today... free exchange, no restocking fee! Got the new one set up and it appears to be working just fine.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back