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Apple's Mystery 'Network Adapter' Found in FCC Filing Likely for Internal Use Only
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Crazy how apple ditched airport for HomePod when they had way more potential with airport. Siri sucks and people don’t want to spend a lot on an assistant.
Apple could have added WiFi 6, HomeKit hub, HomeKit secure video, time machine for iOS, ect and they would have sold.
Apple could have added WiFi 6, HomeKit hub, HomeKit secure video, time machine for iOS, ect and they would have sold.
Check out the Dream Router from Ubiquiti. It's as if Apple still made networking equipment. Never needs to reboot.
Agreed. Instead of HomePod, use that R&D for a good wireless networking solution.
Even if Apple came back with some new router hardware, it would have to be _very_ convincing to make me switch back from the FRITZ!Box Mesh setup I’ve installed now. Big product portfolio with seamless interaction, very stable, very comfortable, huge support area, with lots of functionality inbuilt and regular firmware updates even for older products.
I'm looking for a good router that isn't mesh. I have a router in the basement and it's wired to a router in the living room so we have wiring in the house for multiple routers. No need for mesh. I will have to say that the Airport Extreme has been set it up and forget for the past 12 years. Are there any other models, from any vendor, like this?
Will be nice to see an Apple router again. But this looks like it is only for internal use.
I’ve been using eero. Works fine for the most part, but devices often stick on an AP with a poor signal despite the mesh network. I think that changing bands without dropping connections is pretty much a WiFi limitation in general, so devices don’t like to switch bands. I’d love to see Apple bring some innovation back to this space.
My routers are all (except for one) using a wired connection as Mesh backbone. And while I can not offer a 12 year history, all of my Fritz! routers never needed a reboot since initial setup, except for installing an OS upgrade.
So I’d say yes, the Fritz! devices are indeed like this.
In terms of functionality and configurability, I would even consider them superior to my various AirPort Extreme devices, which now sit in the closet gathering dust.
A proper mesh system should have no problems with switching bands as part of client/band steering.
I kept trying to get them to work and ended up tossing them into a box for Goodwill. Let someone else think they got 'cutting edge technology'. That Apple actually sold them as 'replacements' for their stuff was obscene IMO. And now there is a new version apparently. Pass...
Have three last model extremes, two for at home, one for the rental. Reliability is key point.
Had an interference issue once, but I figured out a way to drown the neighbors signal.
Had an interference issue once, but I figured out a way to drown the neighbors signal.
This is what they say, and what many other say. I disagree completely. To this day, the AirPort Extreme / TimeCapsule has the highest stability and farthest reaching signal of any Wifi router I have ever encountered. It's also the only router I ever owned that I trust from a privacy perspective. With TimeCapsule, it's the only Time Machine compatible OOB zero-configuration NAS solution I've every seen (at least in the affordable consumer realm).
Well for one thing, when I was using an AirPort Express as my only router, it covered my entire house with a single router, NEVER had to be rebooted, and provided a fast, stable connection. I replaced it (wrong move) when I needed to cover an outdoor area that was out of range and I wasn't willing to pay for a second hand one to extend the network.
I unfortunately listened to the rest of the internet and went with a modern mesh system (the Linksys Velop - chosen for its HomeKit support and heavy endorsement from Apple). With a 3 node Linksys system, I get poorer coverage indoors than I ever did with my AirPort. I have to reboot it every other day. My connection speed is inconsistent at best. I'm overall unhappy.
Perhaps different brands might fare better than the Velop, but as far as I'm concerned, the better move would have been to add an additional AirPort unit on the outside wall of my garage in order to cover the outside space. If I had it to do over, I'd choose this route and would still be using Airport to this day. Especially given that my home internet connection is topped out at 400mbps (fastest offered in my area) and the Airport with Wifi 5 achieved the full 400mbps consistently with ease. I have no need for Wifi 6.
If Apple launched a new version, I'd buy at least 2, possibly 3 units right out of the gate.
And having a battery makes a whole lot of sense as TVs don't often put out enough power to power such a device consistently. The battery could power the device and recharge when possible.
I've made that mistake a couple times myself
(including when trying to help friends... and was very embarrassed about it as it didn't work well)
Back to latest APE's and very happy
I am still waiting for the new Airport Extreme. Meanwhile surviving on the 2 (1 spare in case) Extremes I bought in 2018.
Unfortunately so not likely to happen. It's really tragic. I've gone through so many brands that turned out to be junk. Maddening...
As @PinkyMacGodess says it's not likely happening.
Amazing that you still make them work with modern networks, wow. But I agree, it's sad that Apple didn't released any new versions of the Extreme's.
Mine was useless for quite some time back. New wifi is way better, and I have no problem with my set of D-Link's.
I'm really happy however that my 2x AirPort Express still works for streaming to old speakers. HomePod Mini's are not bad, and I'll probably buy more of them when Apple discontinue the Expresses that I use for my 4 x Creative speakers.
Agreed. Looking back, I believe apple saw there was going too many changes in the wi-fi market and how they were to operate. These days I feel like apple is just waiting to see what the final standard will remain for the next 5 or more years because they were always slow to improve the airport and probably because it was already ahead of it's time. The other thing they didn't foresee was how many connected devices people would have and now that many of us have over 30 devices including camera, watches, iPads, etc... They will eventually be ready to offer something new and amazing. Is this new FCC filing it? IDK.