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Can't believe I have to ask this - Airport Express a fully functional router?

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Original poster
Sep 10, 2007
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Let me start off by saying that I am HUMILIATED to ask this as I am VERY computer savvy and am the neighborhood/work "go-to" guy for PC/Mac/iPhone/anything type stuff. I have been all Mac for about a year now so I am still learning. I currently have the LOUSY WRT160N Linksys router. I hate it.

I am very confused about Extreme/Express base station... All the mess about music and portability is confusing to me.

Does it serve as a fully functional router?

Thanks.
 
It depends what you understand as fully functional. I have the AEBS and it suffices my needs, albeit one downside is no log of transfers or amounts of data, something my LinkSys router from 2004 could easily do.

The AirPort Express though is not a fully functional router in my eyes, as LAN ports are missing, and if you often transfer big files between Macs on your network, wireless transfer can be a bit slow.
 
what do you mean by "fully functional"? if you can list specific features you're looking for, you could probably get answers.

from the apple page
NAT, DHCP, PPPoE, VPN Passthrough (IPSec, PPTP, and L2TP), DNS Proxy, SNMP, IPv6 (6to4 and manual tunnels)
Click to expand...
 
one other distinction, the express only supports 10 clients, the extreme up to 50.

also, since you mentioned it, only the express has the ability to have music streamed to it (airplay).
 
Can it do "everything" my WRT160N can do? I just want a good ol' N router. I just hate this one. It's very unstable. All I want to do is attach it to my modem and give off a signal for all of my devices. How many can the WRT160N support?

(I don't know much about networking)

EDIT: I thought a router could support up to some two hundred and fifty...
 
I'm thinking of getting one (Airport Extreme/Express) for traveling. This way we don't have to bring a laptop with us and can use the iPads as wireless (no 3G model).
 
iMJustAGuy said:
Can it do "everything" my WRT160N can do? I just want a good ol' N router. I just hate this one. It's very unstable. All I want to do is attach it to my modem and give off a signal for all of my devices. How many can the WRT160N support?

(I don't know much about networking)

EDIT: I thought a router could support up to some two hundred and fifty...
Click to expand...

Right, in that scenario a Airport Express will do nicely, just remember it only has wireless, so if you have a device that requires a ethernet port you are boned. I have been using an Airport Express in exactly that manner, plug modem into express and give wireless to every one of my devices. I can't speak for the number of clients it can host, i've never gone above 10 devices and i see no mention on the tech spec page that it only supports 10 devices.

So yes, given the above requirements the express will serve you well.

*EDIT* Right, good o'l Apple didn't list it on the tech page, it listed it on this page http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/features/sharing.html. So the express can only host 10 users at the same time. *EDIT*
 
Keep in mind that all Apple Airport devices don't have an integrated modem, unlike the routers you get from your broadband provider.
 
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