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Is an Airport Extreme a router?
- Thread starter Tsurisuto
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It is a router
Thanks. I thought it was like the Airport Express... and the fact that in the tech specs it says that you can connect it to a DSL / Cable modem, it confused me.
You need an internet connection (modem) to connect to the internet, before you can use an Airport Extreme Base Station to share that internet connection around, either wired or wirelessly.
I'm confused now... Can I plug an Airport Extreme Base Station into a broadband phone line directly, and just connect to the internet wirelessly?
Or do I HAVE to connect it to another broadband modem first?
I was just looking to replace my Netgear Wireless Router.
Generally you need a gateway type thing to get you the internet (such as DSL or broadband and whatnot) which you take the ethernet cable from and plug that into the appropriate spot on the AE base station. It will replace the old netgear router just fine.
A router is simply a device that (and I'm dumbing this down) looks at the data and sends it in the right direction (down the right route). You will still need a DSL or cable modem, most of which can also perform routing.
So if I still need an additional device to connect to the internet with the Airport Base Station, then it is rather useless to me.
At the moment I have a Netgear DG834GT which I just plug into my phone socket, and I am able to access the net wirelessly.
I was hoping to replace my Netgear with an ADSL router which supported N, and I was considering getting an Airport Extreme Base Station to this job. But if I need to buy a Airport Extreme Base Station AND a third party modem to connect to the internet, I might as well just buy a third party wireless router for cheaper that does the complete job.
What I don't understand is why would anyone buy an Airport Extreme Base Station if 3rd party wireless ADSL / Cable modems do excactly the same job (for a LOT cheaper)?
At the moment I have a Netgear DG834GT which I just plug into my phone socket, and I am able to access the net wirelessly.
I was hoping to replace my Netgear with an ADSL router which supported N, and I was considering getting an Airport Extreme Base Station to this job. But if I need to buy a Airport Extreme Base Station AND a third party modem to connect to the internet, I might as well just buy a third party wireless router for cheaper that does the complete job.
What I don't understand is why would anyone buy an Airport Extreme Base Station if 3rd party wireless ADSL / Cable modems do excactly the same job (for a LOT cheaper)?
The "exactly the same job" is a matter of opinion. Not all routers are equally good. Bittorrent can bring a less capable router to its knees or brick it, data throughput can be bottlenecked, etc. Some routers have extra functions you may or may not have use for.
I for one prefer separate modem and routers. That way I'm free to find a nice router, without limiting myself to a specific broadband technology.
If you are happy with a cheap combined modem/router, then get one of those.
When it comes to modems, I've been lucky enough to get good ones from the ISPs included with the subscriptions so I haven't really compared different brands... Either the ISPs know a good modem when they see one, or it's easier to build a modem than a full router.
For me, a good modem is simply one which is stable (ie doesn't crash/lose connection) and delivers the bandwith advertised by the supplier, and has a normal ethernet connection to connect a computer, switch or router to.
So far I've been through ADSL (0.5/0.7), VDSL (13/9) and Cable (8/4) - never a problem with the modem, always the router or something on the ISP's side. No idea about the ADSL modem, but the VDSL one was a Cisco and the Cable one a Thomson.
Routers on the other hand are another story. The same basic requirements (stability & throughput) still apply, but there is a ******** of other functions available. Functions which may or may not work as advertised.
My iMac, Wii and PS3 are already connected wirelessly to my wireless ADSL router, but I was just looking to upgrade the wireless ADSL router to one that support "N" speeds.
You NEED a broadband modem....
The Airport Extreme Base Station is a wireless (and now wired) router, therefor you need something to connect to the internet, supply the router with something to route, and a computer to receive said route.
Don't make the mistake of buying one without having a compatible broadband/dsl modem.
This is a great modem for sucj task in the uk;
http://www.adslnation.com/
If you live elsewhere I recommend a Netgear modem, they work very well with Macs.
I have never tried, but:
In System Preferences, Sharing->Internet
Share your connection from: Built-in Ethernet
To computers using: AirPort
In "Airport Options" you may want to put WEP encryption on.
Now Wii should be able to connect to iMac wirelessly.
You're talking about an ADSL modem/wireless router combo box. Those are two separate functions, typically handled by two separate devices. Apple's wireless base stations are routers, not modems. Either buy an Apple base station and use the DSL modem your phone company provided, or look for another combo box.
On a side note, Apple's base stations in the past had dial-up modems integrated so you could use wirelessly. This must be where you got the idea that they might have DSL modems. Most routers are not modems, you need a modem to be a bridge between the router and the Internet.
For the OP's intended setup, this is irrelevant. The router handles the PPOE dialing and such directly, so the computer itself isn't a factor.