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New Airport Express with 802.11n Next Week?

KramRevilo said:
Just to be clear about this, many people have the expectation of better performance (i.e. greater throughput) AND greater range concurrently.

As a WLAN professional let me cut through the 802.11n hype and add the comment that the 'AND' should be taken as an 'OR'. You can get existing rates at a longer range OR you can get faster rates (with an 802.11n client) at distances that are comparable to what you have today. Please don't think that you get BOTH ... because this is NOT the way 802.11n works.

-Kram
Click to expand...

And what is the real world speed difference when it comes to something like web browsing on an 802.11n vs. 802.11g network? Is it significant?
 
I have had an Express for years... here is what it does...

a) Acts as Router when configured to NAT a public IP address and serves DHCP to everyone on Wireless. It supports port mapping (external port 5555 to internal IP and Port 192.168.0.50:22).

b) Acts as BRIDGE when configured to act like a bridging your Ethernet and Wireless Networks. DHCP can be handled by your Linksys. (hah)

c) Supports PPPoE for typical DSL connections or hook it up to your Cable modem.

d) Provides MAC address security, so you can limit which devices have access and which devices don't.

e) It can Join other Wireless Networks (wireless bridge between two wired networks) and Join WDS networks. So, you can

All that in addition to Printer & Music.

I have used it in bridge mode for what seems to be years and recently started using it as my primary router. This is not my ideal setup however, just the way I have things wired up. I plan on getting a Airport Base Station to be my primary router (or perhaps even some other manufacturer) and then use the Air Port Express to bridge an older PowerMac G4 400mhz that doesn't have an airport card in it, to my home network, since it is nowhere near a ethernet connection and I don't want to invest any additional money into it to upgrade it.

I have ZERO problems with it over the years, if anything, it has been "old faithful".
 
I'm really kind of shocked at the basic questions that some people are having about the uses of the APEXT.

If Apple users on these forums are having these kind of questions then they must not being doing something right with getting information out there about this product.
 
This is exciting news, and long over due.

I use my Express to travel, so I hope we see a massive reduction in size and weight. That would be awesome.
 
MacD said:
I have had an Express for years... here is what it does...

a) Acts as Router when configured to NAT a public IP address and serves DHCP to everyone on Wireless. It supports port mapping (external port 5555 to internal IP and Port 192.168.0.50:22).

b) Acts as BRIDGE when configured to act like a bridging your Ethernet and Wireless Networks. DHCP can be handled by your Linksys. (hah)

c) Supports PPPoE for typical DSL connections or hook it up to your Cable modem.

d) Provides MAC address security, so you can limit which devices have access and which devices don't.

e) It can Join other Wireless Networks (wireless bridge between two wired networks) and Join WDS networks. So, you can

All that in addition to Printer & Music.

I have used it in bridge mode for what seems to be years and recently started using it as my primary router. This is not my ideal setup however, just the way I have things wired up. I plan on getting a Airport Base Station to be my primary router (or perhaps even some other manufacturer) and then use the Air Port Express to bridge an older PowerMac G4 400mhz that doesn't have an airport card in it, to my home network, since it is nowhere near a ethernet connection and I don't want to invest any additional money into it to upgrade it.

I have ZERO problems with it over the years, if anything, it has been "old faithful".
Click to expand...

Ouch, my head hurts after reading that!:D
That was so beyond me, but I'm sure there was good info in there!:p
 
I've had an express since day 1 (though the first one was bunk so apple replaced it) and i take it on the road. It's great for connecting to wired networks at hotels. i'm surprised it took apple this long to update it!
 
802.11n Airport Express

I have an Airport Express and it absolutely love it. I have been trying to figure out how to set up my home network so that I can still use AirTunes while utilizing the 802.11n functionality with my MBP and TC. If I upgrade to the "new" Airport Express and set my home WiFi network to "n" will I be able to access it with my iPhone? From the tech specs, the iPhone is only "b/g" compatible. Also interesting to note...the Apple store says the Airport Express is shipping in 1-2 weeks where it usually ships within 24 hrs.
 
I use it as a bridge to connect my wired Tivo S3 to my wireless network. Works great, and it's FAST. The n version can only be better.
 
Range extender?

I'm curious, if I set one of these up, does it automatically start acting as a range extender for my network? (Using a Time Capsule or Airport Extreme as a base station)
 
It makes sense!

This rumour really makes sense. I'm working in an Apple reseller store and the Airport Express is back order since 2 weeks. Apple haven't plan a date for the delivery what is unusual...
 
slmb6e said:
I have an Airport Express and it absolutely love it. I have been trying to figure out how to set up my home network so that I can still use AirTunes while utilizing the 802.11n functionality with my MBP and TC. If I upgrade to the "new" Airport Express and set my home WiFi network to "n" will I be able to access it with my iPhone? From the tech specs, the iPhone is only "b/g" compatible. Also interesting to note...the Apple store says the Airport Express is shipping in 1-2 weeks where it usually ships within 24 hrs.
Click to expand...

You can connect the Airport Express directly to the Airport Extreme Base Station with an ethernet cable, then turn off wireless on the Express using the new Airport setup utility. This basically makes the Extreme (or Time Capsule) the router but still allows other functionality for the Express. This setup works for me. Another option is to have the Express extend the network setup by your Time Capsule.
 
grappler said:
I'm curious, if I set one of these up, does it automatically start acting as a range extender for my network? (Using a Time Capsule or Airport Extreme as a base station)
Click to expand...

It doesn't do it automatically, but does with five minutes of setup time using Airport Utility (basically you use Airport Utility to name it/assign password and then choose how you want it set up - as a base, to extend your system or simply to stream music/print)

I have an Airport Extreme as my base and have three Airport Expresses: one in the living room to stream music to my stereo, one in the bedroom to stream music to an IHome, and all three act to extend the range of the internet throughout the apartment (it has a weird layout and needs at least two to bounce the signal around a corner and down 40' of hallway)
 
aswitcher said:
Really? I never got mine to act as an airbridge to IP security camera. I could never see the camera. The ethernet port wanted to be a WAN not a LAN port.
Click to expand...

I use an express to connect to my main wireless network (as a WDS remote client), and a Tivo is connected to its Ethernet port. So yeah, it can work essentially as a bridge. It can even serve other wireless clients at the same time.

FWIW the reason I did it that way is Tivo didn't used to support WPA (still doesn't unless you use the Tivo brand wireless adapter), which was really annoying. It's rather overkill to use an Express for this, admittedly.
 
grappler said:
I'm curious, if I set one of these up, does it automatically start acting as a range extender for my network? (Using a Time Capsule or Airport Extreme as a base station)
Click to expand...

Yes, set the Extreme as the WDS(*) main and the Express as a WDS remote. Be sure to check the box "Allow wireless clients" for the Express.

Note that if you use multiple Expresses (Expressi?) in a WDS, your wireless speeds may suffer somewhat.

* WDS = Wireless Distribution System
 
RHD said:
I'd be more impressed if the original one had ever worked properly.
I take it to a "genius bar" and complain about the scary feedback/cycling hum when attached to my stereo
Click to expand...

Go look up "ground loop" on wiki, google, etc. Ground loops are a common audio problem.
 
Can it act as a signal booster? The router I get the internet from is downstairs. My playstation 3 always lags when I am fighting people because of it.
 
stupidest invention ever... why would it have a built in wireless networking when the MBPs already have it in their system? wow....
 
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