New Airport Express with 802.11n Next Week?

[azhelkov]

That will work, because of the ethernet capabilities - the printer is designed to be plugged into a LAN .

Exactly my point. Someone save $50 over networkable printer and blame Apple for all the trouble. But Apple provide and support Ethernet port on Airport Express!

 

[macornomac]

Ok guys so can I get Wireless N on my Macbook 2.16 Core 2 Duo??? If I can how do I enable it and where do I get it??? Thanks.

 

[RoadCyclistID]

So would this be a waste of money if I was just going to use it as a wireless print server? I have a HP laserjet that is just sitting there after I upgraded to my MBP last November and my Linksys print server sitting there as well....

 

[dogtanian]

Now if they would only update the iPhone so it doesn't drag down the network speed.

I would agree but my wireless HP all-in-one and my PS3 are all still on 802.11g, oh and my old PB G4 so I settle for running two networks.

Can't wait for this now, even if they are a little expensive in the UK at £65.

 

[HaGG]

I've always liked this product, so any upgrade is a bonus for when I come to buy 🙂

 

[Parky]

I've been on ADSL broadband for years now. Everyone I know at work (I asked ~40 people) is either with BT, Be, Daemon etc... no-one is with Virgin. No-one has cable. I would like to see your stats 🙂

As my network connection is so slow; pay for 8MB get 3 MB, there's no point in Wireless N in my apartment. Nothing has N in here and I already have an airport express (and extreme). Looks like I will be missing this one.

50% of the UK is covered by Virgin Media. That does not mean that everyone in the area uses it, but Virgin do have a very large user base.

 

[surferfromuk]

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 or the fact the printer worked for about a week when attached to it and they just look helpless. Which actually is what they always do when I go there.
Anyone actually had a "genius" solve anything?

Sounds like a ground loop to me. I'd get your earth checked out on your domestic electric supply or find a way to power everything from the same extension block ( sometimes works) or your gains are a mess or your stereo has a dirty circuit causing a loopback leak but seriously unlikely to be the Airport express.

 

[Shadow]

Ok guys so can I get Wireless N on my Macbook 2.16 Core 2 Duo??? If I can how do I enable it and where do I get it??? Thanks.

You may already have it. Open Network Utility in Applications/Utilities and select "Network Interface (en1)" from the drop-down menu. At the bottom if it says (emphasis mine):

Wireless Network Adapter (802.11 a/b/g/n)

then you have 802.11n. If not, you have 802.11g. If you have g, you can purchase an upgrade from Apple 🙂

 

[TheChemist]

Ok guys so can I get Wireless N on my Macbook 2.16 Core 2 Duo??? If I can how do I enable it and where do I get it??? Thanks.

C2D has the wireless-n feature. Question is, is the feature enabled?

Follow the steps that Shadow posted. If you don't see n listed, you probably just need to purchase the $2 enabler from apple.

If you had said it was a CD, then that requires some tweaking 😉

 

[EagerDragon]

Scanning, as well as printing, works over network with my Brother MFC-7820N. It is connected to Ethernet port of Airport Express. But there is the letter "N" in model number of course.

Well that is the big difference, connecting a combo printer to a Mac and sharing the printer over the network or using Airport (any flavor) with the printer connected, is not likely to provide the same rich functionality that a printer designed to be operated over the network.

Personally I prefer discreet components, in a combo if one component gives out, you basically need to replace the combo device. If they are separate devices, you just replace the scanner and there is no need to replace the trusty old printer. With the price of ink being what it is and the fact that the printer manufacturers keep changing the cartridges a lot of times, I like to use a printer until it runs into the ground and usually look for a replacement that uses the same cartridge if at all possible. I hate to trow away perfectly good and expensive ink.

 

[macornomac]

You may already have it. Open Network Utility in Applications/Utilities and select "Network Interface (en1)" from the drop-down menu. At the bottom if it says (emphasis mine):

then you have 802.11n. If not, you have 802.11g. If you have g, you can purchase an upgrade from Apple 🙂

Hmmm it looks like I already do have it. I thought I would have to buy it but I have it. Did it come with Leopard because thats the only thing I updated or maybe whenever I did some of the airport software updates. Hmmm.... for one thing I sure don't notice any speed differences haha.

 

[KramRevilo]

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?

If you're within a range that would have previously given you a 54 Mbps link with 802.11g and now you're using 802.11n (both client and AE) then you should be getting top-end link rates of up to 300 Mbps assuming that the AE with 802.11n supports a 3x3 antenna array and you're getting 3 concurrent spatial streams.

Be careful though - recall that a 54 Mbps link doesn't give you throughput of 54 Mbps - really only somewhere around 25 Mbps under 802.11a and more like 23.5 Mbps under 802.11g. So when 802.11n advertises 300 Mbps understand that you'll be getting measured throughput of 150 Mbps in IDEAL conditions (which is rare outside a lab).

Also, we have NO information about whether Apple's implementation of 802.11n includes several of the enhancements that allow a client to request and get additional airtime in order to boost throughput without suffering the traditional overhead for each packet.

In the end though your question really answers itself - you asked about web browsing. So, regardless of your WiFi throughput your ISP uplink/downlink speeds are most likey going to be the limiting factors, not your internal network speeds.

 

[Darkroom]

it would be nice if the Airport products were listed in the Buyer's Guide section, and other peripheral devices (IE Mighty Mouse) that apple makes...

 

[kas23]

This probably has been answered, but i need a more straight-foward answer. I have a PowerBook G4 with a 802.11b/g wireless card and my AE just died (how convenient!). The new 802.11n AE will work with my PB (but just not as fast as a true "n" enablled network)? Thanks.

 

[4np]

Finally; it's about time! I never upgraded to the Aiport Extreme as I always use airtunes and, stupid enough, the extreme is lacking airtunes functionality.

 

[theGAPkid]

Is there a list anywhere of all the compatible printers?

I have a HP C4180 in my room. Are you saying I could plug the USB cable into the airport express as opposed to my laptops port, and then my macbook, PC Desktop, and mums laptop could all print out from it.

The printer doesnt have to be wireless enabled does it? Is tht what the airport express does?

 

[bigandtasty]

"The printer doesnt have to be wireless enabled does it? Is tht what the airport express does?"


correct.

I am using a 5yr old printer with airport express and can print from all computers in my house, both windows and mac. It's awesome!

 

[Keebler]

I just wish that Apple would make the 10.5 Front Row actually work with the Airtunes feature on the Airport Express.

ditto on this one. as much as I love Apple..i'm p*ssed at them for not making this happen. I don't think it's an oversight either...it's a blatant attempt to force us to buy the appletv.

🙁

oh well...
i guess things could be worse 🙂

 

[Tamara]

Is there a list anywhere of all the compatible printers?

I have a HP C4180 in my room. Are you saying I could plug the USB cable into the airport express as opposed to my laptops port, and then my macbook, PC Desktop, and mums laptop could all print out from it.

The printer doesnt have to be wireless enabled does it? Is tht what the airport express does?

Don't know of a complete compatibility list, but I do know from experience at work that most new Epsons don't work with the Airport Express.

 

[spaceballl]

Man! I've been waiting for this!!!

 

[dopeytree]

C2D has the wireless-n feature. Question is, is the feature enabled?

Follow the steps that Shadow posted. If you don't see n listed, you probably just need to purchase the $2 enabler from apple.

If you had said it was a CD, then that requires some tweaking 😉

You only had to pay if you had tiger.

N is enabled in leopard for free because you paid for the os, tiger came out before the n draft was okayed

 

[Karvel]

As far as I recall, cable through Virgin is actually the biggest single way consumers get broadband in the UK. While more are getting it down their phone-line, Virgin have more subscribers than any other provider. Since they are about the only ones who don't provide a router with their modems, it is the most commonly asked for in our store. I guarantee you for every customer we have with ADSL wanting to buy a router, we have another with cable. Most of the ADSL ones also tend to be replacements as time goes on because more are providing them these days.

If Apple brought out a model with ADSL built in, it would be welcomed. If they brought out only this model, they would be incredibly stupid.

I don't understand this thread at all but regarding this post -- I have a Netgear ADSL router which I use to connect to my Tiscali broadband and is ethernet-connected to my iMac and then wirelessly to my MacBook. So does the Aiport Express NOT allow me to connect to Tiscali (or whatever) ADSL broadband?! So I would have to keep the crappy Netgear router if I were to buy an AE, but then what would be the point in buying one..?

(Hope this makes sense)

 

[bigjohn]

Um, faster printing?

 

[tirerim]

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?

Short answer: no. You won't see improved speeds at all for web browsing because your connection to the internet is already slower than your 802.11g connection to your wireless router. If you have FiOS or something similar, you might be getting close to the capacity of the 802.11g, but you still won't be exceeding it.

 

[CWallace]

I carry a Linksys WRT54GC with me now when I travel, but my friend has an Airport Express and it's slick. So with the new one getting 802.11n, I think it is time to grab one.