New Airport Extreme? Worth It? ...turns out Oh Yes!

[JacobBoehme]

Secondly, the new airport extreme won't make your ipad run any faster because the iPad used N wireless protocol on both the old and new extremes.

The new Airport-Extreme uses 1/4 wave antennas, whereas the 5th generation uses 5/16 wave.

Any antenna that comes closer to 1/1 on the frequency, has more acute loebing in harmonic to the frequency, hence the 6 antennas inside the new extreme which output not only more power, but higher directability that is part of Yagi antenna waveform geometry.

As a ham radio operator with extensive studies in antenna diagrammatic loebing (Yagi beamforming), this alone creates better signal reception and reciprocally faster reception.

My Ipad 4 application for wifi strength test, has tested 180 milliwatts higher reception on the new extreme compared to the older 5th generation extreme.

I do not know why you have said this statement, but it is incorrect. My tested reception is 24% faster on the new extreme.

A poster and wifi expert on Mactrast.com has written about this fact on faster Ipad reception, thereby impelling me to purchase the new extreme.

I humbly suggest you research this fact before saying something untrue.

humble regards

 

[techn0lady]

The new Airport-Extreme uses 1/4 wave antennas, whereas the 5th generation uses 5/16 wave.

Point taken

 

[jmpage2]

Well I'm gonna wait till SmallNetBuilder does their review in the next few weeks. Running a Netgear R6300 802.11ac now and its wifi range is very good - throughput just OK.

I'm curious what SmallNetBuilder has to say also, but they've pretty much always bashed every Apple wireless product as being over-priced and unimpressive.

Ironically many of the devices they "like" have infantile firmware that is garbage and get abandoned by Netgear, Linksys, etc, just months after release.

Soooooo.... I don't put much stock into what SmallNet has to say any longer.

My only issue with the new AC is that Apple still doesn't allow for user tunable QoS on their routers, and I would like to have this for my home voice-over-ip services.

 

[MasterTick]

The new Airport-Extreme uses 1/4 wave antennas, whereas the 5th generation uses 5/16 wave.

Any antenna that comes closer to 1/1 on the frequency, has more acute loebing in harmonic to the frequency, hence the 6 antennas inside the new extreme which output not only more power, but higher directability that is part of Yagi antenna waveform geometry.

As a ham radio operator with extensive studies in antenna diagrammatic loebing (Yagi beamforming), this alone creates better signal reception and reciprocally faster reception.

My Ipad 4 application for wifi strength test, has tested 180 milliwatts higher reception on the new extreme compared to the older 5th generation extreme.

I do not know why you have said this statement, but it is incorrect. My tested reception is 24% faster on the new extreme.

A poster and wifi expert on Mactrast.com has written about this fact on faster Ipad reception, thereby impelling me to purchase the new extreme.

I humbly suggest you research this fact before saying something untrue.

humble regards

Thank you for your post. It's nice to see actual facts and not someone who thinks they know what the hell they're talking about.

 

[whsbuss]

I'm curious what SmallNetBuilder has to say also, but they've pretty much always bashed every Apple wireless product as being over-priced and unimpressive.

Ironically many of the devices they "like" have infantile firmware that is garbage and get abandoned by Netgear, Linksys, etc, just months after release.

Soooooo.... I don't put much stock into what SmallNet has to say any longer.

My only issue with the new AC is that Apple still doesn't allow for user tunable QoS on their routers, and I would like to have this for my home voice-over-ip services.

Point well taken. I'm running Netgear R6300 and its becoming unstable at times requiring reboots. It just interesting to read reviews however subjective.

 

[brand]

I'm curious what SmallNetBuilder has to say.....I don't put much stock into what SmallNet has to say

Um, ok.

 

[ThemacNub]

What file transfer speeds are you guys getting with then new airport? Im currently transfering files at around 4mb/s from an iMac to MBA with a billion 7800n over wireless N. What sort of speeds should I expect if I was to get one of the new Airport extremes?

 

[meistervu]

Much better that my D-Link DR-825

I replaced my D-Link DR-825 with a new Time Capsule AC today. I used to get around 7 Mb/s down and 7 MB/s up with my MBPr. Now it is 30Mb/s down and 10Mb/s up.

This is not definitive because my connection speed fluctuates from time to time, but overall I think it is definitively faster. Web pages load noticeably faster.

 

[jmpage2]

Um, ok.

Way to take a couple of snippets of a much larger segment and use it to try to lambast someone. You should work for Fox News.

The point being made (that I think most upright humans figured out) is that SNB does "good" work in the sense that they do completely valid tests of radio performance and wi-fi throughput with a device, but they put very little stock into evaluating how well a wireless router is supported, how well bugs are fixed, how solid the firmware is (periodic reboots needed, etc).

SNB have been extremely critical of Apple products as I said, BUT they still do have some valid data to provide, even if they have an extremely short sighted view of the value of a product or its longevity via FW updates.

 

[steve knight]

Just bought one today. Very happy with the speed improvements to my wireless N devices.

I was getting 22MB/s on the last gen

Now I'm getting 30+ MB/s on the new gen

I don't know how you can really test it. I get this on my 5th gen but it can vary so it is hard to really test I think.

 

[drsox]

Way to take a couple of snippets of a much larger segment and use it to try to lambast someone. You should work for Fox News.

The point being made (that I think most upright humans figured out) is that SNB does "good" work in the sense that they do completely valid tests of radio performance and wi-fi throughput with a device, but they put very little stock into evaluating how well a wireless router is supported, how well bugs are fixed, how solid the firmware is (periodic reboots needed, etc).

SNB have been extremely critical of Apple products as I said, BUT they still do have some valid data to provide, even if they have an extremely short sighted view of the value of a product or its longevity via FW updates.

I think that reflects the mission of SNB and generally their results are worth reading. They don't do much Apple kit testing as there are very few Apple offerings in their range of product interest. So when they do do one, it's not with any bias for or against (IMO).

 

[weckart]

Didn't take long for OP and JacobBoehme to get a taste of the ban stick.

 

[drsox]

Didn't take long for OP and JacobBoehme to get a taste of the ban stick.

Yes, but for what ?

Anyway, based on this thread I ordered one too. Monday it will arrive.

 

[SpyderBite]

I'm going to wait and see how the Almond+ I funded on Kickstarter performs before I upgrade my 5th gen AE. If its a flop, I'll get the 6th gen.. But if it turns out to be the marvel they developers claim it will be, then I will save $99 and have a router superior to the newest AE.

 

[Serban]

so guys...does this new router worth? i mean i have a d-link for over 3 years and i am happy with it, but i would love to have almost the speed from my provider and that i got only with cable, with wifi i get around 20-25Mbs

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

Way to take a couple of snippets of a much larger segment and use it to try to lambast someone. You should work for Fox News.

Where is my job offer!?

 

[darster]

so guys...does this new router worth? i mean i have a d-link for over 3 years and i am happy with it, but i would love to have almost the speed from my provider and that i got only with cable, with wifi i get around 20-25Mbs

I have the 4th generation airport extreme. My cable service provides a 60 Mbs download and 10 Mbs upload. The 4th generation extreme provides that to all my devices without a problem.

 

[Serban]

what the hell...you have the same performance between wireless and wired?
Maybe you have the device next to the router. I have at least 5-6 m between the devices

 

[darster]

what the hell...you have the same performance between wireless and wired?
Maybe you have the device next to the router. I have at least 5-6 m between the devices

My devices are in different rooms. And I get the same speeds, whether wired or wireless. In fact, my imac is downstairs, and I get close to 60 Mbs download speeds via wifi. My ipad and iphone 5 also have speeds that fast through the house. Plus I have my ATV3, ROKU and OPPO hooked up via ethernet.

 

[Tenashus1]

Having just recently purchased an Airport Extreme, 5th generation from my Apple Store, I was fortunate in being able to exchange it for this latest version. I have no ac devices so I am unable to speak about that. I live in a one story, 1100 sq. ft. home. So far, I am not seeing any whopping speed differences between the 5th generation AE, and the new one. Admittedly, I've just been on the internet for a few minutes after an incredibly easy and swift setup. Well, I risked $21 in the exchange so hopefully I will come to see an improvement in performance. So far, it's on a par with my former AE. Range was not an issue before, so I certainly do not expect any change in that respect.

 

[whsbuss]

Having just recently purchased an Airport Extreme, 5th generation from my Apple Store, I was fortunate in being able to exchange it for this latest version. I have no ac devices so I am unable to speak about that. I live in a one story, 1100 sq. ft. home. So far, I am not seeing any whopping speed differences between the 5th generation AE, and the new one. Admittedly, I've just been on the internet for a few minutes after an incredibly easy and swift setup. Well, I risked $21 in the exchange so hopefully I will come to see an improvement in performance. So far, it's on a par with my former AE. Range was not an issue before, so I certainly do not expect any change in that respect.

Interesting, but its as expected IMO. I have a Netgear 802.11ac router and its not any faster than an N-router. It does have a bit better 5Ghz range. However the recent firmware is a bit unstable. I see that Microcenter has the 5th Gen AE for $149 which is a good deal. Since I need an AP downstairs I may just grab 2 Gen5 AEs, one upstairs one downstairs, and connect them via powerline ethernet.

 

[darster]

Having just recently purchased an Airport Extreme, 5th generation from my Apple Store, I was fortunate in being able to exchange it for this latest version. I have no ac devices so I am unable to speak about that. I live in a one story, 1100 sq. ft. home. So far, I am not seeing any whopping speed differences between the 5th generation AE, and the new one. Admittedly, I've just been on the internet for a few minutes after an incredibly easy and swift setup. Well, I risked $21 in the exchange so hopefully I will come to see an improvement in performance. So far, it's on a par with my former AE. Range was not an issue before, so I certainly do not expect any change in that respect.

In most cases, if your current router is giving you wifi speeds that your internet provider advertises, then you won't see any faster speeds with a new router. However, you may get better stability and/or range with the new extreme. My current 4th generation AEBS does well inside the house, but poorly the minute I step outside. Since my current backup drive is old, and not very reliable, I may end up getting the new TC.

 

[jmpage2]

I just bought the new AE. For me the primary reason was channel bonding between 2.4 and 5ghz that my current router does not support. I have a big home network and want max transfer speeds between NAS and wireless clients.

New AE is nice but not noticing real speed improvements. Speed drops off quickly on iPhone 5 and iPad Mini if even 25+ feet away from the base station.

Annoyed by inability to set DynDNS, QoS or see all connected clients. Paid $180 for it with company discount so will probably keep it but not particularly impressed.

 

[FrancoisC]

…or see all connected clients.

True, you can see all the wireless client, but not the wired, just tested.

 

[John Kotches]

If people are really interested in testing throughput differential the best test is one that is not constrained by the WAN speed.

Speed test has a freeware tool that I installed on my Mac mini. I can push it into the 900 Mbit range on the wired network. I get in the 50Mbit range on wireless n (non apple gear).

I'm looking to upgrade at some point, but not immediately.