Wireless Setup Question: Airport Express or New Airport Extreme?

[Mac21ND]

I currently have a 2008 Airport Extreme. I'd like to better extend the network within my house.

Should I:

1) Buy an Airport Express for $99 and use it as a repeater along with my current 2008 model.

2) Buy a new Airport Extreme for $199 and use the existing 2008 model as a repeater.

Outside of saving $$$, is the new Airport Extreme worth it for a home with two iPhone 5's, iPad 2, 2008 iMac, and a PC.

Thanks.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

If you have one purchased in 2008 it's probably a model A1143. Later models added dual-band support plus greatly improved range, so I'd suggest buying the new Extreme. Try it out, it may do the job without using an extender - but if necessary you can extend using your old A1143.

 

[Youngesttim]

I just purchased a new AirPort Extreme and had planned to use my 2 year old AirPort Extreme to extend network, in a 2,200 square foot one story home.


After setting it up, I now get decent signal on other side of house where previously I did not. Might just keep older one for backup, or play around with setting it up to extend network to see what happens, however, I don't think I need to though.

The new one is snappier...and worth the upgrade for me- 3 iPad, 2 iPhone, Apple TV, PC, 2 Macbook home.

 

[opinio]

I agree with both posts above, but just want to add that you get a gigabit switch as well if you use the old AE as an extender as the express only has T100 and one port. So get the new AE and use the old as an extender, preferably by CAT6 cabling if possible.

 

[Mac21ND]

Thanks all - I purchased the Airport Extreme last night. You were all right... range is significantly better, so I really don't need the extender. Speed is much, much faster.

 

[Youngesttim]

After new update to Airport Utility...

much easier now

 

[apro]

will the new extreme airport work with the imacs?

because the new extreme have 802.11ac and imac have the "old" 802.11n (?). Should i wait for the new imac or is that backward compatible if i can say so?

 

[FreakinEurekan]

will the new extreme airport work with the imacs?

because the new extreme have 802.11ac and imac have the "old" 802.11n (?). Should i wait for the new imac or is that backward compatible if i can say so?

The new Extreme is backwards compatible to all Macs. It supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac.