|
|
Apple AirPort Extreme (draft-802.11n)Product SummaryApple's revamped Wi-Fi router boasts dual-band draft-802.11n, printer and hard disk sharing, and unique features like one-time guest access. |
|
Explore this product:
Product Summary
|
JiWire's Review
|
Compare Prices
|
Specifications
|
![]()
|
| By Becky Waring (Updated 4/28/07) |
Email a Friend Save to My JiWire
del.icio.us
|
Likes
Dual-band 802.11n support, very good 5GHz performance, printer & hard disk sharing, one-time guest access, easy setup, WDS support, IPv6 support, DHCP reservations.
Dislikes
No gigabit Ethernet support, no wide-channel 2.4GHz 802.11n mode, insecure hard disk sharing, disappointing 5GHz range, just one indicator light, no Web configuration tool, unreliable AirDisk and printer connections.
Good for
Mac-centric networks with shared printers and/or AppleTV, and mostly wireless clients.
Bad for
Windows-centric networks, heavy local network transfer environments, and those with a number of gigabit wired clients.
More online reviews
Macintouch "Optimally configured, AirPort Extreme 802.11n provides amazing wireless speed, if you have 802.11n client hardware (available in most of Apple's recent Macs). For best performance, we recommend running the wireless network in 5GHz, n-only mode, and keeping older 802.11b/g clients on a separate wireless nework (perhaps using an AirPort Express, currently $88 at Amazon, connected to the AirPort 802.11n base station's LAN port). Overall, we feel the AirPort Extreme 802.11n base station is an excellent choice for new networks. Poor NAT speed limits the network topology, and performance is limited when supporting previous "b" and "g" standards, but the new Apple base station provides best in class wireless performance with easy configuration and valuable features. "
Ars Technica "In the past, it was hard to justify the expense of an AirPort router when it didn't come with more than a single LAN port and had few features you couldn't get in a $20 wireless router. Now that Apple has included the extra ports, the Bonjour features of the Express models, and the unique (to Apple's line) feature of seamless network-attached storage, I'm happy with my purchase. That said, at $179 the AirPort Extreme is priced as much as $50 more than other draft-compliant 802.11n routers that offer similar functionality, and if you don't need AirPort Disk, you can get an 802.11n router for half the price."
| Wireless Networks Supported | 802.11b, 802.11g, draft-802.11n |
| Max Wireless Throughput | 270Mbps (stated as 5X 802.11g) |
| Max Range | Absolute range not given. Stated as 2X 802.11g |
| Radio Frequency | 2.4GHz with 20MHz channels or 5GHz with 40MHz-wide channels |
| Encryption Algorithms Supported | 64/128-bit WEP and WPA/WPA2 with Radius, 802.1X, PEAP, LEAP, TTLS, TLS, and FAST support |
| Features | Switching, NAT, DHCP support, SPI Firewall protection, VPN passthrough, MAC address filtering, port forwarding, DMZ, timed-access controls, remote management, event logging, USB printer & hard disk support, one-time guest access, Bonjour support, IPv6, DNS Proxy, SNMP. |
| Wired Networking Ports | 4 10/100 Base-T Ethernet autosensing (including WAN port) |







