Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station Expert Reviews

Let's play a word game. I'll give a description, and you'll say the first thing that comes to mind. Ready? Porcelain-white, minimalist, 802.11n, some nifty features, others that are inexplicably missing, a tad overpriced at $179 direct. "Sounds like ...

Simultaneous dual-band operation. Guest-network capability. Can extend wireless range. Performs well at long distances. Printer, hard-drive sharing

Inadequate firewall. Only three LAN ports. Inconvenient LAN link-status lights

This is a solid wireless router for all-Mac and mixed Windows/Mac networks. But if you run all Windows (or any flavor of Linux), you can get better features for less money.

The 2009 version of the AirPort Extreme Base Station packs in a ton of features, as well as speed, into a small, reasonably priced package. If you’re looking to replace your current Wi-Fi router, you can’t go wrong with the AirPort Extreme. If you ...

Setup is dead simple ; good range and coverage ; simultaneous dual-band ensures all devices get the fastest connection possible ; works with latest versions of Windows ; backward compatible with any Wi-Fi device

Only three switched Ethernet ports ; external power adaptor adds bulk

There are two different kinds of newness in the Airport Extreme: firmware (software) and hardware. On the firmware front, Apple has added the ability to connect over the Internet to any drive plugged into the USB port on the back of the AirPort ...

Apple's Airport Extreme router boasts some nice features, including support for wireless range extension and USB drive/printer sharing. But you must decide whether to operate it in 2.4-GHz or 5-GHz mode.

Good dual-band (2.4-GHz/5-GHz) 802.11n speed, USB printer/drive sharing, Wi-Fi range extension

Can't support simultaneous 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz nets, No UPnP or DDNS support ; setup software required

Setup requires Windows or Mac software (there's no Web interface). But Apple's software simplifies the task of turning the AirPort into an access point

Apple's revised AirPort Extreme, introduced at Macworld Expo in January, offers several new features and significant improvements in wireless networking speed and reliability. Whether it is worth the upgrade price to move on up to the new 802.11n ...

Competitively priced, slim, solidly designed hardware ; Excellent AirPort Utility software ; Simple and easy to use network disk and printer sharing features ; Offers a big boost in wireless speed and coverage ; Built in switch for wired Ethernet ...

Lacks AirPort Express' AirTunes for wireless music distribution ; Lacks Gigabit Ethernet ; Products and companies mentioned in this review ; Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station ; D-Link ; Quicker Tek return to previous page

Essentially, the new AirPort Extreme adds a some useful new hardware features, offers much faster wireless speed and improved coverage, and delivers a solid upgrade in software ease of use. For users interested in upgrading to the new wireless-n ...

We don't recommend it for those with lots of older wireless equipment, but if you're exclusively Mac or have newer Mac and Windows computers and devices sharing a network, consider the AirPort Extreme.

Most elegant router ever ; nice feature improvements over previous model ; fast, easy setup ; software for both Macs and Windows PCs

Comparatively expensive ; like all current 802.11n equipment, mixed mode doesn't deliver top performance ; must reboot for changed settings to take effect

Speed up your Wi-Fi to the 802.11nth degree.

Fast setup. Mac and PC compatible. Fastest Wi-Fi standard (802.11n) is built in ; Bonjour utility doesn't preload all printer drivers for printer sharing

Bonjour utility doesn't preload all printer drivers for printer sharing

. In our tests, the AirPort Extreme's much-hyped capability to operate on the 5GHz spectrum didn't pan out. But the fact that 802.11n is built in sends it to the head of the pack, allowing throughput rates that equaled the speeds we got with a wired ...

Superb 802.11n throughput and easy setup make for an amazing dual-band Apple router.

Very fast dual-band throughput, • USB port for disk sharing

No Gigabit Ethernet, Supported Protocols: 802.11x, PEAP, LEAP, TTLS, TLS, FAST, , , , , , , Wonder of wonders: Apple has a new dual-band 802.11n router. One of the first companies to release 802.11b and 802.11g products, Apple carries its understated ...

Apple's recently-released AirPort Extreme Base Station represents a thorough overhaul and re-packaging of the previous AirPort Extreme model. The new model is packed with enhanced features,...

Sleek design ; good wireless range and stability ; integrated USB 2.0 port

Hefty price ; sluggish AirPort Disk speeds ; only 3 ethernet ports

A neatly packaged, high-speed router that's based on the 802.11n draft

Slick design ; good performance ; useful USB port

No Web browser management ; USB disc performance could be improved ; no Gigabit Ethernet ports

The Airport Extreme boasts impressive wireless range and fast data transfer speeds. We also loved the USB port that lets you share printers and drives among computers on your network. It lacks Gigabit Ethernet ports, though, and the set-up utility ...