Digital Trends

Apple AirPort Extreme

February 4th, 2007 | by Jason Tomczak

Conclusion

The new AirPort Extreme base station looks awesome and has a useful USB port for connecting printers and drives. Signal strength and wireless range are stellar. The overall results in computer-to-computer data transfer tests show that the 802.11n protocol, at least with this AirPort Extreme, come close to half the speeds of wired networks. That's an impressive feat. Major kudos to Apple for these positive points!

The AirPort Disk performance was less impressive. I figured this would be one of the strongest points, but it was the weakest point of all.

Additionally, the 2x boost in average Internet speeds made me very happy. If this wireless router can enhance speeds for other Mac users, there will be a lot of satisfied folks across the nation.

If you want a router with 802.11n protocol that's friendly to both Mac and PCs, is easy to set up and maintain, and operates at near-wired speeds, the AirPort Extreme is a great choice. If you need flawless n speeds all the time and you intend to use the AirPort Disk USB 2.0 drive for massive data transfers, the AirPort Extreme may be a good choice, but it'd be prudent to weigh other options before buying.

If you have an opportunity to test the AirPort Extreme prior to purchase (bring your new MacBook or MacBook Pro down to your local Apple store), I'd recommend doing so. You'll get a feel for the real-world performance and how valuable it can be to you.


Pros:

• Sleek design
• Amazing wireless distances & signal strength
• Potential boost of cable/DSL Internet speeds
• 802.11n provides better security & potential speeds
• USB 2.0 port for AirPort Disks & printers
• Works with both Macs and PCs

Cons:

• Hefty $179 price tag
• Sluggish AirPort Disk speeds on local wireless network
• Only 3 ethernet ports
• Requires an ‘N’ compatible NIC card to faster speeds