CNET Editor's rating: 6.9 out of 10
Reviewed by
Felisa Yang
Review date: 04/17/07
Release date: 01/10/07
The good: Dual-band support; IPv6 support; USB port allows easy networking of a USB printer or hard drive; supports WDS; WPA2 security; slick design.
The bad: No Gigabit Ethernet; Mac users on operating systems older than Mac OS X v.10.4.x are out of luck; offers only three LAN ports (most routers offer four); phone support is limited to 90 days; slower throughput than promised by 802.11n spec.
The bottom line: The Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station is a solid router that keeps up with the Draft N competition. Unfortunately, we've yet to test a Draft N router that lives up to the promise of 802.11n. As with the rest of the .11n routers we've tested, we advise you postpone your purchase until the spec is finalized.
Editor's note: We recently re-tested the Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station using the Mac version of IxChariot, the tool we normally use to test routers and network adapters. Please see the performance section for our updated results.
The new Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station is a wireless router based on the draft 802.11n wireless networking standard. At $180, it's on the expensive end of an already pricey group of routers such as the D-Link RangeBooster N 650 wireless router and Netgear WNR834B RangeMax Next Router, and it's based on an unfinalized wireless spec. As such, we're inclined to wait until the 11n spec is finalized (possibly some time this summer) before investing in the hardware, though it's likely that most draft 11n products will only need a simple firmware upgrade to conform to spec. Still, if you already have an AirPort-based wireless network and want to expand it, the AirPort Extreme isn't a bad buy. Its throughput speeds are in range of the competition's (though it lags), it offers a USB port for networking a printer or a hard drive, and it has features we haven't seen on routers before, such as the ability to assign specific IP addresses to devices.
Setup and ease of use
The AirPort Extreme Base Station is a compact little router that looks just like the Mac Mini and has almost the same dimensions. It's a 6.5-inch square that stands 1.3 inches tall. A single LED indicator light sits on the front edge, while the back edge houses a WAN port, three 10/100 LAN ports, and a USB port. Most routers offer four LAN ports, but no USB port. It's also one of the few routers to have no external antennas. An omission we noticed is that Apple doesn't support Gigabit Ethernet on the AirPort Extreme, a puzzling oversight, as new Mac PCs ship with Gigabit Ethernet these days.
The router is compatible with all Mac systems that have built-in 802.11n technology and those that are 802.11b/g/a-enabled. (If you're not using Mac OS X 10.4.x or later, you're out of luck with the AirPort Extreme.) In the newer systems that have 11n built in, the 11n connectivity is enabled during setup with the AirPort Extreme or by purchasing the enabler software from Apple's site for $1.99. Users of older systems that do not have 802.11n built in can connect to the AirPort Extreme, though at slower speeds. Windows users can use the installer CD that ships with the Base Station, though the minimum requirements include a 300MHz processor and Windows XP Home or Pro with Service Pack 2 installed.
Setting up the AirPort Extreme Base Station is a simple task. If you're using a compatible Mac system, simply connect the Base Station to your router via the WAN port using an Ethernet cable and power it up. In the Utilities folder, click on the AirPort setup utility to create a new wireless network and establish security settings. If you're using a PC to create a network or to join the newly created network, you'll first need to install the AirPort Utility from the included CD. Then navigate to the utility (Start > All Programs > AirPort) to enter the necessary information.
Security and Features
The Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station offers the same set of security features as most current routers. You can change your network name (SSID), which is recommended, and choose between WEP, WPA, and WPA2 security. The Base Station Extreme offers MAC address filtering and a NAT firewall. Finally, if you're concerned about your kids' Internet access, you can control their access by time. For example, you can limit access to only those hours when you are home. (Mac OS X allows for site blocking.)
The USB port on the back of the router can be used to attach a USB printer or a hard drive to be shared on the network. The setup guide walks you through the process to enable these features. The Apple AirPort Extreme and the D-Link RangeBooster N 650 wireless router are the only draft 11n routers we've seen that include a USB port, which is a nice touch.
The AirPort Extreme BaseStation includes some advanced functions but they're harder to find than on most routers. This is likely due to Apple's emphasis on ease of use. If you dig around in the utility, though, you can find some useful features (unfortunately, the included setup guide is of little help). For example, you can use the AirPort Extreme Base Station as a point in a wireless distribution system (WDS), where each point increases the spread of the wireless network. WDS requires using products from the same vendor (though not all products from a single vendor will necessarily interoperate), as there is no universal standard for implementing WDS.
Another feature is the ability to assign specific IP addresses to specific devices on your network. That way, if your router resets, you can still easily locate your devices. Apple also has future-proofed the AirPort Extreme by offering support for IPv6 addressing.
The AirPort Extreme also offers dual-band capability; that is, it can operate in the 2.4GHz band or the 5GHz band. The benefit of that option is that many common household devices--including cordless phones, microwave ovens, and baby monitors--operate in the 2.4GHz band, which can cause interference on your network. Also, the 5GHz band makes the Base Station 802.11a-compatible, though it's not compatible with 802.11b/g products. Keep in mind, though, that Mac PCs using older PowerPC processors operate only in the 2.4GHz band; Intel-based Macs can operate in either band.
Performance
Using IXIA's IxChariot console and Performance Endpoints for Macs, we recently retested the AirPort Extreme Base Station. Because the Extreme Base Station offers both 2.4GHz and 5GHz operation, we tested both bands. In the 2.4GHz band and in N-only mode, the Extreme Base Station scored 58.84Mbps at 10 feet (maximum throughput) and 37.48Mbps at 200 feet (long-range throughput). In mixed mode at 10 feet (with 11g and 11b clients on the network), it scored 13.72Mbps. In the 5GHz band in N-only mode, the Extreme Base Station scored 77.17Mbps at 10 feet and 58.47Mbps at 200 feet.
In the course of our normal testing, we test routers in their default mode, that is, we don't switch channels. However, we noticed that the scores we obtained using IxChariot were still lower than the scores other publications got for the AirPort Extreme Base Station. Curious, we did try switching channels and found that in our case, using channel 6 showed improved throughput--between 10Mbps to 15Mpbs faster than in default mode. For example, in 2.4GHz at 10 feet, testing in channel 6 gave us a throughput of 71.01Mbps and at 200 feet, channel 6 scored 45.50Mbps.
The Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station is within the range of performance we've seen from other draft 11n-based wireless routers. Unfortunately, all of the draft 11n routers we've tested fall well short of the promised speed improvements of 802.11n, widely advertised to be about 200Mbps. We're curious to see whether products based on the finalized spec will improve upon these speeds. Your mileage will vary, possibly depending on the "noisiness" of your environment, that is, how many wireless networks are active in your area.
Service and support
Apple backs the AirPort Extreme Base Station with a standard one-year support, though you can purchase an extended coverage plan. You get 90 days of complimentary, toll-free phone support. Apple's site offers FAQs, troubleshooting articles, user forums, and manual and software downloads.
(Originally posted on CNET Reviews)
10 out of 10 - Perfect Finally a N Network Device!
Great Device. I have had it for 1 week and it has been wonderful. No time to setup and it ...
Great Device. I have had it for 1 week and it has been wonderful. No time to setup and it was up and running in no time. This device has a far range. Anywhere I go in my house (6,000 SQ. FT) I have 4/4 bars on my Apple MacBook. My daughter has a Compaq Presario 2200 and always has great reception. Has worked wonderfully! Highly reccomended.
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by nicholasstauffer (see profile) -
February 17, 2007
7 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
6 out of 10 - Good Great range and speed, but other issues to consider
Range and speed are simply awesome with this router. However, two very troubling issues have soured my opinion of this ...
Range and speed are simply awesome with this router. However, two very troubling issues have soured my opinion of this routing. FIrst, there is no web interface to the router - I don't like that I have to install software on any machines that I want to be able to access the router from. Sorry to all the "apple can do no wrong" folks - but nothing beats the simplicity of a web browser to get to settings. The apple utility is slow and often confusing to navigate. Second, at this time (3/23/07) there are massive problems with VPN support. If you run any of the popular VPN clients, it most likely wont work due to a bug. The only solution supported right now is putting your PC into a DMZ - not a great solution. I'm sure I'll get used to the utility someday and Apple will fix the VPN issues - then I'll rate this a 9.5. Until then, 6.
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by mwindeler (see profile) -
March 26, 2007
5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Has gigabit ethernet now
Never needs resetting (minus firmware updates...) works with all my machines (mac and pc) perfectly. Speeds are faster than with ...
Never needs resetting (minus firmware updates...) works with all my machines (mac and pc) perfectly. Speeds are faster than with other draft 2.0 n routers.
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by Josh BSN (see profile) -
August 22, 2007
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Too good to be true
My son installed this product in about 20 minutes a week ago,on 4 laptops and one printer. The only ...
My son installed this product in about 20 minutes a week ago,on 4 laptops and one printer. The only glitch was his laptop would not print to the wireless printer. I looked at the IP address of printer and subbed it in for the Mac address on the printers port settings. Problem solved! While it is one of the more expensive wireless base stations, its efficiency, ease of setup, and consistent performance, make it worth it. Even the Apple update for this product, released last week, installed effortlessly, and caused no conflicts. The update is to fix any conflicts with the previous update. If you are tired of the traditional wireless routers, with their typical problems, give the Apple Airport a try. Though 2 of our 4 laptops are not Apples, and operate on 802.11g, I think they are faster on this base station, than on the old Netgear Pre N. And the Apple laptops on "n", are fast too. The claim is that if you have any "b" or "g" products, that they will slow the speeds down on the "n" products. Maybe they have, but I think it must be barely noticeable.
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by denalidog (see profile) -
June 14, 2007
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Wrong about 10.4
Cnet, please get your facts straight. Users of OS X versions below 10.4.x can still use the router, ...
Cnet, please get your facts straight. Users of OS X versions below 10.4.x can still use the router, so they are not "out of luck". 10.4.x is only required for setup and administration.
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by OscarWeb (see profile) -
April 20, 2007
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Reliable & Consistent w/ some express issues
I recently purchased after surviving for many years with linksys WRT54G. I also had a purchased an Airport Express over ...
I recently purchased after surviving for many years with linksys WRT54G. I also had a purchased an Airport Express over year ago to stream iTunes. I have a PC desktop and two PC laptops, one G and another dell draft N.
Set up of the actual extreme base station was simple enough. I did miss the web interface vs installing software, but not enough to effect rating. I didn't run into any major problems with software.
I routinely get between 110-140 connections with my dell draft n laptop. The G stays pegged @ 54 around most of my house. The wired connection to my desktop seems more stable to me. Web pages load more consistently.
I ran into problems with the airport express. I purchased a second airport express along with the base station. I had a very hard time connecting to the express using the new software even though it showed up. It asked for a password. I entered "public" no luck. reset tried again. no luck.Numerous resets and much fiddleing lead me to this work around:
Connected Express directly(wired)to linksys router with no security while extreme was still plugged into cable modem w/ power. accessed express via express software. Set up parameters according to extreme base station. updated. then both express showed up in the extreme "airport utility" software. I was then able to set up easily with such things as WDS, etc. under the manual menu heading.
Once I overcame this small hurdle, the express worked with the extreme far better than previously router and accomplish the functionality I was looking for at a high degree of quality and reliability.
I attribute most of these express problem to my inexperience and depth of knowledge regarding routers/networking, thus i still give it a 9. Over all I think you get what you pay for. An excellent, well performing router.Like many mac products, it just plain works.
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by froaderick (see profile) -
April 19, 2007
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
8 out of 10 - Excellent Apple-Style, "Just Works", yet with some problems
Although the 802.11n hasn't been finalized, Apple's new AirPort Extreme 802.11n base station is a very ...
Although the 802.11n hasn't been finalized, Apple's new AirPort Extreme 802.11n base station is a very impressive device.
Good things about this unit... 802.11a/b/g/draft-n wireless protocols broadcasting at 2.4gHz or 5gHz, application-based configuration rather then web based. Very straight forward settings. NAT and VPN passthru has better performance and throughput then others, among very easy to understand settings. Functions such as DHCP LAN-address reservation, MAC filters even a wireless clients count/signal strength logs.
Very flexible operating mode settings. You can use it as a standard router with extendable (or not-extendable) wireless network; or you can set it up as an extention of an existing wireless network. Even extend the base station as a switch/AP.
With the integrated USB port you can hook up an external storage device such as an USB hard drive, or a printer, EVEN a HUB with multiple USB storages and printers! With the Bonjour protocol all these devices can be shared over the network.
Now about the problems... the USB sharing doesn't work as well as it should be. Certain hard drives won't be reconized or having problem operating it. Printers, not all of them are supported and many times it'll drop and the device is simply gone even the device is turned on and plugged in.
Certain devices have issues with the wireless network such as drops, communication errors. However sometimes it's simply a defected device and settings problem.
Lack of gigabyte LAN, and 3 LAN ports rather then 4. Does not support UPnP protocol.
Overall, it's a pretty impressive device. If you know what you are doing, and have a prett good idea what you want to to. Although the price tag is a bit scary but consider the performance is good, setting is easy and it simply, work. Of course we expect Apple fix certain problems in the future firmware updates.
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by Steve Du (see profile) -
February 28, 2007
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
10 out of 10 - Perfect Get one if you can
I have had this router for two weeks now. setup was a breeze and took less than 20 minutes. I ...
I have had this router for two weeks now. setup was a breeze and took less than 20 minutes. I had an old b router which was fine but this one increased my speed by 2.5 times as measured on the cnet speed test meter. My son just got a wii nintendo system and it recognized the router and in less than five minutes he was online with the wii. I also attached a canon printer and it is printing flawlessly from both computers anywhere in my home. my strong recommendation is if you can find one get one especially if you have an older router.
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by technomage (see profile) -
February 18, 2007
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
8 out of 10 - Excellent Solid Router, Some Setup Issues WIth Airport Express
I just upgraded from the Airport Express. The Extreme is noticably better in performance and the additional ports are a ...
I just upgraded from the Airport Express. The Extreme is noticably better in performance and the additional ports are a welcome relief.
I had two issues related to the software for PC.
1.) The AExtreme Admin utility did not recognize that I had an Airport express already installed on my machine, and until I realized it was an issue, it didn't work. Easy enough to fix, but it seems like the software would handle the shift for me.
2.) The software itself is clunky. The setup wizard gets about 3 steps in, then won't go any further when you press continue. There aren't any errors and all information was entered correctly. I eventually just clicked on Manual Install in the file menu, and got everything completed myself.
Though the software for my previous Airport Express was better (much better), I am pleased with this device and would recommend it. Despite the issues above, it was still a bit easier to setup than a previous Linksys and Microsoft branded router that I had.
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by vinceford (see profile) -
March 11, 2007
1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
10 out of 10 - Perfect Best in its class! Stable, Practical, Worth Every Penny!
I have used many other brands of wireless routers in the past 6 to 8 years. This router is by ...
I have used many other brands of wireless routers in the past 6 to 8 years. This router is by far the best in its class. Before this one, I had tried Linksys WRT600N but stability failed miserably on that one. The Apple Extreme Base Station N is stable and the range is unbelievable compare to its peers in other brands. I have a stationary wireless Netgear print server on the net work which the web GUI has a signal strength meter. When I used Linksys WRT600N dual band router, the maximum signal is at 81% within 20 feet away from the router through 1 wall. With the Apple Extreme Base Station N it is at 99% 40 feet away. Amazing piece of technology, simply amazing. If you have a Airport Express, wireless sending music anywhere in your house is a piece of cake.
However, it lacks Dynamic DNS service support. But it can be easily solved with a installed client solution. configuration has to be done using a software client but it not bad.
1 x Network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45 ( WAN ),
1 x USB - 4 pin USB Type A,
3 x Network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45,
1 x Network - Radio-Ethernet
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