Apple Airport Extreme - owner reviews & thoughts

[esm]

Thinking of getting one for home use, mainly for Wi-Fi connection for Apple products and streaming movies via Internet TV and Blue Ray players.

Thoughts and suggestions?

how easy is it to install and setup?

thanks. :D

[Pix]

Plug and play....just set up a password.

[77T]

Its a good choice if you like plug and play.

If you want to do some advanced networking to a home storage network later or other network functions - then maybe get a Cisco wifi router. It will still do the basics and can be easily set-up with the included software wizard. Plus it will do the advanced stuff, too, when you need it.

[SaddleSC]

I have an Airport Extreme. Piece of cake to set up...truly plug and play. I highly recommend it. Works great, fast speeds, no issues whatsoever.

[dsio]

I've got a current Time Capsule and a current AirPort Extreme, both have a few issues, DNS server fails on the time cap periodically requiring a reboot and if you have enough wireless devices on 5Ghz it can crash.

1000% better than the average Taiwanese designed, Chinese manufactured rubbish on hte market though.

[Ebruner]

I have 2, love them both. No issues and have been using for years.

-Eddie

[BarkMaster]

Be sure to update to the most currently available firmware (7.6 - see below). This is especially important if your unit is running 5.0.x or 5.1.x (many years old).

This is for security reasons; not usability.

Available here: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1471

Release notes: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5005

[esm]

Thanks guys.

What kind of gain will I get over an approx 3 years old ISP provided router, which I suspect is causing the problem for my movie streaming (connect stability & speed me thinks).

[dalip]

I was thinking about getting a time capsule Eric. I'm pretty new to these devices but doesn't that do the same thing and act as a mass storage device also... Enabling you to have your apple devices back up wirelessly through time machine?

I have a good wireless modem so was wondering what other advantages would be over that??

[esm]

Originally Posted by dalip

I was thinking about getting a time capsule Eric. I'm pretty new to these devices but doesn't that do the same thing and act as a mass storage device also... Enabling you to have your apple devices back up wirelessly through time machine?

I have a good wireless modem so was wondering what other advantages would be over that??

Good idea about the TC. Just read some of the reviews in Apple Store and it seems like an unreliable product. There are many cases where it'd fail within about 18 months - that can't be good/reliable as a back up system....

I'm happy with my MBP time machine routines ATM.... So the airport extreme is probably all I need

[bayerische]

They are excellent.

If you have need for backups, I would recommend the Time capsule. It has a built in server grade HDD and the same Airport extreme.

This also works by using the Airport extreme and plug in a USB HDD to the AE. But a bit fiddly to set up compared to the P&P of the Time capsule.

[rr-nyc]

If you have any Mac(s), a Time Capsule is an excellent choice. I have a 1tb that provides trouble free wireless as well as seamless backups. Restoring from them or accessing deleted files makes it the best backup program available. You can also add additional drives if needed

[esm]

Thanks.

What happens if the server grade HD fails in the TC... Can it be rescued/recovered and will the Airport Extreme bit inside the TC still function with a failed HD?

It is def a trouble free back up system and I would feel safer knowing it is actually going to function well for a longer period of time.

At the moment I have two separate external HDs to use as time machine for both of my MBPs.

[bayerische]

Originally Posted by esm

Thanks.

What happens if the server grade HD fails in the TC... Can it be rescued/recovered and will the Airport Extreme bit inside the TC still function with a failed HD?

It is def a trouble free back up system and I would feel safer knowing it is actually going to function well for a longer period of time.

At the moment I have two separate external HDs to use as time machine for both of my MBPs.

Well, I'm not sure... But it's replaceable.

The way it works, it backs up your computer, hourly, daily, weekly and monthly. So if you trow away a file that you needed, just go back in the "timeline" in the folder you had your file, until you see the file, click "restore" and your deleted file is back in your folder again! It really is like magic.

Even if the HD in the TC was to fail, the only danger is in your Computer HD and the TC HD would fail at the same time, which is quite unlikely.

If the TC HD fails, get a new HD, and do the backup again. Putting files NOT on your Computer HD onto the TC is no point, as it leaves them unprotected to a HD crash.

Files not on your back-upped computer is best stored on a RAID drive.

[bayerische]

The TC has a USB connector, so you can connect it to a RAID USB HD. Good if you want to store movies, pics etc that takes a lot of unnecessary space on your computer, and you can easily access these files through the TC.

[dalip]

Excellent advice here. On my way into the apple store shortly to investigate further and probably pick one up.

[Scotes]

Yes to the Airport Extreme. I've had good lim with them over the years and for most it will do just fine. While things like setting up port mapping is a little hinky compared to some of the other units out there from the like of Dlink, Cisco, and such the overall setup is very easy.

The Time Capsule on the other hand I would not recommend. First generation units had an issue with their internal power supply usually right around the 18 month mark and mine did but Apple was good about replacing it with a newer generation model. The newer ones don't have this issue BUT the hard drive is not user replaceable. So when the TC goes belly up with a still working drive in it there is no easy way to get to it to pull the data off of it.

I would recommend using an Airport Extreme and then tethering a drive to it via its USB port to use as the Time Machine drive. Alternatively you could hook a Network Attached Storage device to an AE or other wifi router that can act as a Time Machine drive. I presently have a NAS from Synology hooked up to my TC and that hold all my music, movies, assorted crap, and acts as my TM drive. This way if the server goes I can easily pull the drive and put it in another enclosure to pull anything I need off. I do not use the TC for any TM backups.

[dalip]

Just picked up a Time Capsule -

Easy as to connect to my network - backing up right now. Have found it to create separate folders also for all my movies etc...and all done wirelessly. Awesome stuff so far.

[daveathall]

I have a TC for backup. Superb bit of kit.

[CashGap]

Don't miss the app that allows you to setup nearly all configurations using just iPhone or iPad.

Though as 77T points out, advanced configurations will require the use of a Mac or PC and the included Airport configuration utility. Few users will go there.

I've been using three Airport Extremes since launch date and really like them.

[eric23]

I use to have one but it had some issues with my PC's, My Mac's worked fine on it.

[tattooedfagin]

great bit of kit, easy to set up too.

[esm]

Originally Posted by dalip

Just picked up a Time Capsule -

Easy as to connect to my network - backing up right now. Have found it to create separate folders also for all my movies etc...and all done wirelessly. Awesome stuff so far.

Dalip - can you advise if you were on 2.4GHz (via the old router/modem) and did you get onto 5GHz with the TC on your MBP?

[TSW]

Apple = Plug and play

Have had my Apple Extreme for three or four years without a problem and a pair of Airport Express for six years without a problem.

So far i haven't really needed a TC as i got several hard drives connected to my Airport Extreme and one to my Mac Mini as well.

[RedBaronF2001]

I've had two different models of Airport Extremes over years and they have proven to be reliable. I only recently upgraded to a newer model so that I could enjoy a little more throughput.

While they don't have the settings menus that many tweakers are looking for, they are truly a "set it and forget it" product.

I recommend them

[CashGap]

Originally Posted by RedBaronF2001

I've had two different models of Airport Extremes over years and they have proven to be reliable. I only recently upgraded to a newer model so that I could enjoy a little more throughput.

While they don't have the settings menus that many tweakers are looking for, they are truly a "set it and forget it" product.

I recommend them

Actually, everything they are seeking is there. It's just not "out front" since the casual user doesn't need a great deal of configurability.

Port mapping, IPV6, SNMP logging and remote logging, DHCP, LDAP, wireless configurability, multicasting, etc. Note that some of this requires the PC or Mac client, not just the iPhone/iPad setup app.

[GerardoG]

Mac user here for over 17 years; we have pretty much everything Mac makes; Airport is fantastic; simple to use and reliable.

[bayerische]

Glad you like it Dalip!

[TSW]

Originally Posted by GerardoG

Mac user here for over 17 years; we have pretty much everything Mac makes; Airport is fantastic; simple to use and reliable.

Same here, mac user since 93

[bayerische]

Originally Posted by TSW

Same here, mac user since 93

That iPad stand is cool! Haven't seen it before.