Airport Routers And Handling Gigabit Internet Speeds

Apple's AirPort Extreme Base Station is a Wi-Fi router that supports Gigabit Ethernet. However, when used as a router with NAT enabled, its performance falls short of Gigabit speeds, delivering only around 300-400 Mbps. To achieve faster speeds, it needs to be set up in Bridge Mode, which can provide 600-700 Mbps. The latest model of the AirPort Extreme was released in 2013 and has been discontinued by Apple. While it can deliver impressive speeds for wired connections, wireless speeds are significantly lower, with real-world tests showing maximum speeds of around 500-600 Mbps.

The maximum speed of the Airport Express is 95mbps

In comparison, the Airport Extreme has gigabit ethernet ports with a maximum throughput of 1 Gbps. However, even with the Airport Extreme, you are never going to see 1 Gbps throughput when the router has NAT enabled. You may get closer to this speed if the router is reconfigured as a bridge (with NAT and DHCP services disabled).

If you want near 1 Gbps throughput throughout your network, it is recommended to use ethernet connections wherever possible, as wireless connections will always provide lower performance.

The Airport Extreme can handle gigabit internet, but not as a NAT router

The Airport Extreme router can handle gigabit internet, but its performance varies depending on its configuration and other factors. When used as a NAT router, the Airport Extreme's speed is limited to around 300-400 Mbps, which is significantly lower than the speed of a gigabit connection.

In its default configuration as a DHCP and NAT router, the Airport Extreme's WAN to LAN speed is capped at about 300-400 Mbps. This limitation is due to the hardware and firmware design of the router, which Apple has not provided manual adjustment options for. As such, users seeking gigabit speeds may need to consider alternative routers from other manufacturers.

However, when the Airport Extreme is set up in Bridge Mode, it can achieve speeds of 600-700 Mbps. Additionally, the use of a Gigabit Ethernet switch or a crossover Ethernet cable between the modem and the Airport Extreme may improve speed negotiation and enhance overall performance.

The Airport Extreme's wireless performance also varies depending on the wireless standard, channel selection, and client device capabilities. While the 2.4GHz network offers speeds of around 80Mbps, the 5GHz network can provide speeds between 500 and 600Mbps. It's important to note that wireless speeds are also influenced by factors such as distance from the router, interference, and the number of connected devices.

In conclusion, while the Airport Extreme can technically handle gigabit internet, its performance as a NAT router falls short of gigabit speeds. To achieve faster speeds, users may need to consider alternative configurations, such as Bridge Mode, or explore other router options.

The Airport Extreme can achieve 300-400mbps when acting as a router and 500-600mbps when acting as a bridge

The Airport Extreme router can achieve speeds of 300-400 megabits per second (Mbps) when acting as a router and 500-600 Mbps when acting as a bridge. This means that the Airport Extreme can provide faster speeds when it is set up in Bridge Mode rather than as a router.

When the Airport Extreme is set up as a DHCP and NAT router, the WAN to LAN speed is limited to about 300-400 Mbps. In Bridge Mode, users can expect to see speeds of 600-700 Mbps. These speeds are achieved through the WAN/LAN interface, which allows for higher total simultaneous throughput.

It is important to note that these speeds may vary depending on various factors, such as the number of devices connected, the distance from the router, and any interference or congestion in the area. Additionally, wireless speeds are typically slower than wired connections, and actual throughput is usually lower than the maximum link speed due to overhead.

To optimize speeds, it is recommended to connect devices directly to the router using Ethernet cables whenever possible, as wireless connections may not be able to achieve the same speeds as a wired connection.

The Airport Extreme 802.11ac can achieve 575-600mbps of total simultaneous throughput

However, it's important to note that the maximum throughput of the Airport Extreme 802.11ac is limited by several factors. Firstly, the speed of the internet connection coming into your home or office will affect the throughput. If your internet service provider (ISP) is only providing speeds of up to 200 Mbps, for example, then you won't be able to achieve the maximum throughput of the Airport Extreme 802.11ac.

Additionally, the devices you are using to connect to the router will also affect the throughput. For example, if you are using an older device that is not capable of handling 802.11 ac speeds, you won't be able to take full advantage of the router's capabilities.

Furthermore, the placement of the router and any interference from other wireless signals can also impact the throughput.

In order to achieve the maximum throughput of the Airport Extreme 802.11ac, it is recommended that you have a fast internet connection, use devices that support 802.11 ac speeds, and place the router in an optimal location with minimal interference.

It's also worth noting that even with the best possible conditions, you may not always be able to achieve the maximum throughput. Wireless technology is constantly evolving, and there may be new routers and devices that can offer even faster speeds.

In conclusion, while the Airport Extreme 802.11ac can achieve impressive speeds of up to 575-600mbps, there are several factors that can affect the actual throughput you will experience in your home or office.

The 6th Gen Airport Extreme can achieve 900+mbps

The 6th Gen Apple AirPort Extreme router can achieve speeds of 900+ Mbps. This is supported by a user review, which states that their wired devices can "max out [their] connection all day long at 900+Mbps, up and down".

The 6th Gen AirPort Extreme supports 802.11ac networking, which is a faster standard than its predecessors. It also has three-stream 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology, which allows for a maximum data rate of 1.3 Gbit/s.

However, it's important to note that wireless speeds will always be lower than wired speeds. Additionally, the actual speed achieved will depend on various factors, such as the number of connected devices, the distance from the router, and the number of streams supported by the client device.

While the 6th Gen AirPort Extreme can achieve impressive speeds, it's worth mentioning that Apple discontinued its wireless router product line in 2016 and formally discontinued the AirPort Extreme in 2018. As a result, there may be more advanced and faster alternatives available on the market.

Frequently asked questions