Owais Crawford
Apple's AirPort Extreme was a line of residential gateways that combined the functions of a router, network switch, wireless access point, and NAS. The first AirPort Extreme was announced in 2003 and the latest model, the 6th generation, was released in 2013. Apple discontinued the product line in 2018 but continued limited hardware and software support until 2023. Despite this, some people still use the AirPort Extreme and find that it works well for their needs.
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What You'll Learn
Apple discontinued the Airport Extreme in 2018
Apple's AirPort Extreme was a line of residential gateways that combined the functions of a router, network switch, wireless access point, and NAS, as well as other functions. The first AirPort Extreme Base Station was released in 1999, with an update in 2001 that added a second Ethernet port. The original AirPort Extreme, then known as the AirPort Extreme Base Station, was released in 2003, featuring 802.11g wireless technology.
Over the years, Apple released several iterations of the AirPort Extreme, with minor upgrades and changes to the antenna and wireless output power. In 2013, a major upgrade changed the physical structure of the device, making it taller than it was wide, and added 802.11ac support and more antennas. This was the sixth and final generation of the AirPort Extreme.
In 2016, Apple disbanded the team that developed the AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule. It took the company two years to stop producing its Wi-Fi routers, but they were officially discontinued in 2018, with Apple exiting the router market. Despite this, some users continue to use their AirPort Extremes, citing their reliability, ease of use, and sufficient speed and connectivity for most households.
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The 6th generation Airport Extreme was released in 2013
The 6th generation Airport Extreme was a fully-featured high-performance Wi-Fi base station. It supported the three-times-faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi protocol, which reaches data rates of up to 1.3 Gbps. It offered 80MHz-wide channels, doubling the channel bandwidth. This model had a total of six antennas, with three for the 2.4Ghz spectrum and three for the 5Ghz spectrum. The height of the Airport Extreme was designed to optimise range and signal strength by elevating the antennas. It also facilitated beamforming, a function that automatically locates 802.11ac devices and targets Wi-Fi signals towards those devices for optimum performance.
The Airport Extreme is a line of residential gateways made by Apple that combines the functions of a router, network switch, wireless access point, and NAS, as well as other functions. The first Airport Extreme was announced in 2003 and featured 802.11g wireless technology. The 6th generation model, released in 2013, was the last of the line, as Apple disbanded the wireless router team in 2016 and discontinued the product line in 2018. However, as of 2023, Apple continues to provide limited hardware and software support for the Airport Extreme.
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The Airport Extreme was Apple's primary Wi-Fi router
The Airport Extreme combined the functions of a router, network switch, wireless access point, and NAS, as well as other varied functions. The device went through several iterations, with minor upgrades and changes to the antenna and wireless output power. In 2007, the Airport Extreme was given a new design, with a square shape with rounded corners, and improvements to the wireless standard.
Apple discontinued its lineup of wireless routers in 2016, but as of 2023, it continues to provide limited hardware and software support. The Airport Extreme has a dedicated user base, with many still using the product and praising its performance, ease of use, and reliability. However, some have noted that the device is now considered low-end and that there are more advanced options available on the market.
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The Airport Extreme can be used with other Apple devices
The Airport Extreme can be used as a network-attached storage (NAS) device for Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows clients. Users can connect a USB hub, printer, or external hard drive to the Airport Extreme. The Airport Extreme also supports Time Machine backups using an external USB hard drive (for the 802.11ac model only).
The Airport Extreme has gone through several iterations, with the latest model being the 6th generation, which was unveiled in 2013 and features three-stream 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology. The 5th generation model, released in 2011, is also still in use and features simultaneous dual-band 802.11 Draft-N radios.
Despite Apple discontinuing the Airport Extreme in 2018, it still provides limited hardware and software support as of 2023. Users have reported that the Airport Extreme continues to work well with other Apple devices, such as iPhones, Apple Watches, and iPads, as long as they are connected to Ethernet and only need Wi-Fi for mobile devices.
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The Airport Extreme is no longer supported by macOS
The Airport Extreme was a residential gateway that combined the functions of a router, network switch, wireless access point, and NAS, with various other functions. The first Airport Extreme Base Station was released in 1999, with updates and redesigns occurring over the years. The last iteration of the Airport Extreme was the sixth generation, released in 2013, which featured three-stream 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology and a maximum data rate of 1.3 Gbit/s.
Despite the lack of official support, some people still use the Airport Extreme and find it to be a reliable and performant router. Some have even reverted to using the Airport Extreme after experiencing issues with newer routers. However, others have chosen to replace their Airport Extreme with alternative routers, either due to the age of the device or because they require additional features or improved performance.
It is important to note that while the Airport Extreme may still function, there are potential security risks associated with using outdated hardware and software. Additionally, newer technologies and standards may not be compatible with the Airport Extreme, limiting its usefulness over time. Therefore, it is recommended that users consider upgrading to a supported and up-to-date router to ensure they have access to the latest features, improvements, and security updates.
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Frequently asked questions
Apple Airport Extreme was discontinued in 2018, but as of 2023, limited hardware and software support is still provided.
Apple Airport Extreme is a line of residential gateways that combine the functions of a router, network switch, wireless access point, and NAS, as well as other functions.
The first Apple Airport Extreme was released in 2003.
The last Apple Airport Extreme, the 6th generation, was released in 2013.
Yes, many people still use their old Apple Airport Extremes. However, some have reported issues with Time Machine failing.
