Apple Airport Extreme: A Powerful Wireless Router

The Apple AirPort Extreme is a powerful wireless router with additional ports and features. It was first introduced in 1999 when Wi-Fi was still in its infancy and has since gone through several iterations. The latest model, the 6th generation, supports 802.11ac networking, allowing for faster Wi-Fi speeds and a stronger signal. The AirPort Extreme combines the functions of a router, network switch, wireless access point, and NAS, and offers features such as wireless printing and network-attached storage (NAS). While Apple discontinued the AirPort Extreme in 2018, it remains a popular choice for those seeking a reliable and easy-to-use router.

Apple discontinued the product in 2018

The Apple AirPort Extreme is a compact Internet router with powerful wireless capabilities. The router allows users to share their Internet connection between several computers via the draft 802.11n wireless protocol. It also features three standard 10/100/1000Mbps RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet ports and is fully backwards compatible with legacy 802.11a/b/g devices.

In 2018, Apple discontinued the AirPort Extreme, exiting the wireless router market. This was not entirely unexpected, as Apple had disbanded the wireless router team that developed the AirPort Time Capsule and AirPort Extreme router in 2016. The company also stopped developing its lineup of wireless routers in 2016 but continued to provide limited hardware and software support.

The AirPort Extreme was first introduced at the MacWorld expo in San Francisco in 2003 and featured 802.11g wireless technology. Over the years, it went through several upgrades and design changes, with the latest model supporting 802.11ac networking.

While the discontinuation of the AirPort Extreme may have come as a disappointment to fans of Apple's routers, the company assured customers that they would continue to provide support for the product for several years. Additionally, Apple offered alternatives to the AirPort Extreme, such as the Linksys Velop mesh Wi-Fi system, which is the first and only third-party router that Apple sells.

It is a wireless router

The Apple AirPort Extreme is a wireless router. It is a powerful router with additional ports and features. It offers a step up from the AirPort Express with 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology, which means faster Wi-Fi and a stronger, clearer signal.

The AirPort Extreme has gone through three distinct physical forms. The earliest models had a similar plastic housing to the original AirPort Base Station, in a round "flying saucer" shape. From 2007 to 2013, the devices took on a flat rounded rectangle shape, similar in layout and size to the Mac mini or early models of the Apple TV. The 2013 model had a more vertical form, taller than it was wide.

The AirPort Extreme can connect several computers to the same Internet connection via the draft 802.11n wireless protocol. It features three standard 10/100/1000Mbps RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet ports. It is also fully backwards compatible with legacy 802.11a/b/g devices.

The AirPort Extreme has a USB port for printer and hard disk sharing. It also features a firewall to protect from malicious software and wireless security to ensure your data remains private. It includes configuration software for both Mac OS X and Windows, making it a cross-platform solution.

The AirPort Extreme operates simultaneously on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, and your multiband devices automatically use the best available band. This means all your Wi-Fi devices get the fastest possible wireless performance and the best possible range.

The AirPort Extreme can turn an external USB hard drive into a drive that can be shared with all users on your network and accessed securely over the Internet. This feature is called AirPort Disk.

It has 6 antennae

The Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station is a compact internet router with powerful wireless capabilities. The AirPort Extreme has six antennae located at the top, which allow for a faster and more powerful connection. The antennae are placed at the top of the device, giving it a higher platform for dispersing the signal. The router offers dual-band wireless networks with support for all bands. It also has an internal power supply, so there is no need for an external power unit.

The AirPort Extreme is easy to set up with Macs and iOS devices. It can be used to make a printer wireless, and to share a hard drive, turning any hard drive into a network-attached storage device (NAS). It is also compatible with Mac computers, PCs, and wireless devices such as iPhones and iPods that use 802.11a, b, or g technologies.

The AirPort Extreme is a more powerful router than the AirPort Express, with additional ports and features. It offers a step up from the AirPort Express with 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology, which provides faster Wi-Fi and a stronger, clearer signal. The AirPort Extreme is also capable of ultrafast 802.11ac Wi-Fi, reaching data rates of up to 1.3 Gbps.

It can be used for wireless printing

The Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station is a powerful wireless router with a range of features. One of its key functionalities is wireless printing.

To enable wireless printing, you simply need to plug your printer into the USB port on the back of the AirPort Extreme Base Station. This turns your printer into a wireless printer, allowing you to print from any device connected to your network, including Macs, PCs, and iOS devices. This feature is known as AirPrint for iOS devices.

The AirPort Extreme also supports wireless printing from multiple printers. To do this, you can connect a USB hub to the AirPort Extreme and then attach your printers to the hub. This way, you can have multiple printers in different rooms of your home or office, without the need for a dedicated printer in each room.

In addition to wireless printing, the AirPort Extreme also allows for wireless storage and file sharing. By connecting an external hard drive to the USB port, you can turn it into a network-attached storage (NAS) device, accessible to all users on your network. This feature is known as AirPort Disk and provides a simple and convenient way to share files with family, colleagues, or classmates.

The AirPort Extreme offers a seamless and secure wireless printing experience, enhancing your home or office setup. With its powerful wireless capabilities, you can print from anywhere within your network range, making it a versatile and user-friendly solution for your printing needs.

It can be used to share a hard drive

The Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station is a compact Internet router with powerful wireless capabilities. It can be used to share a hard drive, turning any hard drive into a network-attached storage (NAS) device. This is done through the AirPort Disk feature, which allows users to plug a USB hard drive into the AirPort Extreme for use as a NAS device for Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows clients.

The AirPort Extreme Base Station has a USB port for printer and hard disk sharing. Up to 50 people can share the same Internet connection, exchange files using the file-sharing capability built into Mac OS X or Windows, access local and remote file servers, and more.

The AirPort Disk feature is a simple and convenient way to share files among everyone in your family, office, or classroom. To use it, simply connect the external hard drive to the USB port on the back of your AirPort Extreme, and all the documents, videos, photos, and other files on the drive become available to anyone on the secure network, whether they use a Mac or a PC.

It's perfect for file sharing, collaborative projects, and more. You can set up password-protected accounts for everyone on the network or allow read-only access to certain files and folders. If you're using Mac OS X Leopard, you'll see the drive in your Finder sidebar, where it's always available for accessing files and folders. For Mac OS X Tiger and Windows users, a simple-to-use AirPort Disk Utility provides a variety of setup options, including setting the disk to become available whenever you connect to the network.

Frequently asked questions