Airport Extreme Review: Apple Router Aging, But Still a Performer

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Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) is known primarily for iPhones, iPads and Macs, but the company also makes other high-tech gear. One of its older product lines is the Airport Extreme wireless router — first introduced in 2003 and now in its sixth generation.

Airport Extreme review, Apple Airport intro
Source: Brad Moon

Last year was (and this year will be) a year in which many home Wi-Fi routers were replaced. The new 802.11ac (Gigabit) Wi-Fi standard has gone mainstream and that means the potential for big Wi-Fi speed gains for those who replace their older routers.

Apple’s Gigabit Wi-Fi router solution is the Airport Extreme.

It’s coming up on two years old, so it’s missing some of the latest wireless tech like tri-band radios. Given its age, is the Apple Airport worth considering?

I tested the Airport Extreme against the previous generation version and also compared it to one of the current “it” routers (the Linksys WRT 1900AC) to find out.

Airport Extreme Review: Compact, Affordable, Easy Configuration but Mac Only

Airport Extreme review, Apple Airport new and old
Source: Brad Moon

That Apple premium argument goes out the window in this case.

One of the frequent knocks against Apple gear is its cost. The Linksys WRT 1900AC router I used in this comparison goes for $279.99 while the Apple Airport Extreme sells for $199. Apple sells refurbished units (cosmetically perfect and with the same one-year warranty) for $169 and I picked up one of those.

One of the first things you’ll notice about the Airport Extreme is its compact size.

The previous generation looked like a white plastic Mac Mini. The new one is much taller, but its footprint is smaller. It’s a single vertical box in white glossy plastic, with no external antennas and no power brick -just a cable. Compared to the old Airport Extreme and the Linksys wireless router, it looks positively tiny.

Setting up the Airport Extreme is a piece of cake. Connect it to your broadband modem, plug in the power cable and launch Apple’s Airport Utility. This is available as an OS X and iOS app and while the company doesn’t promote it, there is a Windows 7 version available on Apple’s Support website. Configuration is as simple as naming the network, choosing the security level and picking a password.

It is possible to tweak things like channels, set up a guest network and set rules around timed access, but Apple doesn’t give nearly the same granularity of control that Linksys and other router manufacturers do. Any device can access the network, but you’ll need a supported Apple (or Windows) product to configure the Airport Extreme.

NOTE: This section has been edited to correct information pertaining to Windows.

Airport Extreme Review: Performance

Airport Extreme review, Apple Airport compared to Linksys
Source: Brad Moon

This Apple Airport Extreme is a noticeable improvement over the previous generation, even with older devices that use the 802.11n standard. I measured an average 30% speed increase in file transfers roaming around the house using a three year-old laptop.

The range was up significantly: Measured in my back yard (50 feet from the basement-positioned router and with snow drifts to contend with) the network speed went from 5 Mbps to 41 Mbps.

With an iPhone 6 — which supports the new 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard — the improvement was even more dramatic. Wi-Fi network speed in the house increased from a maximum of 126 Mbps with the previous generation Airport Extreme to 265 Mbps.

Compared to the newer and more expensive Linksys WRT 1900AC, the Apple Airport Extreme more than held its own. The Linksys topped out at 275 Mbps, but despite its four external, adjustable antennas, from the position in the back yard there was no Wi-Fi available, period.

The Linksys router also had a problem with Xbox Live on a Microsoft (MSFT) Xbox 360. Despite fussing with port forwarding, it continually dropped Xbox Live matches — the Apple Airport just worked.

My house is a typically crowded one when it comes to Wi-Fi demand: three media streamers slinging HD video, multiple PCs, tablets, smartphones, game consoles and smart devices like connected cameras and thermostats. Wi-Fi was getting sluggish with the old router, but everything noticeably improved across the board with the Airport Extreme.

Airport Extreme Review: Specs

Airport Extreme review, Apple Airport ports
Source: Brad Moon
  • 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
  • Simultaneous dual-band 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz support
  • 6 internal antennas with beamforming
  • 3 Gigabit LAN ports
  • USB 2.0 port
  • Built-in power supply
  • Setup via Mac app or iOS app
  • Wi-Fi compatibility with any device support 802.11a/b/g/n or ac (shared printer or hard drive is Mac OSX and Windows XP+ compatible)
  • 6.6 x 3.85 x 3.85-inches
  • MSRP $199

Airport Extreme Review: Conclusion

Airport Extreme review, Apple Airport conclusion
Source: Brad Moon

The Airport Extreme is due for a refresh. In particular, it could benefit from tri-band support like some of the newer routers. And it’s not a great fit for homes where Android dominates — it will function just fine with them, but you need a Mac, iOS device or Windows running Apple’s utility (no web access) to set up the Airport Express.

It’s also not going to appeal to network micro-managers. Apple’s network configuration and monitoring software isn’t just exclusionary to Android users, it’s also very basic.

That being said, for households with an Apple product, the Airport Extreme more than holds its own against newer routers while offering near plug-and-play simplicity and a reasonable price tag.

I’ve had the opportunity to test a lot of wireless routers in recent months and despite being given some free samples from other manufacturers, I chose to buy a new Apple Airport Extreme instead. Wi-Fi is one thing I’d rather not be bothered fussing with, and the Airport Extreme proved to be a solid device.

As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

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Brad Moon has been writing for InvestorPlace.com since 2012. He also writes about stocks for Kiplinger and has been a senior contributor focusing on consumer technology for Forbes since 2015.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2015/03/airport-extreme-apple/.

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