[dodo_nutter]

Saw the new Airport Express and instantly had to have one just to impress people by the way i can play music on my PB through my home stereo system with out going near it!!

Its cheaper than an iSight and it makes your powerbook the ultimate remote control!!!

now i just gotta wait until its released in the UK

so who else is going to get one!?

[Tomster]

Originally posted by dodo_nutter:
so who else is going to get one!?

Not me. I want five!

[nate_02]

I definately want one. There are so many places I am in with just high speed internet, but no wireless. It would be so easy to plug that in and be anywhere in the room with my PB.

I was a little bummed that it is only $10 cheaper for students but oh well.

[MrCaN]

I would like one, just for the stereo stuff, I hate having to plug my computer into my stereo every time.

[dennisbolt]

So how is it different than the current Airport Extreme base station??

I read most of that release, but it was not instantly clear why you would bother with the airport extreme now that there is this one. It connects to internet, printers and stereo!! cheaper too. and more portable!!

I only complain because I just spent $250 on the AE basestation last month. At least I did not plunk down for expensive wireless speakers, which I was really thinking about. I tried the FM radio transmitter dongle designed for the ipod, but that had horrible reception more than 5 feet away (it only seems good for the car)

The tech specs make it seem like it DOES NOT HAVE:
modem, LAN port, power over ethernet, and UL conformance. So you cannot make a local network with this alone or connect to dial-up. Not really an issue for single-mac broadbanders.

I am on cusp of converting from dial-up to cable, and i plan to netwrok via airport, so that is the only reason for me to have bought the Extreme. I still might buy this just for the stero stuff, except it looks like you have to plug it into the speaker of choice, so you need more than one for a truly unwired house.

[brentsg]

Just ordered 2. Can't wait to get them.

I love the idea that if I wind up not using the music component enough, I still get the benefit of WDS bridging to improve my existing wireless network coverage. Also, I can use the Ethernet port to hook in a PS2, Xbox, or something.

Maybe later I'll need the printer port.

Cool device!

B

[mikeini]

any ideas on the range of the aiport express?? \

if its good .. THEN IM THERE! I happened to go the the site and was like ooh .. wats this. another toy

[tekno_geek911]

I will buy one for sure....I can use this as a stand alone router right?

[Link]

It can be used for all sorts of things:

Wifi router: Typical way an airport base would be used

Wifi bridge: To use on computers with only ethernet

Wifi Print server: To use a USB printer over wireless

wifi network bridge: to extend an airport extreme network

wifi hub: several comps, no internet

In addition:

Printer sharing over the USB jack

Audio output for airtunes

I'd say that about sums it up It's an awesome little sucker.. I'm getting one!

[tekno_geek911]

Thanks for your reply,I cant wait to have one!

[milhaus]

Originally posted by brentsg:
Just ordered 2. Can't wait to get them.

I love the idea that if I wind up not using the music component enough, I still get the benefit of WDS bridging to improve my existing wireless network coverage. Also, I can use the Ethernet port to hook in a PS2, Xbox, or something.

Maybe later I'll need the printer port.

Cool device!

B

Are you certain that you can do this? I'm not sure. The specs say supports WAN in, but not LAN out. Can someone confirm?

[Link]

Wow thanks for bringing THAT up. That REALLY sucks

BTW I'm sure if you're really determined you can plug a cheap ethernet switch into the WAN port and yeah, you've got a few hookups...

Not sure if this one works that way though, I know it was doable with the other airport bases.

So that basically makes it a music device. What puzzles me is why it's got a USB print server since well, how many people do you know keep their printer next to their stereo? (or their modem for that matter)...

With a cable modem that almost makes sense. I was kinda hoping as a second handy use I could buy one of these for my room and not only plug my stereo into it, but my damn PC... heheh.

[brentsg]

Nope, I can't confirm that. I might have connected a few dots that weren't there.

I sure hope it can be used to bridge 2 wired LANs.

B

[Link]

Nein. You can't plug a computer into it to use it like a wifi bridge. That sucks One of the reasonings being this would have been an AWESOME alternative to wifi bridges for game consoles and HTPCs.

ACTUALLY now that I think of it, unless they did some crazy mod there's no real way they can prevent you from using the wan port as a lan port. Maybe they're trying to say you can either use it for one or the other but not both (normal airport bases have 2 jacks. One for plugging computers in AND one for plugging an internet connection in)

Sometimes I think we all jump to conclusions too fast

[bastula]

Don't get your hopes up yet, but according to this page, you can use the AirPort Express as a wireless bridge:

If you're using AirPort Express as a base station, you'd plug your Internet connection into it via its included Ethernet port. But if your main base station is an AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express, you can also use the AirPort Express as a wireless bridge -- just plug it in somewhere else in your house, and attach any Ethernet-based device to it. That device will now be on your network, even though it's nowhere near the rest of your stuff.

Also looks like it is official info:

(Updated 6/7 at 1:09 PM PT: Added information about the Wireless Bridge capabilities, per Greg Joswiak.)

[SSharon]

So how accurate are these numbers from the apple site on its range?

Range (2)

50-foot range from the base station in typical use at 54 Mbps data rate (range depends on building construction) (1)

150-foot range from the base station in typical use at 11 Mbps data rate (range depends on building construction)

Well this is why it won't be competing with the Airport base station that has the option for an external antenna.

[Spook E]

I think i just answered my question in my other thread, which means i think i need to rant (apologies to apple if i got it wrong and its unwarranted )

It says the airport express is not compatible with 56K v.90 modems. thats all my powerbook has got (Al 15inch combo drive) and my home internet is only 56K because in australia Broadband is soooooo ****ing expensive that its unuseable ($29.95 a month, unlimited hours with 200mb download limit, what a bloody JOKE!!).

I want airport express because its a hell of a lot cheaper than the other airports and gives me airTunes, which is quite possibly the coolest thing since peanut mnms, but why o why wont it support 56k dialup users??????? Surelly this will see a lot of consumers (particulraly in australia and new zealand) slip between the cracks who only have two options:

1. by Airport Express, use airTunes and miss out on the internet side of it, which makes it way overpriced for what it is, especially if you have to buy an airport card to go along with it).

2. By classic airport and miss out on the best thing since peanut MnMs (airTunes).

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh wTF??????????!!!!!!!!

Please someone tell me that im wrong, i just couldnt fathom apples decision making on this other wise.

E

[mikeini]

Originally posted by SSharon:
So how accurate are these numbers from the apple site on its range?

Range (2)

50-foot range from the base station in typical use at 54 Mbps data rate (range depends on building construction) (1)

150-foot range from the base station in typical use at 11 Mbps data rate (range depends on building construction)

Well this is why it won't be competing with the Airport base station that has the option for an external antenna.

i saw those numbers too - but i still dont understand them becuase they arent specific to the aebs or the express ... or do they qualify for both?

[Link]

Originally posted by Spook E:
IIt says the airport express is not compatible with 56K v.90 modems. thats all my powerbook has got (Al 15inch combo drive) and my home internet is only 56K because in australia Broadband is soooooo ****ing expensive that its unuseable ($29.95 a month, unlimited hours with 200mb download limit, what a bloody JOKE!!).

boycott the ISPs/phone companies? Try to protest to the goverment? I know a lot of people even in the US, still have 56k, but austrailia is one of the very few countries that has that problem.....

Have you ever thought about getting satellite dsl? is that even an option over there?

BTW the only joke about your ISP is the bandwidth cap. Here it's pretty much the norm to pay $30-50 USD a month for an uncapped connection, and IIRC, $30 USD is a bit more than $30 AUD

BTW the service areas for the G and B connections are just that, service areas.. you can have an Airport G (54mpbs) connection 50 feet from the base but any further and it doesn't count as G anymore (only 11mbps). Believe me, the connection doesn't change as it's the same exact frequency but the signal will start to drop out (A powerbook with airport B at 80 feet should get similar reception/performance to a powerbook with airport B at 80 feet)

[albook]

I ordered one yesterday.
Estimated build time = 3 days! Cant wait to test it out...

[dodo_nutter]

I will buy one as soon as £100 appears on my desk

Just question...if you have a 56k external modem and you plug it into the APExp does that work to connect you to the internet??

I can understand why there is no modem in it as i think Apple see this as an extention to your Wi-Fi enabled house. ie you put it in your house which already has Airport in connected to your broadband internet, so that you can extend the network and move it any where in the house to to use either as a print server or airtunes station (or both) but not to use it as your only WAN connection. Apple probably will bring out a modem version unless they get stubborn again.

Also anyone have any idea how one hole (port) can have both optical AND analogue audio out? does that mean its a 3.5mm jack with an LED (or whatever they use) behind it??

[SplijinX]

Originally posted by dodo_nutter:
I will buy one as soon as £100 appears on my desk

Just question...if you have a 56k external modem and you plug it into the APExp does that work to connect you to the internet??

I can understand why there is no modem in it as i think Apple see this as an extention to your Wi-Fi enabled house. ie you put it in your house which already has Airport in connected to your broadband internet, so that you can extend the network and move it any where in the house to to use either as a print server or airtunes station (or both) but not to use it as your only WAN connection. Apple probably will bring out a modem version unless they get stubborn again.

Also anyone have any idea how one hole (port) can have both optical AND analogue audio out? does that mean its a 3.5mm jack with an LED (or whatever they use) behind it??

I don't think there is a modem port at all on Airport Express. The only input it has is a 10/100BASE-T Ethernet WAN port.

http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/specs.html

[Cadaver]

Do I want one?
Hmmm... I'd say yes. Even though I already use an AirPort Extreme basestation as the wireless access point for my home network, the AirTunes feature looks like it would be pretty cool.
And, I would also consider taking one on the road with me when I travel. Having to be stuck at the hotel room desk can get irritating when there are more comfortable places in the room to work.
I don't think I'd rush right out and get one, but I think eventually I'll acquire one or two.

[RooneyX]

If I didn't have my iPod connected to speakers of an Airport E then I would. It would save so much space and I wouldn't have wires all over the place.

[tooki]

Wrong forum, people! There's already plenty of discussion going on in the Networking forum, where all discussion of AirPort belongs (this is clearly stated).

tooki