[GeorgeC97]

hey all,

i have a question for all of you - i've had my ibook for a few years now and i've always wanted to get a wireless network in my apartment (i have no other computer, just my ibook) --

do you think it is still worth it to get the airport express now in 2006? the thing is over 2 years old and it's the same price as it was when it came out!?

should i wait a little longer - do you know of any updates? or do you suggest an alternative (perhaps cheaper) - it's realy for the wireless internet - i won't really be usign it to stream iTunes/airTunes

thanks

-George C

[mduell]

For wireless internet, rather than the print/audio server, any D-link/Linksys/Netgear $30 wifi AP will do you just fine (and have better range/more wired ports).

[Wiskedjak]

Originally Posted by GeorgeC97

it's realy for the wireless internet - i won't really be usign it to stream iTunes/airTunes

Then why would you want an Airport Express?

[ghporter]

All networking questions go in the Networking forum. Like it says in the forum listing for Peripherals...

Networking topics (including AirPort and other 802.11 wireless) have their own forum below.

[tooki]

Originally Posted by mduell

For wireless internet, rather than the print/audio server, any D-link/Linksys/Netgear $30 wifi AP will do you just fine (and have better range/more wired ports).

Except for the fact that lots of people have had trouble with most of the cheap brands. Linksys is the only non-Apple router I've had that hasn't given me tons of trouble. Check this forum for the gazillions of "what router should I get" threads. It's been discussed countless times before.

FWIW, I've promised myself that if the Linksys gives me any trouble at all, I am getting an Apple unit. So far, the Linksys has been fine.

tooki

[Dr. DDS]

i have a PLANET wrt-413 wireless router that never caused any problems.. The browser set-up was not a problem with safari.. I have a friend that had problems with the set-up.

[holliday1]

the reasons I got my airport express was to make my room wireless for my powerbook and to stream music to my speakers. both work great and I'd sorely miss both features. but if you just want wireless I do not see how the $130 price tag is reasonable.

[IceEnclosure]

$99 refurb from store.apple.com

[eltrut]

Originally Posted by tooki

FWIW, I've promised myself that if the Linksys gives me any trouble at all, I am getting an Apple unit. So far, the Linksys has been fine.

Lucky you.

My linksys BEFW11S4 and RT31P2 crap out bi-weekly and need the power plug pulled. Not better than other brands I had. Only the original Airport (1st gen) didn't give me grief. I guess I'd be returning to an Apple branded the next time round as well...

[tooki]

I'm using the now-venerable WRT54G. It seems to be a roundabout reliable model, regardless of which hardware revision even.

tooki

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by eltrut

Lucky you.

My linksys BEFW11S4 and RT31P2 crap out bi-weekly and need the power plug pulled. Not better than other brands I had. Only the original Airport (1st gen) didn't give me grief. I guess I'd be returning to an Apple branded the next time round as well...

The BEFW11S4 is "legacy" hardware-it's old as Linksys is concerned, and the last update they did to any of the hardware versions of it was over a year ago. The RT32P2 VOIP box seems to be a first generation device-and there are NO firmware updates on it. I wouldn't paint Linksys products with a broad brush colored by your experience with these two particular products.

FWIW, I have a BEFSR41 wired Linksys router and a WAP54G access point as my primary network devices, and they are outstandingly stable. While it's overall more expensive, I think keeping the basic gateway router and wireless access point functions in separate boxes is a better path to take because the two devices can be better taylored to their separate functions without sacrificing stability.

[Addlogix]

Hi,

http://www.macmall.com/macmall/shop/...no~7037199.asp

If you have a working USB Port and OS 10 this will work and over half the cost.

Mike
Addlogix

[mduell]

Originally Posted by tooki

Except for the fact that lots of people have had trouble with most of the cheap brands. Linksys is the only non-Apple router I've had that hasn't given me tons of trouble. Check this forum for the gazillions of "what router should I get" threads. It's been discussed countless times before.

FWIW, I've promised myself that if the Linksys gives me any trouble at all, I am getting an Apple unit. So far, the Linksys has been fine.

tooki

I wouldn't recommend any of the really cheap brands (mostly random asian companies you've never heard of) or Belkin. I've used D-link, Linksys, and Netgear and I'm happy with all three; D-link receives my nod for not having the ridiculous backdoors that Linksys and Netgear had ("super"/"superman").

[Big Mac]

No Mac user should buy Linksys products if he or she can help it, IMO. D-Link and Net Gear make reliable routers, and they do not discriminate against Mac users. Linksys does.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Big Mac

No Mac user should buy Linksys products if he or she can help it, IMO. D-Link and Net Gear make reliable routers, and they do not discriminate against Mac users. Linksys does.

YMMV. I've never had enough of a problem with a Linksys product to need ANY support-and that's the "discrimination" Big Mac is talking about. They don't provide any real support anyway-none of the consumer-level manufacturers do. And there's nothing particularly Mac-specific that you need to know to use any particular brand of networking equipment.

[Project]

I use two WRT54Gs in my house as wireless repeaters and they work fine (we have 3 laptops in the house).