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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Desktops > Draft N update and Core2Duo iMac

Draft N update and Core2Duo iMac
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mrtaxman
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Jan 22, 2007, 01:27 PM
 
Has anyone downloaded the update from Apple for $1.99, or is it even available yet?
     
mduell
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Jan 22, 2007, 01:35 PM
 
I doubt they'll release it until the new Airport Extreme base station is shipping. Wouldn't want people to buy another brand of base station to get better performance sooner.
     
mrtaxman  (op)
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Jan 22, 2007, 01:45 PM
 
Is the Airport Extreme base station the way to go? I plan on setting it up on my brother-in-law's Windows XP computer who is next store and uses cable DSL.
     
mduell
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Jan 22, 2007, 03:21 PM
 
It's one way to go, but I wouldn't say it's the way to go. Apple's base station products historically have poor range and speed at range performance. Although their latest revision hasn't been benchmarked yet, I doubt the range/speed@range will be good with an internal antenna.

I'd go with any of these 3:
$95 Trendnet
$110 (less $20 MIR) D-link
$120 Belkin

They all have multiple external antennas and numerous positive customer reviews.
     
Simon
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Jan 23, 2007, 04:15 AM
 
Originally Posted by mrtaxman View Post
Is the Airport Extreme base station the way to go?
If you plan on using shared printers or easily adding network drives the new Airport Extreme base station is the way to go. If you like simple and clean software that allows to set up your wireless network in no time, the Airport Extreme base station is also the way to go. If you're just interested in getting an inexpensive base station and don't care about the features mentioned above, it's likely you'll find a better deal elsewhere. When it comes to its performance (range, speed, reliability, etc.) we'll have to wait till it's released and first benchmarks results are published.
     
shifuimam
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Jan 23, 2007, 10:15 AM
 
Originally Posted by Simon View Post
If you plan on using shared printers or easily adding network drives the new Airport Extreme base station is the way to go. If you like simple and clean software that allows to set up your wireless network in no time, the Airport Extreme base station is also the way to go. If you're just interested in getting an inexpensive base station and don't care about the features mentioned above, it's likely you'll find a better deal elsewhere. When it comes to its performance (range, speed, reliability, etc.) we'll have to wait till it's released and first benchmarks results are published.
That's interesting, because connecting to shared drives on my Windows-based computer is really very simple with my Belkin wireless router. Sharing printers is also surprisingly easy. Getting my network setup at home took only a few minutes.

$180 for a wireless-N base station is ridiculously expensive compared to the routers mduell listed.

So, to the OP, if you want to actually take the time to learn a little bit about home networking, save some money and buy a Belkin or Netgear 802.11n wireless router from NewEgg or ZipZoomFly or somewhere else that will give you a better price.
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Simon
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Jan 23, 2007, 12:03 PM
 
Originally Posted by shifuimam View Post
That's interesting, because connecting to shared drives on my Windows-based computer is really very simple with my Belkin wireless router.
I think you misunderstood. It's not connecting to shared drives on another computer that's an issue. The question is if you can just hook up a normal USB HD to the base station and use that as a network drive. The new Airport Extreme can actually take one or several USB drives and easily share them among all the attached clients (and at the same time share several USB printers as well). I think that's a very nice feature and worth a few bucks. But as I already said, if you don't care about such features, there are cheaper base stations from other manufacturers.
     
shifuimam
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Jan 23, 2007, 02:57 PM
 
Originally Posted by Simon View Post
I think you misunderstood. It's not connecting to shared drives on another computer that's an issue. The question is if you can just hook up a normal USB HD to the base station and use that as a network drive. The new Airport Extreme can actually take one or several USB drives and easily share them among all the attached clients (and at the same time share several USB printers as well). I think that's a very nice feature and worth a few bucks. But as I already said, if you don't care about such features, there are cheaper base stations from other manufacturers.
Ahaha I did misunderstand; I thought you meant that the Airport software in OS X made it easier to connect to drives and printers on other computers.

That is definitely a nice feature. I know that several wireless 802.11g routers have built-in USB ports now, but I don't know about the Draft-N routers. I would imagine that feature will become more common as N wireless networking becomes the de facto standard and replaces 802.11g.

Anyhow, thanks for the clarification. I don't think I'd be willing to pass on an extra $60 just for the USB port feature, but I probably wouldn't ever spend more than $20 on a router.
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Simon
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Jan 24, 2007, 02:02 AM
 
Originally Posted by shifuimam View Post
I don't think I'd be willing to pass on an extra $60 just for the USB port feature, but I probably wouldn't ever spend more than $20 on a router.
I see. So I guess it'll be a while before you can get an n router. Actually, can you even buy a g router for $20?
     
shifuimam
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Jan 24, 2007, 09:25 AM
 
Originally Posted by Simon View Post
I see. So I guess it'll be a while before you can get an n router. Actually, can you even buy a g router for $20?
Yeah...my G router is a Belkin that I really, really like. I think I got for $10 at Fry's with a rebate. I'm a cheapskate when it comes to computer hardware, surprisingly enough. The only things I've ever paid even close to retail on are my NEC DVD burner and my 17" Samsung LCD.
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Simon
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Jan 24, 2007, 09:41 AM
 
Originally Posted by shifuimam View Post
Yeah...my G router is a Belkin that I really, really like. I think I got for $10 at Fry's with a rebate.
Sweet deal!
     
mduell
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Jan 24, 2007, 07:59 PM
 
Originally Posted by Simon View Post
I see. So I guess it'll be a while before you can get an n router. Actually, can you even buy a g router for $20?
I wouldn't be surprised to see 802.11n routers for $50 by the time the spec is finalized; the draft hardware is already down to $95.
802.11g routers are $30 without MIR and $20 after MIR. You can often get them for free/$1/$5 if a big box store is running a promo.
     
   
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