Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

l008com · Jan 4, 2012, 08:39 PM

I need a new AirPort Extreme. A literally mean a brand new model, current generation, not used or even Apple refurb'd. But I didn't really intend on needing one, so I'm being super cheap about it, and trying to find a deal somewhere? Right now, the best deal I can find is Amazon.com. They are selling them for the full $179 MSRP, but no tax and free shipping, which is better than you'll get through Apple.com.

Anyone know of any better deals?

cybergoober · Jan 4, 2012, 09:07 PM

Don't know if it's applicable at all for you, but the AirPort Extreme is $159 on the Apple Store for Education.

l008com · Jan 4, 2012, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by cybergoober

Don't know if it's applicable at all for you, but the AirPort Extreme is $159 on the Apple Store for Education.

Oh yeah forgot all about that. But theres $10 in sales tax on that, so it ends up being $169 with edu through apple, $179 amazon.

Shaddim · Jan 4, 2012, 09:19 PM

Certified refurb?

Refurbished AirPort Extreme Base Station - Apple Store (U.S.)

$129 + tax with same warranty

l008com · Jan 4, 2012, 09:20 PM

Nope gotta be brand spanking new.

Shaddim · Jan 4, 2012, 09:35 PM

oh, missed that, nm.

Waragainstsleep · Jan 4, 2012, 09:35 PM

Why does it have to be new?

Shaddim · Jan 4, 2012, 09:39 PM

With Apple, refurbs look the same, work the same, and have all the same benefits as new, except packaging. Actually, their refurbs are more stringently tested, so you're probably less likely to get a dud.

l008com · Jan 4, 2012, 09:39 PM

Because I need this router to be absolutely as reliable as possible. There's more potential to get a problem unit if it's a refurb.

l008com · Jan 4, 2012, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by Shaddim

their refurbs are more stringently tested

Do you have a source for that claim?

l008com · Jan 4, 2012, 09:59 PM

Also, looks like the $129 refurb is a previous generation model. The current generation refurb is $149, which is only a $10 savings over a brand new one, with edu discount.

Eug · Jan 4, 2012, 10:50 PM

I have no problem with the refurbs. I've ordered a lot of refurb'd stuff from Apple. However, if you're getting a current model and you have the student discount, there basically is no reason to buy a refurb. In that context the only good deal refurbs are previous models.

P.S. I'm quite impressed with the stability of the current model Airport Extreme. Back the days before the Extreme, the Airports I had were extremely unreliable.

l008com · Jan 4, 2012, 10:54 PM

I'm all for refurb stuff in general. Most of my Macs are refurbs. But in this particular case, an equivalent warranty isn't good enough. I want an airport that isn't going to fail in the first place. Or at least, is least likely to fail. Some very important stuff is going to be running behind this router.

Eug · Jan 4, 2012, 11:50 PM

I don't see a refurb as being higher risk. However, ultimately it's still a consumer router. Perhaps you should be looking at higher end stuff?

Shaddim · Jan 5, 2012, 02:00 AM

If you're looking for better reliability, you should probably be checking out mid-range Cisco. Damned stuff is near-bullet proof.

Newegg.com - Cisco Small Business SRP541W-A-K9 SRP500 Series Wireless Router IEEE 802.11b/g/n

Good deal on that too, BTW.

l008com · Jan 5, 2012, 02:02 AM

I'm not looking for something that bulletproof.

subego · Jan 5, 2012, 02:18 AM

How bulletproof are you talking? Is needing a reboot once in awhile okay?

Either way though, it sounds like you should just cough up the extra $20.

subego · Jan 5, 2012, 02:29 AM

FWIW, I've owned or been in control of at least a dozen AirPorts. They've never had a problem past a reboot, and the reboot frequency has been getting smaller and smaller.

l008com · Jan 5, 2012, 02:34 AM

I've been using a home server as a router running OS X server for many years now. And it literally never needed a reboot. But now, for complicated reasons that I don't feel like getting into (but it has a lot to do with Snow Leopard Server's eternally buggy firewall), I'm going to switch to a 'hardware' router. The new airport extreme are more powerful, and my current wireless access point is an airport express that may actually be dying. So an airport extreme is as reliable as I can get without spending more than I want to spend. I'm just trying to see if maybe bestbuy or someone has them on sale.

Waragainstsleep · Jan 5, 2012, 03:34 PM

Consider a Draytek Vigor Router. They are feature packed and very, very reliable. I use a lot of these:

DrayTek Corp - Headquarters of DrayTek Vigor IP telephony, VPN, Firewall, Security