Airport Express Comes Through
It’s come to my attention that I’ll need to eventually upgrade to a Wireless N router, both for the highest compatibility with my Apple products as well as greatest throughput. I currently use a Wireless G router, which is showing its age with poor throughput and intermittent signal drops (Ed. note: Don’t purchase Buffalo routers; they are horrible).
With that in mind, I’ve turned my attention to Apple. I may have mentioned in a previous post that I’ve been considering the Airport Extreme Base Station because of its fantastic Wireless N capabilities and the USB port that can be used for both hard drives and printers. Well, recently, Apple upgraded the Airport Express, a simple power adapter device that also serves as a wireless router for the home, and I thought I’d check it out.
In principle, I like the Airport Express. Instead of a clunky box that needs to be plugged into your power strip, you simply plug your router directly into the power source and free up space on your desk, TV stand, etc. Everything plugs directly into the Airport Express, including your stereo, so you can stream your iTunes music to your home theatre with ease. But the Airport Express comes with some hitches, which are what turned me off from the product: it only serves 10 users and the USB port doesn’t support USB hubs/hard drives. It may not seem like much, but my network is a pretty busy place (two computers, a video game console, and two portable gaming devices, which will be joined by another computer, another video game console, and another portable gaming device in a few short months). Not to mention the fact that my old hard drives are slowly becoming external storage devices.
The Airport Express is a poor substitute for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s a poor product and without its inherent value.
Recently, I suggested Apple to my mother. She’s been using an old Windows Me computer for a few years, and it’s time for a significant upgrade. She’s seen my Macbook and shown some interest in the platform. Regardless on whether or not she makes the switch, she needs a wireless solution that’ll work for her. Because she would be the only person using the network, the Airport Express seems like the best one. She’ll be able to hide it behind her TV stand, and move around her apartment whenever she liked. It also helps that the Airport Express has gotten favorable reviews, solidifying its place as one of those little devices that does so much but gets so little attention.
This is the market that the Airport Express hits: small families or single individuals that need bare minimum wireless connectivity for a low price point.
I’ll still need the Extreme Base Station if I want to upgrade to Wireless N but it’s nice that I found something that can work for my mother. I’m glad to see that Apple has a solution for her, something that is inexpensive and feature packed.
Thanks for the advice on the Buffalo Routers. I never had any luck with Belkin, so i’ll just slam them right here too. Don’t buy them.