Airport Extreme?

[Nola26]

I recently bought a MBP to go along with my Wife's MBA, our iPhone 4's, iPad2, apple TV, and a few iPods. I have AT&T UVerse which comes with a wireless router. Is there something special that Apple's Airport Extreme does that would be worth it for me to use instead of the UVerse router?

[osxx]

I have Uverse and it works but I also have an AEBS and 2 AE's because I like the N speed that can transfer from device to computer to computer faster than the G in the RG and send iTunes to 2 different locations in my house besides not having some of the wireless issues that have happened with the RG3800 2Wire.
1) It gives you the ability to use a USB drive for Time Machine or a USB printer for shared printing on your LAN.
2.) It can control up to 4 Airport Express or Extremes your choice.
3.) It has simultaneous radios for both 2.4 and 5GHz.
4.) You can set up a guest account on the wireless .

[dtravis7]

The UVerse router is ok for basic usage and G WiFi. A close friend has one and it's fine for them. OSXX brought out some good reasons why the AE would be nice to have. N sure is nice if you want to network computers and transfer data between them. G is so S L O W!

Also I doubt the UVerse router has Gigabit wired ports. That is just a guess BTW, and that would be another reason for the AE. Gigabit Wired IS Wicked Fast!

[osxx]

The UVerse router is ok for basic usage and G WiFi. A close friend has one and it's fine for them. OSXX brought out some good reasons why the AE would be nice to have. N sure is nice if you want to network computers and transfer data between them. G is so S L O W!

Also I doubt the UVerse router has Gigabit wired ports. That is just a guess BTW, and that would be another reason for the AE. Gigabit Wired IS Wicked Fast!

You are correct the 3800 is 10/100 could have made that No,5.

[Nola26]

So I take it that the Airport Extreme is faster but my question is this- If I use Airport Extreme, how do I tool it up? Won't I just be using a LAN port from the UVerse 2 Wire to the AE? Won't that give me the slower 2 Wire speed? Is there another way to hook up the AE so I get the data connection coming from the wall and completely bypass the UVerse router? The UVerse router still needs to stay because that provides all my TV's with Cable and data correct?

Also can you hook a portable HDD to the AE and make a defacto Time Capsule?

[Nola26]

I have Uverse and it works but I also have an AEBS and 2 AE's because I like the N speed that can transfer from device to computer to computer faster than the G in the RG and send iTunes to 2 different locations in my house besides not having some of the wireless issues that have happened with the RG3800 2Wire.
1) It gives you the ability to use a USB drive for Time Machine or a USB printer for shared printing on your LAN.
2.) It can control up to 4 Airport Express or Extremes your choice.
3.) It has simultaneous radios for both 2.4 and 5GHz.
4.) You can set up a guest account on the wireless .

What is an "AEBS"? Anyway to dumb down what you said a bit? Im kinda tech savvy but I have only a slight idea what your saying.

[5altyFX]

Also! if you have speakers in your house , you can hook them up to ur Extreme for Airplay

[osxx]

So I take it that the Airport Extreme is faster but my question is this- If I use Airport Extreme, how do I tool it up? Won't I just be using a LAN port from the UVerse 2 Wire to the AE? Won't that give me the slower 2 Wire speed? Is there another way to hook up the AE so I get the data connection coming from the wall and completely bypass the UVerse router? The UVerse router still needs to stay because that provides all my TV's with Cable and data correct?

Also can you hook a portable HDD to the AE and make a defacto Time Capsule?

The best way is in bridge mode and LAN from the RG 3800 to the WAN on the AEBS (Airport Extreme Base Station) speed will be what you paid for wireless or wired.
You cannot put their RG in a bridge mode so that is why I suggested putting the AEBS in the bridge mode.
You can however put the AEBS in the DMZ + which puts the router behind a router. And yes to your last question.

[Nola26]

What is bridge mode? And what is the DMZ?

So what your saying is that if the AE is in bridge mode and connected with a cat5 to the AE the data speed will be whatever I'm paying for? And that will be faster than what I have set up now?

[J.Fo]

Also! if you have speakers in your house , you can hook them up to ur Extreme for Airplay

Correction: The AirPort Express has the ability to do AirPlay. The AirPort Extreme does not.

[Nola26]

What about getting a Time Capsule? Is it as fast and have the same capabilities as the Airport Extreme just with a built in HDD?

[RavingMac]

What about getting a Time Capsule? Is it as fast and have the same capabilities as the Airport Extreme just with a built in HDD?

Yes it is; I have both a Time Capsule and an Airport Extreme.

But, In my opinion you are better off just getting the AES. I did the wireless back up for a while, but with two users it quickly filled up. Far cheaper and quicker to buy each of us a small USB external and use it for backup (actually I have two apiece and we swap them out to our Safe Deposit Box every so often).

[osxx]

What about getting a Time Capsule? Is it as fast and have the same capabilities as the Airport Extreme just with a built in HDD?

Yes
DMZ = You are wide open to the internet no firewall in the RG only in the AEBS
at this point if you select share a public IP.
Bridge Mode = You are just a wireless access point with features works best
with Uverse.

[Nola26]

So my ultimate question is this: Will the AEBS in bridge mode be a faster connection for internet browsing, using my Slingbox and transferring Mpeg2 movies files to my Go Flex Home NAS drive from my MBP? IS it worth it to get the AEBS?

And thank you for all the replies, I have learned a lot.

[5altyFX]

Correction: The AirPort Express has the ability to do AirPlay. The AirPort Extreme does not.

Ohh XD my bad thx!