Airport vs Linksys/etc

My wireless network right now is run by a Linksys router which I've had for a few years now. Since I got the MBP and sort of submerged in the world of apple I've been thinking of picking up an Airport to run the wireless.

I went to the local Best Buy to look around and saw that the Airport is 100bucks, the AirportExtreme 200, while the linksys type wireless are starting at 50buks and don't even go up to 200.

How come? What's the difference and is it worth the extra $? I live in a relatively small bungalow and don't need a super strong signal. The computers running off the wireless are no more then 35ft away from the router. Any features I do care about would be security (although I'm totally technologically challenged and have no clue what in terms of security I want or need, I just know security is important to me).

you are right, you dont really need airport extreme

podraig said:

you are right, you dont really need airport extreme

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I think you missed my point. I was asking about the difference between the apple products and the other brands.

Blackie said:

I think you missed my point. I was asking about the difference between the apple products and the other brands.

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Not that much really, if the other branded routers you're looking at are also 'N' rather than 'G', if they're not then the Airport is faster.

I guess the other perks are things like AirTunes...

Oh, and they're much prettier.

I have Airport Express and Extreme. One at my dad's one at my mom's. I keep the Extreme at my mom's because our PC needs to connect as well. My dad has an iMac, so when I'm there we both connect to the APX. My MB connects to these Apple routers great, and with strong connections.

However I was at my friends house the other day, and he has a linksys. My Mac seemed to have a little bit of trouble connecting to it, it took me 3 tries to connect to the network, and when I did the connection was not all that strong. I went home later, connected to my Extreme, worked fine, connected fine, amazing connection.

Apple computers can connect to Apple routers easier. Makes more sense. Plus, you can control Apple routers right from your Mac using the AirPort utility.

Blackie said:

How come?

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Apple is generally higher price, but in the case of you get what you pay for I side with Apple (there are the occasional bad Apples, no pun intended).

I have a wireless network using 5 Linksys Access Points all linked together with only one of them plugged into the Ethernet for the wireless feed. Generally they work well. Had it been up to me I would have used Airport Base Stations with Hi-Gain antennas.

Apple equipment seems to work better when it comes to connectivity, I have two wireless networks here at home, an 802.11g WDS system out in my shop and an 802.11n Extended Network in my house for AppleTV, TimeCapsule, etc... I never have problems, the speed is great, no dropped connections, and no interference from my cordless phones (Panasonic expandable handset system in the 5GHz band).

Netgear and Linksys I have had to occasionally reset (work and client networks).

A smart choice where range isn't a necessity is using an Airport Express. Until mine was replaced with AppleTV I had an Express in my entertainment center to feed network connectivity to my Xbox360 and used it for AirTunes into my home theater system. I have used wireless audio transmitters before (they sucked) until I installed an Express shortly after they came out. I was very impressed. Plus adding USB print functionality was awesome.

I hope this helps, initially with the high prices you (the consumer) are paying for research and development and then the prices slowly start to trickle down. With the price of the Express as it is now, it's a deal. And add one more later down the road and link them together for greater range if need be. I have a Mac/PC hybrid network and they all play nice on the playground together.