Is my airport extreme base station outdated?

It's probably like 4 years old (I have this one - http://www.ecobinary.com/ecart/images/airportextbase.jpg). Are the square ones any faster/stronger? I notice that when my laptop is right next to my basestation, I still don't get the full signal bars, I'm always one bar short. Thinking about getting the new basestation or possibly throwing an antennae booster on my current one. Thoughts? Thanks.

I would actually recommend something like a D-Link DIR-655. Apple makes fine products, but their network gear is mediocre at best, over priced at worst. The DIR-655 is fully 802.11n compliant, has great range and every feature you could ever want in a router, and is literally half the price of the AirPort Extreme.

Put the old AirPort out on Craigslist, there are plenty of Apple zealots who would be willing to pay you far more than it's actually worth.

Amazon.com: D-Link DIR-655 Extreme N Wireless Router: Electronics

Yea... I'm aware that there's cheaper and better products, it's just the easy compatibility and the aesthetics that I like about Apple. That's a nice looking router though, i'll look into it. I'm also looking into this antennae (Hawking Hi-Gain HAI7SIA Antenna), which I heard some good things about. I really don't feel like setting up a network all over. My place is 1500 sq ft with some walls here and there. My comp is a new MB pro. I just want full bars!

Besides the high cost, another reason CWA said what he did is:

The Airport Extreme has a poor Firewall with no SPI (Statefull Packet Inspection). All good firewalls have more than just NAT (Network Address Translation). A plain NAT Firewall is very poor from a security standpoint. When the latest AE came out I was appalled that it did not have an SPI firewall at that high a price point. I can get a router for $50 with a real firewall and not just NAT.

If it were not for the above and a few smaller reasons, I would probably own an AE even at it's high cost because I like Apple Products.



Stateful firewall - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The DIR-655 from everything I have heard and read is an Excellent router. Would recommend it without any doubt at all!

While it is fairly limited by its built-in antennas, I doubt that would suddenly drag your signal down. It's more likely interference from a competing device. Try adjusting your channel and also, make sure it's far, far away from any other device that operates on the 2.4GHz spectrum. This would include Microwave ovens, baby monitors, cordless phone bases, etc. These devices could also be located in an adjacent room and cause this kind of a problem.

Cordless phones, particularly Uniden handsets, can cause serious interference. Got any on or near your desktop?

harryb2448 said:

Cordless phones, particularly Uniden handsets, can cause serious interference. Got any on or near your desktop?

Click to expand...

I actually do have a cordless phone literally right next to the router... had no idea that could be the culprit. I also have a wireless printer right next to the router as well. Hmm... interesting... so the phone could be interfering with my signal?