Airport Extreme?

Joined
Nov 22, 2011
Messages
67
Reaction score
0
Points
6
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?
 
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
4,695
Reaction score
73
Points
48
Location
houston texas
Your Mac's Specs
09 MBP 8GB ram 500GB HD OS 10.9 32B iPad 4 32GB iPhone 5 iOs7 2TB TC Apple TV3
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


Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 4, 2005
Messages
30,133
Reaction score
703
Points
113
Location
Modesto, Ca.
Your Mac's Specs
MacMini M-1 MacOS Monterey, iMac 2010 27"Quad I7 , MBPLate2011, iPad Pro10.5", iPhoneSE
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! :D

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! :D
 
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
4,695
Reaction score
73
Points
48
Location
houston texas
Your Mac's Specs
09 MBP 8GB ram 500GB HD OS 10.9 32B iPad 4 32GB iPhone 5 iOs7 2TB TC Apple TV3
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! :D

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! :D

You are correct the 3800 is 10/100 could have made that No,5.
 
OP
N
Joined
Nov 22, 2011
Messages
67
Reaction score
0
Points
6
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?
 
OP
N
Joined
Nov 22, 2011
Messages
67
Reaction score
0
Points
6
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.
 
Joined
Dec 10, 2011
Messages
26
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Also! if you have speakers in your house , you can hook them up to ur Extreme for Airplay :D
 
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
4,695
Reaction score
73
Points
48
Location
houston texas
Your Mac's Specs
09 MBP 8GB ram 500GB HD OS 10.9 32B iPad 4 32GB iPhone 5 iOs7 2TB TC Apple TV3
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.
 
OP
N
Joined
Nov 22, 2011
Messages
67
Reaction score
0
Points
6
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?
 
Joined
Sep 7, 2008
Messages
311
Reaction score
19
Points
18
Location
Shakopee, MN
Your Mac's Specs
iMac, late 2012 model, 21"
Also! if you have speakers in your house , you can hook them up to ur Extreme for Airplay :D

Correction: The AirPort Express has the ability to do AirPlay. The AirPort Extreme does not.
 
OP
N
Joined
Nov 22, 2011
Messages
67
Reaction score
0
Points
6
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

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
8,303
Reaction score
242
Points
63
Location
In Denial
Your Mac's Specs
16Gb Mac Mini 2018, 15" MacBook Pro 2012 1 TB SSD
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).
 
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
4,695
Reaction score
73
Points
48
Location
houston texas
Your Mac's Specs
09 MBP 8GB ram 500GB HD OS 10.9 32B iPad 4 32GB iPhone 5 iOs7 2TB TC Apple TV3
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.
 
OP
N
Joined
Nov 22, 2011
Messages
67
Reaction score
0
Points
6
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.
 
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
4,695
Reaction score
73
Points
48
Location
houston texas
Your Mac's Specs
09 MBP 8GB ram 500GB HD OS 10.9 32B iPad 4 32GB iPhone 5 iOs7 2TB TC Apple TV3
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.

There is no speed increase over what you have unless your router is not working correctly or it is G since the AEBS can do both G and N at the same time it will not slow your LAN down when a G only device connects. Your speed is always controlled by your ISP and what you signed up for in other words if you are on a 12mbps plan you will only get up to that speed but if you need
your devices to talk to each other then N is the ticket much faster at that than G.
 
OP
N
Joined
Nov 22, 2011
Messages
67
Reaction score
0
Points
6
So if the UVerse router is a G only router, I won't get any speed increase using a N router? But as I understand transferring data from my MBP to a NAS drive will be faster using a N router correct?
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top