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| Brand: Apple
List Price: $179.99
Buy New: $143.88
You Save: $36.11 (20%)
New (17) Used (4) from $129.99
Rating:  130 reviews
Sales Rank: 196
Format: Cd
Platforms: Macintosh, Windows
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Operating System: Windows & Macintosh
Modem: None
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 6.5 x 6.5 x 1.3
Warranty: Parts- 1yr limited, Labor- 90 days limited
MPN: MB053LL/A
Model: MB053LL/A
UPC: 885909171057
EAN: 0885909171057
ASIN: B000UZCR56
Release Date: August 31, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 6-10 of 130
 One of the best, if not the best pre-N router on the market today April 27, 2008
esanta (San Jose, CA USA)
17 out of 19 found this review helpful
I have been using many wireless routers (Linksys, D-Link, SMC, Netgear, Siemens...) over the years, since the early days of 802.11b, but this is my first experience with an Apple router (second, really: I've just replaced my first generation Airport Extreme router with this one which has a Gigabit switch instead of the original 100BT, so this is an update of the review I posted for the original model)
There is no need to comment on the manufacturing quality, design and packaging: in typical Apple fashion, they're miles ahead of the competition. For instance, unlike all the other routers I ever used that came with a 110v only power supply, the Airport Extreme Base Station (AEBS for short) comes with a universal worldwide power supply equipped with a standard power cord.
Performancewise, it is exceptional. I have been putting it through its paces over the past few days and it's barely breaking a sweat in situations where my previous routers (Linksys WRT54G and Netgear WGN824) would progressively get slower, or just plain crash and require a reboot. Coverage is excellent, better than my WGN824's which was already quite impressive.
Apple has traditionally be doing things differently, and it shows here again: unlike most routers, which are managed by accessing a built-in web server, this router can only be configured using the "Airport Utility" configuration program. The bundled CD contains a Mac OS X and a Windows version of the utility (I can already hear groans from the Linux geeks). The utility is extremely simple to use, although I haven't tried to use the more advanced features such as setting up another router like the Airport Express as a range extender.
One problem you might run into is the lack of support for "legacy" devices: although the AEBS offers a compatibility mode with WEP devices called "WEP (Transitional)" which lets WEP and WPA coexist, this mode imposes restrictions on the keys that may not work for you (for instance you won't be able to reuse an existing 40-bit WEP key). The problem is that WEP-40 and WEP-128 are not compatible with the 802.11n standard, so you have to choose between speed or full backwards compatibility. Also, you should know that WEP-40 and WEP-128 are not very secure: there are utilities out there that can crack these keys easily.
Note that 802.11n gives a significant speed boost to the AppleTV and laptops equipped with compatible cards (such as Apple's Core 2 Duo laptops with the 802.11n enabler installed -- you can find the enabler on the AEBS CD). Unless you own one of these machines, there is no harm in switching to a non-802.11n radio mode. How? Just hold the command key (or control on Windows) while clicking on the "Radio Mode" popup in the Wireless tab of the AEBS configuration utility. Extra, non-n modes appear in the list, and once one is selected the WEP-40 and WEP-128 modes become available under Security. If you select WEP-40 or WEP-128 security, you can enter a hex key by prefixing it with a dollar sign.
The AEBS also comes with a versatile USB port, which can be used to attach hard disks and/or a printer (USB hubs are supported). Unlike other base stations or NAS boxes, the AEBS does not require that you reformat the disk; all you have to do is plug it in and voila! Instant NAS, all your files show up on the network. Some very basic access control features are provided. I plugged in the external USB drive I use to backup my MacBook, and now I can do automated backups without having to worry about remembering to plug in the drive: it just works wirelessly. The AEBS also lets you share a USB printer.
Now that Apple has released the Time Capsule devices, they've also released a version of firmware (7.3.1) that supports Time Machine in similar fashion. Unfortunately some people complain that this feature does not work reliably for them. I've experienced a more annoying problem: the Nortel Contivity VPN software I use to connect to my office network no longer works reliably. I found out on Apple's forums that this is a fairly common complaint and a known problem, so I assume it will be fixed in the next release; reverting firmware to version 7.2.1 fixed the problem (and disabled Time Machine support).
In conclusion, this router is a fantastic performer. Although it's one of the most expensive 802.11n routers out there, its feature set, build quality, performance and top-notch customer support more than make up for the price difference. Despite a couple of quirks, I recommend it highly -- although if you need Time Machine support you're better off buying Time Capsule at least until Apple addresses the problems in firmware 7.3.1.
EDIT - Firmware 7.3.2 was released on 6/30/2008, and I have had no problems using the Nortel Contivity VPN since installing it.
Terrific Experience, Worth the Price October 30, 2007
Rob S. (Bay Area, CA)
16 out of 21 found this review helpful
Setup was a breeze - finally an first-class application dedicated to setup instead of some geek-created web page.
I finally setup wireless security. Something I've always wanted to do but other routers were so opaque I could never figure out what was appropriate or how to configure it after I decided.
Windows and Macs on my router as well as 2 Netgear print server bridges (yes, they work!).
 Read the Apple discussion group before buying this router December 26, 2007
J. Southin
15 out of 19 found this review helpful
There is a very widespread problem with this product. It disconnects from the internet at random times, often several times an hour. There are extensive threads about this problem in the Apple discussion group devoted to this router. It's a serious issue that affects many users, including me. I'd avoid buying this router until Apple solves this problem. Do your homework before shelling out your money. Unfortunately, I didn't, so am back to using my old router while waiting for a fix from Apple.
 TOPIC: USB printer & hard drive adventure January 2, 2008
TGav (Boston)
13 out of 15 found this review helpful
The overall performance of the Airport has been amply discussed. I'd like to comment more on my experience with AirPort's USB support on Windows XP. Specifically, what to expect if you attach a USB hard drive.
Installation was a bit quirky, at times the AirPort utility prog failed to recognize the unit. The Printer Wizard setup also installs the Bonjour program, a startup service required for an attached USB printer to be recognized across the network. It's a snap to setup the printer- Bonjour immediately saw my HP printer and set it up. However, all PCs on the network need Bonjour service installation in order to see and use the printer (at least that's what I did to finally get it going). Running memory usage is about 4k. This is annoying for those who maintain the startup list as lean as possible. The AirPort utility also automatically loads but I disabled it without problems.
Once things are up an running printer function is flawless.
Now concerning the hard drive on USB. First, it MUST be formatted to FAT32. To do this the drive has to be connected to the PC, not the AirPort. Depending on your needs FAT will be a problem. For XP users, formatting the drive to FAT32 is a headache since this function is hit or miss within XP, and most USB drives come NTFS preformatted which the AirPort will not recognize. Unless you are moderately computer savy it's a frustrating experience. In my case, the XP Disc Management utility did not list FAT32 as a formatting option so I had to search elsewhere.
NExt you can search and download freeware to do the formatting within XP. The most recommended program crashed on several of my PCs so I was unable to test it. There's also a DOS freeeware prog which does a good job (tested), but it's command line and may be complicated for some folks and takes a little Googling to find it.
Using an original Windows boot disk also works but is a major hassle. Furthermore, some Windows versions do not support FAT. Some drives come with installation CD and give formatting options.
Finally, you can format to FAT by attaching the drive to a MAC or Linux computer. I have a Ubuntu partition so that's what I did.
Now this is important: FAT32 limits file size to 4GB max. No way to get around it AFAIK. Do not expect to store files >4Gigs and access them on the network, for example large media files. I found the transfer speed to the drive extremely slow though I don't have numbers. You have options as to security of access, such as password protection.
In my case, the purpose of the drive was to transfer media files and use them on a Sony PS3. Since the PS3 also limits file size to 4GB that's fine by me. But if I wanted to access larger size mediaI I'd be out of luck. I hate streaming to PS3 so having a portable drive \from which to run media is best for my needs. I suppose most people store files way below 4GB so it won't matter.
You can also attach a small hub so as to use several USB devices, such as multiple printer or drive combinations.
The reason I give this 3 STARS is that Apple is not upfront regarding the required FAT32 format for USB drives. Sure, the small print mentions it, but the inherent limitations of this format are not thus fooling unsuspecting buyers. I love it as a router and for printer networking. Lousy if you attach a hard drive and expect to store large files.
Drops wireless connections all the time December 6, 2007
Stephen Harshman
12 out of 18 found this review helpful
the wireless network does not function properly. The wireless network just disappears and can not be brought back easily, sometimes you can not connect for hours. The ethernet ports continue to work, but the whole point of the product is to be wireless. Also, the disk access does not work as advertised. The airport does not always recognize the disk password and will not attach automatically.
Do not buy this product until Apple fixes all the bugs!!
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