Apple AirPort Extreme Base Router (MA073LL/A)

Apple finally designs a true multi-port router!

I'm an avid Apple computer user, but I have to admit that I've never owned an Airport base station, until now. I've got multiple computers using wired and wireless internet connections, so I've always used either a D-Link or Linksys router for my home network because these routers also provide 4 wired ethernet ports. Up until now, the Airport base station family has really only provided 1 wired ethernet port. So, instead of opting for the ease of use and exemplary integration of the Airport base station, I've just used these third party wireless routers.

This new Airport Extreme Base Router is both elegant in form and function. Apple has used the mac-mini enclosure as the template for this router. It includes 3 wired ethernet ports and a powered USB2.0 port. There aren't any external antennas or blinking lights on the face of this device. There's just a single green light on the front that lets you know all is well (it also turns amber and/or flashes to let you know if there's a problem). Apple has kept the activity LEDs, they just placed them on the rear of the router. For me, I don't need to have the reassurance of blinking LEDs to know whether my router is working properly.

Setup is a breeze! It literally took less than 5 minutes to set it up. The Airport Setup Assistant walked me through the several setup steps, and before I knew it, my network was up and running with WPA2 encryption. I was an early adopter of this device, so I had to manually install the new Airport base station software. If your software is up-to-date then you should already have the correct software installed.

Much has been made of the fact that Apple only provided 100baseT wired ethernet ports instead of 1000baseT (gigabit ethernet) on this router. This really is a non-issue! Most commercial routers only provide 100baseT ethernet connections, so Apple is just on par with the industry. I guess most people see Apple as a technology innovator and assumed that Apple would incorporate gigabit ethernet. The reality is that most home networks can't take advantage of gigabit ethernet so it really shouldn't matter.

One of the best features of this router is the USB port. The USB port allows you to connect a printer or hard drive and make them network devices without the need for another computer. You can add a USB hub and add any number of printers or hard drives. At this point, I don't think you can operate any other devices via the airport network.

This router does bring new technology to the table. It brings the speed of 802.11n (up to 150Mbps) and extended range using MIMO antenna technology. Apple has designed this base station to the draft IEEE 802.11n standard. The base station can operate at either 2.4 or 5 GHz. Unless you're running a pure 802.11n network, you'll have to operate at 2.4GHz. The one feature that all users will notice is the improved signal coverage. I've been able to use my powerbook all over my house, where before, I had several dead spots.

I highly recommend this to any Mac user with a wireless network. The three wired ethernet ports make this a more practical device for operating multiple computers. The USB port allows you to install a printer or hard drive and make them available via Bonjour sharing. The price ($179) is slightly higher than the competition but great technology is worth the premium.