If a person's computer can connect wirelessly to their modem/router, why would that person want to buy an Airport Express? What am I missing? The Airport Express is just connected wirelessly to the same modem/router and then plugged into an electrical outlet nearby. Does the speed of one's connection on the computer improve if you plug an ethernet cable from the back of say a Mac Mini into an Airport Express that is plugged into the wall, than the speed would be just using normal WiFi in the house? I think I get it for sharing music from iTunes or having remote speakers, maybe even a printer, but is there any benefit to the computer? Thanks.

> If a person's computer can connect wirelessly to
> their modem/router, why would that person want to
> buy an Airport Express?

Odd question.

Ordinarily, if you have a wireless router that works for you already, you probably have no need for another one.


> I think I get it for sharing music from iTunes or
> having remote speakers, maybe even a printer, but
> is there any benefit to the computer?

That's much of the reason right there.

It's also handy to share an Internet connection while traveling.

And if your primary router is an Airport Extreme or Express, you can use an Airport Express to extend the network in a big house.

Chakravartin,

Agree that it is an odd question. Which is why I was asking why so many people have been telling me that they are buying Airport Expresses. They seem to feel that it improves their connection to the main wireless router/modem. If true, maybe I would buy one too. I have three hardwired computers connected to our router/modem, but have a lot of wireless things such as two XBox 360s, 2 PS3s, an Apple TV, two Mac Minis, three iPhones, two iPads, and one HP Touchpad connected via WiFi in the house. So, if I plug an Airport Express in right next to the video game consoles and then connect the consoles into the Airport Express, will the wireless speed improve based on the sort of hardwired connection to the Express? Does it matter if you use an Airport Extreme or an ISP provided router/modem. Our ISP is Verizon FIOS. We are provisioned for 50Mbps download and 10Mbps upload. We get that on the wired devices, but typically only get a ping of 60ms and a download of 18.22 Mbps down and 4.68Mbps upload on the iPads, iPhones and Mac Minis. Don't know about the Xbox 360s and PS3s, but they often times will lose their connection to Xbox Live or the Sony online servers.

I have one for two reasons:
1) it extends my wireless signal across the house. My AEBS is in my office on one end of the house. Without the Express in the middle of the house, I wouldn't get a signal in the bedroom.
2) My wife's work laptop needs to be plugged in. They've disabled wireless on it for security reasons. She used to have to use my office. Now, she can plug in in her office, which is in the middle of the house. And I didn't have to try to run ethernet cable.

Besides extending a network, remote speakers is the other big reason for an Express as second wireless backbone device. I'm sure people like the printer sharing feature, but I went with inexpensive monochrome network lasers as my solution.

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rz
They've disabled wireless on it for security reasons. She used to have to use my office. Now, she can plug in in her office, which is in the middle of the house. And I didn't have to try to run ethernet cable.

Doesn't this circumvent their security precautions? Either way, that's a good use as well, Wireless to Ethernet bridge (I'm guessing most people don't use their Express for ProxySTA).

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silvarios

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rz
They've disabled wireless on it for security reasons. She used to have to use my office. Now, she can plug in in her office, which is in the middle of the house. And I didn't have to try to run ethernet cable.

Doesn't this circumvent their security precautions? Either way, that's a good use as well, Wireless to Ethernet bridge (I'm guessing most people don't use their Express for ProxySTA).

yeah, I suppose it does. But it's a lot more secure at my house than, say, a Starbucks or some other public wi-fi spot.

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rz
yeah, I suppose it does. But it's a lot more secure at my house than, say, a Starbucks or some other public wi-fi spot.

That's true. Especially if you use proper encryption and key length. I'm not even sure the company could detect the system was ever on wireless anyway. To the computer, the connection will look just like Ethernet.

All,

Thanks all for your comments. I think I will try to research extending the network more with one of these then. Improving wireless speed seems like a win-win for such a modestly priced item.

Ray,

Some thoughts as to the reasoning behind the Airport Express, at least based on how I've used them over the years:

1. As a wireless access point (WAP) or range extended to put a hardwire printer onto a wireless network. **

You can use an Airport Express to put a printer that is ethernet and/or USB onto a wireless network. This is done by using an Airport Express as a dedicated wireless access point (WAP) or as a means of extending a wireless network. Works like a charm when Macs are involved. Not as easy when Windows factors into things. Also , better with a printer with ethernet because they're designed to be networked out of the box but workable with many USB printers, too.

2. As a WAP or Range extender to put a non-wireless capable device that has ethernet onto a wireless network. **

Just like with a printer, you can connect a device that has ethernet to a wireless network. Works like a charm with computers, TVs, game machines like a PlayStation. A reason to consider it is that many computers still in operation have 802.11b or 802.11g. This can possibly give them a faster network connection. 'course, the same express can double as a USB printer server (See #1) and to extend the range of an Airport based wireless network.

3. As a range extender to extend the range of a Apple Airport based wireless network

You can use an Express to to extend the range of an Airport based network. Can speak to whether or not it will extend the range of non-Apple hardware but it works like a charm for Apple's stuff.

4. As a wireless router itself.

I wouldn't have recommended the older models to serve as a wireless router. They had just one ethernet port. Using one as a wireless router meant you connect it to the cable/DSL/FIOS modem at the cost of connecting anything else to it via ethernet. Not necessarily an issue for other people but a major annoyance to me. It made the more expensive Airport Extreme Base Station a better choice since it has more ethernet ports. The newest flavor has two ethernet ports. This makes it significantly more viable as a wireless router. You connect the cable/DSL/FIOS modem and still have a spare ethernet port for another device including a switch (which gives even more ports). However, unlike its more expensive and larger sibling, the Airport Express has slower ethernet ports. Not a big deal for most people but a reason for me to go with the more capable Airport Extreme Base Station.

5. As a WAP to create a wireless network.

An Airport Express is _very_ handy to have when traveling. Many hotels and such provide an ethernet network connection as a part of your stay at the hotel. However, you often must pay for wireless. An Airport Express is small enough to take with you to use as a wireless access point with the hotel provided ethernet. Handy for those with wifi only portable devices. It allows you to easily use a wifi only laptop, ipad, etc anywhere in the room and, possibly, a short distance outside of the room, too.

I've been using Airport Express for a variety of the aforementioned applications for many years. My only complaint with them is they only last two or three years. After that they become flaky and require replacement. At least in my experience. I can't speak for others experiences nor can I speak for the newest model. Other people may have better longevity with them. That and I've never used the newest flavor so I lack experience with it.

Robert

** As a WAP, the Airport Express should connect to any wireless network. It may not work as a range extender for non-Apple networking hardware.

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rapayn1
Improving wireless speed seems like a win-win for such a modestly priced item.

$100 seems expensive to me, I think I paid $79 for a last gen refurb a few years ago (was down to $69 at one point). You may not even see much of an improvement in your speeds unless your current signal was marginal to begin with. Have you tried putting some devices on 802.11n 5GHz? You need a simultaneous dual band router to handle 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz devices at the same time.

Silvarios,

That's one of the other major improvements in the new Airport Express. The old 802.11n models were single band. The new model is dual band. That and the second ethernet port make it well worth the difference in price.

Robert

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Robert M
Silvarios,

That's one of the other major improvements in the new Airport Express. The old 802.11n models were single band. The new model is dual band. That and the second ethernet port make it well worth the difference in price.

Robert

True, but I meant at that point you could just buy a higher powered simultaneous dual band router for the same $100. Or close to it. Might not need a network extender with the increased power.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2012 04:25PM by silvarios.

Silvarios,

True as well. However, a non-Apple wireless box loses some of the benefits of Apple hardware. Easy connection of a USB printer for printer sharing. Easy extension of the network if it proves necessary, etc.

Robert