AirPort Blog

Just before the AirPort Express Base Station ships--about two weeks from now, if on schedule--Apple has dropped the prices of its home AirPort Extreme gear. The AirPort Extreme Card is now $79 down from $99, although still $20 to $40 more than 802.11g PC Cards from other vendors. The AirPort Extreme Card does have special software that enables it to work alongside Apple's built-in Bluetooth hardware, its only significant advantage.

The AirPort Extreme Base Station with modem and antenna jack is now $199, down from $249. The $199 plain base station has been dropped in favor of the AirPort Express ($129).

Posted by Glenn Fleishman at 08:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you want to build a network of base stations that aren't connected with wires, but use the Wireless Distribution System found first in the AirPort Extreme Base Station (AxBS), you can supplement Apple's $200 to $250 model with the Buffalo WLA-G54. Read my article on how to use it.

The Buffalo access point uses the same chips as Apple's, and in my testing appears to work compatibly with the AxBS -- but it only costs $100. You can find Buffalo equipment at many online stores.

Posted by Glenn Fleishman at 07:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Derek Miller wrote a long and exhaustive article on adding wireless access to older Mac laptops. He has a PowerBook 1400, but his advice applies to the 1400, 2400, 3400, and G3 series that lacked AirPort card slots but had PC Card slots. He points out that even some older machines might work with old Orinoco (WaveLAN/Agere) cards.

Anyway seeking to add wireless support to their older laptop should certainly read Derek's article first!

Posted by Glenn Fleishman at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tom Bridge writes about his terrible experience configuring an AxBS. I've had a similar problem. The AxBS, even though it says it'll take a DHCP address, doesn't like it very much.

Posted by Glenn Fleishman at 09:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Someone's opened up the AxBS and explained some of its parts.

Posted by Glenn Fleishman at 08:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)