Airport Extreme Gen.5

[whsbuss]

Anyone here have any experiences with the latest AEBS? Wireless range, throughput, etc.

 

[aphexacid]

Anandtech just reviewed it a few days ago

 

[claykin]

Anandtech just reviewed it a few days ago

Don't expect miracles but it does have a 3 stream radio on both 2.4 anf 5Ghz bands.

Apple switched to Broadcom radios for the Gen 5 hardware so performance should be similar to the E4200 or WNDR4000.

 

[thiggins]

The AnandTech review (I added a link in the post above) does a pretty thorough job.

As the review shows, I'd expect that it would work best with Broadcom 3x3 clients, as are in the latest MacBookPros. As for how it works with the Intel 6300, look at the Cisco E4200 and NETGEAR WNDR4000 results in our recent 3 stream N tests.

Bottom line is that you will only see a throughput benefit with a 3x3 client under very strong signal conditions and using 40 MHz bandwidth mode. And Apple doesn't let you use 40 MHz mode in 2.4 GHz.

 

[claykin]

Tim

why would they bother having a 3 stream radio on 2.4Ghz if they limit it to 20Mhz? Seems senseless. Is this over-marketing?

I sure hope Intel works on their wifi drivers to perform better with Broadcom and Atheros chipsets. Many quality notebooks come with either the 6205 or 6300.

 

[thiggins]

why would they bother having a 3 stream radio on 2.4Ghz if they limit it to 20Mhz? Seems senseless. Is this over-marketing?

I agree, would be silly. I may have misspoke. I know they lock out 40 MHz on the client side. Maybe they allow it on the router. But the previous version didn't.
Just another example of Apple's we-control-the-horizontal-we-control-the-vertical approach to things..

I sure hope Intel works on their wifi drivers to perform better with Broadcom and Atheros chipsets. Many quality notebooks come with either the 6205 or 6300.

True. Or vice versa.

 

[thiggins]

Testing done and results posted in the Charts. Short review coming next week. It's not the super router you're looking for. No super range, no super speed.