Extremely Disappointing: Apple Airport Extreme Reviewed

[nuno.licapinto]

Apple released today the new revision of the AirPort Extreme.

Do you guys think you will be able to test it this time?

"Even faster performance.
Based on the IEEE 802.11n specification, AirPort Extreme uses a technology called multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) to transmit multiple data streams simultaneously. The result? AirPort Extreme delivers data transfer speeds up to five times those of 802.11g wireless networks — while achieving up to twice the range. And improvements in antenna design give you up to 50 percent better Wi-Fi performance and up to 25 percent better range than with the previous-generation AirPort Extreme Base Station."



That would be nice, I've been planning about buying a new router, but I just won't buy it until someone does a nice review, and I don't find any review even comparable to the ones you make here at SmallNetBuilder.

I've just registered the forums to gently ask for that

Thanks
Nuno

 

[ATB]

Come on Apple!

I would also like to see a review here.

Dear Apple, please send the review unit to Smallnetbuilder! I and lots of readers have no valid reference point for how the newer airport extremes stack up against the other networking products. This site does a great job of not only testing products under the same test conditions, but also touching on other important features, such a setup software, etc. All of the other major manufacturers' networking products are reviewed here; not being reviewed here is a big red flag for me.

 

[Magsy]

I have one and I think you desperately need to buy/borrow one to test because it is the fastest thing I have ever seen by quite some margin.

Using an Intel 4965AGN I am getting at least an average of 16-18MB/s (megabytes) with many peaks of 20MB/s, which is way faster than anything else on the market. This is a Win 2k8 > Win 7 transfer, monitored with at least three different utilities and no matter what I do, my speed is always above 15MB/s.

 

[thiggins]

Thanks for the thought. But it would be more effective to post here:
http://store.apple.com/us/questions/product/MC340LL/A?mco=MTMzNzk0MDA

 

[zjohnr]

Thanks for the thought. But it would be more effective to post here:
http://store.apple.com/us/questions/product/MC340LL/A?mco=MTMzNzk0MDA

OK, Tim. I tried to post a question (below) to the Apple Store questions board you pointed towards. But since Apple apparently prescreens the posts, I have no idea if it will actually show up or not.

This is also the other discussion board (why on earth do they do this?? ) at http://discussions.apple.com/index.jspa.

You need to create/derive a forum ID from your "Apple ID" in order to post there. I may do that later.

-irrational john

Where can I find product reviews for Airport Extreme?

I usually rely on the reviews from www.smallnetbuilder.com since I find them to be both very thorough and also very objective and thoughtful. However, it appears that Apple decided to stop submitting their Airport products to smallnetbuilder to be reviewed.

I am basing this comment on this article at this link:
forumsDOTsmallnetbuilderDOTcom/showthread.php?t=2375

Is it true that Apple no longer allows smallnetbuilder to review its Airport products. If so, why?

-irrational john

* Asked by JM from ITHACA
* Oct 31, 2009
​

 

[thiggins]

Thanks for trying, at least, John.

 

[thiggins]

I'm not impressed

I broke down and bought a new AirPort Extreme (MC340LL/A), mainly because I wanted to check my theory about a stealth three-stream upgrade.

I just finished testing and will post a review soon. But short story is that I'm not impressed. So anyone on the fence about it vs. a WNDR3700 (or anything else)... go for the anything else.

 

[zjohnr]

A testing request ...

Back in May 2009 in a previous thread about a previous airport which you also didn't get a loaner from Apple to review I mentioned I was curious what, if anything, the following claim in another review might mean.

"Inside Apple’s AirPort Extreme, Time Capsule updates" by Glenn Fleishman, Macworld.com

Normally, Wi-Fi devices choose somewhat arbitrarily which base station they connect to when multiple base stations share the same network name for roaming purposes. Wi-Fi adapters typically try to get the best connection, such as that with the best signal strength, but standard Wi-Fi doesn’t offer better choices.

Apple senior product manager Jai Chulani, who focuses on the company’s Wi-Fi line, said that Apple had modified that for its hardware. He explained that an algorithm looks at the signal strength and also the available network speed to determine which band’s network to join.​

Just wanted to toss this out there in case you might be able to come up with a way to "test" whatever the heck that Apple product manager may have been alluding to. I realize it could be a real hassle to set up a multiple network connection scenario. But this sort of vague hand waving claim to superiority bugs me. I'm still not really sure what the heck he is claiming they've supposedly tweaked in the Airport to supposedly make it connect "better".

Maybe it's just me though ...

-irrational john

 

[thiggins]

It's marketing blather.

Any client is going to try to attach to the strongest AP. If you have a dual-band adapter and both bands are enabled, it will search both bands.

 

[nuno.licapinto]

I broke down and bought a new AirPort Extreme (MC340LL/A), mainly because I wanted to check my theory about a stealth three-stream upgrade.

I just finished testing and will post a review soon. But short story is that I'm not impressed. So anyone on the fence about it vs. a WNDR3700 (or anything else)... go for the anything else.

I'm anxious Waiting all day!! Where is it?

Thanks for the review, I'm grateful

Keep the good work

Nuno

 

[thiggins]

Routing and wireless results have been posted in the charts. Review in progress.

 

[ATB]

Thanks much Tim for your review of the latest Airport Extreme. You have saved many of us $ and more importantly a fair amount of aggravation.

 

[drewcwsj]

Nice to know that MIMO is just marketing hype.

One thing on your testing. Could you add in something like a VOIP adapter (via a wireless bridge) in addition to the streaming test? I'm curious if these wireless access points have any QOS capabilities that actually work. Moving big files is nice but that isn't the day to day home networking usage model.

 

[thetoad30]

To all,

Apple products are sold via Amazon.com, and at least for me (I'm a Prime member) there are no restock fees for returning a "defective" item. Returning an item you just don't want will result in losing shipping charges I think, though.

Just a thought in case you want to skip the hoopla of Apple Stores.

Secondly, I'd be very interested in the last dual-band Extreme. I understand you probably are very bitter right now towards buying another one, but from what I can tell by your reviews, the previous generation is MUCH better than this one. I'm surprised at your results, though not questioning them.

Thanks for the review... hopefully there will be some answers soon as to why the poor performance.

 

[thiggins]

I understand you probably are very bitter right now towards buying another one

Not bitter. But the product has gotten enough coverage, especially on my own dime.

 

[thiggins]

It's not MIMO that's at fault. Without it, 11N would not be possible and there are plenty of other better-performing N routers.

Unlikely that I'll be adding additional tests for wireless routers. They take way to long to review as it is. Sorry.

 

[DaveMcLain]

Interesting article. I was always under the impression that Apple simply bought their routers and other wireless equipment from someone else and then repackaged/rebranded it as their own but I see that's not the case.

I find it strange that they require you to use a software application in order to configure the device. Does any other company do that with a router? I honestly thought they were all equipped with a administration page that could be accessed using a browser no matter what computing platform you're using. What a strange approach.

 

[wifi dude]

13 character WEP

"Note also that I could only enter thirteen characters, even when I tried the $ Hex Escape character. So good luck if you're trying to use a 128 Bit WEP key with the Extreme."


What do you actually mean by this? Are you trying to enter 16 hex numbers?

 

[thiggins]

What do you actually mean by this? Are you trying to enter 16 hex numbers?

I was trying to enter a 128 Bit WEP key, which requires 26 Hex characters.

 

[Unregistered]

There is a post over on xlr8yourmac.com from a user who still claims that the new Airport Extreme is a three antenna design. He suggests that you somehow bought one of the old dual-band units and that the model number for the new Airport Extreme is A1354 (however, the old and new units share the same product numbers -- or so this person says).

Frankly, based upon your review I tend to believe that the person on xlr8yourmac is wrong, but I though I'd post in case you had an update.