AirPort, AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Express?

Introduced by Apple Computer in 1999, AirPort is a wireless networking technology based on the 802.11b standard. In 2003, Apple upgraded the AirPort product line to the faster 802.11g standard, renamed it AirPort Extreme, and ceased development of the original AirPort.

There are actually three current AirPort products: a wireless router called the AirPort Extreme Base Station, a mini Base Station called AirPort Express, and a special kind of wireless card called the AirPort Extreme Card. The Base Station is a wireless hub through which as many as 50 computers may communicate at up to 11Mbps (AirPort) or 54Mbps (AirPort Extreme). The Base Station can extend the network to a LAN or the Internet through its built-in Ethernet or modem port.

AirPort Express is a sort of mini Base Station which allows you to set up an instant wireless network, and to use a feature called AirTunes, which allows you to play your iTunes playlists wirelessly from your computer to your stereo. Although it supports fewer users at at time than the Base Station, AirPort Express can also function as a bridge to extend the range of an AirPort Extreme Base Station.

With an AirPort or AirPort Extreme Card installed, a Macintosh may participate in an AirPort network or any other wireless LAN that conforms to the 802.11 DSSS standard. All Macintosh computers manufactured after 2003 support AirPort Extreme; to determine whether your computer supports AirPort or AirPort Extreme, you can visit Apple's product specifications pages below:

http://support.apple.com/specs/ http://support.apple.com/kb/TA25953?viewlocale=en_US

Both the Airport Extreme Card and Base Station have a range of about 150 feet and are not limited to line-of-sight; the range of the AirPort Express is from 50 to 150 feet and is also not limited to line-of-sight. Additional products such as antenna attachments, bridges, and extenders can extend the range even further. The network can even be sustained through closed doors and walls. However, the range and quality of the connection will be affected by the surrounding building material.

For more information about AirPort Extreme, visit: http://www.apple.com/airportextreme/

For more information about AirPort Express, visit: http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/