3.5MM Jack and Linksys Velop Router

[Michael73]

After many years of reliable service my Airport Time Capsule is dying a slow death with randomly dying and dropping WiFi intermittently throughout the day. I'd like to switch to a Linksys Velop Mesh router.

Currently I have two AirPort Expresses extending the time Capsule: one in the basement and one in my home office. The one in my home office also functions as a place to plug in the my networked printer (via USB) and a pair of M-Audio Studiopro 3 bookshelf speakers with the 3.5MM jack.

I figure that I can switch my printer into WiFi mode so it doesn't need to be connected via USB but that leaves the speakers. How could I add them to the network so I can play things via iTunes?

Also, any thoughts on replicating the time machine backup functionality with this set up if I'm not going to re-use the Airport Time Capsule as a simple hard drive set in bridge mode?

 

[gsahli]

Sounds like a job for Echo Dot. Has a 3.5 jack. Has wifi and bluetooth. $30 at amazon Prime. You'll need the software "My Media for Alexa."
I'll think about the network drive...
Several Network Attached Storage (NAS) wifi hard drive enclosures for $49 to $99 at Amazon (need to buy and add hard drive separately).

 

[hobowankenobi]

Regarding backups, you might consider a device that supports Time Machine and NAS functionality.

There are a handful of NAS boxes that support Time Machine, and Synology is one of the most feature rich. You could do a NAS...or...you could look at one of their routers that allows plugging in an external drive, and use that drive for both NAS and Time Machine destination. You get the basic file sharing NAS functionality built into the router; one less box to buy, plugin, and manage.

The 2200 is a full mesh system, so you can add more APs as needed. I have not used the 2200, only the 2600s and they have been great.

 

[Nicky72]

In 2023 if you still have the airport express, apple througha software update added airplay2 capability to them. Now you can just airplay your music to your speakers by using the 3.5mm jack on the airport express

 

[dimme]

For Time Machine backups a drive connect via USB may be the most reliable IMHO.