Just had Xfinity come out and install their gigibit service. Tech told me I can't get Gigabit speeds with my new Apple AirPort Extreme router. Installed a netgear one instead. Any truth to this? Would like to keep using my Apple AirPort Extreme
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AirPort Extreme - Gigibit speeds?
- Thread starter GIZBUG
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wired or wireless? all of the Airport Extremes (since August 2007) have included a wired Gigabit router (but a router, not a switch so performance drops as devices are added). Only the latest model (june 2013) has Wireless AC which can give Gigabit speeds (theoretically), limited by distance and the number of connected devices. but also limited by the bandwidth of the total system. and if you poke around the online reviews, it is definitely limited. not terrible but not a as good as it's cost (or brand) would imply.
most AC units from other manufacturers can definitely give better performance, regardless of connection type and standard. how much your situation benefits depends on your situation and what the capabilities of your new router are.
the Extreme is yet another in the long list of Apple products that are outdated and out-classed by the competition and in desperate need of an update.
most AC units from other manufacturers can definitely give better performance, regardless of connection type and standard. how much your situation benefits depends on your situation and what the capabilities of your new router are.
the Extreme is yet another in the long list of Apple products that are outdated and out-classed by the competition and in desperate need of an update.
A router has a switch built in to have more than one LAN port, so for wired speeds it shouldn't matter (were you thinking of a hub?). As said, as long as you have the newest model (the one that looks like a tower) you will have gigabit, so maybe the installer was thinking of the previous model. Also you need AC WiFi on your devices, but that shouldn’t be a surprise.
The WiFi speed is gigabit if you are in the same room on 5 GHz (it is for me). It will drop as you move away, or if you have something in the way. This is based on the link speed, but it should be accurate. What you need is a bunch of reviews that compare speeds, like: http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/tools/charts/router/view
The Airport Extreme is not the best performer for speed, its more for ease of use. It wasn’t the fastest when it was released, and now there are newer models that are even faster. The above website shows that the Airport Extreme is much slower than the competition, especially at 5 GHz. You should do a few speed tests with both and see if they will work for you.
The WiFi speed is gigabit if you are in the same room on 5 GHz (it is for me). It will drop as you move away, or if you have something in the way. This is based on the link speed, but it should be accurate. What you need is a bunch of reviews that compare speeds, like: http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/tools/charts/router/view
The Airport Extreme is not the best performer for speed, its more for ease of use. It wasn’t the fastest when it was released, and now there are newer models that are even faster. The above website shows that the Airport Extreme is much slower than the competition, especially at 5 GHz. You should do a few speed tests with both and see if they will work for you.
The tech was correct. In test results here the Extreme was not able to reach Gigabit speeds WAN to LAN or LAN to WAN. So you will not see Gigabit Internet speeds with this router.
interesting. Reading http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wire...8000-nighthawk-x6-first-look?showall=&start=3 definitely shows almost double the speed with the netgear
I think that double you are looking at is the simultaneous figure. WAN to LAN is more what you are after, and yes all those models are much better than the Extreme and close to Gigabit speeds.
Other than easy setup with Airport Utility and official Time Machine support, the Apple routers really are pretty weak.
ArsTechnica actually had a piece on routers just this weekend. Turns out most end-user stuff you can buy has its limitations. Interesting article. (http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016...build-faces-better-tests-tougher-competition/)
Interesting article. Was thinking of trying Kong or Tomato Shibby. But I've read that 5ghz signal suffers on these compared to stock FW. The main feature I would be looking at is CTF, but as far as I know, only Shibby offers this.
As a side note, I need to find something to do with my Gen 6 Airport Extreme.... =(
Haven't been looking into the wireless stuff for ages, to be honest, so really can't give any tips there, but yes; from what I know, AC support is often limited or even nonexistent in the open firmwares (naturally depending on hardware support). Haven't run Tomato since my old W54GL died on me a few years ago.
Hi- You are probably better off running FW 7.7.7 on a Apple Airport Extreme.
Are your requirements truly Gigabit speeds or because it says it's fast you want the fastest?
If you have proper gigabit internet service, then get something semi pro like the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter Lite and keep the Airport Extreme AC for just WIFI, the Airports still are faster and more reliable than the all in one routers... Netgear / LinkSys / D-Link / Asus are in the short term fine but in the long term, they crap out.
Agreed.
What's the history between Apple networking products and Ubiquiti? Any former employees?
Do you have a source for this? The article I linked shows the AE has horrible speeds (peak WAN to LAN 325Mbps). I have never seen any data on reliability beyond anecdotal stories on the forums.
Anecdotally, I had a variety of Linksys, Netgear and Apple Routers. I use the one that is easiest and works. Gigabit speeds are not my requirements.
I'd like to see a source too.
Yes, but the OP does have Gb Internet and that was the specific issue, so I don't understand why one would suggest a router that cannot come close to meeting the main requirement of the request.
Well you are right. Still, I am suggesting that Gb internet is great, but overkill, unless we can see a set a of requirements that need it.
In other words, "Here's Gb ISP speeds, you'll never really hit them with anything that's at the consumer level." ..and if its an Apple Router then the OP will be happy.
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If you actually read my post..... I'm suggesting he use a Ubiquiti and use an Airport Extreme as a WIFI AP, WAN to LAN means jack in this set up.....
My source is my own experience, using many AP's / Routers i've since settled on the Ubiquiti / Airport set up it's by far the most reliable and I put them in families houses with absolutely no issues or support calls at the weekend when "the net goes down"
But here's some older articles: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2403727,00.asp
Don't listen to Small Net Builder either, they are a biased moron community with no real world experiences and their tests are subjective at best.
One thing to note when using multiple Airports is they do seamless handover which only Cisco kit does at this stage.
Also they don't leak info look at the security debacles on the internet....
So your source is just anecdotal and you dismiss a review that provides objective testing. No point in trying to discuss this further with you.
Well I did say it was my own experience what more do you want? the only way to test reliability is over time which is something SMB and other sites do not do, they take new products and test them out of the box..... which because they aren't proper network experts is why they couldn't get their head around the EdgeRouter which does near wire speed routing.
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All I know if you going to buy a third party wireless router then just remember that most router security issues were do to "Cloud" router connections for remote access! So just don't turn on those connections on for remote access to your router!
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