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Your thoughts on Airport Express

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macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 7, 2006
60
0
Canada
My wife and I are in the process of buying a new house. It's fairly small (1000 sq feet) but still bigger than the one we're in now. To accessorize my new house, I'm thinking of picking up an Airport Express (mostly for wireless internet, but will use airtunes since it's there... and it's cool).
What are people's experiences with AE like? I heard that a lot die after 14 months - is this true? Also, I'm aware that I'll probably have a bit of interference with my cordless phone (2.4GHz). Should I drop the $ or just get some other wireless router.
 
My house is all Airport..
We run 5 computers.Four Macs and a PeeCee connecting via wireless through a main Airtunes and have been for almost a year with no problems.
 
I bought the airport express a few months back mainly because I didn't want to install any 3rd party software, and the Airport Admin Utility was built into OS X. - It was extremely easy to set up (Comcast was another story) :rolleyes:

The range is not that great, but it depends on how many walls you have and what they are made of. Another Wireless router would give you much better range, but it depends if you need it or not.

Your phone shouldn't be that much of a problem if you turn Interference Robustness on.

I'm happy with my Airport Express
 
I have two and very happy with them (hope they don't suddenly die after a year or so). One is connected to a printer and both are connected to amp/speaker systems for AirTunes. If that's important to you then definitely invest in one. Otherwise if you're only after a wireless internet then any old wifi router will do. My two are set up in a wireless distributon system (WDS) to extend the range as I was getting a low signal with just the one when at the opposite end and/or on another floor in my flat. As for interference, you'll get that to some extent with any 2.4GHz wireless product you buy... it's just a matter of trying out different channels in the set-up to minimise it.
 
Placeholder said:
My wife and I are in the process of buying a new house. It's fairly small (1000 sq feet) but still bigger than the one we're in now. To accessorize my new house, I'm thinking of picking up an Airport Express (mostly for wireless internet, but will use airtunes since it's there... and it's cool).
What are people's experiences with AE like? I heard that a lot die after 14 months - is this true? Also, I'm aware that I'll probably have a bit of interference with my cordless phone (2.4GHz). Should I drop the $ or just get some other wireless router.
Click to expand...

I love my Airport Express... although your 2.4ghz cordless wont work for sh** anywhere near it... i had that problem... all static and occasionaly my phone would ring and it was the suicide hotline:eek: what was even crazier was that when i would pick it up i would hear hello suicide hotline how can i help you... as if i was calling them! It was very wierd... got so bad that i actually called the phone company a few times to complain that my lines were bad! lol... then i finally figured out that they (phones & airport were on the same freQ)

easy fix... i gave the 2 phones to a friend and bought a 5.8ghz and all was well!

and to be able to stream iTunes throughout the house is AWESOME!
 
Yeah airport expresses are cool.. as for them dying after 14 months, I got two when they first hit stores (uh summer 04 I think?) and they're both still running great. No comment on range in regards to use as a wireless router, but mine both do fine in a 2600 sq ft house, one as a print server and one for the stereo. Quick and easy setup like with all airport stuff that I've encountered.
 
I have three of them and love them. The ability to connect a USB printer is fantastic for me. They work well together.

I would recommend an upgrade to a 5GHz phone, though - not just because of the AE, but because of the better range and lack of issues with microwave interference, Bluetooth interference, etc. - so many technologies use that frequency that removing one of them (the cordless phone) cannot help but make the rest work better.

Edit: Each AE I own is on a UPS, so that might extend their lifetimes. I fear plugging anything electronic into a plain wall outlet.
 
Placeholder said:
What are people's experiences with AE like?
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My Express died after 11 months, but since it was still within warranty I got a new one very fast from Apple. There has been more cases with dying Expresses around a year old, but I still think that it's probably fairly rare...

We have a house similar in size to yours, though over two floors, and I have just one Airport Express in the centre of the house and near full signal everywhere inside, and even nice cover outside... :)

You can probably find a channel where the Express if not unaffected then at least less affected by the cordless phone. Just experiment a bit, set it at channel 1 and make a call, then at channel 13 and see if the signal drops.

I recommend the Express wholeheartedly (even if I had one die on me). The ease of use is just too nice, and I couldn't live without AirTunes. :)
 
I ordered mine when they first came out, and it is still going strong.

I did get some interference with my phone, but i just changed the channel of the Airport Express and everything is fine now.

Airtunes is great.
 
Further Question

Is 2.4Ghz interference a problem with most wireless routers or are most of the major problems people have with AE?
 
Dead Airport Express

I'm looking to buy an Airport Express in the next couple weeks, but I'm having second thoughts. I know that they're fantastic when they're working right... but it seems like most of them only work for 14 months or so. There's a lot of discussions on the apple support forums and a few big write-ups at Hardmac.com. I'm not sure if it's just a fault with that one generation or if they've worked the bugs out on the current ones. I just don't feel lke dropping $150 on a router that's going to leave my high and dry 2 months after the waranty expires.
Anyone have advice or similar problems?

[Moderator note: threads merged]
 
Mine has been very flaky lately. I'm actually on the phone with Apple right now about it. I love it when it works but it drops the signal a few times a day, forcing me to go down and reset it.

Just wait for the next generation or get a regular AirPort.
 
Mitthrawnuruodo said:
My Express died after 11 months, but since it was still within warranty I got a new one very fast from Apple.
Click to expand...
The difference between a happy customer and an unhappy one is just a couple of days though. if your AE would have died in the 13th month instead of the 11th, you might not be so pro Express. I just don't want to regret the purchase.

Thanks for merging the threads...
 
Placeholder said:
The difference between a happy customer and an unhappy one is just a couple of days though. if your AE would have died in the 13th month instead of the 11th, you might not be so pro Express. I just don't want to regret the purchase.
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Well, the only real difference would have been that I would have had to pay for the new one, and gotten a bit pissed by that. But I would have gotten a new one either way... so in a sense you're right, I would have been an unhappy customer, a paying and thus unhappy customer... ;)
 
Placeholder said:
I just don't want to regret the purchase.
Click to expand...

Being totally honest with myself, though - I'm still probably going to buy the Express and pray that it doesn't die just after the warranty expires. It's worth the risk...
 
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