As they kill off their AirPort line of products, Apple has posted a new support article, “Choosing a Wi-Fi router to use with Apple devices,” in which the company states:
Look for these essential features when shopping for a Wi-Fi router to use with your Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, HomePod, or other Apple devices.
For the most compatibility, reliability, and performance when used with Apple devices, look for a Wi-Fi router that offers these features:
• IEEE 802.11ac, which is the latest wireless-networking standard
• Simultaneous dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz), which allows the router to transmit over both frequencies at the same time, so no matter which band your wireless devices use, they automatically connect to the best available band for the fastest possible performance
• WPA2 Personal (AES) encryption, which is currently the strongest form of security available in a Wi-Fi router
• MIMO or MU-MIMO, which can offer improved performance when many devices use your Wi-Fi network simultaneously, you want to take full advantage of a high-speed Internet connection, or you need Wi-Fi coverage over a larger area
A traditional, single router is suitable for the size and layout of most home environments. For areas that are larger or more difficult to cover, mesh Wi-Fi systems offer flexible coverage, with multiple nodes that make it easy to provide whole-home Wi-Fi. If you’re setting up or extending a mesh network, check the requirements of your mesh router to learn about compatibility with other routers or nodes. Creating or extending a mesh network might require that each router and node be from the same manufacturer.
When setting up a router, refer to Apple’s recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points.
MacDailyNews Note: We use and recommend the very Apple-like eero mesh WiFi systems.
SEE ALSO:
Requiem for the AirPort base station: A testament to everything Apple was and isn’t anymore – April 27, 2018
Apple makes yet another short-sighted decision: Apple has discontinued a product that it should have made a cornerstone of its home automation and entertainment ecosystem – April 27, 2018
Watch Steve Jobs passionately defend his commitment to Apple in 1997 – April 27, 2018
Apple’s decision to discontinue AirPort products is the wrong decision at the wrong time – April 27, 2018
Apple pulls plug on AirPort Wi-Fi router business – April 26, 2018
Asus and Linksys tri-band (2.4+5.0+5.0) higher end ($$)gaming routers do a fantastic job. AC wireless capability a must-have. No bottlenecks, 4k streaming all day and night. Personally, I never used Apple wireless routers. Always used retail stuff. Works great across all platforms. just my 2c
Any particular model you’d recommend?
Asus
GT-RT AC5300
RT-AC88U
Linksys–
WRT3200ACM
EA9500 AC5400
EA9200
Alot of deals out there too. Check CNET for reviews and specs.
Noted.
Thanks, Bill
Your welcome…….Don’t know how you have backups set up, personally I use idividual Time Machine external HDD’s and a Drobo5 off the router USB 3.0. for Windows10 and MediaCenter stuff. Time Machine back up throught the router usb 3.0 ports is not common.
The high end routers have great speed and wireless range as well.
Good luck in the hunt for the perfect router…..
With my Mac Pro I have a spare internal drive for Time Machine. However, there’s an iMac in my near future and connecting an external drive to a router isn’t a bad idea; leaving free the iMac’s ports for something else.
Can a router’s USB port power a portable drive?
Amplifi HD has worked very well thus far, and the eero is good as well. The 2013 AirPort Extreme is still the best router I’ve used, and I am going to purchase a dozen or so until they’re discontinued. They’re still the most reliable systems out there, never need rebooted and managing them is very easy. Airport utility is the best management software available and it is sad that new products won’t take advantage it.
I agree mostly, and have them here too and will also be buying more of them to keep on the shelf.
Just not ready to buy into the mesh thing yet…
Really bummed did this, but as someone who installed a bunch of 100k+ XSANs, I know ’s path of “end of life”.
My Apple router is still going strong, it is connected to the Netgear router from my provider. I have no reason to upgrade and i hope it stays that way.
No Macintosh application or web interface for eero. I own a set of eeros , but hate using iOS to run my home network.
Someone needs to tell developers that if you can use X-Code to write an iOS app, it is not that damn hard to port it using X-Code to a Macintosh app. The damn app was written on a Mac in the first place.
Does anyone know of another router, or preferably mesh system, that is airplay compatible with an audio out jack that can be used with remote speakers from iTunes like the Airport routers have?
Why not just get something like this? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07838DLX9/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07838DLX9&pd_rd_wg=oG3Uv&pd_rd_r=P3GMZRMJZX3H8R90SCVH&pd_rd_w=dXebe
I may be completely wrong, but I don’t think that is accessible via speaker selection within iTunes. I think it only works via Airport direct streaming from a device. I may just have to buy one and try it out. I don’t have an awful lot of confidence this is a good investment though, as it seems to be cheap Chinese cr**p, and I can’t see them pushing out updates and security patches on these things, which may open up network vulnerabilities.
Why not? with a name like “yunlisten” isn’t obvious to you that the Chinese army will be listening to everything in your house?
why not indeed…. it only costs $31. Heck my privacy isn’t worth two cents as long as I can save a buck.
Apple just keeps making me mad at them.
Which routers are compatible with Time Machine?
What will happen to Time Machine backups? Maybe Apple will stop supporting them? Big mistake
Time Machine is not going away. You don’t need a wireless router for it.
My understanding is that without an Apple base station, only wired Time Machine backups are possible. The exception is using MacOS Server ($20 in App Store) and a spare computer as a Time Machine Server. But Apple announced they are gutting that product this fall. If anyone knows a stable way to do wireless Time Machine backups without Apple WiFi equipment, please post it.
I think you can do it with a Synology box.
https://www.synology.com/en-global/knowledgebase/DSM/tutorial/Backup_Restore/How_to_back_up_files_from_Mac_to_Synology_NAS_with_Time_Machine
Asus tri-band is higher end gaming routers, AC wireless capability it has. it Works great across all platforms…