“Amid all the hoopla surrounding the iPhone and Apple TV introduction, Apple quietly introduced Jan. 9 an updated AirPort Extreme wireless networking base station that supports the IEEE 802.11n draft specification,” Daniel Drew Turner reports for PC Magazine.
Turner reports, “Although Apple CEO Steve Jobs didn’t even mention the product in his keynote speech Jan. 9 at the annual Macworld Conference and Expo here , the new AirPort Extreme product will ship in February with a price of $179. Apple has already started accepting orders for the device.”
“The new AirPort Extreme will be a vital component of Apple’s TV strategy,” Turner reports. “Use of the 802.11n specification means the AirPort Extreme can stream data on either the 2.4GHz or 5GHz wavelengths, at transfer speeds of up to 540Mbits/sec—theoretically 10 times faster than 802.11g. This could enable streaming of HD media from a computer wirelessly to an Apple TV unit for display on a living room TV screen.”
Turner reports, “Apple also claims a wider coverage area for the new model, as well as backward compatibility with existing 802.11b and 802.11g products.”
Full article here.
Related article:
Apple introduces new AirPort Extreme with 802.11n – January 09, 2007
good to know that all new core duo 2 macbook and macbook Pro have a 802.11n built in already. still not showing as N with current OS X build.
Boeing777,
you have to use the N-enabler that ships with AppleTV. It’s just a software patch.
To boeing: You have to get the 802.11n enabler from Apple. Comes with the new Airport Extreme Base Station – and I’d guess will also become a free download over the next month.
What about a new Airport Express???
What about a new Airport Express??? . . .er apple tv
AirPort express is already fast enough for audio.
I thought the new AppleTV would come with the 11n capability to transmit video to my television. Now that I know I have to spend another 200 bucks in addition to the 300 for ATV, it’s not as attractive anymore.
Please tell me that I can forgo the wireless aspect and just hard wire the ATV between my television and Mac.
G4Dualie: Wired or wireless network per the Apple Store.
What people are missing is that you can now attach a USB drive to the new airport and have a network drive instantly.
Also, unlike the non-server version of OS X, you don’t need sharepoints or something similar to share individual folders to different users.
Imaging buying a Hitachi 1TB HD for $399 and putting it in a USB case and instantly having a NAS which works with Apple TV, macs, PC’s, etc.
http://www.apple.com/airportextreme/sharing.html
AppleTV DOES have 802.11N built in… check your specs!
In order for your MAC (or pc) to get the most out of AppleTV you will need the base station and plug you mac into it’s ethernet ports. IF your computer already has 802.11N you DONT NEED the new Airport Extreme.
If I interpret this correctly, then I can utilize the wireless “N” capability built in to most Intel-based Macs to communicate with Apple TV. The only reason to buy Airport Extreme is if you have a PowerMac/Book or a non-“N” equipped Intel Mac.
Is there anything that I am missing in terms of print serving, internet security, range, etc.?
It does come with 801.11N built in you just need a device that will tranfer it to your TV just as fast, hence the new airport device
Apple TV looks like a great way to screen porn.
Anybody know if it is possible to connect a USB hub and then serve up more than one external hard drive?
It would be GREAT if the TV could be used as an airport station so one wouldn’t have to buy first a new n-airport and then an tv so have a wireless n network with internet access and the posibility to stream content to the TV. Any ideas?
Guess that wouldn’t make much a difference though as the network would be strangled by the fucking lame ass silly 100Mbit ports on the tv! why not Gbit???? *pissed*
I am very disapointed that both the AirPort Extreme and Apple TV do support 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet. WHY NOT?
Bryce,
try going to the apple store and look at the specs.
Straight form Apple:
You can even connect multiple drives and printers using a USB hub (sold separately). (See system requirements.)
nekogami13,
Thanks. I did look at the specs but I missed that part.
@Bryce –
Yep! You can connect a USB hub to the Airport Extreme and add hard drives and printers at will. I’m looking forward to moving my little hard drive farm from behind the iMac to an out-of-the-way shelf at the cable modem – and having a home server.
I’m so glad Apple is including N in their new Macs and these new products. N is the key for making it work like magic. now we just need the IEEE to get of their asses and finalize the spec and or put out another draft that increases speed/throughput.
Apple quietly set the rules for the new home server market yesterday with this little guy. Why buy into an expensive contraption with proprietary bays when you can go online, buy any USB HD on sale, and expand your home server?
Good Kool-Aid. Good.
Also, no need to max out the hard drive size on that new desktop – save the money for RAM.
Can it really be possible that the builtin Airport wireless card in the MacBook Pro I bought in August 2006 can not be updated to run the new faster n standard?
How can this be? Something is seriously wrong with Apple if that’s the case. Screwing all of us. I bought two black MacBooks and a MacBook Pro and Apple is not going to be able to update the wireless cards to run n.Un-fu**king believable.
Ok, so I have a 1st gen mini with an airport xtreme card. I just ordered both the new base station and the ATV. Did I need to order the base station? This is my first foray into wireless and am pretty much clueless. Any help is welcome.