“Apple has released a pair of manuals for its forthcoming 802.11n AirPort Extreme Base Station revealing the new AirPort Utility software interface,” AppleInsider reports.
“Ahead of availability of its new 802.11n wireless base station, Apple has posted to its website an “AirPort Extreme (802.11n) Setup Guide” (515KB PDF) and a manual on “Designing AirPort Extreme 802.11n Networks” (1.8MB PDF),” AppleInsider reports.
“When the AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless base station begins shipping next month, it will include a new application dubbed AirPort Utility that will replace existing versions of both AirPort Setup Assistant and AirPort Admin Utility,” AppleInsider reports.
AppleInsider reports, “AirPort Utility will be backwards compatible with Apple’s previous generation AirPort Extreme and Express base stations. It will also add new features, such as the ability to monitor all connected clients on the AirPort wireless network — an essential tool for businesses, schools, and other large wireless environments. “
AppleInsider reports, “When configuring the new Extreme base station, users can select between “802.11n (802.11b/g compatible)” or “802.11n only (2.4 GHz)” from the software’s Radio Mode pop-up menu. Each client computer will connect to the network and transmit network traffic at its highest speed.
More info, links and screenshots of the new AirPort Utility interface are included in the full article here.
Related articles:
Apple releases AirPort Extreme Update 2007-001 – January 26, 2007
Apple’s new AirPort Extreme ‘AirPort Disk’ feature: cheap, simple network storage for home networks – January 15, 2007
Apple’s new AirPort Extreme supports 802.11n, enables wireless streaming of HD media – January 10, 2007
Apple introduces new AirPort Extreme with 802.11n – January 09, 2007
Cool. And it ships……when? I have one on order…..along with Apple TV.
Looking forward to dumping this LinkSys router that has been nothing but trouble. We didn’t buy it. It was “inherited” and I delayed forever knowing Apple would be upgrading the base station – which I’ve had on order since it was announced.
I’m excited about the ability to monitor connected clients! That will be such a help for us!
…depending on what Apple means by “monitor.” I haven’t read the manual yet. I just need to monitor bandwidth usage and know who’s connected – and be able to disconnect them!
MW: “dead”
I was wondering, now that the Basestation is 802.11n is Apple upgrading the Airport Express to handle 802.11n also?
I sure can hardly wait for mine to arrive. I’ve already got my USB hub and NAS drives at the ready. And to think – I’ll be saving $1.99 as the ABS will include the 802.11n driver for my MacBook Pro!
really don’t like this bit; “802.11n (802.11b/g compatible)” or “802.11n only (2.4 GHz)” does that mean if all you have is “g” then it will only run at “b” speed?
wandering joe,
I think it’s a typo. It should read “5 GHz”. 802.11n can operate in the 2.4 GHz range (b and g compatible) or 5 GHz range (I think the a standard uses this frequency, too).
thanks cubert, any relation to Q-bert?
@Eric – my order says it will ship February 28 and deliver by March 6
@wandering,Cubert
No typo. Every AirBase have always had a backward compatible mode. As with g was supporting b clients (but in that case speed would have been that of b networks) n will support g and b, allowing g clients (thence running at g regular speeds) or b clients (thence running at b regular speeds). There is no mix mode g/b. Either it allows n clients only, or n+g (but g speed) or n+g+b clients (but b speed).
Why did they drop the external antenna connection of the new APE (AirPort Extreme) base? Apple’s internal antennae always suck and I would like an external connector.
wandering joe,
Robert + G4 Cube = Cubert
Not afraid to reveal the origins of the name, unlike most on MDN.
I have a question, if wireless ‘N’ runs at upto 270MB, why are they sticking a 10/100 etheernet switch in it.
I’d want to plug the damn thing into my file server via ethernet, preferably Gigabit and then broadcast via 802.11N. But if the ethernet port is only 100MB I’ve got a bottleneck?
Or am I missing something?!?!?!?!
Re:Q-Bert was Da Bomb, Baby
Because there are several (two or three, I think) antennas used for the MIMO functionality of 802.11n. And their respective placement is part of the signal processing.