Apple today debuted the all-new AirPort Express Base Station which features an all-new design.
AirPort Express now supports simultaneous dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi. You can use it to set up your wireless network quickly and easily using your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or PC. Create a network just for guests. Stream music to any room in the house. And print from any room in the house, too. All with the latest wireless technology.
Easy Wi-Fi setup using iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
Connect your DSL or cable modem to AirPort Express and create your new wireless network in just a few taps from your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. If you’re using OS X Lion, use the built-in AirPort Utility on your Mac. Setup is just as fast and just as easy.
Simultaneous dual-band 802.11n.
AirPort Express lets Wi-Fi-enabled devices connect to your network on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless bands. Which means every connected device automatically uses the best band available for the fastest possible performance.
Stream music with AirPlay.
AirPlay takes the music from the iTunes library on your computer or iOS device and sends it wirelessly to any connected stereo or speakers in your home (audio cable sold separately). Play music on one set of speakers – or if you have more than one AirPort Express connected to speakers, play your music from iTunes on all of them at the same time.
Print wirelessly from any room.
On the back of AirPort Express is a USB port that’s made for your printer. Just plug it in and instantly, it’s like having a printer in every room. And since AirPort Express works with Mac and PC, everyone in the house can take advantage of one centrally available printer.*
Compatibility and security.
AirPort Express is compatible with devices using the 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n specifications. So no matter what Wi-Fi device you’re using, it will work with AirPort Express. AirPort Express also features a built-in firewall to protect your network from malicious Internet attacks. The firewall is automatically turned on, so you don’t have to do a thing.
Create a guest network.
Set up a separate Wi-Fi network with a separate password just for your guests. Simply enable the guest networking feature, and your guests can access the Internet but not other parts of your primary network, such as your computers, printers, and LAN-attached hard drives.
Apple’s all-new AirPort Express Base Station is available from the Apple Store online for US$99.
More info here.
This is a much better design IMHO. The old one was great for traveling but wasn’t so good for long term use in a room. Keeping it hanging off of a receptacle really killed its range. Love This!
I must disagree. I bought the original AirPort Express specifically because it was good for traveling.
It they added another RJ-45 connector, one for LAN and one for WAN. So apparently Apple doesn’t think that Wi-Fi is the end all and be all that they imply with their laptops no longer offering an RJ-45 Ethernet connector.
Other than that, it seems no different from the old model, just a new package.
Typical, I just bought a second airport extreme to act as a network extender just because the old Airport express didn’t do simultaneous g & e.
If it was within 30 days, just take it back and they will swap it out for you.
Thanks, bought mine one week ago, but works great for I want to do with it
Get it swapped out anyways. It’s a free upgrade 🙂
Very cool. This is all most customers need (instead of the “full-size” AirPort Extreme Base Station).
Seems like all that’s missing (compared to the “full-size” AirPort Extreme Base Station) is the ability to a connect USB hard drive as network storage and a few more Ethernet ports (looks like you can still connect one Ethernet device). And it has AirPlay music streaming.
FYI – It’s exactly the same size as Apple TV. 🙂
The original Express was only intended for “apartments, dorm room, small homes”.
Likey this unit is the same.
so its stackable!
It has a USB port for hard drive storage.
This is more like an Extreme, Jr.
Pretty kewl!
Wonder if they have added support for wireless scanning?
Still doesn’t beat my $40 Cisco router with dd-wrt. I never could get OpenDNS to work on my old Airport Extreme.
So let me get this right: Your Cisco router has dd-wrt for better DNS over WiFi. Does this mean that your 802.11.n is better for confusing all of us with your opaque acronyms?
Uh, could you please converse in ENGLISH??? Is that asking too frickin’ much?
I loathe people who bury everything under a ton of jargon. That is the very definition of a PC, not a Mac. For the love of God, please spare us from your techno-gibberish.
Your ignorance doesn’t mean he’s hiding behind anything. The guy’s just saying he prefers dd-wrt firmware. Since my Time Capsule won’t handle OPEN VPN I have dd-wrt running on a router outside if my AirNetwork, too. If you don’t understand something, that doesn’t mean it’s okay to attack it.
No disk sharing is a killer for me. My iTunes library Sita on a 2TB external drive connected to the Airport giving me freedom to have my laptop anywhere in the house while still being able to use iTunes Apple TV etc.
So get an Airport Extreme. The old Airport Express didn’t do disk either.
They may as well combine this with the apple TV.
I noticed under the tech information for the new Apple express it now supports 50+ users. The old one only supported 10 as I remember. I will wait until it starts showing up in the refurb section of the Apple Store to buy one. This will also give time for owner reviews to be posted. Apple continues to improve its products to make them better and better.
If the past is any indication, refurb price will only be $20 less ($79 instead of $99). I understand waiting for user reviews, but I’d personally spend a lot of time considering if it’s worth saving 20$ to wait to get a used one.
Anyone know what the transmit rate is for this?
I had an old Airport Express, and ran my house (condo) off it for multiple years, but I had to replace it with an Airport Extreme. Why?
The problem was that the shorter range of the Airport Express meant that my neighbors’ wifi routers couldn’t “see” my network, and thus would often choose frequencies that would interfere with mine. A couple of times a week I’d have to unplug the Airport and restart it to get everything unconflicted again.
So low-power wifi routers are great, unless you’re using them in an area with a lot of high-power wifi routers.
——RM
So you can print to any USB printer hooked to it using your iPhone or iPad?
no, not any USB printer, you need to have a compatible printer. that’s what i initially thought too. but not all USB printers work
I have a NAS and keep my iMac connected by ethernet so not having a gigabit connection is a right pain. Couldn’t have cost them that much more to include. I would have considered a couple of these otherwise.
Anyone know if PoE is supported on this?