Took possession of my new Airport Extreme base station today. It has one USB port that you can attach a printer or hard drive to. Since it is the same form factor as the Mac mini (but only 1-1/4 inch high, I like the idea of putting a Mac mini-shaped hard drive under it so I will have a true NAS (network attached storage).
You can attach a USB 2.0 hub to this USB port and attach multiple printers and/or hard drives according to Digital Trends which has a full review including performance tests. Price is $179 by the way.
I just plugged it in a couple minutes ago so do not have any performance numbers yet. I am guessing it will be roughly equivalent to the 100-base-T ethernet network I have running now. So there will no longer be a need to get wired when copying files around the house.
My MacBook Pro is the only n-enabled device in the house, but that is the one that matters right now. I have a MacBook core duo as my backup notebook. It is never gonna run *n* I guess. Too bad.
I installed the Airport Utility from the CD that was included with the new airport extreme. The redesigned set-up utility was an absolute breeze. Quick and clear.
I ran the Airport Utility from my MacBook Pro. Afterwards, I wanted to see if I then had 802.11n enabled on my MBP. And yes I do!
One nice thing is you get three outbound ethernet ports. I have my express n hooked up right next to my favorite spot on the couch. It is supposed to have double the range. I wonder how well it will stretch to my upstairs or patio. Maybe I will try the patio first.
I will play around and post an update.
Technorati Tags: 802.11n, Airport Extreme n