QA AirPort Extreme Base Station

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what is the benefit of an AirPort Extreme over an Airport Express

  • Asked by Rena N from Tumwater
  • 21/10/2009

2 Answers from the Community

  • Best Answer

    The AirPort Extreme has three extra Gigabit ethernet ports. The AirPort Express only has one ethernet port, which it uses for the internet connection. So the AirPort Express can only be used with wireless computers. You can't connect an ethernet printer or a computer via ethernet.

    The AirPort Express offers AirTunes, which the AirPort Extreme does not.

    Both offer a USB port which can be used with printers. The Exreme's USB port can be used with a USB hard drive to put the drive on your network (handy for TimeMachine or other network backup). The AirPort Express does not support USB hard drives.

    The AirPort Express can be used to extend a WiFi network wirelessly using "Wireless Distribution System" (WDS).

    The newest AirPort Extreme offers the option of a "guest network" which does not use the same password as your main network.

    In theory they have similar coverage, but I'd be surprised if the AirPort Express was not better (more space in the case for antennas).

    • Answered by Winston W from Atlanta
    • 22/10/2009

  • The previous answer is correct, except:

    Time Machine backups via an Airport Extreme are "iffy" and NOT SUPPORTED BY APPLE.

    see: http: SLASH SLASH docs.info.apple DOT com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/15139.html

    • Answered by James P from Clermont
    • 07/10/2010