AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
Customer Ratings
Based on 761 reviews
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
Not ready for prime time
Written by MH from San Francisco
Mar 28, 2008
Take it from someone who wished he knew what he was getting into... I happily used the previous Airport Express (the "g" version) for years without a bit of a problem. I recently got a new iMac, capable of "n" performance and so I upgraded to this new AirEx base station. BIG mistake. Connectivity is faster--but it drops randomly several times per day. Even the the green light is bright and happy, there is no WiFi connection: indeed, the Airport Utility can't even find the brand new AirEx base station. After endless fiddling: rebooting, restarting, unplugging, etc. the connection is reestablished... only to drop again when the screen saver kicks in, or when I swap users, or when a bird flies overhead at just the right angle. I've done a bunch of research and the verdict is... it has something to do with the firmware or the OS, but more than that no one knows for sure. Apple has yet to find a fix or even admit there's a problem (often, Apple Care will tell you to "contact your ISP" even though the problem is clearly on their end).
In other words, you're taking a real chance. This item is NOT ready for general use, except by those who are gamblers, or who don't mind having their wireless life interrupted over and over. I work for myself at home, and this whole experience has cost me time, money, and patience. Please take my advice, and stay away from this product until it is fixed... which, given the general trend at Apple, will probably be in about a year. In early 2009, you will want and deserve this product. Until then, STAY AWAY.134 of 163 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
WILL NOT EXTEND AN AIRPORT EXTREME!?
Written by EG from miami
Jun 11, 2008
I purchased one in order to extend the range of my Airport Extreme. Imagine my surprise when I found out that it does not work as advertised! Check the forums. There are posts that date back to the release date all having the same issues. All Apple can offer is a helpful "Thats weird...sorry we cant help, good luck!". It appears to be sporadic among customers but I would think that Apple would have offered a fix by now. Stay away until Apple gets their act together on this one.
106 of 154 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
Not reliable for streaming iTunes to Speakers wirelessly
Written by MP from Hanover
Dec 6, 2008
I'm a very techinical user, and this product is not at all reliable for streaming iTunes to remote speakers wirelessly. I have tried many differet settings and even upgraded my wireless router with no luck. Many people are having problems.
I am a loyal Apple product user, Apple needs to step up and fix iTunes and Airport Express firmware to reliably stream music, period, or risk a revolt!
Apple, are you listening? How much frustration and loss of time are you willing ot put your customers through???UGH!77 of 104 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
DON'T BUY!!! WAIT UNTIL NEXT FIRMWARE!!!
Written by JH from Saint Paul
Mar 27, 2008
I bought this Airport Express N on Tuesday and i brought it home to add to my network of one other Airport Express G and an Airport Extreme N. I wanted it to extend my network instead of my Express G and it was very different to set up. Once i got it set up, it disappeared from my network and i had problems ever since. DONT BUY IT UNTIL THEY FIX THIS PROBLEM. Read the forums on this product and almost every one is on this issue! Apple Store replaced it and it happened again!!! I'm returning it and buying another Extreme... Don't get me wrong, i love Apple. The name of my network is "APPLE ROCKS MY WORLD"
94 of 144 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
unfortunately this is the worst Apple product I've ever bought
Written by JJ from STONE MOUNTAIN
Apr 22, 2008
I bough 2 of these, stoked to wirelessly play music throughout my house. Previously I had an AirPort Express 802.11g which worked great with my Airport Extreme b/g base station (flying saucer), so thought this was a no-brainer.
But the new AirPort Express 802.11n has been a nightmare to configure. The Airport Utility could no longer see either of these after I "upgraded" them to 7.3.1 firmware. Check out the discussions in the forums...
Advice: wait until Apple shakes the bugs out of this before buying one...67 of 96 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
Hours of Frustration 4 Me
Written by JM from Salem
May 7, 2008
When wanting to listen to my iTunes over my stereo, I heard about this 'nifty' simple device by Apple. However, I didn't do all my research and read the reviews here or on the forums.
The first day I bought this unit, I spent 7 hours trying to get it to work. Finally, I got about an hour of music before calling it a night. That was three days ago.
This is day three, and I continually get disconnected on every configuration I've read about, or have been suggested to try. The longest I've gotten to listen to music tonight was 45 minutes, and in fact, as I type this, the 4th try just now quit working after 20 minutes.
I see a lot of people having success, but there is also a huge amount having failure with this new 802.11n model.
I'm giving mine to the weekend to see if I can figure it out, and if not, taking it back for a refund.78 of 121 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
Very Bad Experience
Written by MM from Nashville
Jun 30, 2008
I am normally a fan of Apple and their products, but AirPort Express does not live up to the hype. Even worse, my experience is apparently quite common after looking at reviews here and reading support blogs and support forums here on Apple's website.
The APE is basically impossible to set up. The AirPort utility repeatedly cannot find the unit even when they are right next to each other. I have had to reset it over a dozen times, and each time the same problem happens. It won't work with my printer. The streaming audio cuts out.
I am returning this item. The worse part is that Apple knows these issues have been going on for a while, but they've yet to acknowledge them on the support website or offer any fix.40 of 50 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
Won't work
Written by IM from San Jose
May 12, 2008
This airport will not join my existing network. I have an Airport Extreme and an older Airport Express that have worked flawlessly for 2 years. I bought this to try and extend my network into my bedroom, mainly to join my bedroom Tivo to my network. Nothing but problems. Airport is not recognized after configuring - it is fine as long as it is plugged in vie ethernet (kinda defeats the purpose) - as soon as I unplug it it goes to amber blinking light and the network fails to see it. I even had my neighbor who works for Apple try to configure it for about 2 hours and still nothing. I sent it back thinking it was defective, but have the same issues with the replacement. Going to send it back for a refund and give up until there is a better one manufactured. If you buy it good luck!
51 of 73 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
Disappointed with Airport Express
Written by RV from Bridgewater
Mar 31, 2008
I bought this Airport Express last week and received the latest version and firmware. I have an Airport extreme set up which works well and all I wanted to do was to use the Airport express to play music with Airtunes. I have an Imac and a new MacBook Pro but after many frustrating hours and reseting hard and soft etc etc. the computers will not pick up the express and the amber light keeps on flashing. Once I got it set up, it disappeared from my network and I have had problems ever since. I would recommend to NOT BUY IT UNTIL THEY FIX THIS PROBLEM. I have read the forums on this product and almost every one is on this issue! I would appreciate any help and advice on what to do. Unfortunately I bought this on the Internet and there is no store near by for me to replaec and or get advice on this problem. Don't get me wrong, I love Apple and only use Apple products but sometimes things are not as easy as Apple makes out and do not always work perfectly.
At least my Airport extreme now does recognize my external hard drive with the new software update and time machine is working well.
Very disappointed however with the Airport Express!!30 of 37 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
Disconnects Daily
Written by ML from Chicago
May 28, 2009
My Airport Express has been disconnecting daily from my wireless network for months now. There is a thread in Apple's support forums in which tons of people have complained about the same problem. Many people seem happy with these things, but for a lot of users they have been a source of great frustration — myself included.
38 of 56 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
AirTunes not functionning properly with Snow Leopard
Written by FG from Aix en provence
Oct 12, 2009
Since I upgraded to Snow Leopard, I am not able to use Airtunes for more than a couple of minutes before dropout. Have to restart AE every time. This is a basic feature that was not supposed to dissapear. Tons of feedback on this issue in all forums, no feedback from Apple.
23 of 28 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
DO NOT BUY IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO STREAM MUSIC
Written by DA from Granada Hills
Oct 1, 2009
I have two of these, the old 802.11g model, and this new 802.11n version. I bought the new one because the experience with the old one was so wonderful. I bought it for its one advertised purpose that interested me: a cheap and easy way to extend my iTunes music and podcasts to remote speakers in another room. With iTunes version 7 and earlier, it worked wonderfully, so I had no reason not to get a second one when the n model came out. Sadly, ever since iTunes version 8 and 9 came out, you cannot stream music to these things without constant stuttering of the music. Every three to four minutes, you'll get a 3-5 second drop-out of the audio. Extremely annoying. There are hundreds (or more) complaints of this in the Apple forums for over year, but no fix yet.
25 of 32 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
Very Disappointing
Written by SR from Brooklyn
Jun 3, 2008
As a new convert to the Mac I was very excited about my new MacBook Pro, Time Capsule and Airport Express (for music). Setting up Airport express has caused me to spend HOURS on the phone with tech support (uneven level of competence) and having to reinstall my entire wireless set up four times. It still does not stream music without interruptions. After I got AE, I checked out the support blogs and realized that this is a common product problem.
55 of 92 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
iTunes dropouts
Written by MV from Coupeville
Nov 15, 2009
Works OK as a compact router. But I bought it because it also supposedly could receive streamed music from iTunes. And it does. Some of the time.
Search Apple discussions for iTunes dropouts. It is a problem that has affected hundreds of Express users for a long time, and Apple has done nothing about it. Ridiculous. If I am going to by an overpriced piece of technology because it has extra features, those extra features better work.26 of 35 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
Connection problems and dropouts...
Written by ZH
Oct 4, 2009
As all the other users I did find this product a great thing until I installed it. There are far too many drop outs and connection problems. The funny part is that it seems that nobody have had any response from Apple on this subject, thus thousands of complains on the Internet and on Apples official forum sites. Could a good guess be that Apple has discovered it to be a hardware problem that of course is unfixable unless replacing all sold airports!? My recommendation on this product: don't by it until Apple has made a statement on the issue and a fix for it. You wouldn’t run on a bike with at flat tire either!?
Fix the problem and the product would be worth all 5 stars!
Sorry for my bad English.28 of 40 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
wireless connection
Written by JH from Mount Pleasant
Oct 4, 2009
Do not buy if there are more than one wireless network within range of dwelling. I can't setup a wireless network in my house because my MacBook notices too many other wireless networks to connect to. The signal isn't strong enough from Airport Express. I have even tried to change channels to 5Mhz and to change to a different room. I have had no luck with either method. Worked great in my last home. I have had nothing buy problems in my new house.
34 of 54 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
Disaster and Nightmare
Written by JV from WEERT
Sep 30, 2008
I'm an Apple freak for 20 years, and more than happy with all the good stuff. Recently bought an Extreme_N-Base Station and 4 [!] Airport Express for an Airtunes paradise throughout the house. Spent 2 days figuring out WHY the CONSTANT hiccups appear... very irritating! I can tell you... figuring this out eats A LOT of time when you have NO CLUE where to look or what to look for. F/Y/I: Also have an Airport G_base station with wireless Express_G handling Airtunes fine for a long time [only minor hiccups]. I'm REALLY disappointed with this. And oh, one Express_N is dead in the mean time !!... I'm sorry to say Apple, but this product is a REAL disaster.
18 of 24 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
I returned it!
Written by WS from Chicago
Jun 29, 2008
This is a paper weight at best. I spent alot of time trying to get this express to extend my extreme network. When it did, after much research outside the apple website, performance was unacceptable. I returned it! My Express/extreme G set-up works, I will stick with it.
22 of 32 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
Will replace my dead Airport Express
Written by SP from East Dulwich
Dec 7, 2008
I have had my Airport Express since 2005 and it has been up to every task I needed it to perform in that time. Then today it died. Looking around I was lucky - often they give up after just a year or two. But there is nothing else that is quite the same out there. Just seems to be such a shame to throw something just because of one crumby component (power supply tends to burn out on the older ones at least). Having a look but feel like I might end up paying for a new one even though Apple obviously don't care about their stuff lasting much beyond statutory warrantee periods. I've had to replace 3 iPods in the past - they just don't cut it in quality assurance.
23 of 35 people found this useful
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AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes
Doesn't work
Written by KB from København K
Oct 30, 2008
I've had two of these gizmoes now and they have had a couple of things in common:
Was easy to set up and get working :-)
When used for Airtunes I could play from my Powerbook to my stereo for about 30 mins after which it would cut off and disappear, and I'd have to restart it. Worked for 30 mins again, shut down etc...
Very annoying :-(
After a few weeks of normal use it just burned down, stopped working, ceased to function, gave up.
Unacceptable :-(
Two of these, mind you, exactly the same routine.
In my experience this piece of equipment is a total waste of money.
The 1 star rating is only because you can't give 0
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32 of 53 people found this useful
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