AirPort Extreme (802.11n)
Draft-n Wi-Fi in a flat square box with Gigabit Ethernet.
Overview
The 2007 AirPort Extreme was a redesign in every way. The dome gave way to a flat white square, small enough to sit under a monitor, and the radio used the draft 802.11n standard with multiple antennas for higher throughput and longer reach.
Three LAN ports and a WAN port let it replace a separate router, and a later revision upgraded all four to Gigabit Ethernet. A USB port shared printers and, with a software update, external drives, making it a tiny network storage hub.
The base station worked with older 802.11b and g clients as well and introduced the guest network concept in later versions. In 2009 Apple added simultaneous dual-band operation, which allowed 2.4 and 5 GHz networks at once.
Why it mattered
Moved Apple's router line to 802.11n and the small flat form that persisted for years.
At a glance
- Announced
- January 9, 2007
- Released
- February 1, 2007
- Launch price
- $179
- Status
- Vintage
Highlights
- Draft 802.11n Wi-Fi
- Flat square design
- Three LAN ports and one WAN port
- USB for printers and drives
- Gigabit Ethernet in later revision
Tech specs
Specifications as published at launch. Some values (like battery life) are manufacturer estimates.
Connectivity
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11n (draft), backward compatible with 802.11a/b/g
- Ethernet
- One WAN and three LAN ports (10/100, later Gigabit)
- Ports
- USB 2.0 (printer or hard drive)
- Smart home
- Not applicable
Network
- Security
- WPA2 Personal and Enterprise, 128-bit WEP
Design
- Shape
- Flat square base station
