The sizeable caveat is, we suspect, the vast majority will use the AirPort Express as a wireless signal extender, rather than a dedicated router, and in this regard it is ideal for stretching your wireless network to cover previous dead spots.įurthermore, when it comes to the AirPort Express’s party trick – AirPlay – it is exceptional. Both figures are roughly half what we have seen compared to dedicated routers like the D-Link DIR-645 SmartBeam and Linksys EA4500. We hit peak transfer speeds of just 5.9 megabytes per second (47.2Mbit) at one metre and this dropped off dramatically to 1.1MB per second (8.8Mbit) at a distance of 10 metres with two walls in-between.
#Apple airport express airplay 2 windows#
A Windows client is also available, but it is interesting that the slickest method is now iOS (a sign of where Apple’s priority lies?) where the AirPort Utility app’s touch UI is both simple and intuitive.įor more advanced users there is the option to access the DNS servers, manage IP addresses, DHCP reservations and port mappings, as well as configure base stations for IPv6 and set up guest networks with limited access, but for the majority of owners it is virtually a case of plug and play.Īs a Wi-Fi router there is no beating about the bush: we’ve seen better.
#Apple airport express airplay 2 mac os x#
In the four years that have passed since the 2008 unit, Apple has evolved iOS and Mac OS X dramatically and a simple setup wizard will see you go to wireless settings, select the AirPort Station, select ‘create a new network’ and be on your way. Setting up the Apple AirPort Express is a breeze. By contrast the 2012 AirPort Express no longer has this limitation and its extreme minimalist design means it can be positioned just about anywhere without obtrusion. The old AirPort Express had to be plugged directly into a power socket which meant it was typically positioned close to the ground – the worst possible place for making the most of your Wi-Fi signal. 270g) helps you tell them apart and you get the benefit of the same premium build quality, but otherwise it is clear Apple has done a little industrial recycling. The fact it is white rather than black and 30 grams lighter (240g vs. Whereas the 2008 model plugged directly into a socket, in 2012 Apple has repackaged the AirPort Express into the 90 x 90 x 23mm case of the Apple TV. So where do the real innovations come from? Apple being Apple means the most obvious step forward is in design. In addition Apple has added a LAN port alongside the existing WAN port, but surprisingly this only operates at 10/100Mbit rather than Gigabit Ethernet which has widely become the industry standard. This functionality was added to the AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule back in 2009 so it is primarily a catch-up feature. Where the new AirPort Express unit does differ is its support for simultaneous dual band 802.11n Wi-Fi over both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands (the 2008 unit made you choose one or the other). Like the 2008 Apple AirPort Express the 2012 model also still doesn’t support external storage. As such the 2012 AirPort Express still performs the same functions as its ageing forebear: it can work as a wireless router when connected to a modem, extend the range of an existing wireless network, bring AirPlay wireless audio streaming to any stereo or dock and AirPrint wireless printing to any connected printer. The cogs in the wireless standards industry turn much more slowly than those driving the smartphone revolution so evolution is the name of the game. The short answer is no… but it doesn’t need to be. The tech world has been revolutionised over this period, so can we expect a similar step forward from the new AirPort Express? At that time the first generation iPhone was still the current model and now the sixth generation iPhone 5 is just around the corner.
Unlike Apple’s other lines, which are refreshed on a rigid annual schedule, the company’s humble wireless base station had sat unchanged since March 2008. The AirPort Express range has the right to feel unloved.
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