My new AirPort Extreme arrived today from CDW.
Since it replaces and original AirPort Base Station (802.11b & 40bit WEP only) I set it up for WPA2 (but with the same passphrase that I was using for the old one). Everything (including my old G4 laptop with its 802.11b-only card that Anne now uses) just works. (I did have to reconfigure the Wii but it was actually easier than the old way since I could use the passphrase instead of typing the WEP key AKA Network Equivalent Password).
After setting up WDS with my AirPort Express in the living room, I was able to bridge to ethernet and connect my self-upgraded ReplayTV 4000 thus allowing me to remove one of the two really long ethernet cables™ that cross my house. (I'll remove the other cable when I move P's TeamSpeak server to my office (after I clean up a little in here).
I still need to get/find an audio cable and determine how I want to connect to the receiver for AirTunes goodness.
Since Ben and I made a stealth run to Grand Rapids Sunday for a podcast/quiz at the Apple Store there, I have a new external Firewire/USB/Firewire800/SATA drive enclosure + 250GB drive that's perfect for AirPort Disk. It's pretty slick (and looks like the disk is available via afp and smb). It would be nice to have a good hardware RAID attached to it (0+1 or RAID5 with up to ~4 disks would be perfect) but I haven't seen anything suitable (yet). Ben and I even stopped by the CompUSA in Grand Rapids (since it's one of the ones that is closing) but I didn't see any really good deals. I'll maybe stop by again when it's closer to closing (although any good stuff will probably just be sent over to one of the stores that isn't closing -- like the Lansing store).
I'm sure I've got greater wireless coverage now (although I haven't taken a laptop down to the basement and walked around yet) and so I'm probably not going to go forward with my old plan of fishing ethernet to every room in the house.
Doesn't having a 802.11b device on a "g" network bring the network down to "b" speed?
Yes (sort of) but it's more complicated than that.
It really only brings the speed down while the slower device is operating (and normal usage wouldn't be constant) and it doesn't affect 'n'.
In any case, 802.11b is fast enough to max out the cable modem at the ranges I'm operating at, so it doesn't really matter.
Tired of computer-to-computer network, I was looking at the comments on AirPort Express w/AirTunes. Yikes! Burn-out after 1 year? Like idea of a network "media drive", started looking at Aiport Extreme. Comments on that indicate problems with AirPort Disk. Since your post indicates intention to set one up, I'm wondering if your AirPort Disk experience was positive? (Granted, I tend to read only the detailed, negative comments. Can't see how "Great Product!!!" is a useful review.)
Where did you see comments on burn-out?
I looked and I saw some people complaining (with the age-old bad capacitor issue), but the complaints were old. I'm fairly certain that the main supplier of the bad capacitors was found a little while back and everyone stopped buying from them (at least, I haven't heard of anyone having recent issues like that).
AirDisk is slow (but of course it is, network drives are slow). It's slower than attaching a disk to your Mac and sharing it, which is a little disappointing. With lots of use, I tend to occasionally get the AirPort Express/AirDisk into a wedged state and the unit needs to be reset (probably once a week or so), but it otherwise works as expected.
As for the negative comments, you should keep in mind that people who have products that 'just work' don't tend to post to online forums about how they don't have any problems. Of course, it's not a bad idea to look and see if there are a lot of posts about the same issue as that can indicate a problem you might experience. As with anything, there's a balance to how heavily you weigh what you read.
My bad. I briefly rechecked the comments on the AirPort Express, with regard to sudden loss of all function. I found none dated more recently than Jan. '07. Not so for the Extreme. Some of those were quite recent. But they are also scattershot, and as much griping as reports of actual failure. (e.g., complaints about lack of gigabit Ethernet)
Exactly. I read the comments specifically looking for 'gotchas' -- consistent, multiple reports of the same failure. I found something, so I consulted expert opinion.
Since the Express's capacitor problem is fixed, I may get one. Less money than the Extreme, and the stereo, Mini, and printer are all in one room anyway. Can even hide the printer in the entertainment center's cabinet.
Thanks.