Upload speed only 2.2 mbps -- need more?

I'm thinking the old Apple Airport is not able to carry all this new fangled stuff.

The old AirPort should be able to handle download and upload speeds of 100 Mbps or more.....IF.....it is operating correctly. For video conferencing, I would recommend a minimum of 10 Mbps. More would be better if there are other WiFi devices on the network at the same time.

But people say not to bother with an Airport Extreme

Probably correct, if you were thinking of installing an AirPort Extreme in a new installation.

Flies buzz in my head when I start thinking about my current system and having to CHANGE it: Netgear modem with an old Apple Airport hooked up to it.

You can find out whether the Netgear modem or the AirPort router is the source of the problem by temporarily connecting your Mac to the modem using an Ethernet cable and then running a few speed checks using a site like www.speedtest.net

If your Mac does not have an Ethernet port, you will need a USB to Ethernet adapter or a USB-C to Ethernet adapter.....depending on what type of port that your Mac has.

If you find that the upload speeds are still very low when the Mac is connected directly to the modem......then the issue is either the modem or the Internet connection from Spectrum. Here, I am assuming that the Ethernet cable is good. You could always try another Ethernet cable to double check things.

As a point of reference, my plan with Spectrum produces download speeds of 200-225 Mbps and upload speeds of 15-20 Mbps when I run a few quick checks.

If you find that the upload speeds are much better when the Mac is connected directly to the modem, then that points to the AirPort as the culprit and it should be replaced. Not sure how old an "old" AirPort might be, but the average useful life of these products is about 6-7 years.

It sounds like Spectrum may need to run a new wire from the utility pole outside into your home.

That should get you 200+ downloads and 10-15 uploads on a direct connection test when your Mac is wired directly to the modem.

When you reconnect the AirPort into the system, you should also see about 200 Mbps on a wired Ethernet connection from your Mac to the AirPort router.

If the Mac is in the same room and it has a line-of-site relationship with the AirPort, WiFi speeds should also be close to the wired connection speeds. As the Mac moves further away from the AirPort and there are walls in the path between the Mac and AirPort, the WiFi speeds will slow down.