"WPA2 requires a Mac computer with an AirPort Extreme Card and OS X v10.3 or later." (see: http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/specs/ -> Point 2)
What does this means? Can I create a WPA 2 network with my MacBook Pro (early 2011)? I don't understand this card thing. Is this something I need to buy to create a WPA 2 network?
O.o
MacBook Pro (13-inch Early 2011), Mac OS X (10.7.4)
Stema,
Absolutely, your machine is certainly WPA2 capable. Actually, you'll be using WPA2 personal. (There is a WPA2 enterprise for business networks.) BTW WPA2 is the latest and best option for home networks.
Your computer does have the appropriate wi fi card installed.
Stema,
Absolutely, your machine is certainly WPA2 capable. Actually, you'll be using WPA2 personal. (There is a WPA2 enterprise for business networks.) BTW WPA2 is the latest and best option for home networks.
Your computer does have the appropriate wi fi card installed.
Ok great! So this AirPort Extreme Card is build-in? (in the newer Macs?)
Hello Stema,
You may be a bit confused by the requirements (understandible.) It may be that you are saying Airport Extreme card when you actually mean Airport Utility. Airport Utility is an Apple application that can be downloaded, free. It should already be in your computer, although, it may need updating. If you purchase the Airport Express, you will get an installation disk which will walk you through the proccess of setting it up.
With regards to your computer, it has all the neccessary ingredients to work with the Airport Express and other wifi networks, including the wi fi card.
This includes the setup of an WPA2 Personal network?
Yes, indeed -- this does include WPA2 Personal. Some very old versions of computer type devices don't have
WPA2 cabability, but they will be few and very far between. I have an Airport Express in my network to handle wireless devices that I have in my home --including an older ipod, a blu-ray player that we use to stream movies, and a bunch of guests who use smart phones ipad, i pods, all without difficulty.
The Express is a very good wi fi product, and I'm sure just about anyone on this site would advise you to use WPA2 security. So I think you're a smart cookie to go that route.
Awesome. Well I have a last question.
I want to know if I have to choose the Express or Extreme AirPort?
My case:
I have the FritzBox 7390 (100mbit/s Download & 50mbits/s Upload Wi-Fi, tested with Speedtest.net) which is connected with my Switch "Icidu NI-707530" and the AirPort Express would be connected to this switch.
My question is now: Can my Switch and the Express AirPort deliver the FritzBoxs' full download & upload speed? I have this question, because the switch and the Express AirPort only have 10/100BASE-T ethernet port. The Extreme AirPort has, as you may know, Gigabit ethernet port. Do I need the Gigabit ports or the 10/100mbits port?
Well, in my opinion the 10/100 mbit/s port of the switch and the AirPort Express should be enough, because the FritzBox "only" delivers a maximum of 100 mbit/s. (But, please I want a proof!) As I know, my download & upload Wi-Fi speed is enormous and very fast. But, why do Gigabit even excists, if the most expensive contract with my provider "only" delivers 100mbit/s? Doe sany provider delivers more than 100mbit/s? I don't understand why Gigabit excists...
P.S.: I mostly uses the WiFi network. Only my TV, blu ray Player and my older PC are connected through LAN with my switch. (Well and the AirPort!) The TV & blu ray player are connected to the switch for minimal downloads (firmware updates and other little stuff)! The PC is online once in 3 months...
Hi Stema,
My Isp speed is 15mbps, they do offer an upgrade to 50mbps but it costs 50 percent more per month. They do have a fiber optic network for business which must be quite a bit faster and a lot more expensive, but I don't know anything about that service. For me 15 mbps is sufficient.
The advantages of the Airport Extreme over the Express are: more ethernet ports and higher speed capability.
You don't need the extra ethernet lan ports. You can't make use of the extra speed.
The Extreme no longer has the advantage of simultaneouse dual band operation, because the new Express has it now.
The Express cost 79 USD LESS than the Extreme.
I think that it is very easy to conclude that the Express is well suited for your network configuration.
Ok, great. Thanks!
I don't understand why Gigabit excists...
I have a MacBook connected to the AirPort Extreme using the Gigabit Ethernet ports and I have a Time Capsule that connects using Gigabit Ethernet ports.
When I want to backup the hard drive on my Mac to the Time Capsule, the backup goes much faster using Gigabit (1,000 Mpbs) compared to normal 100 Mbps.
The backup goes 10 times faster using Gigabit. That is why Gigabit exists.
Ok, so if you frequently use LAN for backups or something gigabit ports are better?
But, if I use my LAN ports only for the tv, the blu ray player (firmware updates), the PC, which is every third month in use and to connect my Access point with my main router (because I mostly use WLAN -> Apple TV 3, iPad 3, iPhone, MacBook Pro (13", basic, early 2011)) the 10/100mbit/s are the best solution for me? A gigabit port wouldn't make any sense in my case? Is that true? Also because I don't get more than 100mbit/s from my provider?!
Another example.
You have an AirPort Express that will produce a 5 GHz wireless network at 300 Mbps.
You add a second AirPort Express in another part of the house because you need more wireless coverage.
You connect both AirPort Express devices using an Ethernet cable.
The second AirPort Express wireless is working at 300 Mpbs, but when it sees the Ethernet port, the speed drops to 100 Mbps.
It this does not bother you, buy the AirPort Express....but do not attempt to connect a hard drive to the AirPort Express because it will not work.
If you want to use a shared hard drive with the AirPort, your only option would be the AirPort Extreme.
Ok, but I will use the AirPort Express as Access Point in my room only. The rest of the house has good Wifi coverage, but due to the big walls I don't get full signal. Neither I want to use Hard Drive things.
As I mentioned before, the houses' main router goes to a switch in my room, which has 5 10/100mbits LAN ports. 1 has to be used to connect the router and the switch, 1 for my TV, 1 for the blu ray player (both mostly for firmware updates), 1 for the PC, which is used once every third month and the last one will be connected to the AirPort Express. Due to the fact, that I get max. 100mbit/s download and 50mvit/s from my provider, which I think is very impressive, 100mbit/s port should be the right solution. Gigabit port would be non-sense in my case, no? ;)
I have both an AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express and the antennas in the Extreme are definitely superior to the antenna(s) in the Express.
I suggest that you ask the store if you can return the Express if you are not satisfied.
If you are, that is great. If not, you can get the AirPort Extreme.
P.S.: I'll use the AirPort Express (as Access Point) to have awesome 100bit/s download and 50 mbit/s upload WiFi speed with my iPad 3, Apple TV 3, iPhone 4S, MacBook Pro (early 2001), Nintendo Wii, Nintendo 3DS, etc.
WPA 2 network?
