MOTUnation.com

I'm embarrassed to even bring this up that I'm still using AirPort Extremes for my network. I have three of them and they still work, but, I'm assuming I'm way behind the technological curve.

What should I be replacing them with these days?

Thank you for your guidance.

I replaced mine few years ago with the one supplied by the ISP. I've had a few different since then, the common brands you'll see on Amazon, but all to say that I didn't find any of them to work any better than the old Airport, and I only changed out to get a faster signal. I left the Airport in place for a second network for things that don't need the speed.

I've gone through many high end routers, and the Airport Extreme was really one of the best. I live in a crowded WiFi area, and the solution I've found that works best is a mesh system, which I highly recommend. I use three Google WiFi nodes, and the newer models are Nest WiFi. You can still find Google nodes for sale now and then.

In just reworked my home/studio network. I bought two sets of these:

https://www.tp-link.com/us/deco-mesh-wi ... ly/deco-s4

Each station has three Ethernet ports for hardwiring to the network plus connecting peripherals. All six stations are now meshed together; one in the studio, one outside and four in the house. I have wi-fi everywhere, and it is working nicely.

It all depends on your back end. I have an Apple Time Capsule from 2013 (last year) that supports 802.11ac. If your iSP is no faster, then an upgrade will not benefit you — unless you need a mesh system to cover dead spots in your building.

I'm still on AT&T copper here in the middle of the Silicon Valley. 802.11ac is as fast and robust as I can use.

Thank you, all. Very interesting about keeping the AirPorts as a secondary network. I appreciate all of the ideas.

mikehalloran wrote: ↑Sun Aug 25, 2024 2:10 pmI'm still on AT&T copper here in the middle of the Silicon Valley. 802.11ac is as fast and robust as I can use.

My son just had fibre dropped to his home above the bay by Sonic. 10gig, no data cap for a ridiculously small monthly fee.

I'd have to pay three times as much to get 1gig unlimited data.

It is just not FAIR!

HCMarkus wrote: ↑Mon Aug 26, 2024 7:16 am

mikehalloran wrote: ↑Sun Aug 25, 2024 2:10 pmI'm still on AT&T copper here in the middle of the Silicon Valley. 802.11ac is as fast and robust as I can use.

My son just had fibre dropped to his home above the bay by Sonic. 10gig, no data cap for a ridiculously small monthly fee.

I'd have to pay three times as much to get 1gig unlimited data.

It is just not FAIR!

Amen! When I worked for AT&T 21 years ago, they had to pay my Comcast bill since they had no internet to my house. They finally got it but it's still not very good. I live 3 miles or less from Apple, Google, HP, Microsoft etc.

Definitely not fair!

That’s frustrating. My previous home had fibre and it was great. My current home’s area doesn’t have it and it doesn’t seem like it will be coming any time soon. AT&T has something called “Air”, but, I haven’t found any documentation that it is any faster than their regular internet.