Airport part deux

[ZO]

<a href="http://www.apple.com/airport/" target="_blank">http://www.apple.com/airport/</a>

AirPort's new features include:

compatibility with AOL

two Ethernet ports, one 10BASE-T for wide area connections such as DSL or cable modem, and a new 10/100BASE-T port for local area networking;

firewall protection providing added security from unauthorized access via the Internet;

support for up to 128-bit password and data encryption;

RADIUS support enabling schools and businesses to centrally manage user access control; and

AirPort Card compatibility with Cisco's LEAP security method, popular in many higher-education institutions.
AirPort offers a data rate of up to 11 megabits per second, enabling simultaneous sharing of a single Internet connection by up to 50 users and has a typical range of 150-foot radius from the base station.

[Escher]

Wow, that was an unexpected announcement! Good catch, ZO.

I'm really enjoying Apple's new fast-paced between-the-big-shows announcement schedule.

Escher

[ZO]

but will this mean that it will be another year or so before Apple supprts 802.11a? It seems to be vastly superior in every aspect, and with Apple JUST releasing an updated 802.11b Station, it seems we won't get in the action for a while... *groan*

[Mac Guru]

So is this just a new base station? If so, COOL.

Mac Guru

[ZO]

here is the new AirPort btw...

good-bye any fruity color ever again...

http://a772.g.akamai.net/7/772/51/e5da8af4a1d902/www.apple.com/airport/images/index_topimage11092001.jpg


HEY! Why doesn't that image load???

[ 11-13-2001: Message edited by: ZO ]</p>

[Logan Cale]

Try,
http://a772.g.akamai.net/7/772/51/e5da8af4a1d902/www.apple.com/airport/images/index_topimage11092001.jpg

[bradbower]

Nice! I'm glad they added the extra ethernet port.

[bradbower]

Wait. One is a WAN, one is a LAN. What is the difference? :confused:

What I have now is a cable modem, plugged into the uplink port of a 4-port hub, which all of my computers are networked to. There's only one more space left, so I was going to connect the Base Station for when we get our iBook to that, and use AirPort. But, I also wanted to be able to plug the iBook in sometimes, for faster speeds, maybe for troubleshooting, or if the base station has trouble or somesuch. But I would need to buy another hub for that, since I only have one spot left.

Then I saw this new Base Station and that it has two ethernet ports, and I thought, "Wow, I'll be able to plug it into the hub and when I want a wired connection, plug my iBook into it!" But maybe not, since on the Tech Specs page it says that the WAN port is for use with cable/DSL modems. I wonder if that means I'll be able to do it or not.

Or maybe I could just put the Base Station between the cable modem and the hub; can the Base Station do DHCP to the wired network side? (without NAT, if it's possible--isn't it problematic?) I was also debating buying a new router/cable modem because the one my ISP gave me sucks. But if the Base Station can do DHCP, I might as well not bother! Anyone know for sure?

Thanks in advance. :cool:

[Escher]

[quote]Originally posted by bradbower:
<strong>Or maybe I could just put the Base Station between the cable modem and the hub; can the Base Station do DHCP to the wired network side? </strong><hr></blockquote>

Brad: That's the whole point of adding the extra Ethernet port to the base station.

Escher

[Fran441]

Does anyone know if Airport will still work with your old base station if you upgrade your Mac to Airport 2.0?

[gorgonzola]

[quote]Originally posted by Fran441:
<strong>Does anyone know if Airport will still work with your old base station if you upgrade your Mac to Airport 2.0?</strong><hr></blockquote>

Yes, I just upgraded. Unless you use AOL, there are literally no new features to be seen. Stuff that isn't supported just won't appear, so that Radius panel doesn't show up for me.

No big loss; it'll be identical for most people, unless you buy a new Base Station and want to hook up some wired clients through that Ethernet port.

[apple.otaku]

[quote]Originally posted by ZO:

<strong>but will this mean that it will be another year or so before Apple supprts 802.11a? It seems to be vastly superior in every aspect, and with Apple JUST releasing an updated 802.11b Station, it seems we won't get in the action for a while... *groan*</strong><hr></blockquote>

802.11a is not as great as you think. From what I understand the real world speed (23Mbps) of 802.11a is only about half of what is claimed (54Mbps) while the range is actually far less than what you get with 802.11b. This was the right thing for Apple to do.

apple_otaku

[Belle]

[quote]Originally posted by apple_otaku:
<strong>802.11a is not as great as you think. From what I understand the real world speed (23Mbps) of 802.11a is only about half of what is claimed (54Mbps) while the range is actually far less than what you get with 802.11b. This was the right thing for Apple to do.apple_otaku</strong><hr></blockquote>
I agree. Apple market the range of AirPort as around 150ft, but in real terms it's usually closer around 75-100ft (Or 25-50 using an original PowerBook G4). The operable range of 802.11a is typically around 50ft.

On top of this, and this is what makes it a real pain in the ass, 802.11a (And any other wireless standards using the 5GHz band) often struggle to get signals through walls.

I think 802.11b will be the wireless LAN standard for at least the next two years, and given the number of locations where connections are available (See Apple's new <a href="http://www.apple.com/airport/locations.html" target="_blank">AirPort</a> pages) I think Apple have made the correct decision.

There are wireless access points at a couple of Starbucks here in NYC, and after years of avoiding the chain, I now have a very good reason to go in from time to time. This could perhaps be viewed as a bad thing, I guess.

On a side note, doesn't the new Base Station look lovely?

[Logan Cale]

It's interesting, with my Dual USB iBook, I can go 200 ft (yes, I measured it :p ) through two walls and still be connected. How is that?

[maximawoo]

I also installed Airport 2.0 Software. No noticeable change. Does anyone know how to check the encryption on the airport card? I looked in the Apple System Profiler but couldn't find the info. Thanks

[applenut]

pretty crappy morals releasing this new base station after a few hundred (maybe thousands) bought the old one the last 3-4 weeks with a new iBook or Powerbook.

[SMacSteve]

I've tested a iBook of the ASC's at Comp USA and we took the iBook from one corner (where the Apple Store is) to the tech shop (at the other corner) which is at the other corner. This had to be an easy 300 feet. Granted this is without barriers, but this should be effective to at least 150 feet. I found with my Pismo I've had no fading in my signal at any point in my home. All four bars are present.

[gnuami]

If I go downstairs and use a PowerBook G3 in the kitchen, no reception. If I move 10 feet to the base of the stairway, 2 bars. If go upstairs, 4-5 bars. This is all within 50 feet. I'm getting 5 bars directly underneath the basestation right now, hmm...maybe 15 feet away and one floor down.

[ZO]

[quote]Originally posted by applenut:
<strong>pretty crappy morals releasing this new base station after a few hundred (maybe thousands) bought the old one the last 3-4 weeks with a new iBook or Powerbook.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Why? This always happens. You can't just tell everyone "don't buy it because we have a new one about to come out". This happens with computers all the time too... how many people bought a highend G4 500Mhz only to find the next day that that same model became the low end for a quarter of the price? Sucks... yes.

Hey... cool, new gremlins :D

<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[Cheers]" /> <img src="graemlins/biggthumpup.gif" border="0" alt="[Thumbs Up]" /> <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" /> <img src="graemlins/news.gif" border="0" alt="[Announcement]" /> <img src="graemlins/nono.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" /> <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[Are you kidding?]" /> <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />

[othello]

does anyone know if airport 2 will work with a linux box on a network? i've got an old 7200 running linuxppc which is connected to my ethernet hub, which is then connected to my dsl connection. can it assign an ip number to this machine??

[applenut]

[quote]Originally posted by ZO:
<strong>

Why? This always happens. You can't just tell everyone "don't buy it because we have a new one about to come out". This happens with computers all the time too... how many people bought a highend G4 500Mhz only to find the next day that that same model became the low end for a quarter of the price? Sucks... yes.

</strong><hr></blockquote>

no, this is a little different. this is just apple being shitheads to people who bought new Powerbooks and iBooks with a base station. they knew that people woul buy thousands of base stations with the new machines and they screwed their customers. big difference than updating a PowerMac after a year

[corvette]

[quote]Originally posted by othello:
<strong>does anyone know if airport 2 will work with a linux box on a network? i've got an old 7200 running linuxppc which is connected to my ethernet hub, which is then connected to my dsl connection. can it assign an ip number to this machine??</strong><hr></blockquote>

I think so.

[Bogie]

Applenut - so your plan is for Apple to announce "don't buy our current product [AirPort BaseStation] because we will be releasing an update," is that correct?

Because if it is that is really stupid.

And you are smarter than that.

Not to mention that is the reason that Osprey Computer went out of business in the 1980s.

Oh, and just what should Apple do with all the "old" base stations once the new ones are announced since sales of the "old" model with decline substantially in this model?

[applenut]

[quote]Originally posted by Bogie:
<strong>Applenut - so your plan is for Apple to announce "don't buy our current product [AirPort BaseStation] because we will be releasing an update," is that correct?

Because if it is that is really stupid.

And you are smarter than that.

Not to mention that is the reason that Osprey Computer went out of business in the 1980s.

Oh, and just what should Apple do with all the "old" base stations once the new ones are announced since sales of the "old" model with decline substantially in this model?</strong><hr></blockquote>

they announced new portables 3 weeks ago (now 4 I guess). they could have announced the new airport right along side that.

what to do with the old inventory? they should have been cutting back on it already and if they still had some liquidate it to education.

don't say that what I am saying is stupid. you damn well known Apple screwed over people who bought a brand new product 3 weeks ago expecting to have the best they could get only to find out in 3 weeks that Apple was holding out on them to use them as a clearance sale.