Stock-outs of Apple's AirPort Extreme could hint at new 802.11ac model - Page 2  

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hodar 

Your best ISP is still stuck at speeds that make 802.11n seem about a decade ahead of their time.

 

True, but as you note yourself, there are lots of uses for home networks beyond just internet distribution.  My wife is crazy for her camera and often has need to move hundreds of high resolution images from one device to another.  A faster network would reduce the amount of time it takes to do that, since N can't keep up with even a single laptop hard drive.  Backups are another task that would just take less time for a faster network.  It's not necessary but it is convenient.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hodar 

Now, if you have a bunch of SSD's in a RAID configuration (you will not see sustained Gigabit datarates with non-SSD drives) and feel the need to stream more than 6 streams of 1080p video, simultaneously - then 802.11ac should work well.

You don't need an SSD RAID to see the improvement.  I have a simple centralized storage system hanging off a mini and file access is MUCH faster with a cable than over the air via N.  I'm hoping that AC will be fast enough to eliminate the difference.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hodar 

But, if you only have a a few streams of 1080p video you have to watch simulatneously - the 802.11n should work just fine.

The resolution and frame rate are not the only variables. Image quality is obviously affected by bit rate, so higher quality renders can be much more demanding of bandwidth.  If I'm editing a video and want to stream what I've done so far to the big TV so the family can see it and make suggestions, that intermediate stage is going to consume WAAAY more bandwidth than a finished h.264 encoded movie.  N can do it, but AC should do it with fewer lags, burps and waits.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolipsismX 


That should be Megabits per second not Kilobytes per second.

Yes. Mucho thanks... Got my data bits misrepresented... Wow that is crazy fast huh???

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnalogJack 

Wireless hula hoop! I want one.

I like the way he used the MacBook to prove that the hula hoop was WiFi !

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slurpy 

 Try to look beyond your own specific situation and realize that there's probably a very small percentage of people who need more than 3 wired connections to their router, seeing as the majority of all purchased devices these days are wireless. How many people have more than 3 wired devices in the same room as their router, or willing to run ethernet cables through their walls? I can't imagine that this would be a practical requirement in anything other than an office environment, in which case needs are totally different and an AE might not be the best choice of device anyway.

I think quite a few people do... My airport extreme is in my living room, feeding off the 70 Mbps Internet connection from my cable modem. I need ethernet cables to my bluray player, my receiver, my Xbox and my IP telephone. My IP telephone adapter actually supports pass through, so I can get by with 3, but just barely.

The increased speed would also be nice. I have a 70 Mbps connection, and while the theoretical speed of 802.11n is more than this, in practice I get a "paltry" 50 Mbps over wireless.

I believe AE is coming out soon with the new Gigabit WiFi 802.11AC. 

I believe the iPad IV in March 2013 will be the first Apple device to receive Gigabit WiFi.

An 802.11ac airport can't come out soon enough!   I need 3 immediately for my HT environment as I stream almost all my content.   I was hoping the out of stock meant something but it usually doesn't take more than a couple of weeks for the out of stock to equal a new release.

Was really looking forward to a new 11ac-Extreme router getting announced today along with the iPad Mini.  My girlfriend is getting me a NAS for my birthday and I'd love a new router to go along with it.

With the stability and easy setup/configuration of the Apple routers.  I'd rather pay for their older mid2011 Extreme router that supports up to N.. than risk other brands new 11ac models.  If theres one lesson I've learned in consumer electronics, is a fast/stable wireless router is one of the most important devices in your home.  I've bought Dlink, Belkin and NetGear products before and dealt with too many headaches, resets, firmware updates, closed NATs, ports that wont open, etc.. to ever go back to using one of those again.

About the only non-Apple router I trust.. is my trusty 7 year old Linksys WRT-54GL.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffDM 


Streaming what, exactly? How many simultaneous streams, and at what bit rates?

Video  - 1080p 30 DTS MA - 1 stream normally sometimes 2 - not that rediculously compressed netflix stuff but BR quality streaming.

Originally Posted by boed 
I want an airport 802.11ac right now bridged for 1080p streaming…

Which you can do right now… 

You'd use an ac router if you wanted to stream four 1080p files simultaneously.

Apple's not "behind" anyone. Have you ever used an AirPort family product?

I currently have 2 airports - latest generation.   Since asus, cisco, buffalo, netgear all have 802.11ac routers - that would make apple "behind" all of them.  

Originally Posted by boed 
Since asus, cisco, buffalo, netgear all have 802.11ac routers - that would make apple "behind" all of them.  

Just like Apple was "behind" everyone that used the 45nm LTE chips, yeah? 😒

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tallest Skil 

Just like Apple was "behind" everyone that used the 45nm LTE chips, yeah? 😒

I can't determine if you are purposely being obtuse or if you were born that way.

Originally Posted by boed 
I can't determine if you are purposely being obtuse or if you were born that way.

I can determine that this is an insult. You don't seem to get the idea Apple presents.

Quote:

Originally Posted by boed 

I currently have 2 airports - latest generation.   Since asus, cisco, buffalo, netgear all have 802.11ac routers - that would make apple "behind" all of them.  

While I agree it was disappointing that Apple didnt announce the ac router, my needs for a router arent just speed.  Reliability and uptime are just as, if not more, important than all out speed.  Before I bought my first (and only) Airport router 2 years ago.. I tried the brands you listed above and Dlink, Belkin and Trendnet.  Like every other Apple product I thought it was overpriced, but I was so frustrated that I couldnt find a router that "just worked" I was willing to give it a try.  To reduce the sting of the $179 price tag.. I bought a $129 refurbished unit from the Apple store.

Long story short, 2 years later you could not PAY me to use another router. Not only has the '09 spec Airport I purchased been dead nuts reliable.  But the upgrades to the Airport Utility on my Macbook and Airport app on my iPhone have made the experience even more enjoyable.  In the 2 years I've owned it, I might have had to reboot it once that I can recall.  Other than that its been fast, reliable and even XboxLive works well with an openNAT.. something so many other N routers couldnt do.

While Apple introduced a N-spec router in 2011 thats faster that my '09, I'm still trying my best to hold out for an Apple AC-spec.  I'm planning to buy a Synology NAS and (2) 3TB WD Red drives sometime in the next two weeks.  If Apple hasnt announced an AC-spec router by then.. then I'm going to do the exact same thing and pay $139 to purchase a refurbished 2011 N-spec unit from the Apple store.  Considering the 2011 version is much faster than my 2009, provides a bigger coverage area and none of my wifi client devices are AC yet.. I should have purchased the faster 2011 model a long time ago!  

The other thing I love about Apple products, beyond the design & ease of use.  The resale value.  So I'll sell my '09 on Ebay.. probably get a $60 bucks back.  Pretty awesome to use a consumer electronic good for over 2 years and sell it for 50% of its purchase price.

And its not just me, that has noticed the Apple routers are MUCH more reliable and stable than any other competitor.  This is taken from the last paragraph of the conclusion section.. when AnandTech did their comparison of '09 spec vs '11spec Airport Extreme:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4577/airport-extreme-5th-gen-and-time-capsule-4th-gen-review-faster-wifi-/9

"I guess the reason that I personally use an Airport Extreme (in conjunction with another device for NAT) is that it's really one of a small number of 802.11n dual-band APs I've tried that actually works without locking up, becoming unstable periodically, dropping the session from overheating when being pushed to 100% for hours, or requiring a daily reboot. There are just so many other consumer level 802.11n APs that either fall short or are incredibly frustrating and unreliable. Thus far, I've been using an Airport Extreme Gen 5 and Time Capsule Gen 4 as my primary AP with over 12 devices attached to each one for the greater part of a month without a single instability. It's that kind of stability that really sells it for me, even with 3x3:3 out of the picture.

That kind of sums up WiFi in general—ideally, it should work and be something transparent to the user instead of a constant consideration."

I believe iPhone 5 supports 2.4 & 5G. 

See below:

The new iPhone 5 boasts, along with 4G LTE support for faster Internet speeds, faster WiFi connectivity. The device supports the 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz band on 802.11n standard for speeds up to 150 Mbps.

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2012/09/12/iphone-5-boasts-faster-wifi-capabilities/

Daekwan,  I do agree that the airports are very reliable that is why I haven't used anything else for the last 2 years and that is why I'm so dissappointed Apple doesn't have anything yet.   But it may be time for me to try out some other brands again as I need the speed now.

Originally Posted by boed 
…as I need the speed now.

You can get double the effective speed by using Ethernet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daekwan 

While I agree it was disappointing that Apple didnt announce the ac router, my needs for a router arent just speed.  

It was just too early for that.  The chip set is brand new and I doubt that the power requirements are really good in generation 1.  Also, if Apple calls and wants your chipset, you have to be able to produce millions in a heartbeat.  The 802.11ac routers out there now are being produced in the hundreds and thousands.  There also isn't huge shift from PC manufacturers to use "ac" either...probably not until 2013.

Yes, Apple pioneered 802.11b 12 years ago but these days, priorities are different.  It will come though.  Next opportunity will be in 2013 when the Macbook Airs are refreshed.

Originally Posted by boed 
Still no new airport...

Saying this every day gets old.

Originally Posted by Tallest Skil 
Saying this every day gets old.

Originally Posted by JeffDM 
This is getting old.

Great, now saying it's getting old is getting old.