I know that Airport is a standard and will work with all type "b" networks. Why is the Airport base station so much more expensive than others. What features does it have that others don't, and vice versa.
Super easy to set up WEP, and a port for a 56k modem, which most other wireless routers do not have.
You can basically get one for half the cost, but it may take a little more work to set up. I got a NetGear MR314 and it didn't take too much effort to get running - and it was $11 away from being exactly half the cost of the Apple base station.
It doesn't look like a cool little UFO though, if that's important to you.
Like Murbot said, it has a 56K modem port. That means you can easily share a dialup connection amongst several computers (PCs and Macs).
The other big "feature" is that it has the Apple logo on it so is a name brand product.
I'm not sure if it supports serving out CISCO LEAP. I know the cards can connect and use LEAP wen connecting to CISCO stations. If it does LEAP, then it is by far the cheapest router out there with this feature. I think CISCO is the only other company that makes stations that do LEAP. This is a nice plus security-wise.
Features that other base stations tend to have (like my linksys) are:
- also is a 10/100 router (don't need a hub if you don't have many computers)
- built in firewall
- hosts of configurable options which I forget how they work (port forwarding, NAT altering, etc.)
- some have a parallel port and are also a print server (I think SMC has one that does this for a nice price).
This is definitely Apple asking higher prices because they know people will stay Apple (most people however). I had the problem recently. I actually thought the base station would be the only viable option, but forget that. I got me a linksys, like some here, and it was set up without me even knowing it.
To set up WEP, ... it did take me two minutes (be sure to find some info from users before you go ahead, and save yourself some pain). But that is just two minutes, and not worth 200 euros (that's the difference hereabouts).
Moreover, some claim that due to the design-restrictions of the Airport Base station, its range is seriously limited compared to other solutions, such as the linksys, which has two antennae sticking out, oblivious of any designer principle, but doing its work like a charming baby.
<strong>We have LEAP at work; no one has gotten it to work with their Macs.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Dude we have Leap on our Cicso airnet at work. It works like a champ if your network team sets it up properly. My ibook connects like a champ. All you have to do is in the create network enter your user name and password inside brackets like this:
<username/password>
I can assure you it works great. I can send the config. file off the access points if you would like to look at it. Also, here is the support doc on it. Again, it works awesome. I will even go as far as to take pictures of my ibook next to our access points. Thats how strong I feel about it.
That knowledge base article seems a little out of date. For 1, the airport software (using the keychain) does remember the username/password for connecting to a LEAP enabled network.
I found that it is buggy somewhat. If you tell it to remember the password and to "connect to most recently used network" I run into problems where it connects to the network, but fails to get an IP (DHCP problem perhaps). If I save the password and network name right in the Network Preference Pane, all is well.
I still think the use of angle brackets and such special characters is really poor interface design. Especially coming from Apple. Hopefully they fix this in the future; the software should detect that you are attempting to connect to a LEAP network and ask for credentials (username and password) in a "nice" dialog box.
I am buying an iBook soon, but I also have an eMac. Does 10.2 allow you to have a computer as a base station? if so does it effect system performance at all? I only have a 56k connection so I would need a modem in the wireless hub, any others out there other than Airport? One more question, if 10.2 allows my eMac to be a base station do I have to connect it to the internet, or will it automaticly do it when I request it from the iBook.
Comments
You can basically get one for half the cost, but it may take a little more work to set up. I got a NetGear MR314 and it didn't take too much effort to get running - and it was $11 away from being exactly half the cost of the Apple base station.
It doesn't look like a cool little UFO though, if that's important to you.
(BTW, it's for sale if you're interested)
[ 11-20-2002: Message edited by: murbot ]</p>
1) Its white with an Apple logo on it.
2) People will buy it because they think they need it in order to go wireless.
The other big "feature" is that it has the Apple logo on it so is a name brand product.
I'm not sure if it supports serving out CISCO LEAP. I know the cards can connect and use LEAP wen connecting to CISCO stations. If it does LEAP, then it is by far the cheapest router out there with this feature. I think CISCO is the only other company that makes stations that do LEAP. This is a nice plus security-wise.
Features that other base stations tend to have (like my linksys) are:
- also is a 10/100 router (don't need a hub if you don't have many computers)
- built in firewall
- hosts of configurable options which I forget how they work (port forwarding, NAT altering, etc.)
- some have a parallel port and are also a print server (I think SMC has one that does this for a nice price).
To set up WEP, ... it did take me two minutes (be sure to find some info from users before you go ahead, and save yourself some pain). But that is just two minutes, and not worth 200 euros (that's the difference hereabouts).
Moreover, some claim that due to the design-restrictions of the Airport Base station, its range is seriously limited compared to other solutions, such as the linksys, which has two antennae sticking out, oblivious of any designer principle, but doing its work like a charming baby.
I would definitely NOT go Apple for this.
<strong>We have LEAP at work; no one has gotten it to work with their Macs.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Dude we have Leap on our Cicso airnet at work. It works like a champ if your network team sets it up properly. My ibook connects like a champ. All you have to do is in the create network enter your user name and password inside brackets like this:
<username/password>
I can assure you it works great. I can send the config. file off the access points if you would like to look at it. Also, here is the support doc on it. Again, it works awesome. I will even go as far as to take pictures of my ibook next to our access points. Thats how strong I feel about it.
<a href="http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106626&SaveKCWindowURL=http: %2F%2Fkbase.info.apple.com%2Fcgi-bin%2FWebObjects%2Fkbase.woa%2Fwa%2FSaveKCToHomePa ge&searchMode=Assisted&kbhost=kbase.info.apple.com &showButton=false&randomValue=100&showSurvey=false &sessionID=anonymous|158240565" target="_blank">Apple LEAP Support</a>
I found that it is buggy somewhat. If you tell it to remember the password and to "connect to most recently used network" I run into problems where it connects to the network, but fails to get an IP (DHCP problem perhaps). If I save the password and network name right in the Network Preference Pane, all is well.
I still think the use of angle brackets and such special characters is really poor interface design. Especially coming from Apple. Hopefully they fix this in the future; the software should detect that you are attempting to connect to a LEAP network and ask for credentials (username and password) in a "nice" dialog box.
Thanks for your help,
Macaddict16