Peter Cohen:
Last week Apple made official news we’d suspected for a very long time: It’s discontinued the AirPort line of network routers. Apple says once its current stock of supplies is depleted, that’s it. Apple hasn’t needed its own line of networking gear for many years…In light of that, it’s little wonder why Apple’s decided to deprecate the AirPort line. Apple’s kept them pretty moribund for the past few years, too, with no significant changes to them for years.
I will still maintain that Apple had a great opportunity here it wasted by neglect, not unlike many other technologies Apple championed but ultimately ignored over the years.
I guess, but it’s a hard sell. Depending on the ISP you go with in BC, you have either a Shaw or Telus router already. And the AirPort doesn’t work very well behind the Shaw router at least (though when Shaw switched their modem/router combo to bridge mode it started working great).
Point is, though, that if you’ve already got a good router you *probably* don’t need another one.
I can’t imagine not using bridge mode.
Difficult to argue with his reasoning.
and that great opportunity was…. what?
Exactly. To compete in a commoditized category. Which they wouldn’t do.
I switched recently from Shaw to Telus, and I haven’t really found anything yet that the Telus router can’t do well… aside from time machine backups, and I can still wire in my AirPort to serve that function.
While it’s possible to largely replicate wireless router and even wireless time machine function, how do you replace the AirPlay functionality of the AirPort express? Having a non Bluetooth connection and the option of analogue or optical connection at a remote location is amazing, especially as I’m not aware of another device offering this, even the AirPort extremes.
Offerings may have changed, but the DSL modem/router my ISP provided a relative few years ago only provided 10/100 Ethernet LAN ports. But the installation tech somehow couldn’t understand why I wanted to bridge it to my AirPort.
I have to say: Shaw had their shit together. When I described the problems I was having, they offered to switch to bridge mode and have me use the AirPort as the router. I was hesitant at first, but it solved a lot of problems.
But I’m still unsure if those problems were related to the Shaw router or the AirPort. Since I was trying to use the AirPort as a dumb pass through for all traffic it doesn’t really vindicate the AirPort.
Verizon’s guy knew what to do, but had to be convinced that I actually needed faster Ethernet.
AppleTV does this.
His post was the first one I’ve read on this topic that made sense to me. I went through the same brain surgery when Apple dropped the LaserWriter but am happy as a clam with my $150 HP Laserjet (I’ve been using HP laser printers for many, many years with no problems).
Still, I think Apple has missed an opportunity to make the AirPort system more than it was and more than any other router/access point system: add it to HomePod and Apple TV, add iOS backup, etc.
The paranoid in some of us long time Mac users think this is one more brick out of the Mac wall.
FYI: The Ubiquiti Amplifi router/access point (alone, without the mesh satellites) may be a decent replacement for the AirPort Extreme. I’ve ordered one and will know soon.
I think Ubiquiti is missing an opportunity to grab the entire AirPort market: they should sell the Amplifi router alone as a direct AirPort replacement and one can simply add another router or a mesh point if one needs more coverage.
Yes, they sell it alone now but many folks don’t know enough to understand that one can use it without the mesh satellites. I read an excellent Amazon review of a guy who was moving from AirPort and needed the equivalent of an AirPort express on the end of his network and a mesh satellite doesn’t offer LAN ports. Instead of buying a satellite he bought a second Amplifi router and connected it to the base Amplifi router with ethernet and it worked perfectly, better in fact than the older AirPort system. His comment and others here the past week and Cohen’s post have turned me around on this.
I thought the $16 for black was a less than great thing too.
I wish it had a working USB port for current use like the AirPort does so one could hook up a hard disk for use as a NAS or Time Capsule. Maybe that port will work for that, don’t know but currently, I’m not using it but I do need 3-4 LAN ports so that looks good.
I’ll try to come back here and let you know, it’s arriving today and I should get it up and running sometime in the next few days. Stay tuned.
Please do. So, did you pay the $16?
Feels as though that USB port is something they’re working on for a later firmware revision. I’d hate to think it was solely for diagnostic purposes.
I got white, no interest in black even at the same price.
I’ll plug something into the USB port and see if I can find it on the the network. Will report back…
on the Amplifi mesh access points they say: “The mesh points fit discreetly in any household”
…that word, discreetly. i do not think it means what they think it means.
My name is “Amplifi” you killed my AirPort, prepare to die (or something like that).
I’ve also been looking at the Amplifi router as a replacement for my 2009 AirPort Extreme. Asked the Ubiquiti Twitter feed this very question yesterday, and they confirmed that the router can work well alone for a smaller apartment like mine.
And four Ethernet ports? I think I’m smitten. Definitely looking forward to hearing about your experience with this unit.
Interesting note: the quick-start guide describes the unit’s USB port as “reserved for future use.”
The only drawback I can see so far? They charge $16 more for black. 🙂
You maintain this by which data? Apple has its sales data, bloggers and pundits don’t. Most consumers have ISP issued routers these days, likely making routers a niche business. A rounding error.
Not unlike XServe. “People just weren’t buying them.” – Jobs
I hear people speaking from emotion about how upset they are and what a mistake this is, but emotion just doesn’t cut it.
I set up the Amplifi router. The setup takes all of two minutes (if you’re slow). It works perfectly and has better coverage than the AirPort Extreme it replaced. I doubt I’ll need anything else. The box is almost overkill but hey, the high end packaging makes it feel all the more “Apple-ish.”
1. Download their app on your phone before starting. I wish it was built for iPad as well but alas, it’s fine on the phone alone. Run the app before starting.
2. Disconnect all the old stuff and power down your cable modem or whatever device you have.
3. Connect Amplifi to cable modem with ethernet cable.
4. Power up cable modem (in my case I have a battery backup on my cable modem and took that out and put it back in as well as the power cord).
5. Power up AmpliFi.
6. Follow the instructions on the app to name network and create password.
7. Plug in whatever other LAN stuff you have (I have an iMac Pro directly connected, a laser printer, and an ethernet cable running through the walls to my Apple TV).
8. Log back into your network.
Notes:
The power brick cable on the Amplifi is pretty short. Plan accordingly.
Coverage is better than the AirPort Extreme (amazing since its a smaller device). I have complete coverage anywhere in my house and in my driveway.
Apple TV connection was automatic as I had named the network the same thing and used the same password.
Printing was automatic.
I used the app to change a few settings but the default settings are fine.
I haven’t plugged anything into the USB port (yet) but at some point I will to see if it shows up on the network as a storage device.
I’d say (so far) that this is the absolute best replacement solution for the AirPort Extreme. Easy to set up, great coverage, and I have faith that this company will keep the firmware updated.
I was dreading this changeover and in fact, it was completely painless. Go for it, let me know what your experience is.
Dang. Thanks for the detail! May I also ask what total square footage you’re covering with this unit?
Wow, that’s impressive for one source without extenders.
I replied but it went into moderation. 2400′ but that includes a finished basement which also seems to have full coverage with the AmpliFi. More like 1600 in the main two stories of the house (small saltbox house, wood and drywall, no big blocks of signal).
I’ve been sitting pretty far away from the router downstairs for a few hours using my iPad Pro. A few times the WiFi signal dropped a bar so this is similar to the AirPort. I’m not ordering another one or a mesh satellite so fast, will live with this for a while to see if things change.
Gotta say, these are not the results I expected. Well done.