Apple AirPort
AirPort is the brand name registered by Apple for products based on wireless network technology (see Wireless LAN ) based on the IEEE 802.11 DSSS standard, such as AirPort Extreme or Time Capsule . In Japan the name “AirPort” is already registered by IO DATA , which is why Apple sells the affected products there under the name “AirMac” .
In April 2018, Apple discontinued the entire AirPort range - AirPort Extreme, AirPort Express and Time Capsule.
AirPort base stations
All AirPort base stations act as wireless routers. They are compatible with all WLAN-enabled computers.
AirPort (first generation)
The first generation AirPort base station was introduced by Steve Jobs on July 21, 1999 at MacWorld in New York. It was based on a shrunk 486 processor in connection with an AirPort card and contained a modem and an Ethernet port. A later version came in white ("Snow") instead of gray, had a second Ethernet port and contained a PowerPC- 860 processor. This AirPort generation only transmits according to IEEE 802.11b .
| AirPort | order | model | Published | Wi-Fi standard | Number of LAN ports | Built-in modem | Power Over Ethernet (PoE) | Gigabit Ethernet ports | Frequency band | Encryption |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airport Base Station | M7601LL / A, M7601LL / B | M5757 | 7/1999 | 802.11b | 1 | Yes | No | No | 2.4 GHz | WEP |
| AirPort Base Station (Dual Ethernet) | M8209LL / A | M8440 | 11/2001 | 802.11b | 2 | Yes | No | No | 2.4 GHz | WEP |
AirPort Extreme
The AirPort Extreme base station replaced the first generation in January 2003 and enabled transmission speeds of 54 Mbit / s. Depending on the version, it is equipped with a built-in modem and an external antenna connection, all versions also have a USB connection with which a printer in the network can be operated independently of other computers or print servers via the Bonjour protocol . There is also a version with power supply via Ethernet.
Apple had to take this AirPort Extreme base station off the European market in the summer of 2006. It violated the RoHS guidelines for the prohibition of certain substances in the manufacture and processing of electrical and electronic devices and components.
On January 9, 2007, a completely new model was presented. It has a USB 2.0 port and three Ethernet ports (initially 100 Mbit, later 1 Gbit). In addition to printers, the USB connection can also be used to integrate a USB hard drive as NAS ( Network Attached Storage ). With the help of a USB hub, several end devices can be connected. The station supports the new WLAN standard 802.11n and can be operated in the 2.4 GHz frequency range as well as in the 5 GHz frequency range. It also supports WPA2 encryption, which closes the security gaps in the WPA standard. This model is backwards compatible and also supports the older WLAN standards 802.11b / g and WEP and WPA encryption. A new version presented in March 2009 supports the dual-band mode, i. This means that it can be operated in the 2.4 GHz frequency range as well as in the 5 GHz frequency range at the same time. Improved antennas should improve the range and throughput of devices built from October 2009. All AirPort Extreme 2007 and later devices do not have an external antenna connection.
| AirPort Extreme | order | model | Published | Wi-Fi standard | Number of LAN ports | Built-in modem | External antenna port | Power over ethernet | Gigabit ports | Simultaneous dual-band 2.4 / 5 GHz | Latest firmware version |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AirPort Extreme Base Station | M8930LL / A | A1034 | 1/2003 | 802.11b / g | 2 | No | No | No | No | No | |
| AirPort Extreme Base Station with modem | M8799LL / A | A1034 | 1/2003 | 802.11b / g | 2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | |
| AirPort Extreme Base Station (PoE) | M9397LL / A | A1034 | 4/2004 | 802.11b / g | 2 | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | |
| AirPort Extreme 802.11n (1st generation) | MA073LL / A | A1143 | 1/2007 | 802.11a / b / g / Draft N | 3 | No | No | No | No | No | 7.8.1 |
| AirPort Extreme 802.11n (2nd generation) | MB053LL / A | A1143 | 8/2007 | 802.11a / b / g / Draft N | 3 | No | No | No | Yes | No | 7.8.1 |
| AirPort Extreme 802.11n (3rd generation) | MB763LL / A | A1301 | 3/2009 | 802.11a / b / g / Draft N | 3 | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | 7.8.1 |
| AirPort Extreme 802.11n (4th generation) | MC340LL / A | A1354 | 10/2009 | 802.11a / b / g / Final N | 3 | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | 7.8.1 |
| AirPort Extreme 802.11n (5th generation) | MC340Z / A | A1408 | 6/2011 | 802.11a / b / g / Final N | 3 | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | 7.8.1 |
| AirPort Extreme 802.11n (5th generation) | MD031Z / A | A1408 | Mid 2011 | 802.11a / b / g / Final N | 3 | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | 7.8.1 |
| AirPort Extreme 802.11ac | ME918LL / A | A1521 | July 10, 2013 | 802.11a / b / g / n and ac (draft) | 3 | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | 7.9.1 |
AirPort Express
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AirPort Express is the smallest and cheapest AirPort base station. In addition to RJ45 Ethernet and a USB connection (here only for printer), it is the only Apple base station that also offers a 3.5 mm jack socket for connection to a stereo system. This allows audio to be streamed to the Airport Express base station via the local network using AirPlay (interface) . This connection is combined with an optical TOSLINK output for digital audio signals. AirPort Express uses the WLAN standards 802.11a / b / g (since March 17, 2008 also IEEE 802.11n ) and supports WEP encryption in addition to the more modern WPA and WPA2 encryption methods. For the last model from 2012, an update was released in 2018 to add compatibility with AirPlay 2.
| AirPort Express | order | Model | Wi-Fi standard | Wireless-to-Ethernet bridge mode | Latest firmware version | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AirPort Express | M9470LL / A | A1084, A1088 | 802.11b / g | Yes (with 6.3) | 6.3 | 2004 to 2008 |
| AirPort Express 802.11n (1st generation) | MB321LL / A | A1264, A126x | 802.11a / b / g / Draft N | Yes | 7.8.1 | 2008 to mid-2012 |
| AirPort Express 802.11n (2nd generation) | MC414Z / A | A1392, A139x | 802.11n | Yes with two RJ45 connectors | 7.8.1 | from mid-2012. New housing form introduced, referred to as AirPort Express 802.11n (2nd generation) , no longer as a plug-in power supply, but with a power cord. Until mid-2018. |
AirPort Time Capsule
AirPort Time Capsule is an AirPort Extreme Base Station ( 802.11ac ) with a built-in hard drive. It works with Time Machine , a data backup program that has been part of the operating system since macOS 10.5. The USB port can either be used for an additional hard drive or a printer. The two currently available 5th generation versions differ in the hard disk capacity of 2 TB (ME177LL / A) and 3 TB (part no. ME182LL / A).
The device can also be used as a NAS. The hard disk built into the device is available to every network participant connected to the router. Protection against unauthorized use can be made either by assigning a password or by means of user accounts. If you connect additional hard drives to the Time Capsule via USB, these will also be secured with the same password or user account.
The first generation (2008) of the Time Capsule could only use the 2.4 GHz band or the 5 GHz band for WLAN. The Time Capsule has supported dual band since the second generation (March 2009), so that the simultaneous use of an iPod Touch (2.4 GHz), for example, does not slow down WLAN data traffic with the MacBook (5.0 GHz). From the outside, the two devices are indistinguishable apart from the dual-band type plate. The second generation can also take advantage of the new features of the AirPort utility (including separate guest WiFi and iCloud Internet login option). The Time Capsule has supported IEEE 802.11 ac draft since the 5th generation, similar to the 6th generation Airport Extreme. The housing design has also changed fundamentally (standing instead of lying).
Since mid-2013, Apple has been calling the Time Capsule “AirPort Time Capsule”.
| generation | Published | model | order | hard disk | Tapes | Guest access | WiFi standard | Data Link Protocol | Network protocol | Latest firmware version | casing | Surname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st gen. | Feb 2008 | A1254 | MB276LL / A | 500 GB | Single band | No | 802.11 DSSS 1 & 2 Mbit / s standard, 802.11a / b / g / n (draft) | Gigabit Ethernet, IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n (draft) | IPSec, L2TP, PPTP | 7.8.1 | Flat pack | Apple Time Capsule |
| MB277LL / A | 1 TB | 7.8.1 | ||||||||||
| 2nd gen. | Mar 2009 | A1302 | MB764LL / A | 500 GB | Dual band | Yes | Bonjour, DHCP, DNS, IPSec, L2TP, PPPoE, PPTP | 7.8.1 | ||||
| MB765LL / A | 1 TB | 7.8.1 | ||||||||||
| Jul 2009 | MB996LL / A | 2 TB | 7.8.1 | |||||||||
| 3rd gen. | Oct 2009 | A1355 | MC343Z / A | 1 TB | 802.11 DSSS 1 & 2 Mbit / s standard, 802.11a / b / g / n | Gigabit Ethernet, IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n | 7.8.1 | |||||
| MC344Z / A | 2 TB | 7.8.1 | ||||||||||
| 4th gen. | Jun 2011 | A1409 | MD032Z / A | 2 TB | 7.8.1 | |||||||
| MD033Z / A | 3 TB | 7.8.1 | ||||||||||
| 5th gen. | Jun 2013 | A1470 | ME177Z / A | 2 TB | 802.11 DSSS 1 & 2 Mbit / s standard, 802.11ac (draft) / a / b / g / n | Gigabit Ethernet, IEEE 802.11ac (draft) / a / b / g / n | 7.9.1 | Tower with a smaller footprint | Airport Time Capsule | |||
| ME182Z / A | 3 TB | 7.9.1 |
Possible applications
The AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express base stations can be used to
- provide an internet connection via WLAN (using NAT ). For this purpose, a DSL or cable modem is plugged into the Ethernet connection .
- provide a USB printer via WLAN or Ethernet
- Provide one or more USB hard drives via WiFi or Ethernet (AirPort Extreme only)
- to create a bridge between WLAN and Ethernet and around
- to extend the range of a WLAN using WDS .
AirPlay
In addition, the audio from iTunes can be played wirelessly on the hi-fi system (or active speakers) via AirPort Express . In this method, formerly known as AirTunes , now AirPlay , the music from iTunes is streamed via WLAN using the AirPort Express Station (or the Apple TV ) . The stereo system is connected to the AirPort Express Station via a TOSLINK input or an analog jack plug . A mini Toslink plug or adapter may be required on the base station side.
The AirPort Express Station can be selected as a speaker in iTunes . While AirPlay, like its predecessor AirTunes, could only be used via iTunes in the past, it is now an integral part of the iOS and macOS operating systems . On iOS, the sound output is synchronous when playing video, on OS X only when playing via the native framework (e.g. via QuickTime, DVD player or HTML5 video). Third-party software (e.g. VLC) output the sound via the AirPort with a few seconds delay.
With firmware 7.8 from August 28, 2018, the second generation of the Airport Express was given the opportunity to use Airplay 2.
NAS
With AirPort Extreme the user can integrate a USB hard drive as a NAS (Network Attached Storage). Apple calls this feature AirPort Disk . The hard drive can be accessed over the network using Windows network sharing ( SMB ). If the hard drive is formatted with Apple's own HFS + file system , its advantages can be used over the network using AFP .
Although the AirPort Extreme Router only has a USB port, multiple printers and hard drives can be connected at the same time via a USB hub . Since according to the USB2.0 specification only a maximum current consumption of 500 mA is possible, the starting current consumption of some hard drives exceeds this value. A USB hard drive with a power supply unit may be necessary.
In addition, the built-in hard drive in Time Capsule can be used for data backup with Time Machine . Previously, the AirPort Disk or Time Capsule could also be accessed from the Internet via a MobileMe membership. Access with "Back to my Mac" is also possible under iCloud.
Airport utility
Unlike other manufacturers' routers, the AirPort Base Stations can only be configured using the AirPort Utility software provided by Apple . There is no web interface for configuring the device. The AirPort utility exists for MacOS or OS X and iOS, an older version for Windows 7. A configuration under Linux is not possible with it.
Older AirPort base stations such as the AirPort Express with firmware 6.3 are not supported by the current airport utility, so that these devices can only be configured from older OS X computers or under Windows 7. In return, the configuration of the newer airport base stations according to the 802.11ac standard is not possible with older Macs or Windows.
| Version of the airport utility | Supported Operating Systems | Supported AirPort Base Stations |
|---|---|---|
| 6.3.2 |
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| 6.3.1 |
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| 1.3.4 |
|
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| 5.6.1 |
|
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| 5.4.1 |
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The airport devices of the first generation (802.11b) are administered via the AirPort Admin Utility .
| Version of the Airport Admin utility | Supported Operating Systems | Supported AirPort Base Stations |
|---|---|---|
| 4.2.5 |
|
|
AirPort card
The AirPort card built into many Apple computers is a simple wireless LAN card. It supports the recognized industry standard IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g (newer cards also IEEE 802.11n ) and thus supports a data transmission rate of up to 54 Mbit / s (IEEE 802.11b / g and up to 2.5 times faster data transmission with IEEE 802.11n) and WEP encryption with a maximum of 128 bits as well as WPA and WPA2 .
AirPort was introduced with the first generation iBooks . With a base station you could access the Internet via a wireless network. An AirPort card had to be installed for this. The necessary antennas were integrated as standard from the iBook.
criticism
Time Capsule (first generation)
With the first generation of the Time Capsule, reports of prematurely defective "Time Capsule" units, where the power supply had allegedly failed prematurely due to heat, began to accumulate from mid-2009. The Internet site “The Apple Time Capsule Memorial Register” contains a list of defective devices and their serial numbers as well as background information. The operators of the site have not accepted any further reports since February 15, 2010 after the suspicion of a systematic manufacturing error was confirmed. On June 12, 2010, Apple announced a general recall program that repaired or replaced devices for which the statutory warranty had already expired, free of charge. If repair costs were incurred prior to the announcement of the recall program, these were reimbursed.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from December 17, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ AirPort: Apple confirms the end of WLAN base stations , heise.de, April 27, 2018
- ↑ a b c d e f g h macwelt.de
- ↑ Free repairs for serial errors in older Time Capsules, mactechnews.de, July 12, 2010
Web links
- AirPort Express and AirPort Extreme on Apple's former sites
- Rogue Amoeba , rtunes
- How-to: audio streaming to the Airport Express on Linux - Description how to audio on Linux with Amarok to the Airport Express streaming
- stream2ip - 1-click GUI to stream audio to the Airport Express under Linux
- AirTunes and Linux - German Wiki for setting up AirTunes under Linux Ubuntu from Karmic 9.10
- The Apple Time Capsule Memorial Register - Directory of prematurely failed Time Capsule units