How good is AirPort Extreme as router in 2022?

[mjoecups]

Just to chime in. I am STILL using the last Airport Extreme with two wired expresses to cover my home.

I recently installed Quantum Fiber (CenturyLink) and I see about 930Mbps via the wired connection, but about 350-400Mbps via WIFI. Still pretty good!

 

[MaxEntropy]

Just a FWIW. Our 4th generation Airport Extreme from way back in 2009 is still going strong. Other than changing settings, I have never had to reboot it and enjoy the air disk function. The only gripes I have is the dumbing down of the airport utility app Apple did several years back and the need for an app (File Explorer) to allow iDevices to connect to the air disk for sharing files and streaming movies. Fortunately, our Macs connect to the airdisk with out an added app. The lack of security updates does concern me though...

 

[MBAir2010]

My airport extreme sent a strong signal to my neighbor's house when she needed "teh internets" last week.

 

[Insidious]

Just brought my last gen Extreme out of retirement after two years of using Xfinity’s XB7 and XB8 gateways and the WiFi range degrades so bad in comparison to what I’ve been used to. It still works extremely well at close range, but I am sorely missing the more advanced capabilities of the Xfinity gateways. I dropped them to save money, but I think I might go back to the XB8 unless I can tweak with the Airport’s placement and settings to improve its performance.

 

[mjoecups]

I have two for a 2300 sqft house with perfect coverage including the yards and decked area. Good luck!

 

[DominikHoffmann]

Just brought my last gen Extreme out of retirement after two years of using Xfinity’s XB7 and XB8 gateways and the WiFi range degrades so bad in comparison to what I’ve been used to. It still works extremely well at close range, but I am sorely missing the more advanced capabilities of the Xfinity gateways. I dropped them to save money, but I think I might go back to the XB8 unless I can tweak with the Airport’s placement and settings to improve its performance.

I would suggest you put the $10/mo of router rental toward a set up like this:

Netgate 1100 internet gateway/router/firewall ($209 at Amazon)
EnGenius EWS356-FIT access point ($70 at Amazon)

If you install just one access point, you’ll need a Power over Ethernet (PoE) injector:

iCreatin Wall Plug Gigabit PoE Injector ($11 at Amazon).

If you install multiple access points to cover a larger home use a PoE switch:

Netgear GS108PEv3 8-port managed gigabit Ethernet switch with 4 PoE ports ($75 at Amazon).

With this you can configure:

• multiple, separate isolated Wi-Fi networks (such as for guest and your home automation),
• get security updates for the pfSense software running the router for years to come,
• set up a VPN server on the router, so you can phone home to provide tech support to your family members.

By contrast the Comcast equipment is completely inflexible and will likely be obsolete in three years, at least from a security point of view.

 

[thingstoponder]

Just a FWIW. Our 4th generation Airport Extreme from way back in 2009 is still going strong. Other than changing settings, I have never had to reboot it and enjoy the air disk function. The only gripes I have is the dumbing down of the airport utility app Apple did several years back and the need for an app (File Explorer) to allow iDevices to connect to the air disk for sharing files and streaming movies. Fortunately, our Macs connect to the airdisk with out an added app. The lack of security updates does concern me though...

Did they remove functionality in Airport Utility? Any way to use old versions?

 

[MacCraig Pro]

Did they remove functionality in Airport Utility? Any way to use old versions?

Yes the removed features in the later version and the only way to use an older version is to use an outdated system OS.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I was using my Airport Extreme up until just recently as I figured out it was the cause of occasional hiccups with my WiFi speakers occasionally buffering

Haven't had a hiccup since

I think it might be time to move on

 

[akswun]

I’m looking to add wifi6 with mesh. But not sure it would work adding wired satellites like the eero or Velop. I have 3 AE. All AC. But one of them has been acting up. I don’t want to have to setup all the devices again and keep the 2.5ghz going because a lot of my older homekit compatible devices depend on that. Or ami overthinking the switchover to a tri band?