Apple releases Airport Express with 802.11n

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Broadband, PC / Laptop, Wireless / WiFi

We’ve been expecting an updated Airport Express from Apple for a few days now, after an image was leaked out of Switzerland. As it turns out, the new Airport Express with 802.11n support is now on sale in the US Apple Store. Yeah, on a Monday no less. In case you don’t know, the Airport Express is a small wireless router that supports up to 10 clients at a time, and also features printer sharing and AirTunes. That means you can stream your iTunes content to the device, and have it play through a connected speaker system. With 802.11n support, this is now the perfect travel companion, as long as you don’t mind not have a directly wired Ethernet connection to your computer.Or, if you already have an 802.11n network set up, you can now pick up a refurbished Airport Express model and use it to set up a secondary G network. The Airport Express will cost you $99, while refurbs are $79.

We have the full press release after the break.

Apple Introduces New AirPort Express With 802.11n
All AirPort Base Stations Now Run Fastest Wireless Standard

CUPERTINO, Calif., March 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/—Apple(R) today updated its AirPort Express(R) mobile base station with 802.11n to deliver up to five times the performance and twice the range of the previous model*. Priced at just $99, AirPort Express is the world’s smallest 802.11n-based mobile base station. It can be plugged directly into the wall for wireless Internet connectivity and USB printing at home or easily brought on the road for wireless freedom wherever there is an Internet connection. AirPort Express features AirTunes(TM), which works seamlessly with iTunes(R) to give users a simple and inexpensive way to wirelessly stream iTunes music from a PC or Mac(R) to any room in the house.

“Apple is leading the way with a broad range of innovative 802.11n base stations for almost any wireless networking need,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “From the small and portable AirPort Express, to AirPort Extreme for workgroups of up to 50 users and the new Time Capsule for automated backups, Apple customers now have more great ways to extend their wireless networks with 802.11n.”

AirPort Express features a single-piece, compact design weighing just 6.7 ounces, providing maximum portability. AirPort Express offers both PC and Mac users the ability to share a single DSL or cable broadband connection with up to 10 simultaneous users. Users can also share a printer wirelessly that is connected to the USB port. Apple’s AirPort Utility software provides easy step-by-step instructions for setting up and configuring AirPort Express; and with its advanced security features, AirPort Express safeguards data on networked computers with support for Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2),

128-bit WEP encryption and a built-in firewall. Apple now includes 802.11n as standard in its entire line of AirPort base stations and Mac notebooks as well as iMac(R), Apple TV(R) and Time Capsule(TM).

AirPort Express includes a built-in combination digital and analog audio connector allowing users to connect to a home stereo or powered speakers. iTunes automatically detects remote speakers and displays them in a simple pop-up list for the user to select. Once the remote speakers are selected, AirTunes wirelessly streams iTunes music from the computer to the AirPort Express base station. Multiple AirPort Express base stations can be set up around a home, each connected to a set of powered speakers for a whole-home music experience. AirPort Express can also extend the range of an existing AirPort Extreme(R) wireless network.

Pricing & Availability

AirPort Express is available immediately through the Apple Store(R) (http://www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $99 (US).

*AirPort Express is based on an IEEE 802.11n draft specification. Actual performance will vary based on range, connection rate, site conditions, size of network and other factors.

Read More | Airport Express product page