A friend was looking to replace her wireless router, and I suggested a refurbished AirPort Extreme. New units sell for around US$180, but refurbished models from Apple are $130. Still, that’s significantly more expensive than the average Linksys router you’ll find at Walmart or Best Buy. Is it worth it?
There’s no scientific answer to that question, and reasonable people can disagree, but I will share my experiences and my decisions. First, I don’t claim that my knowledge is exhaustive of all makes and models. I have used several Linksys models (including some with DD-WRT), a few Netgear models, and a few Belkin ones. I have also used AirPort Extreme units since the days when they looked like spaceships. In every case, the non-Apple hardware ended up being replaced with Apple hardware. The only thing that ever replaced Apple hardware was newer Apple hardware, not because the older model had worn out or stopped working, but because newer models came with new features.
I have found two main differences between Apple and non-Apple hardware: stability and features. Stability means I don’t worry about it locking up, becoming unresponsive, or simply ceasing to work until I unplug it. While I routinely had to make sure to keep a paperclip next to the other routers, the only time I do a full reset on my AirPort equipment is when I move it to a new location and want to start with a clean slate. It’s hard to overemphasize this point, especially if you’re putting this somewhere difficult to access. So far my favorite installation place for a more reliable AirPort Extreme has been at my mom’s house, which has eliminated phone calls from her telling me that she can’t get online because “the Internet is down.”
After stability comes several important features, each of which are important to me and add to the AirPort Extreme’s value.
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Is the AirPort Extreme worth the price? originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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