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Product Description
From the Manufacturer
The affordable, all-new redesigned Apple AirPort Express makes it easy to set up and manage a secure home Wi-Fi network from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac. Simultaneous dual-band 802.11n automatically provides the fastest connections available for your Wi-Fi-enabled devices. AirPlay lets you wirelessly play your iTunes music on your stereo or speakers. And a USB port for your printer lets you wirelessly print from any computer in your home.
Simultaneous dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi, easy setup, and wireless streaming from your iTunes library (view larger).
Measures just 3.9 inches square (view larger).
Key Features
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Easy Wi-Fi Setup Using iPhone, iPad, or Mac
With AirPort Express, getting your new Wi-Fi network up and running is quick and easy thanks to a setup assistant built into iOS and in AirPort Utility for OS X. And if you use a Windows PC, you can download AirPort Utility for free.
As soon as you plug in your AirPort Express Base Station and connect it to your DSL or cable modem, you can follow the simple instructions on your computer or iOS device. There are no complicated steps to follow and no obscure terminology to learn. The setup assistant does all the work, so you don't have to.
Wirelessly Stream iTunes Music to Your Speakers
AirPlay takes the music from the iTunes library on your computer, iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and sends it wirelessly to any stereo or speakers in your home. Simply connect your speakers to AirPort Express using an audio cable (sold separately). Then, using iTunes on your computer or the Music app on your iOS device, choose which speakers you want your music to play on.
If you have more than one AirPort Express connected to speakers, you can play the same music from iTunes on your Mac or PC on all your speakers at the same time. Already have a Wi-Fi network in place? Use AirPort Express to add music streaming to its capabilities and create a whole-house musical experience.
Extend an Existing Wi-Fi Network's Range
If you already have a wireless network in your home and want to extend its range, AirPort Express can help. Just place it in range of your primary base station--an AirPort Extreme, Time Capsule, or another AirPort Express--and near the area where you want your wireless connection. Launch the easy-to-use AirPort Utility app on your iOS device or Mac, and you're mere minutes away from long-range Wi-Fi enjoyment.
Simultaneous Dual-Band 802.11n Wi-Fi Networking
AirPort Express lets Wi-Fi-enabled devices connect to your network on the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz wireless bands. Which means every connected device automatically uses the best band available for the fastest possible performance.
USB port for connecting a printer, audio jack for connecting speakers.
Compatibility and SecurityAirPort Express is compatible with devices using the 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n specifications. So no matter what Wi-Fi device you're using, it will work with AirPort Express. AirPort Express also features a built-in firewall to protect your network from malicious Internet attacks. The firewall is automatically turned on, so you don't have to do a thing. Create a Guest NetworkSet up a separate Wi-Fi network with a separate password just for your guests. Simply enable the guest networking feature, and your guests can access the Internet but not other parts of your primary network, such as your computers, printers, and LAN-attached hard drives. Print Wirelessly From Any RoomOn the back of AirPort Express is a USB port that's made for your printer. Just plug it in and instantly, it's like having a printer in every room. And since AirPort Express works with Mac and PC, everyone in the house can take advantage of one centrally available printer (requires compatible printer and OS X v10.2.7 or later, Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7). What's in the BoxAirPort Express Base Station; printed documentation; power cord | Specifications
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Product Description
Featuring an all-new design, AirPort Express now supports simultaneous dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi. Set up your wireless network quickly and easily using your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or PC. Create a network just for guests. Stream music to any room in the house. And print from any room in the house, too. All with the latest wireless technology.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
98 of 104 people found the following review helpful
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The Airport Express, much like most Apple devices, is amazingly simple to set up and is up and running in no time. I have this connected to extend the wi-fi network off the Time Capsule that is essentially the main router for the network. Quick set up procedure and review:
FORM FACTOR - the device looks sleek and is probably exactly the same size as Apple TV. Doesn't take up much space. It comes with a power cord that needs to be attached, unlike the previous generation AE which had the power outlet prongs built in. The addition of the power cord somewhat reduces options in terms of where the device can be placed in the house. If you don't mind the cable showing, you can place it anywhere in the house. But if you want to install this say in the living room where cables would look unpleasant, you're better off installing it somewhere else in the house (or behind furniture where it can't be seen). Not a major issue but one worth mentioning.
SET UP - I had this device up and running in probably less than 5 minutes, it is that simple.
1. After plugging in the device to a power outlet, wait for the device's light to turn from amber to solid green, indicating that it is ready for use. There is no need to connect this to the router with an ethernet cable.
2. Open Airport Utility on the Mac (Applications -> Utilities -> Airport Utility). If you are using a PC, the Airport Utility for Windows will need to be downloaded first.
3. Inside Airport Utility, the AE Base Station will appear for configuration. This, I think, is a rather important step depending on what you're looking to use this device for. If you are looking to boost Wi-Fi signal in the house, select the "Extend Existing Wireless Network" when setting up this device. This will essentially connect the AE to your main wireless router to boost signal. If however, you don't care about boosting Wi-Fi signal and care more about setting up a network for guests to access, you can select the "Create New Wireless Network" for this device. Under both options, you can still use the device for Air Play from your Apple devices.
4. You can then proceed to name the Airport Express device and set up a password in the Airport Utility set up. If you are setting up multiple devices in the house it is useful to name each one individually so that you know which device to connect to later when using Air Play (e.g. AE Living Room, or AE Basement, etc). Now the device should be up and running and you will notice a significant improvement in Wi-Fi signal around the house.
5. Once the initial set up is complete, you can also download the Airport Utility App to your iPhone/iPad/iPod to manage the configuration of the AE station straight from the handheld device, if required.
AIR PLAY - The AE device comes with a built-in 3.5mm audio out jack. You can use any 3.5mm to RCA cable to connect the device to the input of your stereo. Once this is done, play a track on your handheld, it will initially stream on the handheld itself. Now, go into the "Now Playing" part of the iPod and next to the track forward button, you will see a small icon. Clicking on that icon will give you the option of changing the sound output device from the handheld to the Airport Express. Select the AE device at this point and music will stream from the stereo (moment of truth!). You can change tracks and control volume right from the iPod!
COMPARISON TO APPLE TV - If you are looking for a device only for Air Play, Apple TV may perhaps be a better option because it has the ability of streaming audio and video from the iPod, connects to iTunes or Netflix for online streaming services, and allows online gaming. It has an HDMI out and also comes with a remote that allows you to manage the device and what is being streamed on it. However, note that the Apple TV does NOT come with a standard 3.5mm audio jack, it comes with an Optical Audio jack, which might not connect to all stereos. Check for cables that would be able to connect your stereo to the HDMI or optical audio jack. If that doesn't work, Airport Express is the better alternative because it has a 3.5mm audio jack and almost all stereos connect easily to this through a 3.5m-Dual RCA cable. In addition, Airport Express serves as a Wi-Fi repeater that Apple TV doesn't.
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UPDATE - 12/28 - Recently discovered a neat feature. If you have more than 1 Airport Express, or if you can have AE and an Apple TV, you can stream music from iTunes to all devices at the same time using your PC/Mac. This is a great way to play the same music in different rooms if you have the devices connected to independent speakers. Can't do this from a iPhone/iPod/iPad (they let you stream only to one source at a time), but this feature is supported on PCs and Macs. Thought it was really cool!
FORM FACTOR - the device looks sleek and is probably exactly the same size as Apple TV. Doesn't take up much space. It comes with a power cord that needs to be attached, unlike the previous generation AE which had the power outlet prongs built in. The addition of the power cord somewhat reduces options in terms of where the device can be placed in the house. If you don't mind the cable showing, you can place it anywhere in the house. But if you want to install this say in the living room where cables would look unpleasant, you're better off installing it somewhere else in the house (or behind furniture where it can't be seen). Not a major issue but one worth mentioning.
SET UP - I had this device up and running in probably less than 5 minutes, it is that simple.
1. After plugging in the device to a power outlet, wait for the device's light to turn from amber to solid green, indicating that it is ready for use. There is no need to connect this to the router with an ethernet cable.
2. Open Airport Utility on the Mac (Applications -> Utilities -> Airport Utility). If you are using a PC, the Airport Utility for Windows will need to be downloaded first.
3. Inside Airport Utility, the AE Base Station will appear for configuration. This, I think, is a rather important step depending on what you're looking to use this device for. If you are looking to boost Wi-Fi signal in the house, select the "Extend Existing Wireless Network" when setting up this device. This will essentially connect the AE to your main wireless router to boost signal. If however, you don't care about boosting Wi-Fi signal and care more about setting up a network for guests to access, you can select the "Create New Wireless Network" for this device. Under both options, you can still use the device for Air Play from your Apple devices.
4. You can then proceed to name the Airport Express device and set up a password in the Airport Utility set up. If you are setting up multiple devices in the house it is useful to name each one individually so that you know which device to connect to later when using Air Play (e.g. AE Living Room, or AE Basement, etc). Now the device should be up and running and you will notice a significant improvement in Wi-Fi signal around the house.
5. Once the initial set up is complete, you can also download the Airport Utility App to your iPhone/iPad/iPod to manage the configuration of the AE station straight from the handheld device, if required.
AIR PLAY - The AE device comes with a built-in 3.5mm audio out jack. You can use any 3.5mm to RCA cable to connect the device to the input of your stereo. Once this is done, play a track on your handheld, it will initially stream on the handheld itself. Now, go into the "Now Playing" part of the iPod and next to the track forward button, you will see a small icon. Clicking on that icon will give you the option of changing the sound output device from the handheld to the Airport Express. Select the AE device at this point and music will stream from the stereo (moment of truth!). You can change tracks and control volume right from the iPod!
COMPARISON TO APPLE TV - If you are looking for a device only for Air Play, Apple TV may perhaps be a better option because it has the ability of streaming audio and video from the iPod, connects to iTunes or Netflix for online streaming services, and allows online gaming. It has an HDMI out and also comes with a remote that allows you to manage the device and what is being streamed on it. However, note that the Apple TV does NOT come with a standard 3.5mm audio jack, it comes with an Optical Audio jack, which might not connect to all stereos. Check for cables that would be able to connect your stereo to the HDMI or optical audio jack. If that doesn't work, Airport Express is the better alternative because it has a 3.5mm audio jack and almost all stereos connect easily to this through a 3.5m-Dual RCA cable. In addition, Airport Express serves as a Wi-Fi repeater that Apple TV doesn't.
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UPDATE - 12/28 - Recently discovered a neat feature. If you have more than 1 Airport Express, or if you can have AE and an Apple TV, you can stream music from iTunes to all devices at the same time using your PC/Mac. This is a great way to play the same music in different rooms if you have the devices connected to independent speakers. Can't do this from a iPhone/iPod/iPad (they let you stream only to one source at a time), but this feature is supported on PCs and Macs. Thought it was really cool!
97 of 113 people found the following review helpful
By D. Rosillo
In an effort to prevent many from wasting hours of time trying to setup their 2nd Gen Apple Airport Express, here are some basic instructions to follow:
1. The Airport Express can't connect to your home wireless network without first being authorized to do so. To accomplish this, you must first connect it by wired ethernet patch cable to your home router/modem.
2. Once connected, power it on by plugging it in to an electrical outlet. If you previously attempted to connect to the Airport Express wirelessly (without a patch cable), consider doing a hard reset by holding in the reset button while powering the device on.
3. With it connected to your router, install Airport Utility for Windows on your Windows PC. On a Mac, the Airport Utility should automatically launch when your Mac detects the Airport Express on your network. If Airport Utility doesn't automatically launch from your Mac, search for it from the search bar (top right of OS desktop).
4. From the Airport Utility software, the Airport Express Base Station should appear at left. Choose this device and the configuration menu appears on the right. There are numerous options for setting up your Airport Express. If you plan to place the Airport Express somewhere else in the house (like next to your stereo receiver in the living room), the most important option to choose is "Connect to an existing wireless network". You will then be prompted for your home network's name chosen from a dropdown list along with your home network's password.
5. Choose the other configuration options including changing the name of your Airport Express, providing a password to connect to your device (recommended), and extending your home network through the device. This last option is a good one as it essentially acts as a signal repeater for your home wireless router/modem. If your home router/modem signal is weak in certain areas of the house or outside, placing the Airport Express in a different room or floor of your home will extend your wireless signal -- very cool and useful feature.
6. When properly connected to your wired or wireless network, the LED on the front will be solid green. Complete the Airport Express configuration and, if you plan to place the device someplace else in the house, simply disconnect the ethernet patch cable and the power cord. Relocate the device and plug it in to another outlet anywhere in the house. Within a minute, the LED should turn green again indicating that it has reconnected to your home wireless network.
7. At this point, the device can also be reconfigured wirelessly from an iPod, iPhone, or iPad via the Airport Express utility which can be downloaded for free from the App Store.
Now for a brief review... I purchased the Airport Express specifically to stream music from an iPhone/iPad to a stereo receiver. An Apple TV does the same thing for the same $99 price but the Airport Express has a 3.5mm output jack that the Apple TV does not have. With a 3.5mm to dual-RCA cable (red and white), I have my Airport Express connected to the AUX input on my stereo receiver. Works perfectly. If you have a home theater receiver with a spare HDMI or Toslink (digital optical) input, you can achieve the same result with an Apple TV. In fact, I would recommend the Apple TV over the Airport Express because of the additional features offered by the Apple TV. Know your available inputs on your receiver before deciding whether the Airport Express or the Apple TV will meet your needs. Also keep in mind, the Apple TV will not act as a wireless repeater if that feature is important to you.
1. The Airport Express can't connect to your home wireless network without first being authorized to do so. To accomplish this, you must first connect it by wired ethernet patch cable to your home router/modem.
2. Once connected, power it on by plugging it in to an electrical outlet. If you previously attempted to connect to the Airport Express wirelessly (without a patch cable), consider doing a hard reset by holding in the reset button while powering the device on.
3. With it connected to your router, install Airport Utility for Windows on your Windows PC. On a Mac, the Airport Utility should automatically launch when your Mac detects the Airport Express on your network. If Airport Utility doesn't automatically launch from your Mac, search for it from the search bar (top right of OS desktop).
4. From the Airport Utility software, the Airport Express Base Station should appear at left. Choose this device and the configuration menu appears on the right. There are numerous options for setting up your Airport Express. If you plan to place the Airport Express somewhere else in the house (like next to your stereo receiver in the living room), the most important option to choose is "Connect to an existing wireless network". You will then be prompted for your home network's name chosen from a dropdown list along with your home network's password.
5. Choose the other configuration options including changing the name of your Airport Express, providing a password to connect to your device (recommended), and extending your home network through the device. This last option is a good one as it essentially acts as a signal repeater for your home wireless router/modem. If your home router/modem signal is weak in certain areas of the house or outside, placing the Airport Express in a different room or floor of your home will extend your wireless signal -- very cool and useful feature.
6. When properly connected to your wired or wireless network, the LED on the front will be solid green. Complete the Airport Express configuration and, if you plan to place the device someplace else in the house, simply disconnect the ethernet patch cable and the power cord. Relocate the device and plug it in to another outlet anywhere in the house. Within a minute, the LED should turn green again indicating that it has reconnected to your home wireless network.
7. At this point, the device can also be reconfigured wirelessly from an iPod, iPhone, or iPad via the Airport Express utility which can be downloaded for free from the App Store.
Now for a brief review... I purchased the Airport Express specifically to stream music from an iPhone/iPad to a stereo receiver. An Apple TV does the same thing for the same $99 price but the Airport Express has a 3.5mm output jack that the Apple TV does not have. With a 3.5mm to dual-RCA cable (red and white), I have my Airport Express connected to the AUX input on my stereo receiver. Works perfectly. If you have a home theater receiver with a spare HDMI or Toslink (digital optical) input, you can achieve the same result with an Apple TV. In fact, I would recommend the Apple TV over the Airport Express because of the additional features offered by the Apple TV. Know your available inputs on your receiver before deciding whether the Airport Express or the Apple TV will meet your needs. Also keep in mind, the Apple TV will not act as a wireless repeater if that feature is important to you.
75 of 87 people found the following review helpful
By C. Medlin
Pros:
+ Extremely easy set-up.
+ Better performance and range compared to the prior generation Airport Express.
+ Audio port for Airplay streaming and a USB port for network printing (unchanged from prior generation).
Cons:
- Not as well suited for travel as the previous generation (slightly larger form factor and it now requires a cord instead of just plugging into an electrical socket).
- No Gigabit Ethernet.
Set-Up:
To set-up all you have to do is turn the Airport Express on by plugging in the power cable and open the Airport Utility on your Mac or iOS device (you will need to install this if you are using a Windows PC). It should detect the Airport Express (wirelessly) and guide you through the set-up process step by step. If not open the Airport Utility on you computer manually. If it still does not "see" your new router then use an ethernet cable to plug it in to the computer. There will be options to create a new wireless network, connect to an existing network, and to extend a network. Even if you don't know anything about networking, you shouldn't have any problems getting started.
Design:
It is the same size as an Apple TV, so it is still quite small, but now requires a cord instead of plugging directly into an electrical socket.
Performance:
Compared to my previous generation AirPort Express this router has improved performance. The wireless speeds are excellent and the addition of the simultaneous dual bands has definitely improved performance over the previous generation. The range is more than adequate for a medium sized home.
UPDATE: I have noticed that many people use these as wireless repeaters to extend their network for better coverage. The Airport Express works great for that, but keep in mind that by doing so the total bandwidth (or potential speed) of the router will be cut in half. Usually this will not make any difference when on the internet because the slowest part of your internet connection is usually the internet provider (cable/dsl company), but local wireless file transfers (for example, backing up via Time Machine or copying files from one computer to another over the network) will be much slower. Just Google "wireless repeater performance" to get more information.
Connectivity:
There is now an additional Ethernet port allowing for both wired and wireless connections. The Ethernet ports are both capable of 10/100BASE-T speeds (no gigabit Ethernet). Similar to prior generations there is a USB port that can be used to hook up a printer to be used on your network. Note that the USB port does NOT support an external hard drive like the Airport Extreme or Time Capsule.
The audio port is similar to prior generations - capable of optical output with an optical cable or analog output with a regular 3.5mm cable. I use this optical cable to stream digital music via Airplay to my receiver - it sounds awesome and works perfectly from iTunes and iOS devices.
Summary:
If you plan to use this as your home router and don't want to spend the extra money for an Airport Extreme it is a great performing router with easy set-up, small form factor, and excellent features such as network printing and Airplay audio streaming. However, compared to the prior generation, this is no longer as easy to take with you while traveling for secure wifi in hotels. For travel I would give this 3/5 stars, for home use 5/5 stars considering the price and performance.
+ Extremely easy set-up.
+ Better performance and range compared to the prior generation Airport Express.
+ Audio port for Airplay streaming and a USB port for network printing (unchanged from prior generation).
Cons:
- Not as well suited for travel as the previous generation (slightly larger form factor and it now requires a cord instead of just plugging into an electrical socket).
- No Gigabit Ethernet.
Set-Up:
To set-up all you have to do is turn the Airport Express on by plugging in the power cable and open the Airport Utility on your Mac or iOS device (you will need to install this if you are using a Windows PC). It should detect the Airport Express (wirelessly) and guide you through the set-up process step by step. If not open the Airport Utility on you computer manually. If it still does not "see" your new router then use an ethernet cable to plug it in to the computer. There will be options to create a new wireless network, connect to an existing network, and to extend a network. Even if you don't know anything about networking, you shouldn't have any problems getting started.
Design:
It is the same size as an Apple TV, so it is still quite small, but now requires a cord instead of plugging directly into an electrical socket.
Performance:
Compared to my previous generation AirPort Express this router has improved performance. The wireless speeds are excellent and the addition of the simultaneous dual bands has definitely improved performance over the previous generation. The range is more than adequate for a medium sized home.
UPDATE: I have noticed that many people use these as wireless repeaters to extend their network for better coverage. The Airport Express works great for that, but keep in mind that by doing so the total bandwidth (or potential speed) of the router will be cut in half. Usually this will not make any difference when on the internet because the slowest part of your internet connection is usually the internet provider (cable/dsl company), but local wireless file transfers (for example, backing up via Time Machine or copying files from one computer to another over the network) will be much slower. Just Google "wireless repeater performance" to get more information.
Connectivity:
There is now an additional Ethernet port allowing for both wired and wireless connections. The Ethernet ports are both capable of 10/100BASE-T speeds (no gigabit Ethernet). Similar to prior generations there is a USB port that can be used to hook up a printer to be used on your network. Note that the USB port does NOT support an external hard drive like the Airport Extreme or Time Capsule.
The audio port is similar to prior generations - capable of optical output with an optical cable or analog output with a regular 3.5mm cable. I use this optical cable to stream digital music via Airplay to my receiver - it sounds awesome and works perfectly from iTunes and iOS devices.
Summary:
If you plan to use this as your home router and don't want to spend the extra money for an Airport Extreme it is a great performing router with easy set-up, small form factor, and excellent features such as network printing and Airplay audio streaming. However, compared to the prior generation, this is no longer as easy to take with you while traveling for secure wifi in hotels. For travel I would give this 3/5 stars, for home use 5/5 stars considering the price and performance.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
I love it!
This thing is awesome. When I expanded the internet connection, it didn't register as a separate internet connection. Read more
Published 12 hours ago by Debie Fullington
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent wifi router
I was told by my Cable guy to get this router after I mentioned that my ancient Linksys connections were a little questionable. He told me that the Apple routers last forever. Read more
Published 2 days ago by John Sandstrum
5.0 out of 5 stars
it just works!!!!
Seriously folks if you want a reliable wifi network just wire up a few of these bad boys and you will be amazed of how stable they run.
Published 4 days ago by Alex
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect Wireless Router
So easy to set up, and works exactly like a router should: functions perfectly without even knowing it is there.
Published 5 days ago by Trevor B.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great small wi-if base station.
I purchased this to use as a network extender to compliment a second airport express. Set up took 2-3 minutes. Read more
Published 6 days ago by Sam Beckett
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent product
Easy set up I connect all my wireless through it including printer. If it lasts as long as my original airport it will be a great buy.
Published 7 days ago by Martin J. Gerchman
3.0 out of 5 stars
Cool Product, With Limitations And Some Setup Issues
I love the idea of the Airport Express and it is great in concept, but has some glitches depending on how you use it. Read more
Published 8 days ago by D
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
This is the first time I haven't experienced spotty internet. I love having everything hooked up to this. I'm an apple customer for life.
Published 9 days ago by TreeFab
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must have
I decide to spend the money and get this airport, easy to install. The range is strong throughout my entire home, even at my neighbor's home. Read more
Published 11 days ago by Valentin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing!
I had a D-Link router that had many problems. The signal failed many times. I bought this router from Apple and have no more problems. And it has two bands.
Published 13 days ago by faelmayrink
