
270g) helps you tell them apart and you get the benefit of the same premium build quality, but otherwise it is clear Apple has done a little industrial recycling. The fact it is white rather than black and 30 grams lighter (240g vs. Whereas the 2008 model plugged directly into a socket, in 2012 Apple has repackaged the AirPort Express into the 90 x 90 x 23mm case of the Apple TV. So where do the real innovations come from? Apple being Apple means the most obvious step forward is in design. In addition Apple has added a LAN port alongside the existing WAN port, but surprisingly this only operates at 10/100Mbit rather than Gigabit Ethernet which has widely become the industry standard. This functionality was added to the AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule back in 2009 so it is primarily a catch-up feature.

Where the new AirPort Express unit does differ is its support for simultaneous dual band 802.11n Wi-Fi over both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands (the 2008 unit made you choose one or the other). Like the 2008 Apple AirPort Express the 2012 model also still doesn’t support external storage. As such the 2012 AirPort Express still performs the same functions as its ageing forebear: it can work as a wireless router when connected to a modem, extend the range of an existing wireless network, bring AirPlay wireless audio streaming to any stereo or dock and AirPrint wireless printing to any connected printer. The cogs in the wireless standards industry turn much more slowly than those driving the smartphone revolution so evolution is the name of the game. The short answer is no… but it doesn’t need to be. The tech world has been revolutionised over this period, so can we expect a similar step forward from the new AirPort Express?

At that time the first generation iPhone was still the current model and now the sixth generation iPhone 5 is just around the corner. Unlike Apple’s other lines, which are refreshed on a rigid annual schedule, the company’s humble wireless base station had sat unchanged since March 2008.
APPLE AIRPORT EXTENDER MAC
This utility is available in a Mac version and a Windows version.The AirPort Express range has the right to feel unloved. The AirPort Express is configured with Apple’s Airport Utility software. The 3.5 mm jack also doubles as a miniature digital optical audio output, so you can connect the AirPort to a digital amplifier with a fiber cable as well. With this setup, you can use AirPlay to send music to the AirPort Express which will be played on the external speaker. It also has a 3.5 mm audio output jack which you can connect to a speaker or amplifier. The AirPort Express has two Ethernet ports and a USB port for sharing printers on the wireless network. The design is very similar to Apple’s laptop charger bricks from the time. It can be plugged directly into a power socket using the retractable power prongs on the side of the device (this part of the device is detachable so you can use international prongs instead).

In terms of size, the device is slightly larger and thicker than a deck of cards. You can identify the AirPort by looking for the model number A1264 printed in grey letters on the side of the case. The model A1264 AirPort Express is made from white plastic with ports located on the side.
APPLE AIRPORT EXTENDER UPGRADE
This upgrade allows you to use either a 2.4 GHz network or a 5 GHz network (but not both at the same time because that feature only arrived in 2012).

It is also known as the “AirPort Express 802.11n (First Generation)” because this model was the first in the line to add support for 802.11n Wi-Fi networking. The model A1264-released in 2008-is a revision to the first-generation AirPort Express expressed earlier in 2004. The Apple AirPort Express is a small device that you can use to create a Wi-Fi network or extend an existing network.
