What is the Difference Between Airport Extreme and Airport Express Routers?

The main differences between Apple's Airport Extreme and Airport Express routers are their performance, range, and features. Here's a comparison of the two:

Airport Extreme:

• Faster: Up to 3x faster than the Airport Express, with 802.11ac Wi-Fi support.
• Greater Reception: Dual-band antennas broadcasting at 2.4 and 5GHz, providing better coverage.
• Gigabit Ethernet Ports: Faster ports (1Gb) compared to the Airport Express.
• USB Port: Allows for connecting a printer or USB external storage device for sharing and storing files.
• Price: $199.

Airport Express:

• Slower: 802.11n Wi-Fi support, with a maximum speed of 300Mbps.
• Limited Reception: Single-band antenna operating at 2.4GHz.
• Ethernet Ports: Slower ports (100Mb) compared to the Airport Extreme.
• USB Port: Allows for connecting a printer only.
• Designed for AirPlay, making it more suitable for streaming music.
• Price: Lower than the Airport Extreme.

Both routers can be used to extend the Wi-Fi network of an Apple device, such as an Airport Time Capsule. However, the Airport Extreme offers better performance, range, and additional features, making it more suitable for users with multiple devices and demanding internet needs.

Comparative Table: Airport Extreme vs Airport Express Routers

The main differences between the Airport Extreme and Airport Express routers are their performance, features, and size. Here's a table comparing the two:

The Airport Express is a smaller router with slower 802.11n Wi-Fi, single antenna, and two 100Mbps Ethernet ports. It has a USB port for printer sharing and can support up to 50 Macs or PCs simultaneously. On the other hand, the Airport Extreme is a larger router with faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi, dual-band antennas, multiple Gigabit Ethernet ports, and a USB port for both printer and external storage sharing. It can support more clients than the Airport Express.