Apple 3x3 access point hits the FCC with 5.8GHz bands
By Ross Miller 
posted Oct 19th 2009 10:41PM
posted Oct 19th 2009 10:41PM
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iRouter? An overpriced router that is capable of broadcasting on 5.8Ghz bands? Sounds great. Except.. Nobody has 5.8Ghz network cards? Every computer I've ever used only has 2.4Ghz cards. Oh well. This will sell like hotcakes.. Overpriced..Underpowered...Hotcakes... mmm hotcakes *drool*.
The existing 802.11n standard does 5.8GHz, as does 802.11a (802.11a is 5.8 only actually)
uh, ever heard of the airport lineup?
just mickeyDs, except not as tastey
Good to know DJ hasn't used a computer made in the last 2 years. You know one of those computers that ship with an 802.11n card...or maybe a 7 year old 802.11a card. Intel only made a few million of those
haha nice... and well said too
downranked is broadcast on the good ol' 5.8.
Most iMacs, MacBooks and Minis have 802.11N @ 5Ghz. Apple TV does too. Since this is an Apple router you might guess it's mostly purchased by people who own hardware like this. Follow? As for the price I'd say it's about $50 more expensive than a similar generic 802.11N / 5Ghz / 4x GigE router. If you want to pay the extra $50 you're doing it to get networkable TimeMachine support, Bonjour USB printer sharing, and automatic firmware updates via Apple's software update service. Along with a pretty good GUI configuration tool and Apple support. If you don't want to pay the $50 more Macs, of course, work with any 802.11N router.
I'd rather have my D-Link with DD-WRT. It's all good.
It's the going price for an 802.11n router with a 1Gb switch. Linksys has a similarly priced product with a similar feature-set, iirc.
What you need to understand is that the 2.4ghz band is completely saturated with interference from other devices and other routers. 5.8 is much clearer. For this reason, 2.4ghz networking never comes CLOSE to the supposed throughput. Have you ever seen an 802.11g connection actually put 54MBPS through? Hell no! It's because the EM spectrum at 2.8ghz is a mess.
5.8ghz will prove to be much faster. Combining 802.11n with devices that can receive and transmit on 5.8ghz = greatly improved throughput over 2.4ghz devices.
It's.....the iPad!!!! z0MG!! :D
Hope there are new iMacs and such...
I'll bet Apple will make us pay to unlock this "new feature" in the current generation MBPs...
I KNOW! And I bet those a-holes are going to make us pay for the new computers and iphones they're going to release too! Payment for products and services?? How COULD they??
and aside from os updates to their computers and iphones, when has apple EVER charged for that kind of stuff? - waaaait, you have a PC don't you?
What's 3x3 mean?
it means 3x3 :P
4x4 missing 1 wheel
Probably indicates the number of transmit and receive radios.
9
I was going to axe the same thing... I don't think the engadget editor knows - but he wanted to post current news.
"3x3" used to be the name given to that TV show "Full House" when it was licensed for broadcast in Latin American station. And I used to think DJ from Full House was hot.
2 more Apple posts En-gadget and you have a royal flsuh
make it happen
Label Goes Where???
You should do stand-up. lolz!!
"It's not News it's Engadget"
Woo hoo, Christmas comes early.
hahaha im soooooo excited
for this whole apple shinding that is supposed to go on.
Can I get an app for this?? You know, for on my white iPhone?
but there is an app to downrank WindowsFTW though!
what does this actually mean? is it a product, a part of a product, a specification? confused...
No one here has ever heard or Apple's Airport Express? It is a access point that is roughly 3x3 in size. You can hook up a USB drive or printer so you have wireless printing or hard drive. It also has a plug to connect to a stereo so you have wireless sound for your music. So while yes it is a great router, it is also so much more.
That said I am confused why there is a patent filing for something Apple has had around for years. So must be some sort of additionally added feature coming.
when you're done with the condescending attitude, the airport express is not 3x3. It's a rectangle.
3x3 likely refers to the 3 bands x 3 radios (one radio each of 802.11b, g and n). That way you don't have to knock down the speed of the radio to accept connections from all three bands.
From Apple's Airport Express Tech Spec's Site:
"Electrical and environmental requirements
100-240V AC, 50-60Hz; input current: 0.2 amp"
This is identical to the label submitted to the FCC, so I'm with awisecreation: This is probably the Airport Express being updated for the first time since 2008.
"Electrical
12Vdc, 1.8A"
/\ power source for the Airport Extreme.
Has to be Airport Express refresh...
@TEK
or they're finally ditching the freakin DC power brick and doing straight AC to the unit.
Good point, could lose the brick, but when I hear access point - I think Express and not the full fledged Extreme Base Station...what a terrible name
LOL! "roughly 3x3 in size" Appletard
my god, it is the greatest thing since the last greatest thing apple released!
/sarcasm
lol
3 x 3 has nothing to do with the number of radios. The AP will have 2 radios - one 2.4GHz and one 5GHz. The 3 x 3 has to do with the number of transmit and receive chains for each radio (aka MIMO - multiple input/multiple output). If you crack one of the suckers open, you should see 6 antennas: 3 for the 2.4GHz radio, and 3 for the 5GHz radio. A 3 x 3 radio can transmit and receive via all three antennas.
What is MIMO?
MIMO is an abbreviation for Multiple-Input Multiple-Output, which refers to the ability of equipment to handle multiple data input and multiple data output operation. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n devices make use of multiple antennas to send and receive more than one communication signal simultaneously. This is similar to having two FM radios tuned to the same channel at the same time - the signal becomes louder and clearer. This multiplies the performance of the Wi-Fi signal, and is reflected in the two, three, or even more antennas found on some Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n access points or routers.
The voice of reason has spoken.
i dont no what is it
but i want one ... i want one ....where is it .... where is it
this rumors are killing me, but they also make me alive .
IT'S THE ALMIGHTY TABLET.
MacBook Touch with Airport Extreme ROUTER built in inside, how genius!
Every mac with wifi has a built in router. Open up network sharing and share your eternet connection via airport.