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Just Tell Me What to Get: Home Network

by Tom Conlon on May 11, 2007 at 05:33 PM

Apple Airport Extreme Base Station
A reader writes: My wife just got a new laptop through work, which means we now have two computers in the house. I want to set up a wireless network so we can split our cable Internet connection, but I don't want any hassle. The last time I set one up was a few years ago, and I remember it being a total headache. What's your advice for getting a Wi-Fi network up and running quickly and painlessly?

Hey reader: This one is a no brainer -- go with the new Apple Airport Extreme Base Station. Apple is religious when it comes making its products easy to use, and that piousness most definitely extends to its wireless networking router.

Available for both Mac and PC, the Base Station is a snap to set up. You simply plug it in and connect it to your cable modem with a network cable. Then, insert the install disc into your computer and follow the simple instructions, which take you though stuff like naming your network, naming your base station and setting up encryption. Unlike a lot of routers out there, the super-secure WPA2 encryption is activated by default. That's it: You've got a secure wireless network up and running.

But easy set-up isn't all the Airport Extreme Base Station has going for it. Apple has equipped the unit with 802.11n wireless technology, which is up to five times faster and boasts twice the range of previous wireless standards. Don't worry if your computer's Wi-Fi chip isn't 802.11n, you'll still be able to use the Airport Extreme Base Station -- just not at top speed.

Wait, there's more! The coolest feature is the built-in USB 2.0 port. Plug in a printer and now both computers can use it. Or, connect an external hard drive so you and the missus can share files.

We've dealt with our fair share of complicated network set-ups in the past, and take our word for it: Nothing comes even close to being as blissfully easy to use as the Airport Extreme.

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Tags: 802.11, airport, apple, encryption, wi-fi, wireless

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