It feels like just yesterday we were all marveling at the sleek, white 'flying saucer' that was Apple's first AirPort Extreme. Announced way back in 2003, it was a game-changer, bringing the then-new 802.11g Wi-Fi standard into our homes with a distinct Apple flair. What started as the 'AirPort Extreme Base Station' eventually shed the 'Base Station' moniker as it evolved, embracing faster Draft-N standards and later, the lightning-fast 802.11ac in its 6th generation.
I remember those early days, the excitement of untethered internet. The original models even packed a 56K dial-up modem – a lifeline for those without broadband, though admittedly, not exactly speedy by today's standards. It was the only generation to sport that iconic round design, a stark contrast to the flatter, rounded-rectangle shape that followed from 2007 to 2013, reminiscent of a Mac mini or an early Apple TV. Then came the 2013 refresh, giving it a taller, more vertical stance and packing in more antennas for improved performance.
Beyond just Wi-Fi, these devices were surprisingly versatile. The 'AirPort Disk' feature was a neat trick, allowing you to plug in a USB hard drive and turn your router into a basic Network Attached Storage (NAS). While not as zippy as a direct connection – you were looking at speeds ranging from 0.5 to 17.5 MB/s for writing and 1.9 to 25.6 MB/s for reading, depending on the drive and operation – it was incredibly convenient for sharing files across your network. Just a heads-up, though: NTFS-formatted drives weren't supported, so you'd need to stick with HFS+ or FAT.
These routers also boasted a handy Sleep Proxy Service, keeping your network awake and accessible even when your Mac was asleep. And for those who needed it, the built-in file server (using AFP and SMB protocols) made sharing a breeze. Under the hood, they ran on robust operating systems like VxWorks or a customized NetBSD.
Of course, all good things must come to an end. Apple quietly disbanded the team behind the AirPort lineup around 2016, and by 2018, both the AirPort Extreme and its storage-sibling, the AirPort Time Capsule, were officially discontinued. It was a significant move, marking Apple's exit from the router market and, as Bloomberg noted, a 'boon for other wireless router makers.' While Apple still offers limited hardware and software support as of 2023, the era of the AirPort Extreme as a cutting-edge product has passed. Still, for many of us, it represents a fond chapter in the history of home networking, a testament to Apple's knack for blending functionality with elegant design.
