Review: Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station ME918LL/A (Renewed) 📶
The Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station (ME918LL/A) is the 6th generation model of Apple's now-discontinued wireless router line. Released in 2013, this model was Apple's first to incorporate the 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard, offering a significant speed bump over its predecessors. While Apple no longer sells new AirPort devices, the ME918LL/A remains popular in the renewed market for specific users due to its design and ease of use.
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| Review: Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station ME918LL/A (Renewed) |
Key Features and Specifications (6th Generation)
The ME918LL/A model boasts a distinctive, vertical 'tower' design, a departure from the flatter 'puck' style of older models. This design change was functional, housing a six-element beamforming antenna array at the top, which contributes to improved signal height and range.
Wireless Standard: Ultrafast 802.11ac Wi-Fi (backward compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n)
Speed: Data rates of up to 1.3 Gbps (triple the previous 802.11n standard).
Bands: Simultaneous dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) for automatic connection to the best available frequency.
Ports: One Gigabit Ethernet WAN port, Three Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports, and one USB 2.0 port.
Setup: Extremely easy setup using the dedicated AirPort Utility for Mac and iOS devices.
Dimensions: 3.85 x 3.85 x 6.6 inches (98 x 98 x 168 mm).
Performance and User Experience
The main draw of the AirPort Extreme, especially for Apple users, is its simplicity and integration.
✅ The Good
Effortless Setup: Setting up the AirPort Extreme is consistently praised as being remarkably easy and intuitive, particularly within the Apple ecosystem (Macs, iPhones, iPads) using the AirPort Utility app. It often takes just a few minutes.
Solid Wi-Fi Performance (for its age): Utilizing 802.11ac and a powerful beamforming antenna array, the router delivered strong, clear signals and fast speeds (up to 1.3 Gbps theoretical maximum) when it was new. For many standard home networking needs (browsing, streaming HD video), its performance remains respectable, especially in smaller to medium-sized homes.
Design: The sleek, vertical design is aesthetically pleasing and saves desk space compared to traditional, bulkier routers.
AirPort Disk Feature: The USB 2.0 port allows you to connect an external hard drive (formatted as HFS+) to create network-shared storage (AirPort Disk) or to share a printer across the network.
❌ The Drawbacks (Especially as a Renewed Product)
Dated Technology & Security Concerns: The 802.11ac standard (also known as Wi-Fi 5) is older than current standards like Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) or Wi-Fi 7. Critically, Apple discontinued the entire AirPort line, meaning the ME918LL/A no longer receives security or firmware updates. This is a major concern for a primary network router and means it lacks modern security standards like WPA3.
Limited Customization and Features: The AirPort Extreme is notoriously inflexible compared to modern, feature-rich routers. It lacks common features desired by advanced users, such as comprehensive Parental Controls, Quality of Service (QoS) customization for traffic prioritization, VPN server functionality, and a web-based administration interface.
Limited Ports: It only offers three Gigabit LAN ports and a slower USB 2.0 port, which limits file sharing speeds.
The Renewed Perspective
Purchasing a Renewed ME918LL/A unit comes with an inherent trade-off.
Why buy Renewed? You get an incredibly easy-to-set-up access point with a sleek design and good coverage (for a Wi-Fi 5 device) at a lower cost, often with a short-term seller warranty. Many users still appreciate their ruggedness and longevity.
The Caveat: The lack of ongoing security updates is the biggest hurdle. For this reason, many experts suggest that if you use this device, it should not be your primary network entry point. Instead, it is better used in a bridge mode configuration as a reliable, easy-to-set-up Wireless Access Point (AP) to extend a newer, more secure network managed by a modern router/firewall.
Conclusion
The Renewed Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station (ME918LL/A) is a viable option only for users deeply entrenched in the Apple ecosystem who prioritize simplicity, aesthetic design, and ease of use over cutting-edge features and maximum security.
Recommendation: If you are an average user, you are better off investing in a modern router with current security and features. If you are an Apple enthusiast looking for a reliable, well-performing device to act strictly as a Wireless Access Point to complement a newer main router, this renewed unit can still deliver a clean and stable Wi-Fi 5 experience.