The AirPort Express is a simplified and compact AirPort Extreme base station. It allows up to 10 networked users, and includes a feature called AirTunes (predecessor to AirPlay). The original version (M9470LL/A, model A1084) was introduced by Apple on June 7, 2004, and includes an analog–optical audio mini-jack output, a USB port for remote printing or charging the iPod (iPod Shuffle only), and a single Ethernet port.[1]
The main processor of the 802.11g AirPort Express is a Broadcom BCM4712KFB wireless networking chipset, which has a 200 MHz MIPS processor built in. The audio is handled by a Texas Instruments Burr-Brown PCM2705 16-bit digital-to-analog converter.
An updated version (MB321LL/A, model A1264) supporting the faster 802.11 Draft-N draft specification and operation in either of the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, with almost all other features identical, was introduced by Apple on March 17, 2008.[2] The revised unit includes an 802.11a/n (5 GHz) mode, which allows adding Draft-N to an existing 802.11b/g network without disrupting existing connections, while preserving the increased throughput that Draft-N can provide.[3] Up to 10 wireless units can connect to this AirPort Express.
The Airport Express functions as a wireless access point when connected to an Ethernet network. It can be used as an Ethernet-to-wireless bridge under certain wireless configurations. It can be used to extend the range of a network, or as a printer and audio server.
An often overlooked feature of the AirPort Express is that it uses connectors which combine a 3.5 mm jack socket and a mini-TOSLINK optical digital connnector, allowing connection to an external digital-to-analog converter (DAC) or amplifier with internal DAC. This allows CDs ripped in iTunes in Apple Lossless format to stream to the AirPort Express which will in turn output a bitstream which is bit-for-bit identical to the original CD (provided volume adjustments, Sound Check and Sound Enhancer are switched off for playback in iTunes). DTS-encoded CDs ripped to Apple Lossless audio files which decode as digital noise in iTunes will play back correctly when the AirPort Express is connected via TOSLINK to a DTS-compatible amplifier–decoder.
On a MacOS system, the audio output of the airport express can only be used to wirelessly stream audio files from within iTunes to an attached stereo system. However, it can not be used to output the soundtrack of iTunes video content to an attached stereo.[4]
| AirPort Express | Model | Date | Wi-Fi standard | Wireless-to-Ethernet Bridge mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M9470LL/A | A108x | June 2004 - March 2008 | 802.11b/g | No |
| MB321LL/A | A1264 | March 2008 – Present | 802.11a/b/g/Draft N | Yes |
The suffix LL/A in the part number designates the US model.