Apple AirPort Line (1999-2018)

✅ Apple AirPort Base Station "Graphite" 

🥇First Mass-Market Wireless WiFi Router 

The Apple AirPort Base Station "Graphite", unveiled alongside the original iBook in July 1999, was the "flying saucer" that effectively launched the consumer Wi-Fi revolution. As the first affordable, mass-market wireless router, it allowed up to ten users to share a single internet connection at speeds of up to 11 Mbps—a staggering feat at a time when most homes were still physically tethered by phone cords. Its translucent, silver-grey chassis was designed to match Apple's high-end computers and featured a built-in 56K dial-up modem alongside a standard Ethernet port. Internally, the Graphite model was essentially a specialized enclosure for an early wireless card that relied on basic security encryption that has long since been made obsolete. It remains the definitive artifact of the era when "unplugging" first became a reality for the average person.

Source: eBay.com

Apple Airport Extreme Base Station 

The Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station (Model A1034), unveiled in January 2003 for $199, was a landmark in wireless networking that introduced high-speed internet sharing to the consumer market. Maintaining the iconic "flying saucer" aesthetic of the original Apple routers, this model delivered data speeds up to five times faster than previous technology while remaining fully compatible with older computers. It was the first to feature a built-in USB port for wireless printer sharing, allowing multiple people in a house to print to a single machine without plugging into it, and it included extra ports for faster wired network connections. For power users, a premium version offered a built-in dial-up modem and a specialized port for a range-extending external antenna, solidifying Apple's reputation for making complex networking technology look sleek and run simple.

Donated by: Gretchen S.