{"product_id":"apple-airport-line-1999-2018","title":"Apple AirPort Line (1999-2018)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e✅ Apple AirPort Base Station \"Graphite\" \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e🥇\u003cstrong\u003eFirst Mass-Market Wireless WiFi Router \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eThe Apple AirPort Base Station \"Graphite\",\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e unveiled alongside the original iBook in July 1999,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e was the \"flying saucer\" that effectively launched the consumer Wi-Fi revolution.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e As the first affordable,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e mass-market wireless router,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e Its translucent,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e Internally,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e It remains the definitive artifact of the era when \"unplugging\" first became a reality for the average person.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSource: \u003c\/strong\u003eeBay.com\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eApple Airport Extreme Base Station \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDonated by: \u003c\/strong\u003eGretchen S. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apple Computer, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Apple AirPort Base Station \"Graphite\"","offer_id":54030453473590,"sku":null,"price":1999.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station","offer_id":54030453506358,"sku":null,"price":2003.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0740\/4447\/3654\/files\/Gemini_Generated_Image_4dlkkw4dlkkw4dlk.png?v=1779148178","url":"https:\/\/www.westporttechmuseum.com\/products\/apple-airport-line-1999-2018","provider":"Westport Tech Museum","version":"1.0","type":"link"}