I chose WPA2.

Chulani also pointed to the ability to plug in a USB hard drive. In earlier models, that port could be used for a printer, allowing wireless network users to print from their computers directly to that printer. Now, that port can also be used to connect a USB hard drive.

"We've been offering printing with that port for a long time," he said. But the new hard-drive option makes it "a really, really easy way to put storage on your network so that a Mac or Windows machine can access this shared drive. You don't have to worry about setting up privileges."

Perhaps as important to users as the promised advances with 802.11n is the fact that Apple -- and other wireless router makers -- have moved forward with a standard that is not yet nailed down. Waiting for that draft specification to mature is one of the main reasons Apple waited to introduce its new base station, Chulani said.

"We strongly felt that it [made] sense to wait and do these 802.11n products -- plus adding all the client support to the computers -- when we felt the specification was settled enough," he said. "The last thing we wanted to do is put something out that doesn't work well. We feel that the standard is pretty much settled now. The standard is not final, final, final. When the specification is final, we will, of course, take a look at it and do just an update.