Apple shifted to SMB for network filesharing, which makes it easier to work with Windows-compatible servers. Apple’s attached drive support used to be a big deal when OS X was oriented around AFP, and it was difficult to create networked fileservers except Mac OS X Server or personal filesharing in regular OS X. And most Wi-Fi routers include USB-based printer support that’s compatible with macOS (although not always with iOS). Even quite inexpensive printers now include Wi-Fi networking, allowing a completely cable-free connection. The AirPort Extreme has an audio jack for sending music from a Mac or iOS device to a set of speakers using the AirPlay protocol. Guest networking (access to an isolated and protected network for guests)Įach of Apple’s advantages has slipped away over the years:.Separate network names for 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks.DHCP assignment or “reservation,” offering a permanent local network address to a device on the network.Other features found in Apple’s base stations are easy to find in other routers: Time Machine support built into Time Capsule.Automated notification of firmware updates.A network punch-through protocol called NAT-PMP for enabling remote access for applications, like games and servers.Internet access to base station configuration and NAS drives via Back to My Mac.Base station to base station networking (via Wireless Distribution System or WDS).Network-attached storage (NAS) with AFP (Apple Filing Protocol) and SMB support.AirPlay audio passthrough (AirPort Express only).However, for Mac users in particular, the gateways had Apple-specific features you couldn’t get elsewhere. Just trying to get a sense of the beneifts of the newer models over the older.What about Apple’s proprietary base station features?įrom Apple’s introduction of the original AirPort until just a few years ago, its base stations were often the best on the market, even if sometimes the most expensive’. My questions are (1) by connecting 2 old AE that only use G, am I slowing down my entire network, or just devices that connect to those access points when in range and (2) subject to the answer in 1, is it worth it for me to pick up 1 or 2 refurb'd newer Airport Express models to replace the older G units (which seem to do the trick). I have a couple of dead spots in my house, (den in the front of the house and kitchen table in the back of the house) so I used my 2 old Airport Express (G models), downloaded Airport Utility 5.6, put them each in bridge mode and connected them to Cat6 plugs and so far, the whole thing is working fine. If you have an older computer with a version of AirPort Utility earlier than 6.0, you can administer it that way as well.Įxtending this thread, but I recently switched over from a Cisco router with a couple of access points, to a new Airport Extreme connected to my cable modem in the basement and a new Airport Express acting as an access point (not simply a wireless extender) on my second floor. It is only the package installer that is the problem. If you happen to have an archived copy of the AU 5.6 app somewhere, such as a Time Machine backup or equivalent, you can simply restore it or drag the app to your Mountain Lion system's Utilities folder instead of resorting to the above procedure. It and the older version (which will bear the unique name "AirPort Utility 5.6") can peacefully coexist. The most recent version of AirPort Utility included with Mountain Lion should be used to configure 802.11n - capable AirPort Base Stations, and should not be deleted. ![]() It will then be installed in your Utilities folder, and you can quit Pacifist. Select it and then click Install from Pacifist's toolbar. Open Pacifist and from its File menu, navigate to the package and open it.Ĭlick the "reveal triangles" until you see AirPort Utility 5.6.app: dmg file finishes downloading, open it to expand and reveal the AirPortUtility56.pkg package installer file.ĭirections for Pacifist (I do not have screenshots for unpkg but the idea is similar): You simply need to extract the app from the installer package using a package extractor like Pacifist or unpkg. The problem with that version is that Mountain Lion will refuse to let you install it. You need AirPort Utility 5.6 to configure an older Express.
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