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iPhone 3GS users report slow or inconsistent Wi-Fi connections
A number of iPhone 3GS owners have reported slow and inconsistent data speeds, along with widely varying amounts of signal strength, when using Wi-Fi.Users note that signal strength can fluctuate between one and full bars even when standing right next to the router or when a computer nearby shows a constant signal. This goes along with a commensurate reduction in speed. Even at full signal on both the computer and the 3GS, one user reports getting a maximum of 3Mbit downloads on the iPhone while getting nearly 7Mbit downloads on a MacBook using the O2 network. The fluctuating signal strength problem has affected me since I brought home my new iPhone 3GS.The other, more widely reported problem is a sizable speed decrease in the iPhone 3GS as compared to the iPod touch and iPhone 3G tested under the same conditions. In one case an iPod touch garnered download speeds of 4579ms and uploads of 1363ms, while the iPhone 3GS showed only 1360ms down and 160ms up.
Staying Safe: securing your wireless connection
Recently, we reported on AT&T's push to make it easier for iPhone & iPod touch users to connect to their Wi-Fi Hot Spots. One of our readers, Jamie Phelps, pointed out on his blog that AT&T's Wi-Fi service is not actually a "secure connection," as is advertised in various places on their website; we had overlooked this, and mistakenly reinforced the company's shaky claim in our post.This brings to light an important point about wireless networks and security, however. It's really easy (and sadly all too common) to hop on to an available wireless signal in your office, at the hotel, or your favorite coffee spot and not even think twice about logging in to your e-mail or checking your bank balance. What many users don't realize is even though the server you are connecting to (i.e. your bank's website) may employ several layers of security, the connection between your computer and the wireless access point is very likely to be unsecured. Anyone who is within range of your computer can trivially monitor the traffic being sent between your computer and the access point, allowing them to see what websites you may be visiting or capture details about other services that you may be connected to. This isn't because of some gaping vulnerability or software bug, it's just an inherent part of how wireless networks work.So, what can you do to protect yourself? Read on for a list of simple steps you can take to ensure that your wireless connection is safe and secure.
Apple updates Time Capsule and AirPort Base Station firmware
Last night Apple released a firmware update for Time Capsule, AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n. Here are the fixes: Fixes some problems with extending and maintaining connectivity with extended networks Fixes an issue with clients that enable 802.11 "Power Save" Fixes connectivity issues with some third-party devices Fixes an issue when the base station is configured for PPPoE Fixes some Back To My Mac issues with connectivity and support for third-party routers All of those sound like issues that could affect quite a few people -- especially those with (gasp!) "third-party" devices. I've certainly had issues with Back To My Mac using a Netgear router, so we'll see if this helps. In any event, firmware updates are recommended especially if you've had any of the above symptoms.
How-to: set up dual-band WiFi (and juice your downloads)
Yeah, we think you should make the switch. Let's come right out with it -- you should be running a dual-band 2.4 and 5GHz WiFi network. Why? Because the 2.4GHz spectrum is cluttered with everything from other networks to Bluetooth to cordless phones and microwaves, and all that RF interference slows everything down, making file transfers interminable and HD streaming nearly impossible. On the other hand, 5GHz 802.11n is clean and incredibly fast -- we're talking almost hardwire fast. But you can't just move up to 5GHz without leaving your phones and other legacy devices behind, so you've got to keep 2.4 around as well -- which is really easy if you've got a simultaneous dual-band router like Apple's new Airport Extreme or something like the D-Link DIR-825, and only slightly harder if you don't. And, as luck would have it, Apple just sent us a new AEBS to play with, so we thought we'd show you how to configure both kinds of setups. We promise you'll thank us.
New Airport Extreme and Time Capsule juggle two networks simultaneously
Apple's new Airport Extreme actually brings some fun stuff to the staid wireless router market, while a similarly refreshed Time Capsule does the same for NAS land. The power comes from its new dual-band WiFi radios, allowing them to work in 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands simultaneously, support up to 50 users simultaneously and even set up separate limited-access networks for guests. That $179 pricetag on the Airport Extreme doesn't get any easier to swallow, and neither do the $299 or $499 tags on the Time Capsule (500GB or 1TB, respectively) but at least you'll have the hippest and whitest 802.11n access point in your dorm.
Apple rumor Monday, late edition: leaked specs, model numbers, announcement tomorrow?
The flood of Apple hardware rumors just won't let up -- not only did commenters dig through those Airport Extreme and Time Capsule FCC filings and find evidence that the new models will indeed support simultaneous 5GHz and 2.4GHz operation, we've got iMac model numbers and leaked specs for Mac mini and Mac Pro, all of which are said to be arriving as soon as tomorrow. Of course, given the conservative / obvious nature of these updates, all of this information could be coming from some fanboy lair deep in a parents' basement somewhere and still sound plausible, but hey -- we'll find out soon enough, right? Here's what we know so far: The iMac will apparently come in an entry level MB147 20-inch model, as well as three 24-inch SKUs: MB148 "mass-market," MB149 "high-end," and MB420 "ultimate." All models will go to mini DisplayPort and feature Core 2 Duos up to 3.06GHz. The Mac mini will indeed feature five USB ports and that funky dual mini-DVI / mini DisplayPort configuration, but it's also apparently going to an NVIDIA chipset like the MacBooks and iMac. The base MB463 model will start with a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo, and there's also a "high-end" MB464 configuration. The Mac Pro will come in eight-core configurations from 3.0GHz to 3.6GHz and 16-core configurations in 3.6GHz and 4.0GHz flavors, and it sounds like it's going to be even funkier on the video tip -- our tipster says it has two regular DVI ports and a mini DisplayPort. Sure, okay. It's also apparently a bit lighter than the current model, at 35 pounds instead of 42. Tipster Tom noted that the Airport Extreme and Time Capsule FCC filings contain direct references to simultaneous 5GHz and 2.4GHz operation, so that's looking even more probable. Obviously we'll let you know if all this stuff slips out with no fanfare tomorrow, but with PMA and CeBIT both going on right now, we think that March 24 date is more likely -- Apple does like to hog the attention, after all. Anyone else have any secrets to share? We're all ears.[Thanks, Anonymous]
Apple rumor Monday: Nehalem Mac Pro, new Airport Extreme and Time Capsule in FCC, Mac mini box
Lots of Apple rumors today following the weekend whispers of a March 24 desktop hardware event, and they fall neatly along the plausibility spectrum: First up, we'd say a bump of the Mac Pro to Intel's upcoming Nehalem-EP Xeon processors is looking quite likely -- famed OS X hacker netkas was poking around in a test build of OS X 10.5.7 and found support files for i7 chips lurking about, as well as drivers for ATI's Radeon 4000-series GPUs. If you're making a chart, this one's right up there with an NVIDIA-powered iMac refresh -- it's a pretty obvious move. Second, new entries for the Airport Extreme and Time Capsule have popped up in the FCC, and while the listed dimensions are exactly the same as the current editions, there are no model numbers and something internal has to have changed enough to raise ol' Sammy's brows. That could be as simple as a new radio hardware supplier or bigger drives, but if we were placing bets, we'd say both units are getting updated for simultaneous 5GHz and 2.4GHz operation -- Apple's really high on 5GHz for laptops and Apple TV, but the iPhone and iPod touch are 2.4GHz-only. Let's call this one even odds, shall we? Lastly, a new picture of that improbable five USB port Mac mini has surfaced, this time purporting to show the outside of the box. Considering the Photoshop wars the last image of this thing set off, we'd say this is the least likely candidate for a Philly Schills reveal, but then again, Apple's been pretty leaky lately. That's everything we know -- anyone else have something to share with the group? Read - Ars Technica on the Mac Pro Read - New Airport Extreme FCC listing Read - New Time Capsule FCC listing Read - One More Thing Mac mini image [Via TUAW]
The inevitable return of AirPort Extreme Update 2008-004
Now you see it, now you don't -- and now it's back. The very brief tenure of AirPort Extreme Update 2008-003 (it was available on Tuesday for a while, but then withdrawn) has given way to the shining reign of update 004. The update is a 2.2 MB patch recommended for all Intel machines on 10.5.5, resolving "some issues with Airport connections when roaming in large WiFi networks."Some of the commenters who installed the earlier build didn't experience any obvious ill effects; others reported installation hangs, lockups on reboot or problems connecting to wireless LANs, so your mileage may vary -- with any luck the new build has a steadier grip on stability.You can download the new update via Software Update or (shortly) from the Apple support downloads page.Thanks to everyone who sent this in
G4 Cube shell used to house Mac mini and friends
In Apple-loving households, there's a decent chance the Power Mac G4 Cube will never lose its luster. Case in point: one particular fanboy (yeah, we said it) took a gutted Cube housing and neatly fitted his Mac mini, Airport Extreme and "accessory HDD case" inside. Of course, he did have to exercise quite a bit of patience and showcase his cutting skills in order to make the optical drive accessible, but the end result is certainly something to be proud of. Hit the read link for the gallery of shots taking you from start to finish.[Via Nowhere Else]
Power over Ethernet kit for Airport Extreme Base Station
Back in the day, the white dome Airport Base Station supported Power over Ethernet, which allowed the station to be mounted far away from an outlet (e.g. on a ceiling) powered by just the ethernet data cable, great for preexisting buildings where running power for base stations might be expensive or impossible.The most recent Airport Extreme Base Stations have lacked this convenient feature, but MacWireless is now offering a PoE kit that works with the 802.11n AEBS. The $59.98 kit contains both an injector that plugs into the outlet and a splitter for the other end that goes to the AEBS, allowing both data and power to be sent over a single Cat5 cable up to 330 ft long. A shorter 200 ft range kit is $39.98.[via MacNN]
Time Machine via Airport Extreme not officially supported
As we noted when the latest Airport Extreme Base Station firmware shipped, Time Machine now seems to recognize USB hard drives connected to the AEBS as valid backup locations. Was this feature added deliberately? Well, Glenn Fleishman over at TidBITS took the trouble to ask Apple about this and he reports that they told him that this is an unsupported feature (and not much else). This is unsurprising given that Apple never made mention of the feature connected with the firmware update (though it was originally promised before Leopard shipped). Fleishman himself even speculates that it was turned on by accident.So what's the upshot? Apple is offering no support for using your AEBS this way, and so if you have a problem you're pretty much out of luck as far as they're concerned. Further, considering that there have been reports that the Airport Disk can be unreliable, it's probably not a good idea to depend on an Airport Disk and Time Machine for your only backup.
Apple says AirPort Disk use with Time Machine is unsupported
Okay, the Time Machine / AirPort Extreme situation is now officially ridiculous. TidBITS's Glenn Fleishmann says Apple's confirmed to him that the Extreme is unsupported for use with Time Machine, even though the latest batch of updates enable AirPort Disks to show up in the Time Machine disk-selection box. Fleishmann thinks a it's leftover developer testing glitch, but either way, Apple's will-they-won't-they routine means lots of people now have an unsupported backup solution that works "erratically." Seriously, if you thought AirPort Extreme owners were pissed off about Time Capsule, just wait until backups start failing. Not a lot of options left, Apple -- better get this feature up and running ASAP.
AirPort Extreme Update 2008-001 for Tiger
Today Apple released an AirPort Extreme Update for those Mac users running Mac OS X Tiger (version 10.4). Here's the information that Software Update gives us: This update is recommended for all Intel-based Macintosh computers running Tiger OS and improves the reliability of AirPort connections.You can get this update by either opening Software Update (Apple menu > Software Update) or by downloading the installer package from the Apple Support downloads site.
Time Machine now works with AirPort Extreme's AirDisk feature
Who knows why it took so long, but the latest AirPort Extreme firmware update (7.3.1, out today) finally brings Time Machine compatibility to AirDisk. In typical Apple fashion, there's no mention of it on the release notes, but the crew over at TUAW says it's working, and commenters are confirming. We're still holding out for Time Machine to work with any NAS we want, but for now, it looks like all you Airport Extreme owners who felt like you were getting played by the release of Time Capsule are finally in the game -- get those USB drives ready for some hot backup nights.
Is your Airport Extreme suddenly Time Machine-happy?
Update 9 pm ET: Our comrade David Chartier from Ars Technica points out that the 7.1.3 firmware itself may not be necessary for the new functionality to work; he says he tested a 7.1 AEBS with a machine running Time Capsule & Airport 1.0, and Time Machine was able to see the remote disk. Other readers have reminded us that the disk must be formatted as HFS+ with journaling, and you may have to mount it in the Finder before Time Machine sees it. The freeware TimeMachineScheduler is disabled by this update, comments note.Update 6:45 am Thursday: More comments point out that if you take a locally-connected Time Machine drive and attach it to an AEBS, you will be starting over with new backups (because the remote backups are stored on sparseimages, not as folders). Something to keep in mind if you already have a long backup history -- you might want to use a different drive.Sometimes the fixes are subtle and quiet. Once TUAW reader Peder downloaded today's Airport updates and ran the utility, he noticed a new version of the Airport Extreme firmware queued up and ready (v7.3.1). When he installed and rebooted his AEBS -- which happened to have a USB hard drive hanging off of it... well, let him tell you: After downloading the latest Airport-update I checked for updates for my AirPort Extreme. After upgrading to version 7.3.1, Time Machine recognised the attached USB-drive.If this is a reproducible result -- this means you, everyone, go ahead and start testing this firmware! -- that means that the now-you-see-it, now-you-don't Time Machine to AirDisk feature of Leopard has finally arrived. Sure, the Time Capsule is a one-piece solution and quite economical, but for all the AEBS owners out there who have been waiting patiently, this would be a very nice bit of March madness indeed. [Response to "just-a-guy" below: Remember, this is the Airport EXTREME only; the Express doesn't support AirDisk at all.]Seeing the same results as Peder? By all means let us know. He was kind enough to send us a few screenshots, see below.%Gallery-18775%
Airport Extreme firmware updated to 802.11n draft 2
Got a shiny new AirPort Extreme base station, speeding those bits around the ether? Today Apple released new firmware for the fast-but-flat access point, version 7.2.1, downloadable directly or via the AirPort Utility. You'll need version 5.1 or better of the AirPort Utility to install the patch (you can get 5.2.1 via the Base Station Update 2007-002).In addition to the usual bug fixes and security updates, this patch is WiFi certified for 802.11n draft 2.0. This certification may help when integrating the AE with third-party devices. Then again, it may not...via MacFixit
ComputerWiz disassembles the new and old Airport Extremes
After all the trouble they had with their Airport Extreme, ComputerWiz did exactly what any sane person would do with a computer they didn't understand, and took it apart. No? That's not what you would do? It's what I would do.Anyway, the main goal was to find out if the new Airport's Gigabit speeds could have just been accomplished by upgrading the firmware of the old Airport Extreme, so CW ripped them both apart and took lots of pictures. All the watermarks make it a little hard to see, but what's clear is that the two different Airports use two different chips-- the earlier one uses the Broadcom BCM 5325, while the latest, Gigabit-speed Airport Extreme uses a BCM5395 chip.What does this mean to you, as an Airport Extreme user? Not much. But it does mean that the Airport update is firmly hardware based-- you can't, for example, use an expander or a software update to speed up your old Airport Extreme unit. On the other hand, thanks to CW, you can get a look at the innards of both units, without having to take them apart yourself and that's always fun.
Apple's gigabit / non-gigabit AirPort Extreme base stations compared
Considering that Apple has been known to release products without all the features, um, enabled out of the box, it seemed fair to question the (now previous) AirPort Extreme's inability to handle gigabit speeds. Apparently unable to shun curiosity, the investigatory folks over at ComputerWiz decided to break open both the gigabit and non-gigabit editions of the AirPort Extreme, and unfortunately for those hoping that their older iteration could be upgraded with a simple firmware patch, that doesn't look to be the case. After closer inspection, the non-gigabit model packed a Broadcom BCM5325 chip, which only contains "five full-duplex 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX Fast Ethernet transceivers," while the newest AE possesses a Broadcom BCM5395, which of course understands gigabit requirements just fine. Ah well, at least you can stop wishin', eh?
AirPort Base Station Update 2007-002 for Mac
Do you have an AirPort Base Station? Do you enjoy applying updates? Well then, buster, today is your lucky day. Apple has just released an update by the name AirPort Base Station Update 2007-002 for Mac. You'll need any flavor of OS X 10.4 to get this update, as well as an AirPort Extreme or Express. This update, 'includes general fixes and compatibility updates for the following applications: AirPort Utility, AirPort Disk Utility, AirPort Base Station Agent.'I know our very own David Chartier has encountered many issues with AirPort Disk, so here's hoping this update fixes it.
Airport Extreme not using Gigabit speeds?
Along with all the other updates in the Apple Store on Tuesday, Airport Extreme got a nice one-- according to the specs on the page, they're now offering Gigabit ethernet speeds. Or are they? ComputerWiz went out and grabbed two of them right away, but no matter what he tried to do, he couldn't get the base station to move past 100Mb speeds.There could be a number of things happening here-- I don't have the knowhow to judge whether they did everything they could or not, but the attempt seems reasonable to me, and if you have to mess with settings that much on an Apple product, something is wrong. They also say that Apple had to go into the back room to get the Airport Extreme, so it's conceivable that they grabbed the wrong one-- except that CW claims the box itself said Gigabit.So something is screwy here-- is it possible that Apple shipped Gigabit Airport Extremes that weren't actually Gigabit?Update: Looks like it was just a faulty unit, as CW updated, and apparently the second unit worked fine. Anyone else having problems with theirs?Thanks, David!
