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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.
Apple updates Time Capsule and Airport Extreme with internet sharing
A closer look at the gaggle of Apple hardware updates today shows a rather useful change to both Time Capsule and the Airport Extreme base station.MobileMe members can access any file on a hard drive connected to either product via the internet. The older versions allowed hard drive sharing to people on the same network. Now the feature has been extended to allow you to get these files from anywhere.You initiate the sharing by registering your Airport Extreme or Time Capsule with your MobileMe account. When you are away from your Mac, that hard drive will show up in the Finder sidebar. The drive must be a USB drive -- there is no support for either flavor of Firewire on the AE or TC.It does not appear that this remote sharing feature has been added to the last generation of these products, although a firmware update might be able to accomplish it. No word from Apple on whether or not this will happen. Update: the Apple Sales internal site (thanks Mr. X) is listing the following... looks like that feature is going to work on the older gear!Note for existing AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule customersExisting AirPort Extreme (MA073 and MB053) and Time Capsule (MB276 and MB277) customers can access their AirPort Disk / Time Capsule disk through Mobile Me over the Internet by upgrading to AirPort Utility 5.4.1 and AirPort firmware 7.4.1. Subscription to Mobile Me online services is required for this feature. Simultaneous dual-band Wi-Fi and Guest Networking features are only available to new AirPort Extreme (MB763) and Time Capsule (MB764 and MB765) customers.This update is obviously designed to boost the attractiveness of the MobileMe service, to which Apple has been showing increased attention of late. Apple specifies that Leopard is needed for this feature, so Windows subscribers to MobileMe appear to be out of luckThanks to everyone who sent this in.
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%
Time Capsule vs. Airport Extreme
I'm a little Time Capsule obsessed, it is true (mine is in the Philippines at the moment. Soon it will be in Philadelphia and I will be a happy boy). Joe Kohlmann sent us along his pictures of his newly arrived Time Capsule sitting next to, and underneath, his Airport Extreme. If you have trouble imagining dimensions (the Time Capsule's dimensions are well known) these pictures will give you a good idea of what you should expect from Time Capsule.
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
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.
Apple tosses in gigabit Ethernet on refreshed AirPort Extreme
While the majority of you are likely scoping out Apple's more noticeable introductions, the firm did manage to provide a subtle, albeit entirely welcome upgrade to the 802.11n AirPort Extreme Base Station. Still priced at $179, the revamped device doesn't change much, as you can still look forward to the slimmed-down design, USB port, and security slot, but those utilizing a wired network will greatly appreciate the four gigabit Ethernet ports. Interestingly, there are still a number of locations in which Apple has yet to update the technical information of the new AirPort, but the tried and true checkout page holds the newly implemented details.[Thanks, iData]
Airport Extreme Base Station now with Gigabit Ethernet
Apple has quietly updated one more product today. Hidden at the end of the iMac press release we find out that the Airport Extreme Base Station now sports Gigabit Ethernet ports (one WAN, 3 for devices) whereas only yesterday they were 100baseT. The Airport Extreme Base Station tech specs haven't been updated on its own site as of yet, but the picture above was snagged from the Apple Store. They are still priced at $179.Thanks, Stephen Chan.
