Apple has just released a patch to the AirPort client to remedy the wireless performance problems stemming from the recent Mac OS X update to 10.5.8. Some users had been forced to downgrade or replace the wireless-specific kernel extensions to clear up the issues.

The update, weighing in at a svelte 1.4MB, purports to solve an issue found on certain MacBooks and MacBook Pros. Affected machines suffered from significantly slower wireless network speeds while operating on battery power.

Here's the official description from tonight's Airport Client Update for MacBooks and MacBook Pros, version 1.0:

This update is recommended for some Intel-based Macintosh computers running Mac OS X 10.5.8 and addresses an issue with AirPort performance while running on battery power. It may only be installed on:

MacBook (13-inch, Late 2007)
MacBook (13-inch, Early 2008)
MacBook (13-inch, Late 2008)

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2008)

MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2008)
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Late 2008)

While I do own a potentially affected MacBook Pro, I did not experience the performance issues, so I can't vouch for the update's effectiveness.

Have you installed the patch and noticed an improvement (or not)?