AirportUtility
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Apple updates AirPort Utility app for iOS with 64-bit support
Apple has released an update to its AirPort Utility app for iOS. The app allows users to manage their WiFi networks and AirPort base stations right from their iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. This version of the app adds 64-bit support for users of iOS devices with an A7 chip inside, like the iPhone 5s or the new iPad Air. Though Apple only lists the 64-bit support in the app's release notes, I've noticed that the update also seems to have fixed a number of issues with the previous version of the app where it was dropping connections with devices or would not be able to pick up a device at all. AirPort Utility is a free download.
Apple's AirPort Utility, iBooks updated with iOS 7-friendly look, compatibility
Sure, it's not the most exciting news to drop on this iOS 7 official "birth" day, but Apple has updated several apps to bring them into the brave new world of the new iOS. Both AirPort Utility and iBooks have received updates in the last few hours. The notes for iBooks -- which seems to be sporting the same non-flat icon that it has since it first became an iOS app -- show that "This version of iBooks improves compatibility with iOS and iCloud." The app is still as Scott Forstall skeuomorphic as it always has been, complete with the faux wood library shelves. For the AirPort Utility, the release notes simply say, "Adds support for iOS 7." I'd let you know what that means if I had half a clue, but there's just not a whole hell of a lot of detail there. If you're an iOS 7 user already and set up your devices for automatic downloads, those updates should already be installed.
AirPort Utility for Mac and iOS updated
Apple has released small updates for the AirPort Utility for Mac and iOS. Both updates resolve an issue where AirPort base stations may not appear in AirPort Utility. These updates follow last month's release of new AirPort Extreme Base Stations and Time Capsules that support the 802.11ac wireless protocol. AirPort Utility for iOS is a free download. The update for AirPort Utility for Mac can be found by running Software Update on your Mac.
Daily Update for June 12, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Apple releases AirPort Utility 6.3 for Mac
Apple has released an update to its AirPort Utility app for the Mac, bringing it up to version 6.3. It adds the ability to extend a guest WiFi network across multiple AirPort base stations, support for WPS-capable printers and improved international support. It's a free download, as always. The 6.3 update requires an Intel-based Mac running 10.7.5 or later. You can grab it right now through Software Update, or head on over to Apple's update site.
Use Automator to get the Airport Utility 5.6.1 working on OS X 10.8
When I acquired a second printer dedicated to making prints and photos, I decided to dig the older Airport Express I have out of a drawer and set it up to be a wireless print server for that printer. However, I ran into a bit of a snafu: the older Airport Expresses require AirPort Utility 5.6.1 to run. It's still available on Apple's website, but even though it's easy to obtain, you can't run it in Mountain Lion. The actual AirPort Utility 5.6.1 software runs just fine on Mountain Lion. Its installer, however, isn't compatible. The solution I initially discovered, thanks to Douglas Urner in the Apple support communities, was to use Terminal to extract the AirPortUtility.pkg from the installer and dig the app out of it. It worked great, and it nets you a working copy of AirPort Utility 5.6.1. But UI designer Frank Tisellano makes this even easier. He developed an Automator workflow does all the coding work for you. This is the solution for those who aren't comfortable with diving into the inner workings of your Mac. Here's what to do: Download the AirPort Utility 5.6.1 installer from Apple. Download Tisellano's workflow from his website. Drag the AirPort Utility installer file onto the extracted workflow item. Don't just run the workflow, otherwise it won't work properly. Authorize any permissions needed and let the workflow do its magic. Once it's finished, you'll see an AirPortTemp and the older AirPort Utility sitting on your desktop. Move the AirPort Utility to your Utilities folder, trash the other folders, and you're good to go!
Apple updates nearly every app for iOS 6, sneaks in key GarageBand, iPhoto and Podcasts updates
If you didn't already know that iOS 6 was out in the wild, Apple just delivered a torrent of mobile app updates to make it perfectly clear. Virtually every app that isn't preloaded now has explicit iOS 6 support to keep it running smoothly, and some of the upgrades are thankfully more than just skin-deep compatibility tweaks. Among the highlights are Podcasts' new subscription list syncing through iCloud, ringtone creation with GarageBand and iPhoto support for 36.5-megapixel image editing on the latest devices -- you know, for that moment you need to tweak Nikon D800 photos on an iPhone 5. We're including direct links to a few of the juicier updates, but we'd recommend checking AppleInsider's comprehensive list to see everything that you're missing.
Apple updates AirPort Utility for iOS to support the all-new AirPort Express
Apple has pushed out an update to its AirPort Utility iOS app. The app allows users to manage their wireless network and AirPort base stations right from their iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. AirPort Utility 1.1 adds support for configuring base stations for IPv6 as well as support for the all-new AirPort Express, which Apple launched earlier today. The new Airport Express resembles a white AppleTV (in shape) and adds an extra Ethernet port (for a total of two) and support for simultaneous dual-band 802.11n WiFi networks. AirPort Utility is a free download.
Apple criticized for backing off on support of IPv6
At the North American IPv6 Summit held in Denver last week, Apple came under fire for not providing support for the next-generation of the Internet Protocol in the latest version of Apple's AirPort Utility. The criticism came from several speakers at the conference, but most notably from John Brzozowski, a Comcast distinguished engineer considered to be one of the chief architects of IPv6. In speaking about AirPort Utility 6.0, Brzozowski was quoted on NetworkWorld as saying that "Apple has taken the ability to seamlessly support IPv6 away from the AirPort Utility. It's a little concerning. We hoped to see more IPv6 support, not less, among [customer premises equipment] vendors." Previous versions of the AirPort Utility allowed AirPort owners to configure and maintain settings for IPv6, while the newest version only provides support for IPv4. In order to provide support for IPv6, Comcast is recommending that AirPort Utility version 5.6 be installed alongside the newer version. IPv6 is expected to be deployed widely starting in 2012, primarily due to the need for a larger number of available IP addresses. Companies such as Comcast need to support IPv6 end to end, and home gateways need to provide IPv6 support as well. All Apple hardware supports IPv6 addressing, but the changes to AirPort Utility present a major barrier to adoption of the new protocol for users of Apple's networking products. Thanks to TUAW reader David for the tip
In pictures: AirPort Utility 6.0's missing features
Apple's new AirPort Utility 6.0 for OS X was released yesterday, bringing over the slick UI from its pre-existing iOS version -- but as my colleague Chris reported, it also removes access to a number of features in the process. At the same time, Apple are still hosting downloads for the older version of the tool which still has the full feature set. Predictably, there's been some indignant fallout from this admittedly curious decision, but what sorts of features are missing, and should you care? I loaded up the old and new version of the tools side-by-side to see what I could find out. Here's the "Wireless setup" page for my AirPort Extreme under the older AirPort Utility: And hiding under that "Wireless Options..." button, you get more settings: Here's the corresponding page on the newer tool: And under the "Wireless Options..." button: We've lost access to quite a few settings there: Multicast rate Transmit power WPA group key timeout Wide channels option The page where you define DHCP server options is rather better laid out in the new version. Here's the older one first: And the newer, which folds in some settings like NAT enable and port mapping which were hidden behind other tabs in the older UI: But again, there are options missing -- you can no longer specify a DHCP message or set an LDAP server. And the tiny scrolling lists for DHCP reservations and port maps that show only two lines at once are laughably inadequate. I have eight mapped ports, and reading through them to find one I want to adjust is unnecessarily difficult in this new UI. The Logs and Statistics section of the old tool is completely missing too, and that has helped me out of a few jams. In particular the signal strength graph is useful: This is really handy for tracking down that one stray device on your 802.11n network that is dragging you down to 802.11g speeds, or for working out where to best position an AirPort Express to get that extra signal boost you need. You can get some information via a tooltip in the wireless clients list in the main screen, but it's not exactly obvious, and it doesn't convey how things change through time: Also missing from the logging facility is the ability to configure a remote SNMP server to collect and collate logs from lots of AirPort devices to a single central server. It's not all bad, though. The new UI has this really handy topography display which shows you how your network is plugged together: For example, this is telling me that my living room AirPort Express isn't connected to the AirPort Extreme via Ethernet, like it should be -- it has a dashed line instead of a solid one. It's also telling me it's offline, presumably for the same reason. Disk Sharing seems to have lost the ability to set a Windows workgroup and allow/disallow guest access: The new AirPort Utility is also missing the printer sharing tab altogether, although it might just have become entirely automatic as the old screen mostly only displayed a list of connected printers anyway: This extra "Options..." screen is also missing from the new tool: So we can no longer set the metadata for the AirPort device's location (useful for larger-scale installations in offices, where there may be lots of access points used at once) or set the status light to blink on activity. The old tool also offers support for RADIUS authentication of clients which is absent from the newer software: Some people are reporting that MAC address access time control is missing. It appears to be functionally intact, just re-arranged. Old tool: New tool: IPv6 settings are also entirely absent from the new AirPort Utility. So in summary, then, unless you're a systems administrator for a complex office install with multiple AirPort devices and demanding technical requirements, you're probably not going to notice the missing bits in the the new AirPort Utility. And if you are...? Almost as if it's acknowledging the missing bits and pieces, Apple is hosting downloads for the old and new versions of Airport Utility side-by-side. There's nothing stopping you from installing both on your Mac, and it's absolutely fair to say that the features I've noted above are missing are entirely advanced ones that are of little interest to normal home users. As well as configuration features that are missing, support for older stuff has also been decreased in AirPort Utility 6.0. The 802.11g versions of the AirPort Express, which was on sale from 2004-2008, and pre-2007 AirPort base stations simply don't work with the new tool at all -- the device doesn't appear in the management UI. The new tool requires Lion, so Snow Leopard or Windows users are out of luck (yes, the old version is available for Windows, to my surprise). And one final limitation: the new version of the tool locks you out when it's upgrading firmware for any device on your network, as Chris noted yesterday. That's not exactly something you do every day, though. It seems unlikely that you are going to care very deeply about these changes, and if you do, you can easily get the older version of the utility. Still, though, I think it's both peculiar and curious that Apple is requiring users to choose between a nicer UI and access to the full feature set of their AirPort devices. It's as if AirPort Utility 5.5 is now "AirPort Utility Pro" and AirPort Utility 6.0 is "AirPort Utility Home". It just seems so... uncharacteristically inelegant. Have you noticed any other missing features that I've overlooked? Please leave a comment!
AirPort Utility 6.0 for OS X Lion retools interface to match iOS counterpart
Freshly available in Software Update are AirPort Utility 5.6 and AirPort Utility 6.0. AirPort Utility 5.6 is a minor update to its predecessor which "Resolves an issue with using network passwords stored in the Keychain," while AirPort Utility 6.0 is a major overhaul of the user interface that matches its iOS counterpart in both appearance and basic functions. In fact, AirPort Utility 6.0 is so similar to the iOS version that it essentially looks as though its been back-ported. While AirPort Utility 6.0 certainly looks snazzy and features an interface that novice users will find much easier to navigate, AirPort Utility 5.6 is still around for a reason -- AirPort Utility 6.0 can't be used to administer older, 802.11g-only base stations. People like me who still have an old school 802.11g AirPort Express on their network will have to use the older version of AirPort Utility. This is a confusing and unfortunate oversight on Apple's part, and hopefully this is something the company is able/willing to address later on. Just from my brief interaction with AirPort Utility 6.0, I can definitely say I'll be reverting to 5.6 for reasons other than hardware incompatibility. The graphically-driven interface feels nice and natural on iOS devices, but it feels far too dumbed-down on the Mac. Critically, in AirPort Utility 6.0 the entire program is unusable if you happen to be updating firmware on any one base station; administering any other base station is impossible if you're updating firmware on any AirPort device on your network. For novice users with supported AirPort devices, AirPort Utility 6.0 will be a much easier way to administrate their wireless networks. The rest of us may prefer to stick with the old interface; I know I will.
1Password Pro grabs the TUAW Best of 2011 iPad utility app award
The latest TUAW Best of 2011 award should come as no surprise, particularly since the winner also topped the iPhone utility app voting. 1Password Pro (US$14.99) was voted by TUAW readers as the best iPad utility app of 2011, pulling in a whopping 56.6 percent of the votes. Why has this app captured the attention of TUAW readers? It's because 1Password works consistently on all platforms, keeps information securely stashed away, and is constantly being updated to stay in tune with OS upgrades and provide new functionality. The runner-up, in a distant second place with 17.1 percent of the votes, was Apple's own AirPort Utility (free). It's a very useful tool for anyone who owns an Apple AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express. Congratulations to the AgileBits team for their cross-platform wins with 1Password Pro, and stay tuned tomorrow as the TUAW editors pick their cream of the 2011 crop.
TUAW Best of 2011: Vote for your favorite iPad utility app
The nominations are in, and the poll is ready to go! The TUAW Best of 2011 awards are all about you -- the readers -- and what you think is the cream of the crop of Apple or third-party products and software. To vote, select one entry from the top nominations made by readers. We'll be announcing the winner in just a few days. Vote early and often! Happy New Year, TUAW readers! If you're not struggling with the after-effects of too much partying last night, TUAW would like your votes for the best iPad utility app of 2011. The nominees in our penultimate TUAW Best of 2011 category are: 1Password Pro (US$14.99), the amazing cross-platform app for securely storing all of your important secret information and passwords Presentation Clock ($0.99), a simple but useful app for those who give presentations or do training, to make sure you're on track. Apple's AirPort Utility (free), useful for setting up and maintaining Apple Wi-Fi networks. Photon Flash Web Browser ($4.99), which allows Farmville addicts to get their fixes from an iPad. Living Earth HD ($1.99, currently on sale for $0.99), a beautiful 3D simulation of Earth with world time, weather, and forecasts. You have a couple of days to vote, and the winners will be announced on January 5, 2012. Let the voting begin! %Poll-72451%
TUAW Best of 2011: Vote for the best iPhone utility app
The nominations are in, and the poll is ready to go! The TUAW Best of 2011 awards are all about you -- the readers -- and what you think is the cream of the crop of Apple or third-party products and software. To vote, select one entry from the top nominations made by readers. We'll be announcing the winner in just a few days. Vote early and often! TUAW is asking for your votes for the best iPhone utility app of 2011. Since a majority of nominations were from the wrong categories, and some were even for the wrong platform, a straw poll of favorite iPhone utilities was taken with a sampling of Web luminaries and makes up our list of candidates. The nominees are Flashlight (sale priced at US$0.99, regularly $1.99), Apple's Airport Utility (free), Skyfire Web Browser ($2.99), 1Password for iPhone ($5.99), and the app that has saved a lot of iPhones, Apple's Find My iPhone (free). And now, let the voting begin! The results will be announced on December 26, 2011. %Poll-72269%
AirPort Utility app for iOS about to debut
While iOS 5 includes a new feature that allows for initial setup of an AirPort device from an iPad or iPhone, any future tweaking of settings still has to be done from a Mac or PC. However, Twitter user Sonny Dickson found references to an AirPort Utility app in iOS 5's Settings app. Without going into too much NDA-licious detail, I'll just say that I've independently confirmed what he's found, although the relevant link currently goes nowhere and does nothing. iOS 5 will go live to the public on October 12, and it's highly probable this AirPort Utility app will as well. Its release will address one of the last remaining feature gaps that has prevented "normal" users from going PC-free with iOS devices. Once the app comes out, we'll take a look at it and report on what we find. [via MacStories]
AirPort Utility updated to 5.5.3
The AirPort brand hasn't retired yet. Apple issued an AirPort Utility update for both Mac and Windows on Monday. The update fixes an issue that causes AirPort Utility to randomly quit during the setup process. The 10.8 MB file can be downloaded through Apple's support site or through Software Update.
Apple updates AirPort Utility 5.5.2 for Mac and Windows
Following the Digital Camera RAW Compatibility update released earlier today, Apple has just released a software update for AirPort Utility. The 5.5.2 update contains bug fixes and improvements, including the following: Resolves an issue that caused the DHCP settings tab to display incorrectly Resolves an issue that caused the application to quit unexpectedly when automatically launched Resolves an issue that prevented the network password from being stored in the Keychain when the network on the 5GHz band was named differently The AirPort Utility 5.5.2 update requires Mac OS X 10.5.7 or later and weighs in at 10.29 MB. You can download the update now via Software Update or via the web for Mac and Windows.
Apple releases software updates for Time Capsule, Airport
Apple has released a few updates for its Time Capsule and Airport products. AirPort Utility 5.5.1 for Mac includes general bug fixes and addresses the following issues: Not importing all settings when importing a configuration and not propagating MAC address control lists when using an extended network. The update weighs in at 10.24MB. Apple Time Capsule & AirPort Base Station 7.5.1 provides several fixes for the latest Time Capsule and AirPort Extreme Base Station (Late 2009) including an issue with wireless performance in the 5GHz band and an issue with creating a Guest Network in the 5GHz band. Apple recommends that the above AirPort Utility 5.5.1 (Windows version here) or later be installed before updating to Firmware version 7.5.1. The update requites Mac OS X 10.5.7 or later, Windows XP SP3 or later, Windows Vista SP1 or later, or Windows 7. Both updates can be downloaded via the links above or through Software Update.
Ask TUAW: More migration, expanding Apple's Dictionary, syncing iPhone notes, and more
Welcome back to Ask TUAW, our weekly Mac troubleshooting Q&A column! This time we've got more questions on migrating user data when upgrading to Snow Leopard, expanding Apple's built-in Dictionary application, accessing iPhone notes without Mail.app, and more.As always, your suggestions and questions are welcome. Questions for next week should be left in the comments. When asking a question please include which machine you're running and which version of Mac OS X (we'll assume you're running Leopard on an Intel Mac if you don't specify). And now, on to the questions.
AirPort Base Station Update 2007-001 for Mac
Apple has released a 2007-001 update for the AirPort Base Station for Mac which "includes general fixes and compatibility updates for the following applications": AirPort Utility AirPort Admin Utility for Graphite and Snow Base Stations AirPort Disk Utility AirPort Disk Agent While Apple's Support Doc says the update covers a range of AirPort Base Station software, MacUser is reporting that this one apparently only updates the latest 802.11n version (AirPort Utility 5.1, to be exact). Either way, I'm about to install it for my 802.11n-enabled station now, and I'm keeping as many fingers crossed as possible that AirPort Disk begins to actually work.[Update: Apple's support doc is titled "AirPort Base Station Update 2007-001 for Mac" (hence my own post's clever title), and I tried specifying that this only updates software in the post, what with the bulleted list that contains nothing but software and the lack of the term 'firmware' anywhere, but to clarify: despite the mention of "AirPort Admin Utility for Graphite and Snow Base Stations" in Apple's announcement, this update allegedly only affects current software/utilities (the stuff that gets installed on your Mac) for the latest 802.11n Base Station.]
