SNMP on or off?

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Level 2

164 points

SNMP on or off?

I just got a dual-band Airport Extreme - latest flavor.

During set-up, the set up utility told me to turn off SNMP. Not sure what SNMP is, and whether I should leave it on or turn it off.

For now I have SNMP turned on with WAN access on, because I think (not sure) I need it on to be able to talk to my ethernet-connected printer (which is plugged into one of the LAN ports on the Airport Extreme).

Can anybody shed some light on this?

MBP C2D 17", Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Mar 23, 2011 5:32 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Bob Timmons

Community+ 2024

Level 10

159,326 points

Mar 23, 2011 6:00 PM in response to Clinto

It makes sense to have Allow SNMP enabled if you are interested in information about wireless clients, ethernet clients, etc on the local area network.

You don't need SNMP over WAN enabled unless you want to access the AirPort Extreme for this type of information from another remote location over the internet.

If you just need to be able to communicate to your ethernet printer over the network, you don't need SNMP over WAN enabled.

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Answer 2

Clinto Author

Level 2

164 points

Mar 23, 2011 6:08 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Thanks Bob. (Man, you're all over this forum!)

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Answer 3

Mar 23, 2011 6:16 PM in response to Clinto

That's why they pay us the big bucks 🙂

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Answer 4

HRW06

Level 1

10 points

Mar 21, 2012 3:28 PM in response to Bob Timmons

I had the same issue but I cannot find where in Airport Utility to turn off SNMP. Can you or someone help me out?

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Answer 5

Mar 21, 2012 4:07 PM in response to HRW06

There are a number of different versions of AirPort Utility in use due to a number of recent updates.

Need to know which version of AirPort Utility that you are using to be able to provide an answer.

Open AirPort Utility - Click Manual Setup

Click the AirPort Utility menu at the upper left corner of the screen

Click About AirPort Utility to see what version you have

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Answer 6

HRW06

Level 1

10 points

Mar 21, 2012 4:25 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Version 6.0

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Answer 7

Mar 21, 2012 4:46 PM in response to HRW06

6.0 will not work. Unfortunately, Apple left SNMP info....and a lot of other useful stuff...off of AirPort Utility 6.0

Suggest that you download and install the much more functional and useful AirPort Utility 5.6 for Mac OS X Lion

Open AirPort Utility 5.6, select your AirPort product, and click Manual Setup

Click the Advanced (gear) icon, then click the Logging & Statstics tab...if not already selected

SNMP info is here

If your AirPort is configured as the "main" router on your network, the screen will look like this:

If your AirPort is configured in Bridge Mode, the screen will look like this:

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Answer 8

HRW06

Level 1

10 points

Mar 21, 2012 5:04 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Thank you very much!

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Answer 9

Mar 29, 2012 8:02 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Hi Bob

Thanks for the great information. Very helpful. I have found, and you have confirmed, that the 6.0 Airport Utility does not have access to the SNMP function. However, I had this turned on on my base station, unknowingly, in previous version of the Airport Utility. I have warned that it is a security risk.

1) Is it a big deal to have it on? I am the only person with access to the base station both physically and remotely.

2) If I should turn it off, what steps can I take to do so? I have an old system with Airport U. 5.6 but will is negatively affect or even work since my Airport Extreme has been "touched" by the newere utility?

Thanks for all the help!

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Answer 10

Mar 29, 2012 8:22 PM in response to AdrianGalli

1) Is it a big deal to have it on? I am the only person with access to the base station both physically and remotely.

It is not a big deal. Few users need to access SNMP info from a remote location on the network unless they are adminstrators for remote networks that they must access over the Internet. My advice would be to Allow SNMP, but not allow SNMP over WAN unless....you really need this function.

2) If I should turn it off, what steps can I take to do so?

Remove the check mark next to Allow SNMP and Update to save the settings.

I have an old system with Airport U. 5.6 but will is negatively affect or even work since my Airport Extreme has been "touched" by the newere utility?

It will work just fine with AirPort Utility 5.6.

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