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How to install AirPort Utility 5.6.1 on Mountain Lion

Just in case you'd like to use AirPort Utility 5.6.1 on Mountain Lion (and probalby Lion as well), here's how to install it:

Download the disk image (you can find it here: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1536).
Mount the disk image and drag the install package (AirPortUtility.pkg) to your desktop.
Fire up Terminal and prepare to show off…
Make a temporary directory and cd into it: mkdir tmp ; cd tmp
Extract the Payload file from the install package with xar, here's the command: xar -x -f ~/Desktop/AirPortUtility.pkg Payload
The result will be a directory named AirPortUtility.pkg (just like the file, but now you can move into it to get the files you want). Inside will be a file called Payload that is a compressed archive of AirPort Utility.app.
So our next move is to extract the app. Here's the command: gzcat AirPortUtility.pkg/Payload | tar -xf -
When it finished there will be three new folders Applications, Library, and System. Your nice new copy of AirPort Utility 5.6.1 will be in the Utilities folder inside of the Applications folder. Use Finder to rename it (assuming you want to keep version 6 as well) then drag it to your Applications/Utilities folder.
The other two folders hold the AirPort Base Station Agent and its supporting files. I'm not sure if you need/want these or not. As best I can figure the agent does two things: it checks for updates for AirPort Utility and it monitors AirPort base stations for problems. You probably already have a version running as it comes with the system and it seems to know how to talk to both versions of AirPort Utility (I got nagged about updating).
The final step is to launch AirPort Utility and confirm that it works. You'll probably want to go into preferences and turn off the option to check for updates. If all is good you can remove the temporary directory: cd .. ; rm -rf tmp (or drag it into the trash with Finder).

That pretty much does it. I hope it helps somebody out there.

MacBook Pro (15-inch 2.4/2.2 GHz), OS X Mountain Lion, 4 GB

Posted on Aug 3, 2012 4:34 AM

78 replies

Nov 2, 2012 12:23 AM in response to Douglas Urner

Thanks Doug - this worked brilliantly. Another satisfied customer!

cheers

alby

Nov 21, 2012 9:36 PM in response to Douglas Urner

Thank you so much, Doug! This is fantastic. Brilliant work!

Nov 23, 2012 12:35 PM in response to markhhsp

You can also use the free program The Unarchiver to extract the files.

Nov 30, 2012 10:56 AM in response to Douglas Urner

Instructions fail at step 5 (xar). When I run the command, rather than seeing a directory by the name of "AirportUtility.pkg" with a "Payload" file inside it, I'm getting... another copy of an installer file: what looks like the same package I started with, only with a new creation date, and a smaller file size. So there's nothing to extract with tar (or gzcat). Kinda baffled here.

Any thoughts? I'm on a MacBook Pro, OSX 10.8.2.

Nov 30, 2012 11:16 AM in response to sean.peters

Ok, I was ultimately successful. Neither tar nor gzcat was able to open the newly created package file, failing with an error something like "bad CPU type". But Finder gave me the option to look inside the archive, and I found the Payload file within. Dragged Payload into a new folder... but again, neither tar nor gzcat would open it, failing it with the same error. But it gave me the opportunity open it with an archive utility, which solved the problem... providing the three folders discussed. So I'm up and running.

Tom Neff

Level 1

14 points

Dec 1, 2012 12:33 PM in response to Douglas Urner

There is also a free utility called Unpkg ( http://www.timdoug.com/unpkg/ ) that will extract the contents of any install PKG very neatly. You can skip all the "Termitis" and just go straight to the .app file.

Frozo

Level 2

289 points

Dec 2, 2012 8:17 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Cheers! Right you are. Perfect solution, thank you!

Dec 7, 2012 7:53 AM in response to Douglas Urner

Many thanks - just simply awesome!

Dec 9, 2012 7:13 AM in response to Douglas Urner

Absolutely smackingly perfect! I'm going to take this solution with me to work so customers coming in with older airport issues can be assisted!! I just tried it out and was successful. BTW the contents of the library and system folders that are extracted are NOT necessary and CAN be trashed.

Dec 22, 2012 2:43 AM in response to Douglas Urner

This worked perfectly - many thanks!

jbrady

Level 1

5 points

Dec 22, 2012 7:28 AM in response to Douglas Urner

Thanks that works. How annoying Apple.

Why doesn't Apple either fix the download that their own software (the current Airport Utility on ML) tells you to go get to point you to a version that installs on the OS that the stupid utility is running on? It's not like Airport Utility hasn't been updated since ML came out.

Sgt X

Level 1

0 points

Dec 24, 2012 10:29 AM in response to Douglas Urner

Here's the year's "Man! I Felt JUST Like a Smart Hacker Guy" award for Douglas Urner.

I followed the instructions, and it worked, and *I* felt like a genius. And that's what it's all about.

Thanks, Douglas. Have a merry Christmas.

Regards,

Sgt X

Tom Neff

Level 1

14 points

Dec 24, 2012 12:28 PM in response to Sgt X

Or you could use Unpkg and just drag the app to your desktop. I think nobody reads the last page of these threads. 🙂

Unpkg ( http://www.timdoug.com/unpkg/ ) - I have nothing to do with it except as a user

Dec 30, 2012 3:07 PM in response to Douglas Urner

Cheers! Worked for me. Glad to get that version back. 🙂

NGLDF

Level 1

10 points

Dec 31, 2012 5:05 AM in response to Douglas Urner

Still getting the same error reading the config with 5.6.1 as I did with 6.1. But atleast 5.6.1 manages to find my dev.

I downloaded the windows version and used that with win 7. That worked.

How to install AirPort Utility 5.6.1 on Mountain Lion