Douglas Urner

Q: 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:

 

  1. Download the disk image (you can find it here: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1536).
  2. Mount the disk image and drag the install package (AirPortUtility.pkg) to your desktop.
  3. Fire up Terminal and prepare to show off…
  4. Make a temporary directory and cd into it: mkdir tmp ; cd tmp
  5. Extract the Payload file from the install package with xar, here's the command: xar -x -f ~/Desktop/AirPortUtility.pkg Payload
  6. 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.
  7. So our next move is to extract the app. Here's the command: gzcat AirPortUtility.pkg/Payload | tar -xf -
  8. 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.
  9. 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).
  10. 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 4:47 AM

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Q: How to install AirPort Utility 5.6.1 on Mountain Lion

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  • by bartjr,

    bartjr bartjr Oct 22, 2013 5:25 PM in response to Douglas Urner
    Level 1 (38 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 22, 2013 5:25 PM in response to Douglas Urner

    DabboD - I'm not a terminal expert by any means, but following Doug's technique worked correctly. After each step, verify that the folders/packages exist before proceeding.

     

    Make sure you type the names of the files exactly as they appear on the download. I noted that the download for me was named AirPortUtility56.dmg, and the extracted package was AirPortUtility56Lion.pkg.

     

    You MUST use the exact names on the files, or terminal can't find them.

     

    You MUST type the terminal commands exactly as Doug has indicated - spaces where shown.

     

    Hope that helps.

  • by woodwhisper,

    woodwhisper woodwhisper Nov 27, 2013 9:34 AM in response to bagginsatwelldotcom
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 27, 2013 9:34 AM in response to bagginsatwelldotcom

    Thanks!  this worked perfectly.

  • by Mortiasd,

    Mortiasd Mortiasd Feb 5, 2014 12:08 PM in response to Douglas Urner
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 5, 2014 12:08 PM in response to Douglas Urner

    Yeah Guys you might gonna hate me right now but after you have downloaded the airport utility dmg (5.6.1) all you gotta do is...

     

    1.,     Mount the disk image.

    2.,     Drag the .pkg to the desktop.

    3.,     Right click on the .pkg on the desktop and click "Show package content"

    4.,     Double click payload file let the Archiver do its thing.

    5.,     Than go to payload folder--->Application

    6.,     Drag AirPort Utility to you application folder and DONE.

     

    That's how you gonna be able to configure the old A1088 Model AirPort Expresses

     

    Have a Good One!

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