Q: Why won't AirPort Utility 5.6 install on OS 10.7.5?   Have tried several times on 2 computers and continually get error

If you are already running AirPort Utility 6, you can't install AirPort 5.6 using the installer because you are trying to install an older version than the one you have.

You have to do different steps in order to install that version. See > http://frank.is/mountain-lion-and-the-old-airport-utility/

Yes, installing it is not as simple as you may think. First you need to remove AU 6.2. Then you have to use Pacifist 3.0.10 to install AU 5.6.

Open the Terminal in your Utilities folder. Enter or paste this line into the Terminal window:

sudo rm -rf

Put a space after "rf" then drag the Airport Utility icon from your Utilities folder into the Terminal window. Press RETURN.

Now open Pacifist and drag your AU 5.6 installer into Pacifist to open the installer. Select the topmost entry in the window, then click on the Install icon in the toolbar. This will install the older version. You may get message dialogs about overwriting existing files with the same name. Let Pacifist overwrite those files.

Catch 22. Apple is the software manufacturer, so you may need to contact them for this specific issue.

AirPort Utility 5.6 will not install on Mountain Lion 10.8.x either, using Apple's installer. But, there are several workarounds that seem to allow this.

One of them is discussed in this article:

http://www.macworld.com/article/1167965/mountain_lion_and_the_ancient_airport_ba se_station.html

I do not have a Lion 10.7.5 Mac here to test, but can say that the workaround does work on Mountain Lion for me. Follow the instructions in Pacifist to manually "extract" the AirPort Utility 5.6 application and install it in the Utilities folder on your Mac.

It might work on Lion, if you want to give it a try. Otherwise, if you do not want to contact Apple, you could use another Mac....if available.... running an earlier operating system to configure the Express. Even a PC would work for the same purpose.

You are welcome

The use of Pacifist I suggested is quite similar to what you did. Congrats to you for figuring it out.

Hi tswygert, can you give the version of unpkg?

thanks

unpkg 4.5

Thank you. Pacifist did it.

This is just outrageous. I have two old AE's which have for all practical purposes been bricked by Apple. They are the one who should fix this issue for those of us who are not nerdly persons.

Tell Apple. It won't do much good to gripe at other users.

Apple - AirPort Express - Feedback

Pacifist will open the package. I used that to install AU 5.6 on my Mac running Mountain Lion.

Good luck!

I think that intlpvi has already told us that solutions like Pacifist are too "nerdly" for his tastes. Might be wrong, though.

Thanks Bob, I didn't realize that. I need to read more carefully. Much appreciated.