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I have an old AirPort Express 802.11g 2004, butI I can't configure it because my AirPort Utility (6.2) doesn't support this base station. What can I do?
iMac, iOS 6.1.3
You need AirPort Utility 5.6 to configure an older Express. The problem with that version is that Mountain Lion will refuse to let you install it.
This dilemma is easily solved. You simply need to extract the app from the installer package using a package extractor like Pacifist or unpkg. Pacifist is shareware, unpkg is free.
Download Pacifist here: http://www.charlessoft.com/
Download unpkg here: http://www.timdoug.com/unpkg/
Download AirPort Utility 5.6 here: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1482
When the AirPort Utility .dmg file finishes downloading, open it to expand and reveal the AirPortUtility56.pkg package installer file.
Directions for Pacifist (I do not have screenshots for unpkg but the idea is similar):
Open Pacifist and from its File menu, navigate to the package and open it.
Click the "reveal triangles" until you see AirPort Utility 5.6.app:
Select it and then click Install from Pacifist's toolbar. It will then be installed in your Utilities folder, and you can quit Pacifist.
The most recent version of AirPort Utility included with Mountain Lion should be used to configure 802.11n - capable AirPort Base Stations, and should not be deleted. It and the older version (which will bear the unique name "AirPort Utility 5.6") can peacefully coexist.
If you happen to have an archived copy of the AU 5.6 app somewhere, such as a Time Machine backup or equivalent, you can simply restore it or drag the app to your Mountain Lion system's Utilities folder instead of resorting to the above procedure. It will run without complaint. It is only the package installer that is the problem.
If you have an older computer with a version of AirPort Utility earlier than 6.0, you can administer it that way as well.
You're welcome Rick, but please start a new Discussion.
Something else is going on that requires more information, and you are more likely to get constructive responses if you do. Thanks!
I tried this, and everything works as you said until I tried to open the AirPort Utility 5.6 app. I get a window that says "You can't use this version of the application 'AirPort Utility 5.6' with this version of OSX."
I'm running OS 10.9.1.
Is this just not possible to do with this vesion? Thanks so much for your help in posting this; I hope I can make it work.
John Galt said it best earlier in this discussion......
AirPort Utility 5.6.1 is for Snow Leopard. The above procedure is required to install AirPort Utility 5.6 on Lion and Mountain Lion systems only.
in other words, it will not work if you try to install on Mavericks OS X 10.9.x.
Thanks. Didn't catch that part.
So I suppose no one has figured out a way to make this work on Mavericks?
Support for the original Express was already hanging by a gossamer thread for some time, and now even that has been permanently and irrevocably severed. To administer one of them will require an older version of OS X.
Thank you thank you thank you so much John for this help. I am using ML and was pulling my hair out trying to figure out why the used Time Capsule I bought wasn't working so well. I was connecting the older Time Capsule to the existing wifi and my first backup was taking days. It was ridiculous. I tried reconfiguring the Time Capsule to create a new network but wasn't able to. But after installing Airport Utility 5.6, everything worked like a charm. The question I have is about upgrading my ML to Mavericks. Is this going to mess with my configurations and older Time Capsule setup? Or my Airport Utility 5.6? What should I do with the Airport Utility 6? Basically useless now right? Thanks again
You can use the latest AirPort Utility version 6 to configure your Time Capsule.
Mavericks won't affect that ability; it is only the original 802.11b/g - only AirPort Express and Extreme models that Mavericks has effectively rendered obsolete. Those models are now quite old.
Dear John,
I was afraid to try out Airport Utility 6.1 for fear of messing up what's already working. I launched it and sure enough it picked up my Time Capsule setup configuration. Just FYI, my device is a a 4th Gen Time Capsule 2TB Model A409 (one of those flat device). I'm a little more confident upgrading to Mavericks if I have to. Thanks a lot again.
For as long as you are running Mountain Lion you can continue to use either AirPort Utility 5.6 or 6.x. They will not conflict with each other. Once you upgrade to Mavericks AU 5.6 will no longer launch.
Hello All,
This is my first time really mining information from these forums (but not my first visit).
A friend of mine suggested I come here because the knowledge base was pretty awesome.
My apologies for asking to get aid on an already lengthy subject on the A1084 1st Gen Airport Base Station. I know it's support is dwindling but my question is this:
After having read through these threaded discussions, I didn't see anything regarding Yosemite, which I am running. Is there a way to get my A1084 up and running? If so is there a particular version of the Airport Utility software that I have to download? I have already downloaded Pacifist. Any help you can provide would be most excellent!
And again, please forgive me as I am not really all that familiar with forum etiquette-If there is an easier way of getting my question answered please let me know.
Thank You In Advance!
Best,
Tyrone Spencer
After having read through these threaded discussions, I didn't see anything regarding Yosemite, which I am running. Is there a way to get my A1084 up and running?
Pacifist will not operate correctly on the Yosemite operating system, so your options are quite limited:
1) Use...or borrow for 10-15 minutes.....a Mac that is running the Leopard (10.5.x) or Snow Leopard (10.6.x) operating system.
2) Use....or borrow for 10-15 minutes....a PC that has AirPort Utility for Windows installed on the device.
3) Risk downloading unauthorized software from the Internet from an unknown author who will provide no support in the event of difficulties. In addition, installing the software will require that you change some of the default security settings on your Mac. Obviously, this option is not recommended, since neither Apple or the support forum will be able to help you in the event of any problems.
This is a great thread for those of us with many original Airport Express units! Tell me, is there a solution yet for users running MacOS Sierra?
How to Configured an old AirPort Express
