port forwarding for latest airport extreme

For the basics on how to configure the latest AirPort Extreme for port mapping/forwarding please check out the following AirPort User Tip.

Hey Tesserax,

Have you run into issues with portmapping in the new 6.3 version of the utility?

I found it necesarry to use older utility (5.6.1) on my spring 2013 base station, after reading about others having issues in several forums (would not actually map, or change existing mapping; it would look OK in utility but not actually function).

When I asked an Apple rep, I was told these are now considered consumer products and port mapping isn't supported (not that it ever was, but thank goodness the older utility did the job for me).

Now a friend is strugging with a new set up, and the reserved IP address feature seems to be rather shy as well. It's configured correctly, but the server is reporting an IP conflict (as workaround he is currently resetting DHCP to a higher range).

However, the normal port mapping DID work, so perhaps things have improved since Spring.

Still, I see my base station wants a firmware update, and I think I will wait!

Personally I haven't come across these issues with my experiences with version 6.x of the AirPort Utility to date.

But I have to admit I am disappointed with what seems like Apple's abandonment of the earlier version. With every succesive OS X update, version 5.x gets farther behind. First with installation issues on Mountain Lion and who knows if it's even supported in the next reincarnation of OS X.

I certainly disagree with the Apple Rep you spoke with if this is Apple's new direction. I would have hoped that Apple recognizes that there are different levels of consumers with their products. I can understand offering a version for those who "just want it to work," but I feel they can still support more techically astute folks who want to a "bit more" from their networks.

Very disappointed as well. I feel like Apple is abandoning the business community with oversights like this.

The solution to yesterday's dilemma was to roll back to the older base station.

The new base station, which could only be seen with the new utility, was not taking the custom DHCP settings. Neither reserving the static IP, nor limiting the IP range outside the static IP (of the Xserve) would take. I was actually surprised it took the port forwarding, since I had no success with my new base station and v6 earlier this year.

The symptoms, for the sake of other's troubleshooting, were extreme slowness and intermittent connection on the server, and log report of invalid Server serial number, and conflicting IP. (My VNC connection took as much as 10 minutes to redraw, so I could only observe).

Tthe new base station (now just a bridge) is on firmware 7.7.1, and lacks compatibity with Airport Utility 5.6.1. My own new basestation firmware is 7.6.3, which does work. I'd like to know what the highest v5.6.1 compatible firmware and model version is. Anyone out there have a higher FW working with v5 util?

My own new basestation firmware is 7.6.3, which does work. I'd like to know what the highest v5.6.1 compatible firmware and model version is. Anyone out there have a higher FW working with v5 util?

FWIW ... both my 4th generation Extreme and Time Capsule are running v7.6.4. Both work with AirPort Utility v5.6 on my Mac mini running OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.5.

I do not have a Leopard or Snow Leopard Mac running v5.6.1 to verify your findings. When I get a chance I will double-check v5.6.1 for my Windows 8 box.

I have the same experience that kafelatte post 9/13/ with my extreme the port forwarding worked fine until I let an update 7.6.4 run. I have spent hours researching this on the net. I went to Apple last week and was going to pay for a support call but they do not support port forwarding and they will not help me go back to a preveious version on my extreme. Any idea I have two server apps that need port forwarding..... Please

So Bob, are you saying 'old' Airport Version 5.6.1 can't talk to firmware 7.6.4? Or do you need help acquiring v5?

Doesn't it SUCK that we all spend countless hour researching the exact same things?! It should be a crime not to share sucessful work arounds! Apple should be more helpful in supporting business customers in this regard as well.

I have rolled back my extreme frimware back to 7.5.2 that is the earliest that I can find on my machine. It still does not work. I put in all the required values and it looks like it takes them when I update... but when i use one of the port forward test tools availabe on the net it show all my port are blocked and I cannot hit my server.. I am stumped and there is no help... I do not know what to do next -- I am ready to throw all my Apple stuff out and buy another brand! Go back to Microsoft and Cisco.

I'm not clear which version of the utility did not work. We know the new version 6 is of no use. Did you try utility version 5.6.1? Of course I have last year's airport, not the tall cylindar shaped one.

Just checked with a buddy, he did try v5 util with newest. His comment was 'just as flakey'. Ended up using an older airport to do routing and the newer became a timecapsule-only device. He did not try with the older firmware. He would love for you to share how to do the firmware roll back.

Here is a screen shot of the utility.. you can see the arrow to the left of Version .. there is a drop down of availabe versions I just clicked on the oldest and updated.

Thanks, I'll pass that on. BTW - the utility UI you are showing is different than the one that works well with my AP. Windows? May still be worth a shot to run Airport Utilty 5.6.1 from OSX 10.8 or older. If you don't have that exact one, I can drop box it to you. But it should still be out there on the internet somewhere.