woodwhisper
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Q: Installing Airport Utility 5.6.1 in order to configure older Airport Extreme/g model doesn't work as it won't install with OS 10.8.5 Mountain Lion. Solution?

I need to configure Airport Extreme Base Station 802.11b/g but Airport Utility 6.3.1 will not work. 

 

I found this page:  http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5022

it recommends installing Airport Utility 5.6 which downloads as 5.6.1

but it will not install on Mountain Lion OS 10.8.5

 

so what to do?

AirPort Extreme Base Station, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Nov 27, 2013 9:12 AM

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woodwhisper

Q: Installing Airport Utility 5.6.1 in order to configure older Airport Extreme/g model doesn't work as it won't install with OS 10.8 ... more

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  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Nov 27, 2013 1:18 PM in response to woodwhisper
    Level 9 (50,389 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 27, 2013 1:18 PM in response to woodwhisper

    AirPort Utility 5.6.1 is for Snow Leopard. Use 5.6 for Lion or Mountain Lion.


    You can use the following workaround to install AirPort Utility 5.6 on a Lion or Mountain Lion Mac:

     

    Be sure to read the caveats at the end.

     

     

    Lion / Mountain Lion's package installer will refuse to install superseded versions of AirPort Utility. Instead you will need to use a package extractor such as 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:

     

     

    Screen Shot 2013-01-08 at 3.35.25 PM.png

     

     

    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. Make no attempt to delete it. It and the older version (which will bear the unique name "AirPort Utility 5.6") can peacefully coexist. Use the older version only as necessary for older AirPort Base Stations that cannot be administered any other way.

     

    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.


    Keep in mind that Apple's decision to abandon support for the original AirPort Express and AEBS was for reasons known only to them. Remember that you are using obsolete equipment, should some future OS X feature not work for you.