Q: I am using Mac OS version 10.9.2 how can I configure a 802.11g AirPort Express? I have AirPort Utility 5.6 but can't run it

Support for the original, 802.11g - only base stations is gone in Mavericks. You will need to obtain and use, at least temporarily, a Mac running a commensurately older version of OS X.

That is a really, really ugly workaround and for my hardware setups is already proving to be a significant annoyance. I expected several more years use out of numerous Airport Express devices which I am currently unable to re-configure.

... I expected several more years use out of numerous Airport Express devices which I am currently unable to re-configure.

Just how many more years did you expect from a device that was discontinued over six years ago?

This post caught me by surprise and I checked it out and yep, Airport Utility 5.X doesn't run on Mavs.  

Airport Util 5.X does run on Lion and Mountain Lion.  I use Airport Util 5.X on varying  types of Airport devices as 5.X lets me access logs, graphs, and send airport logs to a server.   

There are software products like Parallels, VMWare Fusion and VirtualBox  that can run Lion and Mountain Lion as virtual Machines on your Mac so you can still use Airport Util 5.X  

Apple made it. It has no moving or wearing parts. What kind of wear and tear does data throughput cause?

My frustration stems from the fact that the devices haven't stopped working. They are quite capable of continuing to fill their function.

Or at least they will be once I can figure out how to update their settings for a situation that has changed, but not changed enough to warrant the expense of replacing the devices.

dwbrecovery wrote:

 

There are software products like Parallels, VMWare Fusion and VirtualBox  that can run Lion and Mountain Lion as virtual Machines on your Mac so you can still use Airport Util 5.X  

With the exception of a third-party solution—which apparently applies scripting techniques which, for reasons beyond my understanding, are said to put system stabiltiy at risk—this appears to be the most workable solution I have found thus far.

I have never made much use of virtual machines or similar packages and what little time I spent with them was... well, unproductive, to say the least. Admittedly, that was a number of years ago so those experiences may no longer apply. Nevertheless, from where I'm standing this feels rather more like a kludge with a heavy learning curve than a straightforward solution.

Perhaps I'll be surprised.

My frustration stems from the fact that the devices haven't stopped working.

Neither have any of my Apple devices, the oldest of which dates back to 1985, and some of which remain in daily use with Macs running Mavericks. They have plenty of moving parts, too.

I gather you would be thrilled if your Express were to have simply have stopped working some time ago. If you are waiting for it to die, you may have a very, very long wait.

They are quite capable of continuing to fill their function.

So do OS X Panther, Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Lion, and Mountain Lion. All those operating systems are quite capable of administering your original AirPort Express. Use one of them, as I explained in my original reply to this Discussion.

Even if you were to consider your old Express fully depreciated, which it is not, it cost you all of about 25¢ a week to enjoy the benefits of using it. If you consider such an expense unwarranted, you ought to reevaluate what you consider an essential expense, and what does not.