How to run Airport Utility 5.6.1 on El Capitan?

I have an old Airport Express that I would like to set up. Perfectly good hardware that is more than capable of doing what it is supposed to do... but again Apple will not support the hardware ... makes no sense.


Is there anyway to get Airport Utility 5.6.1 to work on El Capitan ? so I can configure the unit ?


Many thanks

Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6), 2.53Mhz 09, 8gig; 128SSD

Posted on May 21, 2017 2:38 PM

Reply
6 replies

May 21, 2017 11:48 PM in response to cosmiconion

Google "Install AirPort Utility 5.6.1 on El Capitan"


Not really recommended though, since there will be no support in the event of difficulties, and you will have to lower some of the default security settings on your Mac to install the software.


A better and safer plan might be to invite a friend over.....who has a laptop PC.....and use the PC for 5-10 minutes to install AirPort Utility 5.6.1 for Windows and set up the older AirPort Express.


Yes it is ironic that you may have to use a PC to set up a Mac product. Only Apple would do something like this.

May 22, 2017 8:53 AM in response to cosmiconion

It sounds like you have the A1084 or A1088 version of the Express. That makes the product at least 9 years old, and it is probably older.


The average useful life of the product was about 3-4 years, so if you got 9, you did great. The AirPort Express should have failed about 5 years ago.


Pat yourself on the back for your really good luck, and add a new AirPort Express.

May 22, 2017 8:58 AM in response to Bob Timmons

am not there yet ... fired up the g3 ... and its booting to the wrong drive, so my 10.4 needs a full update ... the option key down on start up not letting me select correct drive ... ahhhhh . so we still need to see if the airport express is working


am all for keeping old tech working

2x mac mini late 2009

- one with SSD is a rocket with El Capitan , cannot upgrade further


the wife has

- 2.4mhz 2010 mac boock (white brick) wih SSD

- this runs sierra fine, but wish I left Mountain 10.10 , was an absolute rocket before , now just fine, but at least latest operating


Apple could easily enable the 2009 mini to work with sierra ... but we all know they have internal buttons / tricks that stop support and slow your machine !!!


The only way a poor person can use mac = old tech


However, working increasingly in chrome ... I see increasingly 0 logic for someone to pay apple $$$$$ .... just the way it is ...

May 22, 2017 2:39 PM in response to cosmiconion

In addition to Bob's comments, you actually have another option as well.


... and that is, you can run Parallels or VMware on your El Capitan Mac and create a VM for an earlier OS X version that can support the 5.x version of the AirPort Utility.


FWIW, I use Parallels and have a number of Windows and OS X VMs that I use to help answer posts here at the ASC ... and can attest that you can run the 5.x version this way.

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How to run Airport Utility 5.6.1 on El Capitan?

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