airport express rollback firmware to 7.6.1

The firmware versions are specific to the exact model of your AirPort Express base station.

You will first need to determine the Product ID of your Express.

You can do this as follows:

Verify the Product ID of your base station by noting the value of the syAP key in the base station configuration file. Note: This file can be exported using the AirPort Utility's File > Export Configuration File… option in the menu bar.

Next you will want to determine the correct firmware download by reviewing the version.xml file located at: ~/Library/Application Support/Apple/AirPort/Firmware/version.xml

• Open the file in Text Edit (or an editor of your choosing).
• From the Text Edit menu bar, choose Edit > Find > Find…
• Enter "productID" in the search field. The first occurrence should now be highlighted.
  • If it matches the number for your base station, then note the URL provided for the location key. It should be something like: http://apsu.apple.com/data/… This is the location of the firmware file at the Apple servers, which you will want to download.
  • If the numbers do not match, click on the right arrow to the right of the search field to advance to the next match. Keep doing so, until they do. Once found, note the URL provided immediately after the location key.
• Once you have the correct URL, note the value immediately after the "sizeInBytes" key. You will want to compare this with the size of the downloaded file to check to see you have a successful download.
• Open a web browser, and then, enter the URL that you just found from the version.xml file. The firmware should now download to your computer and be located in your default Downloads folder.
• Once the download has completed, verify that the downloaded firmware size matches the file size Apple provided in the "sizeInBytes" key in the version.xml file.

Finally, apply the firmware downgrade:

• Select the Other… option. This will open a Finder window to allow you to locate the firmware file that you just downloaded. By default, it should be located in your Downloads folder.

• Select the firmware file.
• Click Open in the Finder screen. Click on Continue to downgrade or Cancel to abort the process.
• Once completed, you should check to see that the AirPort Utility now shows the correct firmware version.

My guess is that the author of this article, either:

1. Actually has a 1st 802.11n AirPort Express base station, or
2. Somehow hacked his 2nd gen Express to accept a firmware release prior to 7.6.2.

Some nice guy on the web gave be the link for 7.6.1 for apple extreme (id 117) but the updater would not take it, as expected.

... and again, you are lucky that you didn't "brick" your base station. Remember each firmware version is unique to the exact model of each AirPort base station. Review your Mac's version.xml file to find the firmware links to the Apple servers and only download these ... or use the AirPort Utility to do the work for you.

I have checked my available tables.. and I cannot find a 7.6.1 for the Airport Express gen2.

From memory.. very flawed device now.. when apple introduced Gen2 7.6.2 might be the first firmware.

Are you sure the people you are reading on the net are not talking about the Gen1 version Express?

There is a way to discover the info.. but you need console access to the express unfortunately.

I don't own a Gen2 Express to check.. sorry..!!

Let me see if I can find a very old version.xml file but generally Time Machine wiped out all my very old backups.. and I think I just wiped over my very last clone of Mountain Lion. We need someone with a very old backup or clone of a computer that has not been online for a few years.. so the version.xml file will not have updated.

Gen 2 Express did indeed originally ship with 7.6.2, which was quickly replaced by 7.6.3 and again by 7.6.4.

I'm tempted to say that one cannot install an earlier version of firmware on the 2nd Gen, but you may know how to trick the device.

No.. it is different hardware to the Gen1 and will brick if an attempt got past all the checks to stop it happening.

Thanks for memory confirmation Bob.. I checked through the listing of firmware Tesserax did in 2016.. and 7.6.1 is not listed for the ID=115. 7.6.2 was the earliest. I wanted to check it via console on an actual unit.. but so far we have three separate sources.. my memory.. your memory.. and the 2016 list.. all point to NO 7.6.1

Gen1 and Gen2 can be confusing because we normally call the first N wireless model Gen1 .. hence Gen2 is the latest, current, and soon to disappear model.. whereas other people call the original G wireless Gen1 and so the first N wireless model is Gen2.. messy ey??

Talk to me direct and I can turn on console access and you will be able to discover the truth.. !!

email is on the webpage.

LaPastenague

Some nice guy on the web gave be the link for 7.6.1 for apple extreme (id 117) but the updater would not take it, as expected.

The "Gen" stuff is very confusing. It would really help if we got the model number.

Some folks call the old 802.11"g" version Gen 1. This would be model number A1084 or A1088 depending on whether it was an overseas version or North/South America version.

The next model that came out was the A1264....which was the first "n" AirPort wireless product, so Apple called it a Gen 1 version, but it was actually a second generation AirPort Express product if you call the original "g" version Gen 1.

The official Gen 2 model is A1392. It is the only AirPort Express with 2 Ethernet ports. Apple called this model Gen 2 because it was simultaneous dual band, whereas the earlier models were only single band operation.

The official Gen 2 model originally shipped with firmware 7.6.2. Firmware 7.6.1 could only be installed on the A1264 version.....because 7.6.1 did not ever support simultaneous dual band operation.

I'm sure the author of the article meant well though.

Could I solve my issue by using this guy's trick??

The best "trick" is to use a wired Ethernet connection from the main router to the AirPort Express.

If you cannot run the Ethernet cable, the next best "trick" would be to use a pair of Ethernet over powerline adapters.

After that, a 5 GHz connection would be preferred.....if.....the AirPort Express is in close proximity to the router.

After that, a 2.4 GHz connection comes next. There is much more interference from other networks and other sources on the 2.4 GHz band, but the signals are stronger than 5 GHz once you move a room or more away from the main router.

How well....or if.....2.4 GHz will work for you cannot be predicted. Let us know on your results if you decide to try this.

A Product ID of 115 would indicate that you have a 2nd generation 802.11n AirPort Express Base Station. Model Number: A1392.

With this model, there is no 7.6.1 firmware version available. Your choices are: 7.6.9, 7.6.8, 7.6.7, 7.6.4, 7.6.3, or 7.6.2. Has Bob has mentioned, this model shipped with 7.6.2.

Located in your Mac's ~/Library/Application Support/Apple/AirPort/Firmware folder you will find a file named, version.xml. If you open up this file in Text Edit and search for productID of 115 you should find every firmware version available that also includes a link to the Apple servers where you can download it from.

Using a firmware version, not specific to your base station, can brick it. Normally, upgrading or downgrading firmware should be done through the AirPort Utility.

Then I would still need the Product ID for your Express.