Apple Updates AirPort Utility, AirPort Base Station Firmware - Adds iCloud Remote Access

by Brian Klug on 1/30/2012 5:27:00 PM
Posted in Apple , Airport Express , Airport Extreme , Time Capsule , iCloud

Apple just pushed out a slew of updates to its WiFi related products which we've covered and reviewed already, including the AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule. The latest update brings the Base Station firmware version to 7.6.1, and adds performance fixes as well as iCloud remote access for attached disks. From the release notes:

This update is for all 802.11n AirPort Express, 802.11n AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule models. It fixes an issue with wireless performance and provides support for remote access to an AirPort disk or a Time Capsule hard drive with an iCloud account.

I've just updated my own AirPort Extreme and 802.11n AirPort Express, and we'll update if we see anything major. The other part of the update includes AirPort Utility 6.0 which matches the style and theme of the recently released AirPort Utility for iOS. Thus far the update seems to be primarily aesthetic, though a number of old options panes have been consolidated in some places.

One notable change is the repositioning of the wireless client RSSI graph, which now gets reported after clicking on the base station as a pop-up. Interestingly enough, older AirPort devices will be configured using AirPort Utility 5.6 going forwards, and it's in this client that you can access options absent in 6.0, including the logs and wireless client graphs.

Gallery: AirPort Utility 6.0 on OS X, Base Station Firmware 7.6.1

We're playing around with the updates and will update soon with more details. Both updates are currently available over Software Update.

Source: Apple (1), (2)

Print This Article 5 Comments View All Comments Post a Comment IPv6 by Henk Poley on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 Don't forget about the IPv6 (tunnel) settings they removed in Airport Utility 6.0 Henk Poley Reply RE: IPv6 by BetChesed on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 indeed. it seems like 6.0 is an attempt to remove a handful of features that only confuse novice users. BetChesed Reply Lion Only? by NCM on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 Also AirPort Utility 6.0 appears to be Lion only, or at least it doesn't show up in Snow Leopard's software update. NCM Reply Great minds? by evilspoons on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 Huh, you have exactly the same wireless configuration as me (bridge mode, Airport Express, etc) except I have a Time Capsule instead of an Airport Extreme + hard drive. evilspoons Reply Windows version? by laytoncy on Wednesday, February 01, 2012 I'm thinking of getting an Airport Extreme but am a Windows user. I know this is a firmware update but it seems they updated the Airport Utility as well. From what I've read that is used to administer the router as opposed to a web page based utility. Was the Airport Utility updated for Windows? laytoncy Reply Subject Comment Post Comment Please login or register to post a comment.
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Review: Griffin Beacon Universal Remote

The Griffin Beacon is a universal remote control app and hardware combo that can be used with a huge number of living-room devices.

Instead of an attachment for your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch, it works using a separate infrared box which links through Bluetooth. The box must be placed within range of all the devices you want to control. This might be a problem if (for example) your stereo is in a different part of the room to your TV and video.

After an initial pairing, you re-establish the connection by switching on Bluetooth on your iOS device and pressing down on the Beacon, so there's no lengthy reconnection process to go through.

The actual remote controlling is done using a free third-party app. Simply browse for your remote by device type and manufacturer, and the app lets you test several different remotes to see which is the right one.

We found it infallible when pairing the various remotes in our living room, though as we started to watch an episode of 24 we realised we were actually watching the wrong one and our Toshiba DVD player iPad remote had the Menu button greyed out. We managed to get it back by pointing the original Toshiba remote at the Beacon and pressing the appropriate button.

At £61, the Beacon is a mostly impressive device for a fairly good price. The inconvenience of connecting to Bluetooth devices within iOS has been kept to a minimum, while the app is slick and can easily learn the commands it doesn't have the details for.