Apple issues key software update for Time Capsule, AirPort Extreme

[AppleInsider]

Late Thursday evening, Apple released firmware updates for the 2009 Time Capsule and AirPort Extreme that resolves issues on the new devices. A parallel update also adds Back to My Mac drive sharing support to the prior generation of the wireless base stations.

The updates for both the new and previous Time Capsule and AirPort Base Station (802.11n) are all designated as firmware 7.4.1. The newest revision that had been available to previous models was 7.3.2, and the new 2009 models shipped with 7.4

The updates can be applied using AirPort Utility, typically located in the Applications/Utilities directory on systems running Mac OS X, but only after downloading the AirPort Utility 5.4.1 released this past Tuesday.

What's new in 7.4.1

A support article on Apple's site details the changes delivered by the firmware 7.4.1 update:





For AirPort Extreme (Early 2009) and Time Capsule (Early 2009) that ship with firmware 7.4, the firmware 7.4.1 update:
Resolves an issue in which a client computer may be disconnected when waking from sleepAddresses an issue in which redirecting SMTP port services may disable IP-layer networkingImproves the reliability of Back to My Mac-based disk sharingIncludes recent AirPort security updates
For AirPort Extreme with 802.11n (Fast Ethernet), AirPort Extreme with 802.11n (Gigabit Ethernet), AirPort Express with 802.11n, and original Time Capsule models, the firmware 7.4.1 update:
Enables remote administration and remote access to compatible USB connected drives via Back to My Mac (except on AirPort Express)Improves reliability when backing up to a Time Capsule via Time MachineIncludes recent AirPort security updates
Once applied, the update adds a MobileMe tap in the Advanced section of the AirPort's configuration (pictured below). After entering an account and password, the base station will need to be restarted.



Also included in the update are a trio of security updates outlined here, mostly pertaining to enhancements to the base station's IPv6 stack.

As was noted by AppleInsider in a previous article, the 7.4.1 firmware update adds the ability to access drives attached to 802.11n AirPort Extremes and Time Capsules over MobileMe, but does not deliver the guest networking and simultanious dual-band features of the just-released models because those features require hardware support.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[DaGert]

Any idea if the TC's Back-to-my-Mac functionality will work with multiple, remote Mac using different MobileMe accounts? Ie., Can I and my wife both access the TC using different laptops/MobileMe accounts remotely? It seems the Back-to-my-Mac functionality is tied to a single MobileMe account.....

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by DaGert

Any idea if the TC's Back-to-my-Mac functionality will work with multiple, remote Mac using different MobileMe accounts? Ie., Can I and my wife both access the TC using different laptops/MobileMe accounts remotely? It seems the Back-to-my-Mac functionality is tied to a single MobileMe account.....

I would expect so. I will be trying this later as we have a family membership and the previous version AE.

[eh270]

Great, seems to have fried my AEBS (Gigabit).

Doesn't broadcast wifi, I can only "see" it when connected with ethernet, and if I double click it to tweak settings, I get:

Make sure your Apple wireless device is plugged in and in range of your computer or connected via Ethernet and try again. (-5)

Thanks apple.

[Wiggin]

So they can add Back to My Mac remote disk access to my Extreme, but they can't (won't?) support Time Machine backup to that same disk attached to the USB port? What is it about the Extreme that is the problem? If it were just protecting TC sales, I would have thought they wouldn't have added remote disk access, either. So what gives?

[noirdesir]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Enables remote administration and remote access to compatible USB connected drives via Back to My Mac (except on AirPort Express)

As others have noted, this apparently still requires a Mac at home. The new thing is only that drives connected via USB to a TC or AEBS are visible when connecting to your Mac at home via Back-to-my-Mac. The IPsec connection most likely still requires a full-blown OS.

Regarding remote Time Machine backups, any current user of MobileMe and Back-to-my-Mac can already answer this question (without needing a Time Capsule). Can TM backup to an internal or external drive of the Mac to which one is connected remotely?

[tpf1952]

Took me a while to make the same discovery: the Mac at home must still be powered up; now we gain access to USB drives attached to TC. For a while I had this notion that I could log on to me.com from any computer and find my way to that same USB drive, whether or not a mac at home was powered up. I get greedy.


[QUOTE=noirdesir;1385995]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Enables remote administration and remote access to compatible USB connected drives via Back to My Mac (except on AirPort Express)/QUOTE]
As others have noted, this apparently still requires a Mac at home. The new thing is only that drives connected via USB to a TC or AEBS are visible when connecting to your Mac at home via Back-to-my-Mac. The IPsec connection most likely still requires a full-blown OS.

Regarding remote Time Machine backups, any current user of MobileMe and Back-to-my-Mac can already answer this question (without needing a Time Capsule). Can TM backup to an internal or external drive of Mac to which one is connected remotely?

[amac4me]

Overall, this was a nice move by Apple. They didn't have to release the firmware updates. As a gen1 Time Capsule owner, I'm happy with this move.

[cybermac]

Has anyone configured the time capsule, registration portion of back to my mac. THere seems to be a tab during the firmware update, for mobile me, but i am still unable to remotely access my files via the internet as stated? Did apple or does anyone have any recommendations on how this process is going to work?

[Manu_E73]

Originally Posted by eh270

Great, seems to have fried my AEBS (Gigabit).

Doesn't broadcast wifi, I can only "see" it when connected with ethernet, and if I double click it to tweak settings, I get:

Make sure your Apple wireless device is plugged in and in range of your computer or connected via Ethernet and try again. (-5)

Thanks apple.

I have the same problem with my Airport Extreme after the firmware update. Any solution for this, besides a hard reset?

[bspears]

I have the same problem. The AEBS is still working but I cannot change the configuration. I get the same message. My solution is a 4:40 appointment at the Genuis Bar in Los Gatos.

edit to add............taken from the apple discussion boards....


Had the same problem this morning. Airport Utility connected via cable could see the AEBS, but got a -5 error when trying to do anything else, including trying to revert. Here's how I solved it.

Had to do a hard reset of the AEBS. Pushed pin button on back of AEBS for 5 seconds until light blinked. Then, had to re-enter all of my custom settings. Fortunately, I have those written down in a file for just such a purpose. Had to rename it, set up Internet access, passwords, ports, the works. But still, only took 5 minutes.

The good news was that when I reset the AEBS, it was still using the new 7.4.1 firmware. After re-entering all my settings, I now have the new features of 7.4.1, and it seems to reboot faster as well. I can connect fine using wireless Macs, but I did notice that it asked for the password again several time and failed, and then suddenly worked. You may want to try turning off Airport and then turning it back on again on the Mac if having trouble.

[digitalclips]

Since updating firmware a MacBook with a 24" LCD now sees the network with lid closed again ... yeah ... but the Canon MX850 attached to the USB port on the AE has stopped working. grrrr.

[liuping]

I got the new dual band Extreme last night and updated my other Extreme and Express N routers this morning.

I was disappointed to find out that even with the new dual mode Extreme as my main router, the Express only connects to the 2.4GHz b/g radio when set up as a wireless access point. They are both N and it seems a waste.

Also the other Extreme can still only use 2.4GHz 'g' mode when set up in WDS mode.

[Sevenfeet]

OK, I upgraded my AEBS and two AExpress-N base stations to 7.4.1 last night with no problems. But after looking at this posting on Appleinsider, I'm expecting that I can hook up an external drive to my AEBS and be able to see it while outside my network via MobileMe (which I can't do with my Leopard Server due to Leopard Server's security model). But something I didn't expect was to see the MobileMe tab appear on my Airport Express configuration (Advanced icon). If you can't hook up an external drive to an Airport Express (and there isn't configuration for that feature in 7.4.1), then what's the purpose of having a MobileMe tab?

Very weird...

[mfarver]

OK,

So I did the Airport utility update, Time Capsule firmware update, didn't change anything settings or passwords, but now my other Mac's in the kitchen, bedroom, & my iPhone, cannot connect to my wireless network. They all see it, but when try to connect, each gets a get "connection timeout" message.

I have tried the restart down the line from the cable modem, etc. but nothing. Help?

michael

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by mfarver

OK,

So I did the Airport utility update, Time Capsule firmware update, didn't change anything settings or passwords, but now my other Mac's in the kitchen, bedroom, & my iPhone, cannot connect to my wireless network. They all see it, but when try to connect, each gets a get "connection timeout" message.

I have tried the restart down the line from the cable modem, etc. but nothing. Help?

michael

I had similar problem and had to reset and start over then everything worked. I also had a weird thing where I had to update my Canon printer drivers before it worked again over the network.

[irobot2004]

Ok, great I updated the firmware on my AEB n and Express n, now I can't extend my AEB wireless network with the Express...

Will try unplugging and restarting everything...

[irobot2004]

Originally Posted by irobot2004

Ok, great I updated the firmware on my AEB n and Express n, now I can't extend my AEB wireless network with the Express...

Will try unplugging and restarting everything...

Well, that didn't fix it. Anyone know how to uninstall the updates?

Thanks! Never mind, found it (in the Airport utility under the BaseStation menu if you select upload it will let you revert to a previous version)

[irobot2004]

> Ok, finally after 3 hours of my life spent restarting, unplugging and googling for solutions,
> my AEB and Airport Express are working again after making the unfortunate decision to
> upgrade my firmware.
[...]

Ok, my bad... I just realized I inadvertently made a small setting change after the update which was the real culprit. I was finally able to get the wireless network to work with the updated firmware.

The firmware update did cause a problem where the airport would not reacquire the network after sleep/reboot/logout even after reverting to the previous version. The log showed the following errors:

Macintosh-6 airportd[805]: No networks found on channels remembered for MYSSID
Macintosh-6 kernel[0]: en1: Supported channels 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 149 153 157 161 165
Macintosh-6 airportd[805]: Could not find "MYSSID"

and After much googling I found a solution... remove:

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.airport.preferences.plist

this file keeps a list of previous networks and whatever looks for previously used networks apparently was getting confused (possibly because the firmware update resulted in significantly different channel numbers). All is working now, but what a struggle...

[mfarver]

Originally Posted by digitalclips

I had similar problem and had to reset and start over then everything worked. I also had a weird thing where I had to update my Canon printer drivers before it worked again over the network.

I must not be living the good karma life you are -I again started from the cable modem reboot, a hard reset on time capsule, etc. I have not wireless to any of my other Mac's or iPhones in the house; I still am getting a "connection timeout" as soon as I try to join my network.

[e1618978]

I love my new 1TB time capsule, but my xbox360 doesn't. I had to set up my old Airport Extreme as a bridge router plugged into the TC Ethernet port before the xbox could see any network.

It didn't work with any of the security settings, but everything else did. If you are upgrading from an AE to a TC and have an xbox, don't give away your old AE until everything works.

[eh270]

OK, I was able to bring my AEBS back from the dead by doing a paperclip reset, but now I'm noticing it takes my laptop a good 12 seconds to find and join the wireless network; before the update, it was at most 2 seconds.

Anyone else having this problem?

ETA: I'm using it in N-only (5GHz) mode...

[canucklehead]

Anyone know if you set an airport extreme/time capsule to 5Ghz mode and use an airport express to extend the network, whether or not you can set the express to n (a/g compatibility) mode so that you can essentially have "dual band"? I hate that in order to allow my iPod touch to have internet access, I have to compromise the speed of my mac pro and macbook pro.

[mfarver]

Originally Posted by mfarver

I must not be living the good karma life you are -I again started from the cable modem reboot, a hard reset on time capsule, etc. I have not wireless to any of my other Mac's or iPhones in the house; I still am getting a "connection timeout" as soon as I try to join my network.

OK, so when all else apple fails, look for answers elsewhere. On a whim, I disabled the wireless network for my in home security system, and voila, wireless computer access everywhere. I changed channels on the security system, chose another higher channel on my Airport setup (instead of automatic) and all is right with the world.

So check your wireless phones, etc.

[aresee]

Ok, yesterday I started getting the Airport Utility app starting on its own to tell me that an upgrade was available. I kept saying no and exiting the app. This morning I woke up to find that Airport Utility was not only open but that my two n devices were shut down and were not responsive to the utility app. (A Time Capsule and the original Airport Extreme N.) After restarting Airport Utility I was able to talk to my n devices and successfully restarted them.

[eh270]

Originally Posted by canucklehead

Anyone know if you set an airport extreme/time capsule to 5Ghz mode and use an airport express to extend the network, whether or not you can set the express to n (a/g compatibility) mode so that you can essentially have "dual band"? I hate that in order to allow my iPod touch to have internet access, I have to compromise the speed of my mac pro and macbook pro.

If you take almost any wireless b/g router properly configured to work standalone, then disable the DHCP server, and connect it to the AEBS (LAN port to LAN port, don't plug it into the WAN/Internet port), you can join the b/g network and the AEBS will handle the DHCP routing. I have been using that exact setup for months now, it works perfectly.

[Nathaniello]

Good stuff, no you're right they didn't have to release these but i'm glad that they Buy Cheap Landlords Insurance on the whole a positive move from them and good PR getting them out

Thanks for this its much appreciated :-)