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AirPort Software 3.2

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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In Mac OS X Software Update, Airport Software 3.2:

This software update provides improved AirPort wireless networking software, and is recommended for all users with an AirPort Extreme enabled computer or an AirPort Extreme base station.

New AirPort Extreme Base Station Features

This software provides support for the Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) specification for the AirPort Extreme base station and AirPort Extreme client. Please see AirPort help for more information on WPA. Also included in this release is v5.2 of the AirPort Extreme base station firmware. Instructions for updating the base station firmware can also be found in AirPort Help.

The AirPort Extreme base station and AirPort Extreme client are Wi-Fi Certified for 802.11b and 802.11g interoperability.

According to MacGeneration the update allows Airport Extreme Products to use all available channels. French users were limited to channels 10-13 previously.

Article Link: AirPort Software 3.2
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2003/10/30/airport-software-3-2/
Seems to have made my signal worse...

I just installed it on Panther on a 15" G4 AlBook and my signal went from 3/4 bars to 2/4 bars. I'm using a 3rd party base station though that isn't Airport Extreme (only 802.11b instead of 802.11g). In case anyone is interested I'm using a D-Link DI-614+ Wireless Router. I might have to uninstall this update.
 
wpa woohoo

now I dont have to deal with wifi hackers

Just today I walked home from school and saw a guy in a toyata with a 15'' pb. He was trying to hack into my network. I changed my ssid to "get the @#$% off my wap". He promptly started his car and drove off :)

if he only drove another few yards he could have access to my schools wide open airport network attached to a t3 line

anyway: I am glad to hear that we finally have wpa
 
Anyone know if this update is just for Extreme and not for regular Airport? I just installed it on my Tibook, I'll give it a shot tomorrow and see if there is any difference. There are a few places at my university that I get poor reception where everyone else seems to get a signal. It would be great if this update fixed this...
 
Originally posted by TheWitePony
Anyone know if this update is just for Extreme and not for regular Airport? I just installed it on my Tibook, I'll give it a shot tomorrow and see if there is any difference. There are a few places at my university that I get poor reception where everyone else seems to get a signal. It would be great if this update fixed this...
Click to expand...

maybe it is YOUR reception

unfortunately Tibook reception is not known for being great :(

hopefuly it is a software issue
 
Dlink guy or gal

You might need to update your D-Links firmware because Apple does state you need to update the Airport Extreme firmware as well.
 
for panther only?

The update is not showing up in my software update, nor could I find it on the downloads page. The only thing there related was for 10.2.3. Is this update part of Apple's wonderful support only the latest OS fun?
 
It isn't showing up on 10.2.8. I guess apple officially stopped supporting jaguar in favor of panther.

-ryan
 
Originally posted by rfenik
It isn't showing up on 10.2.8. I guess apple officially stopped supporting jaguar in favor of panther.

-ryan
Click to expand...

Obviously, because it takes no time at all to develop a version that's compatible with Jaguar :rolleyes:

Have you ever considered that *it might be awhile before they can finalize the Jaguar version*?
 
Just installed the update and see no difference in signal strength and performance (not that it was bad to begin with).

On a side note… I’m starting to suspect that Apple purposely fixes the Airport Extreme Card so that it doesn’t show full signal strength with third party 802.11X Access points. For example I can bring my 12inch PowerBook inch’s away from my Linksys 802.11B/G router and it’ll be two bars short of it being full. The same goes for a Buffalo Access Point at work and an unknown AP at school. When I visit the local Apple Store it’s at Full Strength. ???
 
Originally posted by brooklyn
Just installed the update and see no difference in signal strength and performance (not that it was bad to begin with).

On a side note… I’m starting to suspect that Apple purposely fixes the Airport Extreme Card so that it doesn’t show full signal strength with third party 802.11X Access points.
Click to expand...

Mine usually shows full strength when connected t my D-Link gateway / router at home.

Watching MacStumbler, when the bar goes down it was really because of a signal quality drop (I have a lot of interference from other networks around me. Wireless in a condo is not trivial!)
 
Before installing this update, I could not get a 128-bit hex WEP key to work in Network Preferences (it would in Internet Connect), with either of the two standard prefixed: 0x and $.

After this update, I was able to enter the hex key with a 0x prefix (didn't try to $), and it worked correctly (and connected successfully to both my home and work network). This means network locations work for me again, woohoo!
 
Graphite users?

Should graphite AirPort users download this software? Will it screw me up, or does it even apply to us? The description of the software says it's recommended for Extreme but doesn't say one way or the other for us Base Station 1 folks.

Another question I've been meaning to ask: Should I power down my AirPort base when I'm not using it? What's the official word?
 
Re: Graphite users?

Originally posted by PortlandMacUser
Should graphite AirPort users download this software? Will it screw me up, or does it even apply to us? The description of the software says it's recommended for Extreme but doesn't say one way or the other for us Base Station 1 folks.
Click to expand...
If you're a software update geek like most of us here, you might as well, as long as no crazy issues crop up. Unless your Mac has an AirPort Extreme card, it won't add any functionality (although it might fix some issues or something). It certainly won't do anything for your base station--Apple stopped releasing Graphite firmware updates a while ago.
Another question I've been meaning to ask: Should I power down my AirPort base when I'm not using it? What's the official word?
Click to expand...
Hard to say. Our graphite ABS was on continuously for about two years. Unfortunately, the wireless part of it has stopped working, for unknown reasons. It doesn't have any of the well-known issues AFAICT (definitely doesn't have the "capacitor problem"). So it's pretty much impossible to tell if that resulted from it being on so much or just from being old and crapping out.

It's been replaced with an AEBS that I intend to leave on all the time too.

FWIW
WM
 
I just installed this update and my reception got poorer. Does anyone know what the problem is? Are there any remedies? Thanks!
 
Having upgrade to Panther, I seem to have less power meter bars. However, if it works, this might just be a different way of measuring the same thing.

The thing that disturbed me was that it also didn't get a signal in the living room (antenna in upstairs office) after upgrading. Turning AP off an on seems to help a bit. But not being able to find a base station is definitely a more palpable issue than a different way of measuring signal strength.

So I conclude, from my massively large sample of one, that Apple have "done something".
 
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