Looking for "Apple Time Capsule & AirPort Base Station 7.4.1" firmware

[shuckit]

I'm looking for a link to download the 7.4.1 Airport Base Station firmware that doesn't involve using apple's 'airport utility' program.

I've updated to 10.5.7 and the nice people at apple care have informed me that my old airport extreme (b/g) and airport express (b/g) are now completely useless because 10.5.7 is not backwards compatible with the old airports. I have trouble connecting to and keeping a wireless signal.

What apple has essentially done with their benign 'airport utility' program is control access to the new firmwares (7.4.x). In the past they have issued the firmware updates publicly with a link to a .dmg file. Now you need to run the 'airport utility' to verify you have a new airport (802.11.n) before they let you download the airport base station firmware.

I think this is just a ploy to make people like me toss out their old hardware and buy new airports. I've fallen off the back of the treadmill and I don't want to toss out perfectly good hardware b/c I cannot get access to the software update like every new user can.

Can someone help find me the firmware update?

 

[gr8tfly]

The b/g Airport Extreme is version 5.7. That's the latest update for it. I don't have an Express to check.

I'm using the current Airport Utility to manage it, under 10.5.7, so I'm not sure what they were talking about.

As far as connection issues: Try changing the channel. If you have neighbors (for instance) who use the same channel, it can conflict. Move the channel at least a couple away (higher or lower), and/or if your current channel is in the upper half, move to the lower half. Also, if you have any 2.4GHz cordless phones, consider replacing them with 5.8GHz. They will definitely interfere.

 

[shuckit]

That's odd. I've got your setup, 10.5.7 with an old airport extreme (b/g) v5.7 firmware and it has made my wireless connection so shoddy since updating to 10.5.7.

The nice folks at applecare were quick to point out there was free shipping on the new time capsules and airports. Of course they had already solved the problem twice today before I called back the third time.

 

[gr8tfly]

That's odd. I've got your setup, 10.5.7 with an old airport extreme (b/g) v5.7 firmware and it has made my wireless connection so shoddy since updating to 10.5.7.

The nice folks at applecare were quick to point out there was free shipping on the new time capsules and airports. Of course they had already solved the problem twice today before I called back the third time.

I still use both a new "n" AEBS and the "g". That keeps the transfer speeds up for Time Machine on our MBA, shared drives, and between my MBP and tv. If you only use it for internet access, there's really not too much point in upgrading (it looks like that's the conclusion you've come to, too).

I've seen some reports of 10.5.7 both improving and degrading wireless connections. I haven't seen anything concrete either way, though.

Too bad they're giving out bad information. That really isn't typical.