How can I detect what version firmware is installed in my Airport Extreme base station?

October 14, 2008 5:24 PM

How can I detect what version firmware is installed in my Airport Extreme base station?

I just updated it a few days ago (I clicked "ok" when it asked me if I wanted to upgrade without checking the version number) and now it won't recognize my Airport Express I have in the other room which wirelessly connects my printer to my network. The Airport Express has the blinking amber light of death. The base station still works flawlessly (it did before the upgrade as well) so I'm thinking of reverting to a previous version of firmware, and the apple site is NO help as to which is the most recent. Anyone know how? Any other ideas as to what i can do?

posted by semidivine to computers & internet (2 comments total)

In the "Applications > Utilities" folder, open "AirPort Utility". Select the access point. The firmware revision is printed under the "Version" field.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 5:37 PM on October 14, 2008

As for your actual problem, check your encryption settings - both ends need to be set to "WPA/WPA2 Personal", not just "WPA2 Personal". I did the update yesterday, and it took me a few hours to figure that one out...

AFAICT, because WDS isn't exactly standardised yet, Apple's implementation (and almost everybody else's BTW; it's not just an Apple thing...) only supports WEP or WPA between WDS nodes. They need to be configured to handle both - WPA between the main / relay / remote*, and WPA2 between each base & the client PCs.

(*It also looks like Apple have done away with their silly "WDS client" mode which only supported Airtunes & remote printers, & disabled the Ethernet port on the client Airport.)
posted by Pinback at 10:28 PM on October 14, 2008