Slashdot Mirror
AirPort Software Updated to v3.4
iumacboy writes "Available now in your Software Update, Apple AirPort Software v3.4, which 'provides improved AirPort wireless networking software, and is recommended for all users with an AirPort Extreme and AirPort enabled computer or an AirPort Extreme base station.' New features include: 'improved antenna output control, enhanced logging from your base station which is compatible with syslog, and performance improvements for WPA security implementations.'" Apple also put up some AirPort Management Tools (a management utility for viewing logs and configurations, and a client monitor) but they quickly disappeared.
Is this actually killing the range, or is it screwing up the calibration on the meter? They keep complaining about how many bars they have on the meter, but I haven't seen anyone mention on the board that they aren't able to use it someplace where they used to, or getting lower speeds than they used to.
No, I turned that off when I noticed the same thing (a few months ago). The one potentially-useful comment i've seen is to switch the channel your BS works on from something set to "Automatic". So far I've had about ten minutes online after that switch, compared to about 4 before.
The world's only surviving livewriter.
So regular 802.11b Airport is unaffected? My old iBook can't use an Airport Extreme card anyway. Do I take it then that older gear is immune to this bug?
DO NOT LEAVE IT IS NOT REAL
After installing the update I can no longer see any bars in the meter at a location where I used to see a very weak signal. Strangely, I have not noticed a single disconnection. Before, dropping to zero signal would have meant disconnection. In fact I have been browsing slashdot quite peacefully for the last fifteen minutes on zero bars. It is a little disconcerting to look up and see the icon all greyed out. I hope they fix this soon.
It could be that they've actually improved the calibration of the signal monitor. I had a lot of trouble with my PB's AP card with it losing signal (on macstumbler) but failing to notice and thus to reestablish the TCP connection when the signal returned, forcing me to restart AP on my machine. This was part of a bug report I submitted and corresponded with Apple about about a month ago.
It turned out that there was also something wrong with my AP card, as my most annoying problems (silent dropping of connection) went away when I swapped it out for a friend's AP card. Getting a new one from Apple fixed things up nicely for me.
Signal strength seems fine for me.
TiBook867 (10.3.3)+802.11b Airport card on
(a) ABS(Snow) at home
(b) Netgear at work
(Both are 802.11b)
Are there any 802.11b folks having a problem?
cheers- raga
I know how you feel -- I used to feel Linux fans were fanatics until I bought an iBook and began hanging out with the Apple crowd. Since then, I've stopped laughing when people talk about joining a religion with your computer purchase.
I think there is some astroturfing going on here, too. Apple's community is small enough that a few people can make a difference.
I am using the airport extreme base station with my powerbook and a ibm laptop with a 'g' card. After the upgrade the ibm laptop was getting low signal!!!! I manually changed the channel from auto to 11 and got some performance imprvemen, not much. Is there a way to go back to 5.3? thanks
Those Airport Management Tools are exactly what I have been bitching about wanting ever since I bought my Airport Extreme Base Station. Less expensive WAP's allow you to see whats going on, so you'd think a nice high end piece from Apple would too.
A slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue you may never get over. -Benjamin Franklin