AirPort Blog

Apple released AirPort 4.1 software today. The update include AirPort Express 6.1 firmware and AirPort Extreme Base Station 5.5 firmware. The update allows you to use WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) security over a network that's wirelessly bridged using Wireless Distribution System (WDS). This was a major complaint for people who wanted to use better security for their entire network. You can now also rename USB printers attached to a base station; this changes its Rendezvous name for network discovery. And support for Keyspan's remote control device is now included.

Update: I've written up an extensive run-down of the update for MacWorld.com/MacCentral. You can read that story here.

Posted by Glenn Fleishman at 08:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Why no one has made this joke yet, I don't know, but wireless music streaming over devices has had a patent filed on the topic by Apple, although that may be just a preemptory move to ensure that they don't see competitors come to market or patent such devices first. There are already music players that use wireless networking, so a careful examination of the patent would be needed to understand why this is unique compared to those pre-existing devices. Or whether the patent predates those devices. The patent's abstract seems to be talking more about something like device-to-device AirTunes, so you could stream from one WiPod to another, or from a WiPod to a computer or other devices.

Posted by Glenn Fleishman at 10:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Keyspan's Express Remote system now supports AirPort Express. The remote control has two parts: a base with an infrared transceiver and a USB connection which plugs into a Mac, PC, or now an AirPort Express's USB port; and an infrared remote control with buttons. When plugged into an AirPort Express, it can control the copy of iTunes that's currently playing. Or so I think. The details are slightly obscure, and I hope it becomes clearer. Do I need to install software on every Mac that will play iTunes? Can the AirPort Express feed back to iTunes to pause or change songs? Interesting stuff. Express Remote will ship in a few days for $60.

Posted by Glenn Fleishman at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)