[Apple] - Airport Express (2012) Firmware 7.8

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Apple pushed out v7.8 for the Airport Express 2012 earlier this week

Release notes - Airplay2 client implemented

(casual observation - this is an N600 class device, 100Mbit for WAN/LAN - the update appears to juice up the Tx power to current FCC limits for 5GHz (30 dBm in US), and Airport 11n/11ac models have always done DFS - like other Airport 11n/11ac models, it's a clever roamer, FWIW)

If it looks like this... check for the update.

Nice to note that Apple, while deprecating the Airport line - they do push out updates once in a while, and they've committed to supporting that product line thru 2021

 

[st3v3n]

Airport Extreme is waiting for a a bump, but with Apple, we take what is given. Thank you sir.

 

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Airport Extreme is waiting for a a bump, but with Apple, we take what is given. Thank you sir.

The Extreme AC has gotten updates for security issues in the past - from a feature set perspective, they covered Wave 1 pretty well, and most of the Wave 2 features have been kind of a bust for the most part...

I was a bit surprised to see them push out the Express update for Airplay 2 - in the IOS12 betas it was there, then it wasn't, and many thought that Airplay2 wasn't going to be a thing with the Express...

 

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FWIW - it's easy to roll back on the AP Express firmware - I've seen where the 7.8 firmware starts to become unresponsive - not sure if this is a memory leak, but it is over time if the Express is configured as an AP.

 

[st3v3n]

That's good to know, never tried rolling the router FW back so now I'll have to try the update. Just to be safe, is there a write up or guide for rolling the FW back, just for Mac or on PC also? There should be enough parts and service on both models for a few years, maybe, since Apple is still selling new Extremes. Hope that means an update for that will trickle out. Interesting how the supply was 'exhausted' and sold-out in many countries including the US online/walk-in stores, then new units arrived. Such is the corporate world. Today the Extreme Base Station is $189 at Adorama and $199 new at Apple's online store, so if you really want one... Apple has Express refurbs for $119, but Amazon always has used of anything. Amazon's Extremes still go fo $100 in good shape, to over $220 in new/never opened condition. It's tough to kill off officially discontinued, popular, beautiful best-selling models when new units keep appearing. I didn't believe it when Apple folks said in calls, there were absolutely no (new) units available. Must have found a few pallets in the secret warehouse in Nevada.
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/05/17/apple-selling-out-of-airport-base-stations/

That's similar to that not quite AC68-like unit, that is now selling for almost as much as an actual stock AC68. The afterlife life for Apple and other routers, always fascinating. Cheers