To download AirPort Utility v5.6.1 for OS X 10.9 Mavericks, scroll to the bottom of this post.
A New, Simple Solution
A few days ago, I posted a workaround to get AirPort Utility v5.6.1 working under OS X 10.9 Mavericks (old post, infra, under “Old Post”). That workaround involved renaming or replacing a system file and then launching AirPort Utility via Terminal. Now, that solution still works (and is included in the collapsed “Old Post” section, infra) but it was far from ideal. Most users would prefer not to have to alter or replace system files (even if the replacement is simply an older version of the same file from Apple), so I continued looking at the problem. Today, I am posting a better solution.
AirPort Utility v5.6.1 on OS X 10.9 Mavericks
As I stated in the previous version of this post, the issue with AirPort Utility v5.6.1 under OS X 10.9 Mavericks is that a system file upon which AirPort Utility relies was updated in 10.9 and that update broke backwards compatibility with AirPort Utility v5.6.1. The file in question is Apple80211 in /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/A. Replacing this file with the older version allows AirPort Utility v5.6.1 to be run under 10.9, but only via Terminal (i.e., double-clicking it will not launch it, it will throw an error).
However, there is a way to get around this issue by importing the older library into AirPort Utility v5.6.1 before running it. That is what the new solution, downloadable, infra, does.
Usage Notes
Note: you can bypass having to go into System Preferences, detailed infra, by simply right-clicking (or control-clicking) on the Launcher and then clicking “Open” from the pop-up menu instead of double-clicking to open it.
I have not signed this application (i.e., AirPort Utility v5.6.1 Launcher.app) as an “identified developer”. Consequently, you will almost certainly receive the following prompt when running the application (at least the first time):
As long as the warning looks like the one I’ve given here as an example, everything is fine. Of course, once you click Open, Gatekeeper (OS X’s relatively new security feature) will identify the application as being from an “unidentified developer” and, unless you’ve changed the default settings, it will prevent the application from running.
In order to allow the application to run (and thereby to launch AirPort Utility v5.6.1), you will need to navigate to the Security & Privacy pane in System Preferences. Once there, you will see this notification under the General tab:
Click the “Open Anyway” button. AirPort Utility 5.6.1 Launcher should run and launch AirPort Utility v5.6.1 without anymore work on your part. Additionally, future uses of the launcher should not require any of the foregoing steps (except running the launcher itself). n.b., any time you want to use AirPort Utility 5.6.1, you must launch it via the launcher application (i.e., AirPort 5.6.1 Launcher.app) instead of by double-clicking on AirPort Utility 5.6.1; this is due to the fact that the launcher must inject the older version of the Apple80211 library or else AirPort Utility 5.6.1 cannot run under OS X 10.9 Mavericks.
Downloads
Download AirPort Utility 5.6.1 for OS X 10.9 Mavericks
Please select either the *.zip version or the *.dmg version (they contain the exact same files):
[Download not found]
[Download not found]
Every so often, the caching on my site decides to make these download links not work. I am working with my hosting provider and the plugin author to get this issue resolved; however, in the meantime, I have made available an alternative download source here. If you have trouble using both of these methods, please contact me directly.
Updates
10 May 2015: AirPort Units Not Showing in AirPort Utility 5.6.1 under OS X 10.10 Yosemite (Likely Limited to 10.10.3 and Later)
It would appear that Apple has changed something in the network stack in a recent update to Yosemite. This update has resulted in AirPort Utility v5.6.1 not being able to find some AirPort Units some of the time. While this is annoying, there is a simple fix: Connect the AirPort Unit you wish to view in AirPort Utility v5.6.1 to the Mac running the utility via a wired (i.e., Ethernet) connection. I have yet to hear of any case where this has not solved the connectivity issue.
16 Oct 2014: OS X Yosemite
The Launcher appears to work the same under OS X 10.10 Yosemite as it did under OS X 10.9 Mavericks. I have had no reports of any issues running the Launcher under Yosemite, and have used it myself on a Mac running Yosemite without issue.
17 Dec 2013: New Download-Management Plugin
I have, yet again, spent some time looking through download-management plugins and believe that I have found one which will work well. The plugin I am now using is
Download Monitor. The author of the plugin is also leave developer on a number of other successful, reliable WordPress projects. It seems reasonable to believe that this plugin will prove more dependable than those I’ve tried in the past. Consequently, I have updated the article to use the download-management plugin to handle downloads, instead of the direct links. Should any issue arise, I will re-create the direct-download links.
09 Dec 2013
I am now offering the downloads directly from my server without any intermediating download-managment plugin. While this has the downside of not tracking (in as convenient of a way) the number of times the package has been downloaded, it is more reliable until I find a better download-management plugin. At the time of this update, the download count was well over three thousand.
23 Nov 2013
As I see my download manager has decided it would be fun to start corrupting zip files (for seemingly no reason), I am making available a direct download both of the *.zip archive and and *.dmg version: {snip} (these are still available, supra). These download links will remain available until I manage to get things fixed with the plugin developer.
I have switched to a new download-management plugin; any problems which were previously encountered while attempting to download should be solved.
01 Nov 2013
Some users were reporting redirection issues when attempting to download the file; I have replaced the spaces in the archive’s name with dashes, this appears to have remedied the issue.
04 Nov 2013
If the download link, infra, does not work for you, here is temporary Dropbox link to the file: {removed}.
12 Nov 2013: Linking to This Solution, Apple Support Communities, Downloading Software from Third Parties
Posting This Solution Elsewhere and the Apple Support Communities
Naturally, many who find this solution feel compelled to post it elsewhere (to help others who are facing similar problems). Unfortunately, Apple Support Communities will delete your post if you link to this article. This is likely due to Apple’s opinion that linking to this site violates their Terms of Use (as this article, and another like it for OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, offers downloadable Apple-created software). Further, Apple will delete links even to articles offering this solution which do not provide downloads of Apple-created software (e.g., the note I created to offer a link to Apple’s download of AirPort Utility 5.6.1 and the Launcher as a standalone application [i.e., archived without AirPort Utility 5.6.1 alongside it]).
Essentially, this means that, while this solution can be posted to many other fora without worry that the post will be deleted, those who visit the Apple Support Communities will have to be given roundabout, indirect answers (generally boiling down to “search Google and click the first non-Apple result”). Fortunately, this article is the first non-Apple result (for many AirPort Utility 5.6.1-related searches [e.g., “AirPort Utility 5.6.1” and “AirPort Utility Mavericks”] and I have verified my authorship of this site with Google so that my picture appears alongside links to my site in Google’s index, which makes my results more noticeable.
Downloading Software from Third Parties
On a somewhat related note: I have noticed that some have mentioned that downloading from third parties is sometimes inadvisable. Certainly, this recommendation is good, sound advice. Downloading software from unknown third parties can, and sometimes does, result in the compromise of the downloading machine (through malware, et cetera). However, I have attempted to address this issue by being open about my identity and my purpose.
I have no stake in this download (e.g., I make no money from downloads of this software, use of this software, or even visits to this site [as you have likely noticed, I have no advertising on this site, and intend to keep it that way] except when someone clicks a link with an affiliate ID embedded in it [e.g., I do get a small percentage share of revenue generated via links to the App Store and Mac App Store, as they contain affiliate links]), and my only intention in making it available is to solve an issue that has now persisted across multiple versions of OS X and is very easily resolvable given the right tools.
To anyone concerned about downloading this application from my site and running it, I assure you that the code contains nothing harmful (the AirPort Utility v5.6.1 application is straight from Apple’s installer and the full code for the Launcher is available within the body of this article, infra). Further, you may verify my identity quite easily. I invite you to search Google for my name (and peruse the results that are not this site) and to visit my “About Me” page. Additionally, as of writing this update, there are over a thousand downloads of the AirPort Utility 5.6.1 + Launcher archive made available by this article and well over a hundred comments, with most of them being, greatly appreciated, thank you’s.
Once downloaded, the zip should automatically expand (if it doesn’t, just double-click it to expand it manually) and create a folder entitled “AirPort Utility 5.6.1”, keep this folder. AirPort 5.6.1 Launcher.appAirPort Utility 5.6.1 Launcher.app and AirPort Utility 5.6.1.app are both included inside this folder. Whenever you want to use AirPort Utility v5.6.1, just run the launcher either by double-clicking it or via Spotlight. And that’s it, you now have a working version of AirPort Utility v5.6.1 under OS X 10.9 Mavericks.
FAQ
Why not use a single application? / Why use a companion application?
I have had a number of people contact me (via comments or the contact form) and variously ask why I did not create a single application, recommend how I could create a single application, or offer me an example of a single-application version. While I am thankful for this input and proffered help, I intentionally created the Launcher application as a separate application, instead of modifying the AirPort Utility 5.6.1 binary. The reason for this is simple: I want users (if they would prefer) to be able to acquire the binary directly from Apple or one of their older machines and be able to use that unaltered binary with the Launcher. Once again, thank you to those who offered recommendations and even code, but I intend to keep the Launcher as a separate application unless I somehow find myself in a position where Apple authorizes redistribution of their software (which is highly, highly unlikely), then I would create a standalone version of AirPort Utility 5.6.1 which would not need the companion application and I would sign the application as an identified developer.
How do I link to the Launcher on the Apple Support Communities? / Why did Apple remove my link from the Apple Support Communities?
Apple does not allow links to downloads of Apple-created software on non-Apple sites. This means that Apple will not allow links to this article as it makes available a download of AirPort Utility v5.6.1. Consequently, I have created a http://coreyjmahler.com/note/airport-utility-5-6-1-launcher/ which makes the companion Launcher application available separately; the URL for that note is as follow: http://coreyjmahler.com/note/airport-utility-5-6-1-launcher/. Please link to the note when using the Apple Support Communities. Update: it seems Apple will delete any links providing this solution, even if it does not also include Apple-created software; i.e., any links to this solution posted to the Apple Support Communities will be deleted by Apple staff.
Any links to this article will be removed by Apple staff.
Last Updated 11 Nov 2013
Miscellanea
Download OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion Version of Apple80211
Download OS X Mountain Lion Version of Apple80211
Launcher Code
Here’s the code for the launcher (which can also be viewed by downloading either of the files, supra, and then opening them with AppleScript Editor):
tell application "Finder"
set currentDir to POSIX path of ((container of (path to me)) as text)
end tell
set currentDir to quoted form of currentDir
set lib80211 to quoted form of "AirPort Utility 5.6.1 Launcher.app/Contents/Resources/Apple80211.framework/Versions/A/Apple80211"
do shell script "
export DYLD_INSERT_LIBRARIES=" & currentDir & lib80211 & "
cd " & currentDir & "AirPort\\ Utility\\ 5.6.1.app/Contents/MacOS
./AirPort\\ Utility"
Old Information
Disclaimer for Older Version
One final choice: Downloads or Applications? I have created two versions of the application (and if anyone feels like helping me with the code so that this application can be run from anywhere, I’d gladly accept that help), one which runs from the Downloads folder and one which runs from the Applications folder. You must run the launcher from its subfolder in one of these two folders, it will not work from anywhere else. Now, this is, perhaps, less complicated than it sounds. If you want to leave the launcher in your Downloads folder, choose the Downloads version; if you want to drag and drop the launcher into your Applications folder, choose the Applications version. It’s that simple.
Update: The new version (v1.2) should work from inside the AirPort Utility 5.6.1 folder regardless of where that folder is located.
No such file or directory error
If you see the following error (or one very similar to it):
If you see this error, your AirPort Utility 5.6.1 folder is in the wrong location.
it means that you have the “AirPort Utility 5.6.1” folder in the wrong location; simply move the aforementioned folder to the correct location (i.e., either Downloads or Applications, depending upon which version you decided to download) to solve the problem.
Old Post
I have previously posted about getting AirPort Utility v5.6.1 to work on OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. Unfortunately, that method no longer works under OS X 10.9 Mavericks. In fact, I have thus far been unable to get AirPort Utility v5.6.1 working under OS X 10.9 without work in Terminal. Now, this is obviously both good news (i.e., it still works under 10.9) and bad news (i.e., it doesn’t work under 10.9 without copying a file and a bit of work in Terminal).
If I can get AirPort Utility v5.6.1 working natively (or at least with just a double-click) under 10.9, I’ll be sure to update this post with the download or whatever else is necessary. However, for the time being, I am going to detail how to get AirPort Utility v5.6.1 working under OS X 10.9 Mavericks with the current method I am using. First an explanation of why it no longer works:
OS X 10.9 Mavericks changed a file located in /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/A. The file in question is Apple80211, and AirPort Utility relies on some of the contents of this file. The old file, under OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, was 503KB in size, the new one is 341KB in size. Obviously, some changes were made and some things removed. This results in a little more than Terminal work being necessary to get the older version of AirPort Utility running under 10.9. In fact, the old file is needed. Thankfully, this is easily acquired.
The Apple80211 File
For acquiring the older version of the Apple80211 file, you have two choices: 1) copy and paste the file from a machine still running OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion or 2) download the file at the bottom of this post (n.b., if you download the file from this post, you will likely have to authorize its use and you may have to visit the Security & Privacy pane in System Preferences to do so).
Getting v5.6.1 Working Again
There are three steps to get v5.6.1 of AirPort Utility running once you’ve acquired the Apple80211 file:
- Rename the new Apple80211 file to Apple80211.new (or anything but what it is currently named, actually).
- Place the old version of the Apple80211 file into the /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/A directory.
- Open Terminal and do the following: Navigate to the directory in which you have AirPort Utility v5.6.1, navigate into the .app, navigate to Contents/MacOS; once in the MacOS directory, you will see a file called “AirPort Utility”, type the following: “./AirPort\Utility” (without quotes).
You can automate the first two of these steps by downloading the Apple80211 Replacer application, infra. If you opt to use Apple80211 Replacer, all you need to do is download the archive (which contains both the replacer application and the required file) and then run Apple80211 Replacer.app from within the Apple80211-Replacer folder, which will automatically be created in the Downloads folder. The application will rename the 10.9 version of the file to Apple80211.new and move the 10.8 version of the file into the directory.
By following these steps, you should be able successfully to launch AirPort Utility v5.6.1.
Tips
Keep in mind that a quick way to open the folder into which you’ll be placing the old file is to use the Command + Shift + G hotkey in Finder to bring up the Go to Folder… dialog box (just copy and paste the path, supra. This dialog box can also be reached via the Go menu in Finder.
For those unfamiliar with Terminal, here is exactly what to do:
- Place AirPort Utility v5.6.1.app into your Downloads folder (if you do not have AirPort Utility v5.6.1 yet, you can download a copy here).
- Open Terminal (this can be done from Spotlight).
- Copy and paste the following (without quotes): “cd ~/Downloads/AirPort\ Utility\ 5.6.1.app/Contents/MacOS”.
- Type or copy and paste the following (without quotes): “./AirPort\ Utility”.
Download OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion Version of Apple80211
Available, supra, under “Download OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion Version of Apple80211”.
Download Apple80211 Replacer (includes 10.8 version of Apple80211)
{deleted}
Now you can go back to managing your various AirPort products (e.g., AirPort Extreme, AirPort Express, and Time Capsule) without having to mourn the features missing from v6.3.
