With the AirPort Utility app on your iOS and iPadOS devices, you can set up and monitor your network from your devices as easily as you can from your Mac. To explore the AirPort Utility User Guide, click Table of Contents at the top of the page, or enter a word or phrase in the search field. If you need more help, visit the AirPort Support website. Use AirPort Utility to manage your Wi-Fi network and AirPort base stations, including AirPort Express, AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Time Capsule — right from your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. See a graphical overview of your Wi-Fi network and devices. Change base station and network settings, or man.
- Airport Utility 5
- Airport Utility Android
- Airport Utility Mac
- Airport Utility Mac
- Airport Utility Windows
Apple periodically offers software updates (called firmware updates) that improve AirPort performance, security, and functionality. Here's how to make sure that your base station is up to date.
Before you begin
- Make sure that your base station and Mac or iOS device (iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch) are connected to the Internet.
- If your base station is performing a Time Machine backup or sharing a hard drive on your network, make sure that none of your devices are currently using that drive. Updating an AirPort base station causes it and its network services to be temporarily unavailable.
Restart your base station
Open AirPort Utility on your Mac or iOS device, then follow these steps to restart your base station. If you have more than one base station, restart your primary base station last.
AirPort Utility shows a graphical overview of your Wi-Fi network and any base stations connected to it. The primary base station (Home, in this example) is connected to the Internet via your modem or router.
- Select your base station in AirPort Utility, then enter the base station password, if prompted.
- On Mac, choose Base Station > Restart from the menu bar.
- On iOS devices, tap the base station in AirPort Utility, then tap Edit > Advanced > Restart Base Station.
If you can't restart using AirPort Utility, just unplug the base station for a few seconds, then plug it back in.
Check for a firmware update
- After restarting your base station, select the base station in AirPort Utility to see details about it. If you have more than one base station, start with the one farthest from your primary base station.
- On Mac, the details pop-up shows an Update button when an update is available. Click the Update button to install the update.
- On iOS devices, the details screen shows a numbered badge next to Version when an update is available. Tap Version, then tap Download and Install.
- Your base station automatically restarts after the update is installed. Repeat these steps for any other base stations you're using. Update your primary base station last.
Latest updates
Base station | Latest firmware* | How to download and install this firmware |
---|---|---|
AirPort Time Capsule 802.11ac AirPort Extreme 802.11ac | Version 7.9.1 |
|
AirPort Time Capsule 802.11n AirPort Extreme 802.11n | Version 7.8.1 |
|
AirPort Express 802.11n | Version 7.8 |
|
AirPort Express (original) |
|
* Information only. To download and install firmware, use AirPort Utility.
** On Mac computers with OS X Mountain Lion or Lion, use AirPort Utility 6.3.1. On computers with Snow Leopard or Leopard, use Airport Utility 5.6.1, which supports 802.11n models and the original AirPort Express.
** On Mac computers with OS X Mountain Lion or Lion, use AirPort Utility 6.3.1. On computers with Snow Leopard or Leopard, use Airport Utility 5.6.1, which supports 802.11n models and the original AirPort Express.
Learn more
- Learn how to check for Wi-Fi issues from your Mac or iOS device.
- Some base station features are available only while administering your Wi-Fi network from the latest operating system for your Mac or iOS device.
- If one of your network devices isn't compatible with the updated firmware, you might be able to reinstall older firmware. On Mac, click the base station in AirPort Utility, then Option-click the firmware version number. On iOS devices, tap the base station in AirPort Utility, then go to Version > Older Versions.
Chroma for hue. Many modern routers support two frequencies for wireless access, 2.4GHz and 5GHz. The 5GHz band is much less congested, so if you have devices that support 5GHz you want them on that band. At the same time you probably have older devices that can only do 2.4GHz.
The Airport Extreme from Apple allows you to choose two ways to configure the bands:
- With a single name for both bands allowing the devices to find the highest band on which they can work
- With two distinct names so you can actively choose the band on which you want each device to function
This tutorial walks through how to use AirPort Utility to change these settings. I start with the two bands set to have the same name and show you how to give them unique names.
Airport Utility 5
Open AirPort Utility
AirPort Utility can be found inside Applications –> Utilities
My AirPort is named Tall Dart, and you can see below that it has a green light next to its name as well as a green light next to the Internet name showing full functionality.
Click on the Router
Select the Wireless Tab
Select Wireless Options
Airport Utility Android
Wireless Options
The box next to the 5GHz network name is UNchecked. This means that both the 2.4GHz band and the 5GHz band will be represented by a single name, in my case Tall Dart. If both bands are the same name, each device that you attach to the network will automatically find the appropriate band. If a device can only use 2.4, it will attach to 2.4, but if it can go to 5GHz it will.
Note: Some devices during initial configuration require a separate 2.4GHz band to which to connect. Examples I’ve encountered include WeMo Switches, Nest Protect thermostats, and HooToo wireless access points. Once they are configured you can re-check this box to provide a single network name again.
Add a 5GHz Network Name
- Check the box
- Create a unique name for the 5GHz band. In this example I’ve chosen the name Tall Dart 5GHz.
- Save
Note that this will leave my 2.4GHz band named Tall Dart, which means I should only have to move the devices that can go to 5GHz over to the higher band.
Update
- Optional – This is where you can change the name of the 2.4GHz band if you want to.
- You must hit update for the changes to be saved.
Your Network Will Be Temporarily Unavailable
- Warn the other members of this network
- Click Continue
Airport Utility Mac
Airport Utility Mac
AirPort Will Restart
Airport Utility Windows
Note the orange symbols designating that the Airport Extreme is not available. When these turn green again you’ll be back in business.