Stan's List

This update is recommended for all Intel-based Macintosh computers and provides compatibility with AirPort Extreme base stations and networks.

The update addresses the following security concern:

An out-of-bounds memory read may occur while handling wireless frames. An attacker in local proximity may be able to trigger a system crash by sending a maliciously-crafted frame to an affected system. This issue affects the Core Duo version of Mac mini, MacBook, and MacBook Pro computers equipped with wireless. Other systems, including the Core 2 Duo versions are not affected. This update addresses the issue by performing additional validation of wireless frames. Credit to LMH for reporting this issue. More …

Apple has released a patch to unlock the 802.11n features in it’s Core 2 Duo systems. Now all that high speed video streaming goodness can be yours…for a nominal $5 $2 fee. If you purchase a new Airport Extreme Base Station you will get the drivers thrown in for free, but if you want to use your own 802.11n router then you have to purchase the driver update from Apple.

Why do you need to pay for a driver to unlock a feature your wireless card already has? Apple says, “the company believes that if it sells a product, then later adds a feature to that product, it can be held liable for improper accounting if it recognizes revenue from the product at the time of sale, given that it hasn’t finished delivering the product at that point.”

I sure am glad Apple is so astute about its accounting practices.

Apple introduced a new AirPort Extreme Base Station based on the 802.11n draft specification, scheduled for release in February at $179. The company notes that all Core 2 Duo and Xeon-based Macs (except 17-inch iMac 1.83GHz Core 2 Duo) support 802.11n using enabler software included with the AirPort Extreme. More …

Apple has released a wireless update for its current-generation Intel-powered portables. AirPort Update 2006-002 improves AirPort compatibility in the following computers:

• MacBook Pro (15-inch Core 2 Duo)
• MacBook Pro (17-inch Core 2 Duo)
• MacBook (13-inch Core 2 Duo)

More …

After installing the Mac OS X 10.4.8 update, Intel-based Macintosh computers may not be able to obtain IP addresses from some third party wireless routers.

In this event, the Mac is generally able to associate with the wireless network, but it will obtain a self-assigned IP address (169.254.x.x) and will not be able to connect to the Internet. More …

A MacInTouch reader has a solution.

Don’t know about Airport in relation to 10.4.8 but there is a problem with the 5.7 firmware update. We’ve had numerous basestations fail to hold a WAN connection and drop off the network for no apparent reason. Re-booting gets them back online but they will fail again, some sooner and others later with no apparent correlation. Apple phone support was of little assistance. Thought about detuning from v5.7 and found a thread in Apple Discussions with a link to v5.5.1. Installed the 5.5.1 updater in all problem units and have had no issues since.”

MacFixIt has front page coverage of this problem. The workaround is to downgrade to AirPort Base station firmware to version 5.5.1. To quote MacFixIt, “Emerging as the most commonly successful solution for this issue is a downgrade of AirPort Base station firmware to version 5.5.1. Reverting (or updating to) this edition of the firmware has eliminated dropouts for a surprisingly high number users. The current AirPort Extreme firmware version, with which many users are experiencing dropouts, is 5.7.”

Researchers have discovered, demonstrated and documented (though perhaps not responsibly) a security flaw that affects the old Apple Airport driver, provided with Orinoco-based Airport cards ( used in 1999-2003 PowerBooks, iMacs)

This bug only affects regular AirPort (802.11b) cards, not the AirPort Extreme (802.11g) cards that have shipped in all equipped Macs since 2003. More …

AppleInsider: Inventory of both Apple’s MacBook Pro and MacBook notebooks have run dry at the company’s primary European distributor (indicating an announcement soon). Meanwhile, iSight and iPod shuffle shipments should commence near the end of the month. And consumers waiting on availability of AirPort Extreme base stations may have to wait a tad longer. More …

Apple has released Security Update 2006-005 and AirPort Update 2006-001. Both downloads are recommended for all users and improves the security for just one component:

• AirPort

This is an update for PPC Macs, but it’s also available in X.3.9 and universal (X.4.7) flavors.