AirPort Base Station / RG-1000 Configurator

Modem Utility

Wireless Link Test Utility

Wireless Host Monitoring Utility

AirPort Port Inspector

AirPort IP Inspector


Recent changes:

This utility monitors the external (WAN) IP address of a "snow" AirPort base station, and sends an email notification to a configurable email address whenever the external IP address changes. Why would anyone ever want this? See the full description below!

This utility provides monitoring of the port maps used by hosts associated with an AirPort base station when NAT is used. It provides both a detailed and simplified view of open ports; the detailed view shows information on the remote hosts being accessed by local hosts, while the simplified view just shows the number of ports used by each local host. A consequence of this is that the utility can be used to monitor the local hosts which are associated with a base station - however, note that only hosts which have recently made active connections to the "outside world" will show up.

Provides minor fix for bug in which only partial configuration retrieved from base station in settings with poor link quality.

Version 2.0 of the Modem Utility works with both the original ("graphite") and new ("snow") version base stations. This version works with both modem and PPPoE connections. It also displays the connection speed for the new base stations (unfortunately, the original versions don't report the connection speed, so this isn't displayed).

This version works with the new ("snow") version base station (the one with two Ethernet ports). It provides the same functionality (mostly) as version 1.5.2 provides for the original ("graphite") base station (the one with one Ethernet port). The new version was necessary becuase the communication protocol, and seemingly the firmware, have been completely changed in the new units. The new configurator version is specific to the new units; it will not work with the original base stations. Note that this version supports both 40- and 128-bit encryption, since support for both is built into the new base station.


Please note that this software is freeware, and comes with no warranty, express or implied. The user - not the author - is responsible for all consequences that may stem from its use; the author accepts no liability for any damage or inconvenience that may result. This software is provided under the GNU Public License (included with the downloads).

Configurator:

Here's a Java-based configurator for the Apple AirPort Base Station and Lucent RG-1000 wireless access points. It should run on any platform with a Java 1.2-compliant runtime environment installed,  permitting the configuration of a base station from any host. The download for Unix/Windows consists of a zip file containing the software and HTML help file. The runnable is supplied as a "jar" file; run this in the usual way (double-clickable in Windows if using Sun's JRE 1.2 or higher runtime environment ; from command line in Unix). The download for the Macintosh expands into a folder containing a double-clickable application plus the help file; a download containing two necessary Java libraries from Sun is also available (see notes below).
 
 

"Graphite" and RG-1000 Version

Version for the original ("graphite") base station, with one Ethernet port, and the Lucent RG-1000. See below for versions for the new ("snow") base station.

"Snow" Version

Version for the new ("snow") base station, with two Ethernet ports. Note that this has built-in support for both 40-bit and 128-bit encryption. See above for versions for the original ("graphite") base station.

Additional Resources

Macintosh classic notes:  The configurator was built with components from Sun's Swing user-interface package; unfortunately, the Swing libraries aren't included with Apple's MRJ (Macintosh Runtime for Java) download. The needed files are called "swingall.jar" and "mac.jar", and should be in the MRJClasses folder in the MRJ Libraries folder in the Extensions folder inside the System folder; if these aren't present on your machine, you'll have to download them (above), and install as follows:

Where's Apple hidden the firmware in their 1.3 software update?

Apple's firmware has previously been supplied as a standalone file as part of a software download bundled into a Mac-specific archive file (with suffix ".smi", so it's often called a .smi file) However, with the 1.3 software release, the firmware is no longer included as a separate file - it's embedded within the base station admin utility (it's the Bin1 resource, if you're a ResEdit fan). That leaves non-Mac-users out in the cold! However, it's possible to get the firmware image out using ResEdit, and copies are floating around. Check out:
http://www.aciri.org/fenner/airport/     (Thanks, Bill!)

Modem Monitoring and Hangup Utility:

This is a small Java-based utility that monitors the connection state of the modem of an Apple AirPort Base Station, sends signals to connect or disconnect the modem on demand, and displays the (approximate) length of time the modem has been connected. Version 2.0 also displays the modem connection speed when used with the new ("snow") version base stations. (Thanks to Raph Hix for suggesting this app, S. Sexton for posting info on the relevant signals to send, and Olav von Rein for suggesting the leaner format.)


Macintosh classic notes:  Note that this utility requires the Sun Swing libraries (see discussion above), which can be obtained through the link above.

Wireless Link Test Utility:

This is a small Java-based utility that permits the measurement of signal strength and noise on wireless links between an Airport Base Station and the wireless hosts associated to it, permitting the selection of the specific wireless host whose link is to be tested and displaying bar graphs of signal strength and noise. This utility was built using the information on the undocumented 1.3.6.1.4.1.762.2.5.*  MIB variables (posted here).

Note that version 1.1 provides an important bug fix; in version 1.0, the link tested could be other than the one corresponding to the listed wireless host. This has been corrected in version 1.1.

Note: works only with the original ("graphite") base station.   :-(

Use:
  1. Start the application:
  2. Click the "Set community" button, and enter the password used to configure the access point; click the "Set address" button and enter the access point's IP address if it's different from 10.0.1.1.
  3. Click the "Select new host" button; a list of names of all wireless hosts currently attached to the access point will appear; select the host whose wireless link quality you'd like to test.
  4. Click the "Test wireless link" button; the access point will send a stream of packets to the wireless host, and use these to measure the quailty of the wireless link; the link's signal level, noise level, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) will be displayed as bar graphs; the statistics are updated every 10 seconds.
  5. Click the "Stop testing" button to stop the test.
Macintosh classic notes:  Note that this utility requires the Sun Swing libraries (see discussion above), which can be obtained through the link above.
 

Wireless Host Monitor

This utility monitors the wireless hosts that are currently connected through an Apple Airport or Lucent RG-1000 wireless access point. The MAC addresses and client names of attached hosts are listed, with the list being updated every 5 seconds. Note that the list compiled by the access point seems to be somewhat variable, with hosts sometimes disappearing for one cycle and showing up again in the next. Thanks to Michael Codanti for suggesting this app!

Note: works only with the original ("graphite") base station; see the AirPort Port Inspector for related functionality for the new ("snow") base station.

  • Unix / Windows / Mac OSX - version 1.0 (zip file)
  • Macintosh Standard: coming soon!
  • Source (zip file)
    • Use:
    1. Start the application:
    2. Click the "Set community" button, and enter the password used to configure the access point; click the "Set address" button and enter the access point's IP address if it's different from 10.0.1.1.
    3. Click the "Start monitoring" button; a list of host names and Mac addresses of all wireless hosts attached to the access point will appear; the list is updated every 5 seconds.
    Macintosh classic notes:  Note that this utility requires the Sun Swing libraries (see discussion above), which can be obtained through the link above.


    AirPort Port Inspector

    This utility provides monitoring of the port maps used by hosts associated with an AirPort base station when NAT is used. It provides both a detailed and simplified view of open ports; the detailed view shows information on the remote hosts being accessed by local hosts, while the simplified view just shows the number of ports used by each local host. A consequence of this is that the utility can be used to monitor the local hosts which are associated with a base station - however, note that only hosts which have recently made active connections to the "outside world" will show up.

    Notes:


    Downloads:

  • Unix / Windows / Mac OSX - version 1.0 (zip file)
  • Source (zip file)

    • Use:
    1. Start the application:
    2. Enter the password used to configure the access point in the dialog box which appears at startup
    3. The utility will immediately start monitoring the base station, showing a list of ports representing connections through the base station; the list is updated every 5 seconds. Note that only hosts which have recently made active connections to the "outside world" will show up, since only these will have opened ports through the base station.

    AirPort IP Inspector

    This utility monitors the external (WAN) IP address of a "snow" AirPort base station, and sends an email notification to a configurable email address whenever the external IP address changes. Why would anyone ever want to do this? Well, this is intended for folks who want to access hosts behind a base station through a preconfigured port map. For example, suppose you have a web server on your home computer, and it connects to the "outside world" through an AirPort base station. If the web server's (local) IP address is 10.0.1.2, you can access the web server from outside of your home network by configuring the AirPort with a port map that maps connections on port 80 of its external interface to port 80 on the internal host 10.0.1.1. Thus pointing your web browser to the AirPort's external IP address will access the web server - the connection is "passed through" due to the port map. Of course, this requires that you know the external IP address of the base station, and if your service provider uses DHCP, this can change. That's where this utility comes in - run on the web server, it monitors the base station's external IP address, and emails you when it changes so you'll know where to find your base station if its address changes.

    This is a first whack at a more general notification utility; being emailed every time your base station's IP address changes is probably not the most convenient notification method, but it should at least be effective - you'll know where your base station is. In addition, the messages could relatively easily be processed by a process on the receiving end to take some action if desired (the message format is very simple). On the other hand, it's a little like the sorcerer's apprentice, in that it'll happily fill up your mailbox with notifications if your base station's address changes frequently (the utility queries the base station every 5 seconds). The code has been structured so that alternative notification actions can easily be provided - for example, a URL for a cgi-bin program could be accessed and provided with the new address, and this could display the new web address in a web page - or, better yet, redirect you to the new base station address. The code simply dispatches to any registered object that implements a simple AirportInfoChangeListener interface (a simple example of how to use it is contained in the AirportInfoChangeEmailer class). If there's interest, and I get time, I'll code up a few additional ones (or if anyone would like to contribute one, I'd be happy to incorporate it...)

    Note:


    Downloads:

  • Unix / Windows / Mac OSX - version 1.0 (zip file)
  • Source (zip file)

    • Use:
    1. Start the application:
    2. In the dialog box which appears at startup, enter the base station's local address (usually 10.0.1.1) and password, the email address to which change notifications should be sent, and the name of your Internet service provider's SMTP mail host - the latter is generally something like "mail.earthlink.com" or the like; you can probably find it in the settings for your email package (Eudora or whatever), or get it from  your ISP
    3. The utility will immediately start monitoring the base station, checking its external IP address every 5 seconds. You'll get an initial email message when the utility starts, and then another one whenever the IP address changes. Again, be aware that you'll get lots of messages if it changes frequently (up to one every 5 seconds, but this would be really unusual).

    Mailing List

    A mailing list has been created to provide notification of updates in the Airport Base Station Configurator, Hangup Utility, and other related software releases. Note that this is a notification-only list; it won't accept postings.
    To subscribe to the airport-config mailing list: You'll receive a reply indicating that you've been added to the list, followed at intervals by notifications of any updates or releases of new software versions.

    (To unsubscribe from the list:

    You will then no longer receive messages from the list.)

    Tips can now be found here


    Bug Report and Status List:

    Change Log:

    January 26, 2003

    AirPort Port Inspector version 1.0 posted:

    March 12, 2002

    Modem Utility version 2.0 posted:


    February 4, 2002

    Configurator version 2.0 posted:


    November 17, 2001

    Configurator version 1.5.2 posted:

    October 1, 2001

    Configurator version 1.5.1 posted:


    May 23, 2001

    Configurator version 1.5 posted:


    May 8, 2001

    Wireless host monitoring utility version 1.0 posted

    Link test utility version 1.1 posted:

    April 22, 2001
    Configurator version 1.4 posted:


    January 18, 2001

    January 15, 2001
    Configurator version 1.3 posted:


    October 16, 2000

    Version 1.3 of Modem Utility posted:


    October 4, 2000

    Configurator version 1.2.2 posted:
  • Addition to modem phone-number string functionality: now recognizes comma ( , ) , asterisk ( * ) , pound ( # ) , and period ( . )
  • Fixed minor bug involving dimming of sub-panels in Network panel when cursor passed over elements.
  • MAC address and base station uptime added to display of discovery information (thanks to Chris Hertel for supplying this enhancement).
  • 128-bit encryption version made available
    • July 26, 2000
    Configurator version 1.2.1 posted:


    July 19, 2000


    July 15, 2000


    July 13, 2000

  • Modem-string handling enhancement added to configurator (to handle "deficient" modem init strings). Some default configuration files seem to have come with no modem initialization string; this enhancement assures that at least the "bare minimum" string, needed to support the country code functionality, will always be included.
    • July 8, 2000


    June 21, 2000


    May 21, 2000


    May 18, 2000


    May 16, 2000


    May 13, 2000

  • Posted as version 1.1
  • Added port mapping configuration panel
  • Improved table entry functionality (for currently edited cell, changes automatically written when configuration saved or updated)
    • May 12, 2000
  • Reduced font sizes and size of configurator frame so will fit on smaller screens
  • Separated Swing libraries download from configurator download for Macintosh


    • May 10, 2000

  • Posted source code and documentation (May 10, 2000)


    • May 8, 2000


    May 5, 2000


    May 4, 2000

    April 28, 2000:


    Jon Sevy
    Geometric and Intelligent Computing Lab
    Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
    Drexel University

    Comments/questions: jsevy@mcs.drexel.edu