# How to identify Airport Card firmware version



## Monster (Mar 24, 2003)

Ran across the following questions  somewhere else and got curious, I couldn't find the answer anyplace. 
Does anyone have a clue?
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_The AirPort software installer has AirPort card firmware embedded in it and updates the AirPort card when it's run.

AirPort cards appear to run a version of Orinoco firmware. There is indirect evidence to support this.

A Mac's AirPort slot can be used to upgrade an Orinoco silver card (and clones) to 128 bit WEP. On a card that has had this done shows the Orinoco firmware is updated from v.8.10 to v.8.12. (Note: there is no Orinoco version 8.12 firmware released to the public).
http://www.paris-sansfil.net/index.php/UpgradeSilverToGoldMacEn

The update is why older AirPort cards that did not originally support 128 bit WEP can do so with newer AirPort software installed.

I'd like to be able to understand what AirPort software does to the firmwar on a wireless card (AirPort or PC Card) because

1) I want to know why Orinoco silver can be converted to gold

2) I want to know if I can use the AirPort slot to get a newer firmware version on an Orinco card or clone with an older version. I need to know where I am to do this.

3) I want to know what versions of Orinoco firmware Apple is using as compared to current versions released by Orinoco. There have been some major recent changes to the Orinoco firmware.

And of course I want to do this on a Mac, not a PC._


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## Rhino_G3 (Mar 27, 2003)

If I'm not mistaken you can find this info through apple system profiler.


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## gleffler (Apr 2, 2003)

Just install the Airport updater, turn off your computer, remove the old Airport card, put in the Silver - turn the computer on, wait for the boot to complete, shut the machine back down, and remove the card - it'll have been upgraded to firmware version 8.12 and will support 128-bit WEP. I have done this myself and can attest that it works.

/gleffler


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