Affiliate Disclosure
If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Read our ethics policy.

Apple issues security software update for 802.11n AirPort Base Station

Apple has issued a security update for the 802.11n AirPort Base Station and Time Capsule units, the first one in over a year and a half.

The update was issued on Thursday afternoon, with Apple saying that it "improves the security of your base station and is recommended for all Apple 802.11n Wi-Fi base stations including AirPort Express, AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule." As of yet, details of what has been rectified are not available.

The last security-centric AirPort update prior to Thursday's 7.8.1 for this model was version 7.7.9 in December 2017. Version 7.8 was only for the AirPort express, and added AirPlay 2 features in December 2018.

To install the firmware update, AirPort and Time Capsule users have to perform the update through the AirPort Utility in macOS. If an update is available, an Update button is presented, which will command the base station to continue with the installation.

In April 2018, Apple announced it had discontinued the long-running AirPort Wi-Fi router line, with existing online and in-store stock being the last remaining units it would sell. The news followed a year after reports Apple had broken up its AirPort devision, shuffling employees to other areas and projects in an apparent sign the product line was close to ending.

In January 2018, Apple started to sell the Linksys Velop Mesh Wi-Fi System online and in store, an apparent break in Apple's policy to only sell its own routers, and the first third-party router to be sold in its retail outlets.