updating firmware on mac osx

[mrtoastey]

Hi there:

I feel certain that this question is well beneath the pros in this forum, but I cannot figure out where else to post it. I am trying to update the firmware on a Cisco Aironet 340 wireless PCMCIA card, on a Mac running OS 10.3.

My trouble is, despite dogged searching, I cannot find a place on Cisco's web site where I can download the firmware. The software selector *does* display an .EXE file. But I can find no mac-compatable version of the firmware. Does this mean that I have to upgrade the firmware from a PC laptop?

Can anybody direct me to a place where I can download a mac-friendly version of the firmware? Note: I keep finding a link to a download section of Cisco's site which may have the file, but it seems to require a login that I do not have. My general cisco web login does not work at this link.

http://www.cisco.com/tacpage/sw-center/sw-wireless.shtml

Thanks for any help at all. I have tried the TAC, I've tried jillions of searches, I can't think of anything else to do!

mick

[dixho]

I can access the software by clicking the URL in your posting. Then, I

1. click on "Aironet Wireless Software Selector"

2. Select "Client Adapter" in the pull down menu and click on "Submit"

3. Select "340 Series (802.11b)" in the pull down menu and click on "Submit"

4. Select the appropriate type in the pull down menu and click on "Submit"

5. Select "MAC OS" in the pull down menu and click on "Submit"

Then, I got the followings:

2004-03. 350, 340, 4800 Series PCMCIA, LMC, PCI 802.11b Client Adapter Driver and Utilities for Mac OS 9.X and Mac OS X (10.1 and later). 5 GHz Cardbus 20A 802.11a for Mac OS 9.X and Mac OS X (10.2 and later). Firmware 5.30.17 or earlier.

[mrtoastey]

Hi there:

thanks for your post. As I mentioned, the trouble for me is that accessing the CCO portion of Cisco, it seems I don't have enough "clearance." That is, my general Cisco "guest user" login info doesn't work in the area that you just described. But that is the file that I need, in fact.

thanks

[dixho]

Because of US encryption export law, no one can give you the software without going through the formal process. The reason is that the person who gave you the software outside the formal process will be liable if you export the software illegally.

In order for anyone from Cisco can post the software for you, you need to have a user name and password on http://www.cisco.com (formly known as cco). I think that the 340 may have life time warranty. Then, you can use the serial number of the 340 to create a http://www.cisco.com account.

[mrtoastey]

I understand about US encryption. I'm in Kentucky.

Your idea about creating an account is a good one, so I grabbed my card, and upon inspection, was disappointed to see that the serial number has been scuffed off of it by a plentiful career of being inserted and removed from my laptop. So, foiled again.

Ugh, any other suggestions are welcome!

Again, I *have* a Cisco account (that's how I'm posting to this forum) but it doesn't seem to work to get me into the CCO area. This is frustrating.

thanks for your insight,

Mick

[dixho]

ACU software should be open for anyone, as long as you fill out the encryption export acknowledge form. I use a broswer and go through the same steps. I can get "MACOSInstallv301.sit" without logging into www.cisco.com. Then, I log in to http://www.cisco.com. I have no problem to access "MACOSInstallv301.sit"

[mrtoastey]

Getting to that installer is no problem. Filling out the Encryption Export Acknowledge form, no problem.

This leads us back to the heart of the problem. That install page offers an .EXE firmware upgrade, which cannot be run on a Mac. Maybe I'm missing something, but I cannot install that file. So, yes, I can get to that installer fine and have used it. I'm running Aironet Client V. 3.0.1d8 for OSX. But it's the FIRMWARE updater that I cannot get installed.

What I'm STILL looking for is a mac-friendly version of the firmware upgrade. And that upgrade is possibly behind CCO, where my login does not work.

Hope this clarifies and thanks for bearing with me,

Mick

[dixho]

Which file did you download? I copy the following from the installation guide:

"Step 3 Click on the software filename (such as MACOSInstallv3x.sit). The 3x identifies the software package version number."

When I go to the download page without logging in to http://www.cisco.com, I got the followings:

Firmware

340-350-PCMCIA-LMC-PCI-v53017.exe

340 and 350 Series PCMCIA, LMC, and PCI 802.11b Client Adapter firmware (802.1X Ratified). For use with Windows 98, 2000, Me, NT,and XP. Requires AP firmware 12.2(11)JA or later versions. 5.30.17 17-Nov-2003 126976

PCMCIA-LMC-PCI-MPI-CB20A-v53017ReleaseNotes.pdf

Release notes for 350 and 340 Series PCMCIA, LMC, PCI and MPI 802.11b and Cardbus 20A 802.11a 5GHz Client Adapter firmware (802.1X Ratified) version 5.30.17. 5.30.17 17-Nov-2003 251527

Driver and Aironet Client Utility (ACU)

MACOSInstallv301.sit

350, 340, 4800 Series PCMCIA, LMC, PCI 802.11b Client Adapter Driver and Utilities for Mac OS 9.X and Mac OS X (10.1 and later). 5 GHz Cardbus 20A 802.11a for Mac OS 9.X and Mac OS X (10.2 and later). Firmware 5.30.17 or earlier. 3.0.1 26-Mar-2004 8289573

MACOSInstallv301ReleaseNotes.pdf

Release notes for 350, 340, 4800 Series PCMCIA, LMC, PCI 802.11b and 5 GHz Cardbus 20A 802.11a Client Adapter Driver and Utilities for MAC OS 9.X, MAC OS X (10.1 and later) version 3.0.1 3.0.1 12-Mar-2004 537879

Do not download the first one: 340-350-PCMCIA-LMC-PCI-v53017.exe. Download the third one: MACOSInstallv301.sit