Skip to content

AirPort Utility

Jump to bottom
Samuel Elliott edited this page Nov 26, 2019 · 1 revision

AirPort Utility is Apple's application for managing AirPort base stations using the ACP protocol.

Connecting

When AirPort Utility first connects to an AirPort device it requests the device's status and configuration and starts a monitoring session.

This is for AirPort Utility 6.3.9 (639.13) and a (fake) AirPort Express 2nd generation reporting version 7.8.

  1. AirPort Utility starts connection #1 and enables encryption.
  2. AirPort Utility sends a get property message for the property feat.
  3. AirPort Utility sends a get property message for the property fe01.
  4. AirPort Utility sends a get property message for the property syAP.
  5. AirPort Utility sends a get property message for the property syFl.
  6. AirPort Utility sends a get property message for the property feat.
  7. AirPort Utility sends a get property message for properties fire, srcv, syNm, syDN, syPW, syPR, syCt, syLo, syVs, syVr, syAM, sySN, sySK, syRe, syLR, syUT, minS, sySt, syIg, time, timz, usrd, raLC, raLF, raMA, raDS, raNA, raWB, raPx, raTr, raSL, raSR, WiFi, peSN, peUN, pePW, peSC, peAC, peID, peAO, waCV, waIn, waD1, waD2, waD3, waC1, waC2, waC3, waIP, waSM, waRA, waDC, waDS, waMA, waDN, waCD, waNM, waSD, laIP, laSM, laMA, dhBg, dhEn, dhSN, dhLe, dhMg, dh95, DRes, dhSL, gnBg, gnEn, gnSN, gnRo, gnLe, gnMg, gn95, naFl, naBg, naEn, naSN, naRo, naAF, nDMZ, pmPI, pmPS, pmPR, tACL, ntSV, slCl, slvl, snAF, snLW, snLL, snRW, snWW, snRL, snWL, snCS, usbF, prnI, prnR, seFl, cver, ctim, LLnk, WLnk, PHYS, isAC, Prof, maAl, maPr, leAc, lcVs, AUVs, lcVr, lcmV, lcMV, wsci, auPr, auNN, auNP, aWan, auRR, auHE, 6cfg, 6aut, 6Wad, 6Wfx, 6Wgw, 6Wte, 6Lfw, 6Lad, 6Lfx, 6sfw, 6trd, 6sec, 6fwl, 6NS1, 6NS2, 6PDa, 6PDl, 6CWa, 6CWp, 6CWg, 6CLa, 6NSa, 6NSb, 6CPa, 6CPl, wbEn, wbHN, wbHU, wbHP, wbRD, wbRU, wbRP, wbAC, iCld, SUEn, SUFq, SUSv, trCo.

    TODO: and any of feat, fe01, syAP, syFl, feat?

  8. AirPort Utility closes connection #1.
  9. AirPort Utility starts connection #2 and enables encryption.
  10. AirPort Utility sends a monitor request with this CFL binary plist: 
    {
    "filters": {
        "logm": {},
        "ACPRemoteBonjour": {},
        "MaSt": {},
        "waCD": {},
        "waC1": {},
        "waRA": {},
        "daSt": {},
        "tACL": {},
        "dmSt": {},
        "waIP": {},
        "wsci": {},
        "sySt": {},
        "stat": {},
        "raCh": {},
        "waC2": {},
        "DynS": {},
        "prnR": {},
        "waSM": {},
        "iCld": {},
        "deSt": {}
    }
}
  11. AirPort Utility starts connection #3 and enables encryption. This connection isn't used for anything yet.

At this point, AirPort Utility has two open connections (#2 and #3). I don't know how the monitoring messages work yet but they use connection #2. Connection #3 is used for RPC messages.

When connecting from the main interface (through a Bonjour advertisement) AirPort Utility also sends an RPC message with this CFL binary plist at some point:

{
    "inputs": {},
    "function": "acpd.system.interfaces"
}

Updating configuration

Sends an acpd.parseDirtyPlist RPC message with updated properties as inputs over connection #3. AirPort Utility immediately shows the configuration was updated successfully (before or after sending the RPC message?) and does not close the two open connections.

RPC messages

AirPort base stations expect a CFL binary plist with an input object and a function string, and respond with a CFL binary plist with an outputs object and numeric status.

{
    "inputs": {},
    "function": "..."
}
{
    "outputs": {},
    "status": 0
}
Clone this wiki locally