Flash still works in China, but you need to ask Adobe nicely before running it

Extreme Networks flings flaky Flash-free fix and Cisco all-but-sighs as it reminds users to upgrade

Extreme Networks has updated the WiNG-Man software that left some users unable to manage their networks with a GUI after it failed to deliver an upgrade before Adobe’s Flash plug-in reached end of life.

The networking vendor scrambled to cook up a fix and it landed on Wednesday, US time. A community support thread contains an official statement on the matter that says the new version 1.0.4 is for Windows only and that an HTML-based GUI for users who prefer to work in a browser “is still in progress.”

But the new version seems a bit flaky: the thread reports users have found it doesn’t work under Windows Server 2021.

Extreme’s announcement also says the new version isn’t offered to customers in mainland China and directs those folks to www.flash.cn because Adobe China has kept Flash alive! Users that seek authorisation from the company can still run the plug-in. Flash.cn even offers a download for the plugin, something that’s hard to find in other nations.

The Register downloaded the plug-in but hasn’t run it out of an abundance of caution.

Extreme is not the only networking vendor with some Flash hassles to handle: Cisco has popped out a Field Notice reminding users of its Cisco Vision Dynamic Signage Director software that they really should have upgraded to a Flash-free version by now.

Version 6.3 of said software was published on August 21st, 2020 and Cisco’s release notes advise that users should “Plan to be on Release 6.3 no later than the end of 2020 calendar year.”

Clearly, plenty have not made the effort. Cisco’s therefore warned users of versions 4.0 through 6.2 to hurry up and do the deed.

Either that or try to figure out if Chinese Flash can do the trick. ®