Lisa Jacobs

Q: Airport Roaming Network - Difficulty Substituting a Component

I have a roaming (ethernet) Airport network.

Cable modem (UBEE from TW) --- Airport Extreme -- goes out to WAN ports on Time Capsule and Airport Express (also connected directly to stereo). The configuration, as far as I can tell, conforms to <Wi-Fi base stations: How to set up and configure AirPort Express for AirPlay and iTunes - Apple Support>

The airport express was old and people keep having their music streaming dropped. So I got a new Airport Express 802.11n.

I can add it to the network -- but as soon as I do, the internet connection goes down. When I take it off, internet connection is back up.

I can't figure out what the problem could be; the old Airport Express did not cause this problem with the internet connection.

 

I am running El Capitan.

Posted on Dec 5, 2015 12:08 PM

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Q: Airport Roaming Network - Difficulty Substituting a Component

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  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Dec 5, 2015 12:30 PM in response to Lisa Jacobs
    Level 10 (105,163 points)
    Wireless
    Dec 5, 2015 12:30 PM in response to Lisa Jacobs

    Lisa,

     

    This type of problem occurs when the Express is first set up to connect to the network using wireless.....and then the Ethernet connection is applied. In other words, the Express is expecting a wireless connection but it also gets an Ethernet connection....and this creates a massive feedback loop that effectively crashes the network.

     

    Please try the following:

     

    Power up the Express for a minute or two

    Hold in the reset button on the back of the Express until you see the amber light begin to flash rapidly, hold a few more seconds when this occurs,  and then release the reset button. Give the Express a full minute to restart again.

     

    Make sure that the network Ethernet cable is connected to the WAN "O" port on the Express

     

    Click the WiFi icon at the top of the Mac's screen, then click directly on AirPort Express to start the setup "wizard". The first screen that will appear will look similar to the illustration below, except that you will see your devices and network name displayed.

     

    Extend Ethernet 1.png

     

    Type in a short simple name that you want to use for the Express

    Click Next

     

    Now watch the next screen very carefully to confirm that the Express is being set up to extend using Ethernet. That is your confirmation that the Express will be configured correctly.

     

    Extend Ethernet 2.png

     

    When you see the message of Setup Complete, click Done.  And, you are done.

  • by Lisa Jacobs,

    Lisa Jacobs Lisa Jacobs Dec 5, 2015 1:29 PM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 5, 2015 1:29 PM in response to Bob Timmons

    HI Bob,

     

    As soon as I get into the setup, it says it's joining the wireless network. Ethernet never comes up as an option. Though, oddly the line between the devices looks solid rather than dotted at first.

     

    I have tried to back out of it and re-start a couple of times, but it keeps choosing wireless. Is there a different manual setting to make it choose Ethernet?

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Dec 5, 2015 1:43 PM in response to Lisa Jacobs
    Level 10 (105,163 points)
    Wireless
    Dec 5, 2015 1:43 PM in response to Lisa Jacobs

    There is a problem with the Ethernet cable or one of the Ethernet ports on main router or Express.  You will not see the Express "joining" or "extending using wireless" if there is a good, solid Ethernet connection between the main router and Express.

     

    For now, start over and reset the Express again.

     

    Then, use a short, spare Ethernet cable.....any length will do.....to connect from your main router to the WAN "O:" port on the Express.

     

    Run the setup that way. If you see the correct setup, you know that the Express has been configured correctly. If you see the same problem as before, the WAN port on the Express may be defective and the Express will need to be replaced.

     

    If the Express sets up correctly using the short Ethernet cable, and does not connect to the "long" Ethernet cable, you likely have a problem with the long Ethernet cable. Cable errors are very common, unfortunately.

  • by Lisa Jacobs,Solvedanswer

    Lisa Jacobs Lisa Jacobs Dec 5, 2015 6:17 PM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 5, 2015 6:17 PM in response to Bob Timmons

    Well, I set up the new Airport Express via a short Ethernet cable connected to the Airport Extreme.

     

    I also tested the original long Ethernet cable with a laptop thst recognized the Ethernet as working.

     

    Then I brought the new Airport Express back to the long Ethernet cable and plugged it in. it remained set up in roaming / Ethernet mode.

     

    i am a bit disappointed that Apple Music still cuts out quite a bit. But music from my own library is great.

     

    i appreciate your help and advice, Bob.

     

    LIsa