iTunes 8 & Airtunes/Airport Express

try resetting factory defaults on the airport express. unplug it and push the rest button for 10 sec, keep holding it while you plug the airport express back in, keep holding the rest button until the amber light blinks rapidly, then let go. Wait a few minutes, open airport utility and reconfigure the airport express. The add it to the firewall.

Got the "-15000"-error after install. Switched the Firewall settings from "Allow only essential services" to "Set access for specific services and applications", added iTunes via the + button and set "Allow incoming connections", whereupon everything worked smoothly. Don't know what else I've broken by doing this, though. Guess I've gotta manually set a lot of access permissions tomorrow. As of now, them remote speakers work, and I'm happy.

I also have just installed iTunes 8 and it will not connect to my speakers through my Airport Express. I get an error code -3256. I just got off the phone with Apple and they say they are aware of it and are trying to fix it. How do I revert?!?!?!

…and do a little dance, clap three times and say the magic words?

Seriously, if you don't know what repair permissions do, please don't recommend it to others.

If you open airport utility, an update to firmware 6.3 should begin downloading. This has resolved the issue for me. Now if Apple will allow me to remove the Genre search field from the browser, and the arrow links to the iTunes store.

I had the exact same symptoms as you, and I have the exact same environment (firmware 6.2, OSX Tiger, firewall disabled).

Software update didn't tell me I had any new firmware for my Airport Express, so I searched for how to update to 6.3. My AirPort Admin Utility was at version 4.2, but it looks like there's a new took available called "AirPort Utility", which is at version 5.3.2:

http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/airportutility532tiger.html

I installed this, and right away it found the 6.3 update for my AirPort Express. This totally solves the problem, and AirTunes now works correctly.

Hope this helps!

No effect here, mine is already at 6.3 and not working.

Ditto. Airport Firmware 6.3 on an 802.11g Airport Express. Done the Repair Permissions dance, rebooted, futzed with the firewall, but still no love: Unknown error -3256.

I have this exact problem too EXCEPT i'm not using a an Airport or Airport express, I'm using a 2wire Gateway Modem from AT&T.

With iTunes 7 it was easy to stream to my AppleTV and now I get the same error (-1500). Does anyone know how to fix this? Thanks.

This worked for me too. I then turned the UDP blocking back on in the firewall and it kept playing, but when I switched to computer speakers and then back to remote, it came up with the -15000 error again. It looks like it needs some kind of UDP comms whenever it has to set up the connection, but doesn't check again until the next time it needs to set up.

Multiple speakers works for the first time too.

I disabled UDP again for now to see if Apple fixes this first.

(I'm using an Apple Airport Express 802.11n and Mac OS X 4.11.)

I also switched the Firewall settings from "Allow only essential services" to "Set access for specific services and applications", added iTunes via the + button and set "Allow incoming connections". It worked immediately for me.

I checked my logs and I had entries in there that read "Deny iTunes data in from fe80::21f:f3ff:fe03:d3bb:6002 uid = 0 proto=17" so it appears to be a firewall problem.

Same situation here, error -15000. Tried all possible firewall settings on Leopard, nothing helps. Logs didn't reveal much either.

Airport Express is running firmware 7.3.2.

Went back to iTunes 7.7.1, as it works perfectly with my AE. Will stay there until Apple fixes this or tells us what we can do to resolve it.

Same problem here (error -3256) on a MacBook Pro 2.4Ghz running Leopard, fully updated.

Thanks for that, it worked. I didn't know where to look for that firmware, and like you said, it wasn't showing up in Software Update. Airtunes working now. Thanks!

Leopard 10.5.4, Airport Express N with 7.3.2 firmware. Initially had error -15000. I don't think playing with my firewall is really what I want as a solution though it does work for now.

I am really surprised that such an obvious and major bug exists. What sort of risks exist both in allowing all connections and in allowing incoming from iTunes in my firewall?