Help! Networking a Linksys base, 2 AP Expresses and "Apple Network e3d747"

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Level 1

13 points

Help! Networking a Linksys base, 2 AP Expresses and "Apple Network e3d747"

Hi -

I give up. I have a Linksys 802.11b router, connected to the Internet via Linksys cable modem & Comcast. I also two AirPort expresses (in different rooms from the Linksys). Each Airport Express is connected to a stereo (different rooms, different stereo systems).

Until today, I was able to move my computer to any room and play music to the closest router via iTunes. Suddenly, I cannot view this combination of routers as a single network.

So I can access the Internet via "Linksys" but can't see the AirPort routers. I ran AirPort Utility. During the process, a second network mysteriously appeared, called "Apple Network e3d747" and soon afterward another one, called "Apple Network f69977." Now, the routers both have steady yellow lights and they are invisible. iTunes gives me an error message "Error -3256" and won't play through the routers to my music systems.

I am guessing that I need to delete these "Apple Network (number)" networks, but can't figure out how. I see them and can choose them in AirPort Utility but they appear nowhere that I can click a minus-sign to delete them from a list.

Anyone got any ideas??!!

If an Apple Genius is monitoring this thread, can you speak up & make suggestions? I have an active AppleCare agreement. Thank you.

Q4'08 MacBook Pro 2.53 Ghz Core 2 Duo 15" w/4GB RAM, Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Nov 17, 2008 8:14 PM

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Answer 1

nerowolfe

Level 6

13,090 points

Nov 17, 2008 8:26 PM in response to Steve H

Steve H wrote:
Hi -

I give up. I have a Linksys 802.11b router, connected to the Internet via Linksys cable modem & Comcast. I also two AirPort expresses (in different rooms from the Linksys). Each Airport Express is connected to a stereo (different rooms, different stereo systems).

Until today, I was able to move my computer to any room and play music to the closest router via iTunes. Suddenly, I cannot view this combination of routers as a single network.

So I can access the Internet via "Linksys" but can't see the AirPort routers. I ran AirPort Utility. During the process, a second network mysteriously appeared, called "Apple Network e3d747" and soon afterward another one, called "Apple Network f69977."

I believe that these are the default names for the Airport devices. Sounds as if they became unset.
Try resetting one of them back to factory default and then running airport utility to set it back up.
The instructions are on pages 37 and 38 in the booklet.

Now, the routers both have steady yellow lights and they are invisible. iTunes gives me an error message "Error -3256" and won't play through the routers to my music systems.

As I noted, check the booklet for resetting them

PS Apple does not monitor these threads. It's strictly user-to-user.

Message was edited by: nerowolfe

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Answer 2

Steve H Author

Level 1

13 points

Nov 17, 2008 9:18 PM in response to nerowolfe

Hi Nerowolf,

Thanks for the help so quickly. Problem is not fully solved, read on.

As you suggested I reset ("factory" reset) on both AirPort Express routers, then ran AirPort Utility to name each of them.

I next launched iTunes, & selected one of the AirPort Express units from the pulldown menu located at the bottom right corner of the iTunes window, to select the desired router (or computer speakers). I get the following error message:

"An error occurred while connecting to the remote speaker "(name of router that I tried to select)". An unknown error occurred (-3256)."

For the heck of it, I searched Google for that error message code and found this page on the Apple site, updated July 17, 2008

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2237?viewlocale=en_US (for errors -299 to -5553)

The list of error codes does not include the error message that I received.

In summary, I can connect to the Internet - the "Airport" dropdown menu in the Mac menubar shows "Linksys" selected. Even though I'm sitting within 10 feet of the Linksys and 5 feet from one of the AirPort Express units, the signal strength showing in the menubar of my Mac is only 3 out of four bars. Although I can see both AirPorts (and presumably configure them) from within AirPort Utility, I only get error messages when trying to connect to my speakers via iTunes.

Any other suggestions?

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Answer 3

Steve H Author

Level 1

13 points

Nov 19, 2008 9:54 AM in response to Steve H

Solved - The problem was in "System Preferences/Security/Firewall"

The radio-button must be set to "allow all incoming connections"

Then iTunes plays through the AirPort Express units - no more error messages.

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