Flashing Amber Light on AirPort Express

Hello brianathome. Welcome to the Apple Discussions!

A persistent, flashing amber light indicates that any of the several potential conditions may require your attention:

o The base station has not yet been configured because it is new, or the reset switch has been set.
o You have selected a security configuration that is not recommended.
o One of several other conditions, such as a disconnected Ethernet cable or invalid IP address has been detected.
(ref: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=305101)

If you run the AirPort Utility, it will show an amber circle on the summary page next to the area(s) causing the problem. Click on this amber circle and it should provide an explanation.

What errors are being reported?

i am having the same issue
my internet was working yesterday morning.. but "failed" during the day
i have re booted the machine . in safe mode , i have restarted the router . and reset my wireless network
for some reason i can connnect to internet directly thru ethernet port. but the airport express cannot find the ip address. my provider( virgin) say i need to call apple to reset my airport as there may have been a firmware upgrade ??
any ideas pls
i cant stand not being wireless..

thx

Hello gingerninjer. Welcome to the Apple Discussions!

I suggest you try the following two steps:

Perform a "factory default" reset of the AX
o (ref: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=108044)

Modem/Router Power ReCycling
o Power-off the Cable modem, AX, & computer(s); Wait at least 15 minutes.
o Power-on the Cable modem; Wait at least 10 minutes.
o Power-on the AX; Wait at least 5 minutes.
o Power-on the computer(s)

I'm having a similar problem, but with a difference. I just got a used AX which was supposedly working excellently. I also installed an Airport card that seems to work okay (if I turn it on it lists other wifi nets in adjoining apartments, etc.) Finally, I got an audio cable to go from my stereo to the AX. I don't (at this time at least) need to use it for my internet connection because I have an ethernet router between my wife's PC, my Mac, and our printer...and that works just fine. All I want to do is to be able to send music from iTunes on my Mac G4 to my stereo speakers.

So here's the problem: plugging the AX in, with the audio cable connected, all I get is that blinking amber light and Airport Utility can't pick it up as existing. I've reset it to factory default 2 or 3 times (and only briefly get the green light when I first plug it in with the reset button held down - then it reverts to a long amber and then starts blinking again).

It is possible that this is a bum AX, but I want to check on if there may be something else at work here before I go through the hassle of returning it to the guy I bought it from. Help!

I suggest temporarily connecting your G4 directly to the Ethernet port of the AX using an Ethernet cable, and then, attempt to access it with the AirPort Utility. Once configured, you can disconnect the cable.

I was able to find the AX with an ethernet cable and did a few things such as "Enable Airtunes" under the Music tab in Airport Admin Utility, but most of the rest of the settings seemed geared to either an ethernet connection or setting up an Internet connection, neither of which I want to do. I suppose the one thing I didn't do was try to configure it (while connected via ethernet) with Airport Utility. I didn't try that because so many postings on the Web discussing trying to solve this issue (which seems rampant) seemed to advise bypassing Airport Utility and going to Airport Admin Utility.

But I guess my real problem with this is that nowhere have I found a conceptual overview which explains what exactly needs to happen. Am I having to create a new network just to enable iTunes to find the AX in order to stream music?

I guess I'll go back and rehook my ethernet cable to the AX and try the Airport Utility this time. Sigh.

I'm no networking whiz (obviously) despite using Macs since 1984, but I have to say that setting up my home ethernet network for Internet and printer was a breeze compared to this.

I suppose the one thing I didn't do was try to configure it (while connected via ethernet) with Airport Utility. I didn't try that because so many postings on the Web discussing trying to solve this issue (which seems rampant) seemed to advise bypassing Airport Utility and going to Airport Admin Utility.

Fyi ... The AirPort Admin Utility came with the older 802.11g AirPorts. The newer 802.11n models use the AirPort Utility. This newer version of the utility will work with both versions and is the preferred administration tool for the AirPorts.

But I guess my real problem with this is that nowhere have I found a conceptual overview which explains what exactly needs to happen. Am I having to create a new network just to enable iTunes to find the AX in order to stream music?

You basically have three primary options (with a few secondary options) in how to configure an AX for streaming iTunes:

o Option 1 - Leave it in its factory default configuration ... which is a wireless router. This will provide both a wireless network and streaming support.
o Option 2 - Reconfigure it as a wireless client to an existing wireless network provided by another router. The AX will no longer perform as a wireless router, but it will still be available for streaming.
o Option 3 - Reconfigure the AX as either a relay or remote base station in a Wireless Distribution System (WDS) with another AirPort. This will allow the AX to both extend the wireless range of that other AirPort and provide streaming.

So, the option you will want will depend on your current network and your requirements for the AX.

Btw, Apple does provide a network design guide on AirPorts. You can download a copy here: Designing AirPort Networks 10.5 Windows

I am having the same problem with my AX, which suddenly stopped connecting, shortly after I had the power supply and logic board (?) replaced in my G5. AX has worked fine for years, with only the occasional need to reboot or reconnect when moving between users. I am now getting the steady flashing amber light. Have tried several things, including soft and hard resets. With a hard reset it did blink rapidly, but that was as far as I got in the process. Now my network even has vanished from the pulldown in the menu bar. AX admin utility doesn't offer any help. I am operating off a cable modem.

This is a cobbled together situation. I got the Airport card from a friend's old G4. It is probably an 802.11b. I bought the AX from someone on eBay. It is an 802.11g. I get my DSL (and printer) through a hardwire D-Link ethernet router and intend to keep using that for my network.

So, all I want to do with the AX is stream music to my stereo from iTunes. That's it. So, according to your 3 options I want option 1.

I did go back and connect up to the AX by ethernet and go through the AirPort Utility configuration. But I probably got screwed up in settings and choosing WEP security and a bunch of stuff which I barely understood and which may not even be relevant to just streaming music.

But in any case, once I disconnected the ethernet and tried to just get either iTunes or Airport Admin Util or the Airport drop-down menu to "see" the AX, I had no luck. I suspect what I really need is a blow-by-blow account from someone who has had precisely my problem trying to reach precisely the same goal. So much of the advice around has to do with solving problems connected to your options 2 and 3, which aren't relevant in this case.

I get my DSL (and printer) through a hardwire D-Link ethernet router and intend to keep using that for my network.

Ok, so with the AX we will, effectively, have two routers in series in your network. No problem as we can reconfigure the AX as a bridge using the AirPort Utility. As a bridge, the AX will perform like a Wireless Access Point (WAP). This would allow the D-Link router to continue to provide both NAT & DHCP services for the entire wired/wireless network. (Note: This would actually be a slight off-shoot of option 1 ... let's call it 1.5. 😉 as we would have to make at least one change to the settings in the AirPort Utility. Instead of the default "Share an IP address" we would select "Off (Bridge Mode)."

You would still need to connect the AX directly to one of the available D-Link's LAN ports by Ethernet.

We are also getting completely off the original poster's topic, so if you would like a step-by-step solution, I suggest that you start a new topic; describe your current network equipment; what your requirements are; and what you have attempted to do so far. This way your issue will get the Discussions full attention as appropriate for your case. Thx!

You would still need to connect the AX directly to one of the available D-Link's LAN ports by Ethernet.

Whoa! Hardwiring the AX to the D-Link isn't an option because all the ports on the D-Link are already taken (wife's PC, printer, my Mac, and DSL). And besides, why should I have to do that? The whole selling point of the AX is that it is wireless. You are suggesting the set-up diagrammed on page 19 of the Setup Manual 5.1 What I am wanting to do is the set-up diagrammed on page 18. 😉

We are also getting completely off the original poster's topic, so if you would like a step-by-step solution, I suggest that you start a new topic; describe your current network equipment; what your requirements are; and what you have attempted to do so far. This way your issue will get the Discussions full attention as appropriate for your case. Thx!

OK, I will do that. I probably should have to begin with. Sorry.

You are suggesting the set-up diagrammed on page 19 of the Setup Manual 5.1 What I am wanting to do is the set-up diagrammed on page 18.

No, I'm actually proposing that you configure your network as shown on page 36 of this design guide ... but since your D-Link's LAN ports are already taken, of course, that wouldn't work.