Airport Express not recognized in Airport Utility

Question

Level 1

0 points

Airport Express not recognized in Airport Utility

I have an Airport Extreme base station on my Windows XP PC. I also have an Airport Express that I would like to use for wireless iTunes in another room. The problem I am having is that Airport Utility will not recognize the Airport Express. I have also tried connecting the Express directly to the Extreme and to the PC itself via ethernet but still no luck. Just a flashing amber light on the Express.

Anyone have any suggestions?

PC, Windows XP

Posted on Feb 6, 2009 10:40 AM

Reply

Answer 1

VA2020

Level 4

3,455 points

Feb 6, 2009 1:07 PM in response to infusion360

Welcome to Apple Discussions!

If you cannot see the Express via AirPort Utility, you need to try to reset it and try with the Express connected to the Mac via ethernet. There are 3 levels of resetting the Express. Here is a link on resetting the Express:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1450

Reply

Answer 2

infusion360 Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 6, 2009 3:26 PM in response to VA2020

I tried that.

With the Express connected to the PC with ethernet I do a factory reset.

After the reset has finished, Windows Network Connections status says, "acquiring network address." Then it says, "limited or no connectivity." But, the Express now shows up in the Airport Utility with an amber light. When I click on it I get an error message, "Error -6753, An error occurred while trying to access the Apple wireless device. Make sure your network connection is valid and try again."

I've been to this point before but no further. I cannot get to the setup stage.

Reply

Answer 3

voxellll

Level 1

0 points

Feb 7, 2009 9:33 AM in response to infusion360

infusion360,

I also had trouble recognizing a new Airport Express w/ Airport Utility. I tried all of the factory resets and could not find a solution.

My workaround was to set up the new Airport Express with Airport Utility on a borrowed MacBook and after configuration my PC was able to immediately connect via Airtunes. Additionally, I can see the second Express from the PC's utility after this intervention. I am experiencing some audio dropouts now from the PC only (Mac is clean) and am on to my second PC>Airport issue but this is progress. Give this a shot if you have (or can borrow) a MacBook.

Message was edited by: voxellll

Reply

Answer 4

tonypoer

Level 1

8 points

Feb 8, 2009 4:07 PM in response to voxellll

I'm having this exact same issue - but I don't have a macbook to borrow so I can configure my Express.

I did get my computer to recognize the Express station, but it wants to treat it like another network entirely. When I point my PC (the PC has a wireless card) to the Express station, the Express will appear in AirPort Utility, but it treats it like a base station - not as a component of the network. Also, both my Extreme and Express show up as having the same IP address. Is that right? It seems like they should be different, but I'm kind of a networking noob.

Any way to configure it without having a macbook?

Reply

Answer 5

infusion360 Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 9, 2009 6:03 PM in response to voxellll

I took my Express to work and configured it on the Mac. The only thing that changed is that the amber light in Airport Utility is now green. The Express itself still has a blinking amber light. I still have to connect via ethernet (no wireless connectivity at all). I am still getting the same error message when I try to connect. (Error -6573)

The Express I am using may be one of the original models. Could there be some compatibility issue with firmware?

BTW, it seems to work fine on the Mac.

Reply

Answer 6

tonypoer

Level 1

8 points

Feb 11, 2009 12:04 PM in response to infusion360

FYI - over the weekend it was suggested that i uninstall all the airport drivers from my computer and try again. i uninstalled airport utility and the extreme/express software and then loaded them both again (using the CD's that came with both extreme and express). then i downloaded the latest version of utility.

once that was done, i configured the extreme station (which was super easy, since the presets were stored in the extreme hardware itself) and then connected an ethernet cable from my PC to my express. my utility immediately recognized the express and i was able to configure it on the PC. then i added it as a point on my network and plugged it into the wall next to my stereo and i got a working signal.

long story short, it looks like all the drivers were never fully installed - not sure why. but reloading all the software for the express solved the problem.

Reply

Answer 7

infusion360 Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 11, 2009 5:22 PM in response to tonypoer

Tried it. No luck.

Reply

Answer 8

mdh95070

Level 1

0 points

Apr 14, 2009 2:27 PM in response to infusion360

ditto... has anyone figured this out... it seems to connect at times and then i get the amber light.. i've tried going with an IP address as well as DHCP. Maybe it is a WPA2 thing?

Reply