Airtunes for XP with a Wired/Wireless network

Hi Guys,

I have a similar problem to all but not quite the same (or so I can find).

I have two xp computers. One wired and one wireless. The wireless can see and play itunes via airtunes but the other I can not get to play music through. I can see it on my network on the wired PC by pinging it but I do not get the icon in the bottom of the itunes window.

What do people suggest. I have a Netgear DG834G wireless router that wired PC is connected to and am trying to play itunes on that. Is there a simple setting I am missing?

Anyone please help?!?

Make sure iTunes is not "hiding" the Express speakers - this is a setting found under the Preferences menu of iTunes.

Also, make sure all network firewalls on the PC are disabled.

Thanks Henry,

I completely forgot about my TrendMicro antivirus software that has a personal firewall. I had turned off the XP one but not the other.

A really big thankyou from someone who has spent a week solving the green light/yellow light flashing problem by myself before finally admitting defeat and doing things the easy way by looking up help via this forum.

I have never used a discussion group before so I will try and help others to repay my dept.

Thanks once again, you have saved me some greif from my unbelieving wife.

Greg in Australia

Hy David,

I'm new to this discussion but I've seen your reply to Ryan 01 and it looks great.
I explain you my probem: I can't detect the AE wireless even if I use the AE utility (not the AE Assistant).
If I look into the Windows connections I can see the "wirtually" established conncection with the base but packages are going out but notthing is coming back.

Questions:
1- why do you think my AE utility can not detect the base?
2- do you believe I can follow the same procedure you recommended to Ryan (to try it wired) to establish my internet connection (instead of the iTunes?)
3- as a difference with Ryan there is that I'm not using a Router but the base should be my gate to the DSL modem and this to the net!
So shall I try to plug the broadband cable from the base to my PC? Do you believe it'll work?

Many thanks for your help!

PAOLO

Grassopaolo:

Two suggestions:

1. make sure you download and install the Airport for Windows 4.1 update from Apple's web site.

2. make sure you disable the firewall built into Windows XP SP2 - it will prevent the AE utilities from detecting the AE. Also, remove any third-party firewall software installed on your PC including Norton, MacAfee, ZoneAlarm, and others, and remove any VPN client software installed on your PC.

I am having similar issues.
I plugged in the Airport Express to the router to try the Airport Admin Utility (Base Station Chooser) but the router # light (registering a connection) for a few seconds and then turns off. I tested the ethernet cable on my extra laptop and the cable works fine.

I have unplugged the Airport Express and then plugged in again, still same scenario

Anxious to get this working. I had not seen this Discussion info until tonight. The other night while attempting to get this to work with a friend, I was trying a similar wired attempt and Base Station Chooser did see my Airport Express, my attempt to connect it faild.

I currently have my Windows firewall disabled. Help.

Wow, I'm not the only one! Well I spent 3 hours getting AE to finally work (sort of) in this environment. Now if I could only get the streem to function for more that 2 seconds (2 sec on the drops for about 2 sec). Any ideas?

I haven't even gone back to turn security back on yet since if this problem is not solvable it goes back or in the garbage.

MAKE SURE YOU CHECK FOR THE LATEST FIRMWARE UPDATES FOR YOUR EXISTING WIRELESS ACCESS POINT !!!!! I was going crazy until I installed the latest firmware on my Linksys WAP55AG. Audio kept dropping out b4 but now it is fine !

FYI latest firmware is v1.07.01 Mar 10, 2004

Now I will re-read this thread and see if I can turn security back on.

OK now everything is finally working. Boy Apple should read this thread, distill it and then update their documentation for Windows users. This has been stated throughout this thread and without which I would be hopelessly lost so for the record a Win XP user SHOULD:

Hook AE up to the router or hub with a cable (this helps eliminate many issues).

Download and install the update to the Airport Admin Utility (CD shipped with 4.0, current is 4.1) This is essential to be able to talk to the unit once setup and was the key to allowing the WEP security key to be entered.

Download and install the firmware ( CD shipped with 6.0, current is 6.1.1)

Begin with the Airport Admin Utility. Not the Wizard-like application since this give you the most flexibility.

Others may have differant applications but in most existing LAN environments that already have wireless and wired connections and if you are only really streaming audio to your stereo (as many appear to be) make sure you set AE up in client mode. Here's how:

Using the Admin app log in to AE. BTW the default password is "public" without the quotes (this is a buried fact in the install guide.

Go to the Airport tab and first click the button to change password. Assign one that you will remember and then use the pulldown box next to wireless mode. You'll want to select the one that says join an existing wireless network.

Enter the ssid name that your wireless access point/router is using. Look at the setup page of your wireless AP/router if you can't remember it.

If it is a secure net (as it should be) then click the wireless security button and enter select the type and enter a key if applicable. BTW use the HEX key entry for WEP and look at your wireless AP/router security settings for the exact key to enter.

Next go to the music tab and make sure that airtunes are enabled and give it a descriptive speaker name that will appear in itunes when correctly set up.

This is the basic setup routine for an airtunes client when you click update the AE will reboot.

I suggest that you wait for it to complete its reboot (you can tell when it shows back up in the base station chooser of the AE admin app. Now your changes should be in effect. To check try and log in (remember your new password). You should now see everything as you left it. Unplug the AE from power and then unplug the ethernet cable then plug it back in.

Be patient the unit will cycle and after a few minutes the light should turn green indicating it has joined the wireless net that you assigned it to. If not then at least you can go back and plug in the cable to access it.

If it turned green you should now see it again in the basestation chooser and if it is there then if you fire up itunes it should see it and you should be in business.

If after all that you start streaming but audio drops out then make sure you have that latest firmware update for your wireless AP/router. I had this problem with a Linksys unit but when I installed the latest firmware on it everything was happy including ME !

Enjoy

Hi Henry,

thanks but all this was already done. Now I've tried as you said (connect wired!) but the problem is when I scan to find the base from the Airport Utility, the scan is made Wi-Fi and not via Ethernet port...so it doesn't find the base anyhow... and I can't proceed with the config of the various tabs. 😟

Nevertheless by resetting several times I must now say that "sometimes" the AE utility can find the base and I can get in to the configuratio... what parameters should I set in?

Please consider I leave in Italy, I connect through the public company Telecom (Alice) and they gave me the DSL modem.

Can you help?

Thanks a lot!

PAOLO

Try turning off your PC's wireless network interface, to force it to look for your Airport Express on the ethernet port.

David --

You are brilliant. Why, oh, why isn't this method published by Apple in its documentation? It worked flawlessly for me and I'm currently streaming wonderful music into my living room.

Life is good. Thanks!

Chapps

I wish I was having as much luck!! I have been watching this very informative thread since buying my AE in December and, just as I was about to ask a question, the intermittent playing of iTunes seemed to resolve itself. Unfortunately it is back - and how!

HOWEVER - yesterday I had my Epiphany - and what a revelation THAT was! It has nothing to do with the AE.

My original wireless network is a generic 802.11g card in an XP Pro box and a D-Link 604T router/base station. This is upstairs in my office.

I wanted the Airport Express to connect to my hi-fi downstairs - to run specifically off my HP pavilion ZT3300 laptop. I set AE to join my existing D-link network and, whilst I had no problem getting the 2 to recognise each other, I have been plagued by these intermittent iTunes problems. I tried changing from a dynamic to a fixed address; I set robust connection. In fact I followed all your advice in this thread..

My AE was downstairs in a cupboard surrounded by steel dexion shelving (where my hi-fi is located), so I brought it out into the main room just in case it was being shielded. The problems remained.

I then moved my D-link downstairs so that the laptop, AE and D-link were only feet from each other - still intermittent problems. Sometimes iTunes plays for hours flawlessly, other times, it won't get through the opening bars of a song!

ANYHOW...

...as a test, and before I sent the AE packing, yesterday I installed iTunes and the relevant software on my XP box upstairs and iTunes now runs flawlessly. I have even moved the D-link back upstairs and the AE back into the cupboard. And it still plays. In fact I can't get it to go wrong now.

So it appears that it never HAS been an AE issue - but a laptop one. But what? Why?

When I hardwire the laptop into the hi-fi I have no interruptions, so it's not a defrag or drive spindle-speed issue?

Long post - I apologise - but any ideas? My drivers and firmware are up-to-date.

Thanks
Jonty

Mr Lovell's instructions seemed like an answer to my days long problem. As my luck would have it, I am unable to get very far along in the process at all.

I have a PC running XP SP2 (firewall disabled) which is connected via ethernet to a US Robotics LAN/Wireless Router.
As I understand it, I should be able to connect (via ethernet) the Airport Express to the router and then run the Airport Admin Utility and see the Airport Express. This does not happen in my case. In fact, The port light on my router only stay lit until the Airport Express flashes that familiar orange - then the port light remains unlit (the log of my router doesn't even have any action taking place at all.

I think i've followed other posts/instructions well enough and disabled security on the router, but am entirely at a loss.

I would love to start a troubleshooting dialog with a very helpful and knowledgeable person.

Thanks,
brandon

First thing would be to do a reset of the airport with the wired config to see if it lets you see it on the admin utility.

http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n108044