Airport Express STINKS - Can't set up in hotel

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Level 1

130 points

Airport Express STINKS - Can't set up in hotel

After some initial difficulties no thanks to its pretty useless instruction manual, I finally set up my Airport Express at home to wirelessly access my speakers and printer. Very little mention ANYWHERE that neither Airport nor Airport Express can be used without a third party wireless router to share a DSL internet connection...

But now I am in a hotel room and I am frustrated as **** that this thing is such a pain in the *** to set up to create a wireless network for my hotel room's STSN internet access.

I plugged in the network cable from the STSN modem to the Airport Express and then plugged the unit into a wall outlet, exactly as per the instructions. NOTHING. All I get is a stupid blinking yellow light and the Airport Express doesn't show up at all in the Airport Admin Utility or the Internet Connect Utility.

After wasting a lot of time searching the useless help files and online support, the best I've found is a couple of vaguely worded threads on the topic with no useful workaround or instructions whatsoever.

Once again, THIS STINKS. Absolutely useless. Waste of time and waste of money.

Considering that this is one of the primary reasons for owning this device, I am appalled that the process is so flawed and troublesome and that the documentation, both printed and online, is so utterly useless.

I am growing a little tired of running into these dead ends on what is supposed to be a "wonderfully intuitive, well-designed, and easy to use computer platform."

Posted on Aug 13, 2005 5:47 PM

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Answer 1

Jim Mauro

Level 2

294 points

Aug 13, 2005 10:47 PM in response to Walter A.

I've had mixed success with this, and I'm far from a networking expert, but the issue is not (always) with the AE unit. Some network ports can be configued to detect a 'host' that can work as a router or gateway. There's something funk that happens and the port gets disabled. I'm not familiar with the particulars.

This site: http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/, states in note 4 that another WAP is required for shared internet access.

My general experience with my AE has been positive.

Sounds a lot like the Tiger forum - happy users, and angry users.

Hopefully, you're can still return it for a full refund, and call it a day.

/jim

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Answer 2

Aug 14, 2005 9:38 AM in response to Walter A.

Sorry you're having trouble.

You should be able to just connect via ethernet to your hotel cable/dsl modem without using a router. I did so just last week for access across my suite. Worked fine once the modem recognized a new computer. Try turning off the modem for five minutes until it resets itself. That way, as far as I understand it, it's free to reassign an IP address to the AE. Also, I've found that pretty much anytime I mess with the settings on the $%#* thing, it is best to reset to factory defaults-- http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=108044--then use Airpot Setup Assistant in Utilities folder to set it up again.

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Answer 3

Aug 15, 2005 11:59 AM in response to Walter A.

Walter A,

I wonder if this link to Airport Express FAQ's might be of some help to you.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=108038

If you were to ask specific questions, it might be possible to provide more focussed responses.

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Answer 4

Henry B.

Level 9

78,713 points

Aug 15, 2005 8:11 PM in response to Walter A.

Walter - you do make a good point, in that I agree Apple should be a bit more realistic about their implied claims of how the Airport Express is a great device to provide wireless access to a hotel's cabled internet service.

The problem is not with the Airport Express, but with the convoluted authentication schemes many hotels use for getting a connection set up on their system. For many hotels the authentication process simply will NOT work with the Airport Express device located between your computer and their system - the process can only be successfully completed when your computer is cabled directly to their system, and remains so connected.

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Answer 5

deivy

Level 4

2,365 points

Aug 16, 2005 10:58 AM in response to Henry B.

Henry and Walter,
I agree with both. Apple should be a bit more realistic and improve the software or the hardware in the AE - computer connection.

I do have a AE network at home and it works flawlessly. Everything is absolutely fine... so why do I complain?

Well, because the setting of AE can be very frustrating. In comparison with all the other wireless devices where you set it via a web page, I feel frustrated with the process of setting the AE.

So either Apple improve the software (I still can not figure out how to see all the IP of the computers connected to my network) or put another ethernet port to the AE so one could overcome the authentication process of the hotel.

As a suggestion, try to create many profiles on the AE before you need them, then, just tweak them for the actual settings.

Deivy

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Answer 6

Walter A. Author

Level 1

130 points

Aug 20, 2005 9:10 AM in response to deivy

From Apple's website regarding the Airport Express:

"Take it with you in your laptop bag to use when you travel. Once you're in your hotel room, simply connect the AirPort Express Base Station to the rooms Ethernet network and with your AirPort-equipped PowerBook or iBook, you're instantly online wirelessly."

If this isn't a case of false advertising, I don't know what is.

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Answer 7

Henry B.

Level 9

78,713 points

Aug 20, 2005 9:15 AM in response to Walter A.

Well... its not exactly false advertising, just a bit overenthusiastic (something most manufacturers do when promoting their products). As I pointed out above, I think Apple should put in a disclaimer indicating this type of setup might not always be possible with some hotel internet services.

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Answer 8

Walter A. Author

Level 1

130 points

Aug 20, 2005 9:32 AM in response to Henry B.

I have yet to see a hotel room internet connection that does not require some sort of password authentication. Not only is this a case of false advertising, but there is little to no discussion of this issue anywhere on Apple's documentation, website, help files, or FAQs.

I suspect this is a problem that affects the vast majority of users attempting to create a wireless connection in a hotel room as promised by Apple's advertising, yet there is no information on the difficulties, limitations, or workarounds.

If Apple lost a class action suit on an issue as silly as battery life on iPods I can see how this could easily be a much bigger fiasco.

I'm coming to realize how naive I was to think that Apple is any better than Microsoft or any other crappy company in the PC arena. It seems everyone, including Apple, makes tons of crappy unreliable products that fail to work as advertised and also fails to provide adequate support or documentation.

It also seems that all those very vocal and supposedly knowledgeable Apple Evangelists who lurk Windows forums are notably absent from Apple's own forums. I'd like to hear an explanation from some of those folks...

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Answer 9

Walter A. Author

Level 1

130 points

Aug 20, 2005 9:44 AM in response to Eustace Mendis

I think my questions were quite clear and understood by all...

1) Why could I not create a wireless network using Airport Express in a hotel room so I could use the hotel's high speed internet service wirelessly on my Powerbook?

2) Why don't Apple's documentation, website, FAQs, or forums specifically address this issue, which probably affects a large majority of users attempting to wirelessly access a hotel room internet connection?

3) Why does Apple prominently advertise this very specific capability as a primary benefit of Airport Express when in many/most cases it is actually quite difficult or impossible to accomplish?

And here are a couple questions for you:

1) Why do you complain that I have not asked specific questions while providing a totally useless link that has nothing to do with the issues I'm asking about?

2) Why can you not understand what I am asking when everyone else in this thread seems to know exactly what I am talking about?

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Answer 10

Walter A. Author

Level 1

130 points

Aug 20, 2005 9:49 AM in response to Walter A.

Incidentally, I have encountered this issue in two hotels, Ritz Carlton in Washington DC and a Marriott in Miami Beach...

If anyone is aware of ANY hotel that offers high speed internet access in a way that actually works with Airport Express, please feel free to chime in with details...

(Please refrain from mentioning hotels offering wireless service, as this pretty much eliminates the need for the AE in the first place. I only bought the thing so I could have wireless internet in hotels without wireless service.)

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Answer 11

Aug 20, 2005 9:51 AM in response to Walter A.

1) Why could I not create a wireless network using Airport Express in a hotel room so I could use the hotel's high speed internet service wirelessly on my Powerbook?

Personally, I have never had a problem connecting my Airport Express in a hotel room(this includes Hilton, Radisson, Bradford Inn, Courtyard Inn, and probably a few more). I've also had no problems connecting it in my hotel room, disconnecting it, reconnecting it at my work location, and then bringing it back to my hotel room and reconnecting it.

One problem might be that for some hotels that charge you for internet service, you might have to connect with your powerbook first(bypassing the airport express) and authorize your computer. Then connect the express and see if all works. While I don't recall having to do this, it could be an issue.

Also, check what version firmware you have installed on your Airport Express.

Grant

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Answer 12

Walter A. Author

Level 1

130 points

Aug 20, 2005 9:54 AM in response to Kevin Clarke

Kevin, if I just wanted to use the wired Ethernet internet connection in my hotel room, why would I have gone to the trouble and expense of buying and bringing along an Airport Express?

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Answer 13

Walter A. Author

Level 1

130 points

Aug 20, 2005 9:58 AM in response to Jim Mauro

"Hopefully, you're can still return it for a full refund, and call it a day. "

Hmm, so a product fails to do precisely what its advertising says it's supposed to do and the best advice on the manufacturer's help forum is to return said device for a refund?

Nice. Real nice.

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Answer 14

Walter A. Author

Level 1

130 points

Aug 20, 2005 10:06 AM in response to Grant Greene

Grant, both hotels I've tried this in charged for internet access and required some sort of password authentication. Long before I bought the AE I stayed in a Residence Inn that offered free wireless internet, but even there you needed a username and password to use.

I can't imagine hotels offering free wireless internet with no authentication required. Talk about a wide open door to hackers.

In any event, I can accept the fact that it may be difficult or impossible to use this device in certain common situations. WHat really bothers me is that Apple boats of this specific capability as if its functionality were flawless and universal, and they fail to provide adequate documentation or instructions to point out the limitations and workarounds, if any.

The results are 1) I purchased a device based on misleading and unrealistic claims, and 2) I wasted a lot of time and suffered great frustration trying in vain to get this device to perform as advertised, when clear documentation could have saved me this trouble.

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Answer 15

Walter A. Author

Level 1

130 points

Aug 20, 2005 10:10 AM in response to Henry B.

"The problem is not with the Airport Express, but with the convoluted authentication schemes many hotels use for getting a connection set up on their system."

Henry, I disagree. While lack of standards may be the underlying reason for these difficulties, my complaint is that Apple acted as if these problems did not exist when they advertised this device's functionality and ease of use, and then failed to address these limitations in their documentation.

"I think Apple should put in a disclaimer indicating this type of setup might not always be possible with some hotel internet services."

Gee, you think? Wow, that would certainly be generous of them.

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Off Topic:

I've only been an Apple owner for a few months and the honeymoon's already over. The Emperor ain't wearing any clothes.

Airport Express - Difficult to install. Dysfunctional in most hotels. Useless documentation. New slogan: It Just Works - NOT!

Airport Extreme - Doesn't support passive mode for use in sniffer programs to test a wireless network's security.

Finder - Terrible file management interface and folder navigation compared to Windows Explorer. Inflexible, inefficient, and uninformative. Requires third party utilities to view hidden files.

iPhoto - Great for slideshows and books. Worthless for image file management and browsing. Slow import, no browse mode. No privacy features. No practical way to manage more than one Library. Needlessly confusing interface metaphors (Library, Rolls, Albums, Folders, etc.)

Video - Numerous popular and common video codecs and formats completely unsupported in OS X, including WMV3 and various Indeo codecs. Result: large number of video files unplayable on a Mac. Apple's fault? Who cares. All I know is I can't view these files on my Mac.

Security/Privacy - By default, OSX places a deleted items folder on removable drives. These deleted files are completely invisible to the Apple user, but in plain view of anyone accessing the drive with a Windows PC. Slick, real slick.

DVD+R - as with other technologies, well behind the PC platform. In this case, lagged months behind the Windows world in offering dual layer DVD burning, while still costing more.

Window resizing - MS Windows' maximize and resize functions more functional and efficient than Apple's. Windows do not automatically scale when zooming.

I still love the build quality of the PowerBook and not having to worry about viruses (yet), but these other issues are really annoying and are a huge drain on my productivity.

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