Cannot configure Airport Express

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Level 1

1 points

Cannot configure Airport Express

My Airport Extreme Base Station (AEBS) is configured as WDS (allowed to be extended) and connected to my modem/router by Ethernet. All works fine.
Now I try to add my Airport Express (AX) to the WDS. The AX shows up in the left units panel (amber light).

Clicking Manual Setup for the AX first asks me if I want to switch networks. Weird, but OK: Yes - I have no alternative (No brings you back to the previous screen). Then the main screen lets me know that it is now reading the AX configuration - followed after a short time by a Base Station Error Message: “AirPort Utility was unable to find your AirPort wireless device.“ End of story - stuck!

Tried all available AX resets: no improvement.
Tried to configure the AX with my AEBS off: no improvement.
Tried to configure the AX with the AX connected to my iMac by Ethernet: no improvement.

Went with my AX to a friend who doesn’t have an up and running airport network: the AX configuration screen immediately pops up. Obvious conclusions: (1) Don’t throw away the AX yet; (2) My problem is somehow related to my specific hardware/software situation. But - how?

I’m using Airport Utility 5.5.1. The AEBS has firmware 7.4.2 on board. The AX doesn’t specify its firmware version.

Some help would be highly appreciated!

iMac 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.6.3)

Posted on May 10, 2010 1:46 PM

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Answer 1

May 10, 2010 6:04 PM in response to Walter Bohle

Welcome to the discussion area!

I'm not sure what else to suggest without backtracking to recheck settings on your AirPort Extreme to make sure that it is operating correctly and then checking the AirPort Express from head to toe.

I am a bit confused since you mention that you have an AEBS using firmware 7.4.2, which indicates that you have a "square" AEBS capable of "n" operation, correct?

If that is the case, you would not use the WDS settings to configure your wireless network (WDS is normally used with older "b/g" only devices).

Leave the AX powered down for now. Are you able to "see" the AEBS if you open AirPort Utility to check some settings?

If so, please click Manual Setup
Click the Wireless tab below the horizontal row of icons

If you have a new AX, the correct setting for Wireless Mode = Create a wireless network.
There should be a check mark next to "Allow this network to be extended".
You should also see settings for your wireless network name, security and password.
Click Update to save any changes that you have made and the AEBS will restart in 15-20 seconds.

I assume that you have been using the AEBS network before you tried to add the AX. Check to make sure that you have an internet connection, wireless is working, ethernet is working, etc. When you are satisfied that the AEBS is functioning normally, please post back. Or, post back if you have questions about what I have mentioned above.

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Answer 2

May 11, 2010 6:05 AM in response to Walter Bohle

I am having precisely the same issue. My configuration, rev on firmware, experiences are exactly the same. Verified security is the same (WPA/WPA2 personal). Rebooted everything from the cable modem through the PC repeatedly. Nice green light in base station and am working over the wireless connection as I create this (excellent connectivity bye the way). Tried Ethernet connections from base to express & from PC to express as well. The express configuration process seems to proceed perfectly until the very end when the "unable to find the device" after re-boot appears.

Strangely, after rebooting everything in sequence and leaving Express unplugged, when I run Airport Utility (also 5.5.1), it does not "see" the base station (actual message is "Airport utility was unable to find any wireless devices. Please make sure it is plugged in (it is) and in range of your computer(it is)) and is both obviously functional and at my left elbow.

Yes - square AEBS capable of n operation
No mention of "WDS" option is Extreme setup
Often able to see the AEBS but at this time not - settings as you suggest ... create a wireless network; "allow this network to be extended"; network name, security,passwords the same on base and express setup.

Yes, have been using AEBS before trying to add AX. Yes everything working; my AEBS is functioning normally.

Could this be a software issue with AirPort Utility? Or with a recent firmware update?

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Answer 3

May 11, 2010 6:54 AM in response to Crawdaddy2good2btru

Temporarily, if you connect an ethernet cable from your computer to one of the available LAN <-> ports on the AEBS, restart both your computer and AEBS, can AirPort Utility "see" the AEBS?

I don't work with Windows, so can't help on tips in that regard. If you connect via ethernet as above, it would be a good idea to turn off the wireless on the computer for the moment.

If the AEBS is functioning normally, you will be able to see it and access it by clicking Manual Setup.

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Answer 4

May 11, 2010 7:54 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Thanks Bob.

I continued to tinker with it and after hours and hours, finally successfully configured the AE and now have full functionality, except that the utility sees neither the Extreme station nor the Express extender even though both are fully functional.

And the answer to your question is no, the ethernet cable pc>AEBS followed be restarts on both did not give AEBS visibility.

I wish I had some idea as to why I was able to finally get it functional. My Droid sees great signal strength too 🙂

Thanks for taking the time to reply & your advice.

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Answer 5

Walter Bohle Author

Level 1

1 points

May 11, 2010 10:42 AM in response to Walter Bohle

To all who responded: thanks!!

I ‘solved’ the problem - that is: I found a way to get it working by trial and error, without understanding why I managed.

First I started up in Safe Mode, in order to exclude that the problem was caused by a conflict with non-Apple utilities. Result: no improvement.

Then I went experimenting with all the possibilities to connect the AX with Ethernet cables.
The one and only that (to my surprise) finally worked was by connecting the AX with one of the Ethernet ports on my modem/router, connecting the AEBS with my iMac by Ethernet, and keeping the existing Ethernet connection between my AEBS and my modem/router.
Suddenly I could configure the AX again and add it to the existing AEBS networ (not configured as WDS anymore, by the way). Straightforward, the way it should be. Again, I don’t have a clue why this works.
The Airport menu item now only shows one network again, the original AEBS network. Also the way it should be.
BTW: the AX has firmware version 6.3 (couldn’t see that before).

I then checked if it would still work with Ethernet cables removed (between iMac and AEBS and between AX and modem/router) and AX moved away from the iMac/AEBS/modem/router assembly. Yes, it still works as it should. AEBS and AX still discoverable and configurable.

Hope this will help others.

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Answer 6

Walter Bohle Author

Level 1

1 points

May 13, 2010 1:39 PM in response to Walter Bohle

In retrospective: maybe all the trouble to configure the AX was caused by my modem/router. Although I don't explicitly use it’s wireless capability (I prefer a reliable Ethernet connection between the AEBS and the modem/router), it might interfere with the AX in the sensitive stage of reading it’s configuration, maybe both broadcasting in the same spectrum range.

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