Airport Express in bridge mode invisible to Airport Extreme

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Level 1

11 points

Airport Express in bridge mode invisible to Airport Extreme

I have a wireless network consisting of an Airport Exteme base station and an Airport Express as a bridge. It has worked perfectly, but I am having a problem now.

Recently our IP went down for an unknown number of hours. This, I knew. Also, my wife had forgotten to pay our cable bill, so the IP just cut off internet service. This, I didn't know.

Thinking that my network might somewhat at fault, I started troubleshooting. In the process, I told the Extreme to 'Forget' the Express. My thinking was that I would just reconnect it as a bridge to the Extreme. Lo and behold, I lost the Express signal and have been unable to get the Extreme to pick it up ever since.

How do I get the AP Express reconnected as a bridge to the network? I have been reluctant to reset the AP Extreme, since I have some designated ports and settings that I would rather not lose if I don't have to.

Thanks!

Neil

AirPort Extreme 802.11ac Gen1

Posted on Jul 22, 2019 5:16 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Bob Timmons

Level 10

190,708 points

Jul 22, 2019 7:14 PM in response to neila452

So far, I have been unable to reset the Express.

This sounds as if you might be thinking that the AirPort Express will "appear" in AirPort Utility after it has been reset to its default settings.

It won't.

AirPort Utility will only display AirPorts that have already been configured to work on your network. If you have reset the Express correctly, it now has original factory default settings, so it has not been configured to work on your network. That is why it does not "appear" as a configured device when you open AirPort Utility.

When the Express has been set up again correctly.......then......it will appear in AirPort Utility.

Please perform the following steps:

1) Power up the AirPort Express and let it run a few minutes

2) Hold in the reset button on the AirPort Express for 7-8 seconds and release

3) Allow a full minute for the Express to restart to a slow, blinking amber light status

IF.... the Express has been reset correctly.....It will now be "discoverable" again so that you can reconfigure the Express again.

Please perform the following steps on your Mac:

1) Click the WiFi icon at the top of the Mac's screen

2) Look for a listing of New AirPort Base Station

3) Just below that listing, click directly on AirPort Express

If you are using an iPhone or iPad to reconfigure the AirPort Express, please perform the following steps:

1) Go to the Home screen on the iPhone or iPad

2) Tap on Settings

3) Tap on WiFi

4) Look for the listing of Set Up New AirPort Base Station

5) Just below that listing, tap on AirPort Express

When you click (or tap) on AirPort Express, the AirPort Utility setup "wizard" will open up automatically and take a few seconds to analyze the network.

Then, it will display a suggested setup for the AirPort Express to reconfigure the device

Follow the prompts to reconfigure the AirPort Express

If you try the setup of the Express a few times and it still will not accept the new settings, then the Express is likely defective

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Answer 2

Bob Timmons

Level 10

190,708 points

Jul 22, 2019 6:05 PM in response to neila452

If devices are connecting to the AirPort Extreme OK, then you don't have a problem with the AirPort Extreme.......you have a problem with the AirPort Express.

There should be no need to change any of the settings on the AirPort Extreme as long as it seems to be operating normally. In any event, there are no settings on the AirPort Extreme.....or any of the Apple AirPorts for that matter.....to tell it to "rediscover" another device.

If you have powered off the AirPort Express and then powered it back up a few times to see if it will broadcast its presence on the network.....so it can be discovered on the network.....and the Express will still not appear in AirPort Utility.......your next troubleshooting option would be to reset the AirPort Express back to its original factory default settings and then set it up again.

If the Express still will not hold its new settings after it has been reset and set up again, or it does not appear on the network after you have tried to set it up again a few times, then the Express may likely be defective.

As a test here, I powered off my modem here to that my AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express lost their Internet connection. The AirPort Express still remains connected and visible on the network even though there is no Internet signal on either the AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express.

Your network should behave the same if everything is working correctly and configured correctly.

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Answer 3

Jul 22, 2019 5:53 PM in response to neila452

You don't have to reset the Extreme but you do need to reset the express.. once you reset it you will gain access to it again. Usually!!

Post back if you continue to have issues.

BTW you can save the configuration..

Open the airport utility click the airport and click edit in the summary that comes up.. then go to the top menu.. file and you can export the configuration. You should always have a configuration saved if you don't want to lose it because resetting the airports is becoming more and more necessary and frequent.

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Answer 4

neila452 Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 23, 2019 9:39 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Solution achieved!

Bob:

The process you outlined for resetting the Express worked. I think the key is pressing and holding in the reset micro-button for 8 seconds.

What didn't work was the wireless pull down menu. The Express did not show up there. I tried it a number of times. Where it did show up is in the Airport Utility and the upper left button 'Other Wi-Fi Devices.' The Express had not shown up there until I had tried to reset it several times, which makes me think that it is properly resetting the device is the key.

Thanks for your help!

Neil

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Answer 5

neila452 Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 22, 2019 6:51 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Bob wrote: If the Express still will not hold its new settings after it has been reset and set up again, or it does not appear on the network after you have tried to set it up again a few times, then the Express may likely be defective.

So far, I have been unable to reset the Express. I have plugged/unplugged it a number of times. And, I have activated the resent switch on the back panel. Using my iMac and AP Utility, the Express does not show up. It is invisible. Using AP Utility on my iPhone, the Express shows up but can't be accessed. The yellow warning icon appears next to it.

Lapastanaque also suggested resetting the Express, but added: Open the airport utility click the airport and click edit in the summary that comes up.. then go to the top menu.. file and you can export the configuration. You should always have a configuration saved if you don't want to lose it because resetting the airports is becoming more and more necessary and frequent.

Unfortunately, I never saved the configuration for the Express or the Extreme.

It is beginning to look like this Express is defective. I've never had this problem with it before. I've had it for around 5 years.

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Airport Express in bridge mode invisible to Airport Extreme

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