WiFi Issues: Original Airport/ iMac G4 with latest AirPort Extreme Router

You can use the iPhone or iPad to set up the Time Capsule.

Do NOT open AirPort Utility on the iPad or iPhone, (or a Mac) if you want to set up an AirPort from scratch....the AirPort or Time Capsule will never appear after it has been reset.

On the iPhone or iPad.......

Go to the Home Screen

Tap on Settings

Tap on WiFi

Look for the heading of Set Up New AirPort Base Station

Tap on Time Cap;sule

The example below shows an AirPort Express that will be set up again. You will see Time Capsule on your screen.

Follow the prompts

G4 security is not up to the standard of the latest airport.

Try turning off the wireless security in the Airport just for a test. Make sure the channel for 2.4ghz is set to say 8 or 9.

Does it work??

If so you might be able to set wireless down to WPA / WPA2

But your whole network then becomes prone to security weakness.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2744907

This is going to be really "iffy" with a 10 year old Time Capsule that is in no way a match for the AirPort Extreme as far as wireless performance is concerned. Frankly, it is amazing that the Time Capsule is still operating.

Assuming that it is working OK, everything will depend on the qualify of the WiFi signal where the Time Capsule will be located.

Power up the Time Capsule for a minute or two

Hold in the reset button on the back of the Time Capsule for 7-8 seconds and release

Allow a full minute for the Time Capsule to restart to a slow, blinking amber light status

Click the WiFi menu at the top of the Mac's screen

Look for a listing of New AirPort Base Station

Click directly on Time Capsule

When you click on Time Capsule that will start up the AirPort setup "wizard". Follow the prompts.

verything and for some reason nothing is working.

It appears that you might have meant to say that you have tried "everything"......but we don't know what that might include. However, If you really have already tried everything.....then things really are hopeless as far as getting the iMac to connect to WiFi in a normal way.

If "everything" does not happen to include checking the AirPort Extreme with no wireless security at all to see if the iMac can connect that way, it is worth trying this "test" because it will tell you some important things.

If the Mac can connect with no security enabled on the AirPort Extreme.....then you know that you have a wireless security issue to work on.

If it still cannot connect with no security on the AirPort Extreme, then the iMac is never going to connect when you do try to enable security, so you will need to use a WiFi adapter.....like an AirPort Express...... if you want the iMac to connect to the WiFi network signal from the AirPort Extreme.

Post back on the results of your "no security on the AirPort Extreme" test and that will tell us where to go next.

An "invalid password" error would not occur if you are using no security and no password.

Here, I am assuming that your "test" included changing the name of the WiFi network on the AirPort Extreme when you disabled the WiFi security to check to see if the Mac could connect to the network with no security.

If you did not do this, then things are really messed up since your Mac has tried to connect to the same network with and without a password and it does not know which is which.

Temporarily, change the name of the AirPort Extreme network to something simple like WiFiTest when you disable the WiFi security on the AirPort.

Not sure whether you have an AirPort Extreme or an AirPort Time Capsule.....or both of these devices. Can you clarify on that?

What device will act as your "main" router?

What device will act as an "extender"?

Will the extender connect to the network using a permanent wired Ethernet cable connection or using a wireless connection?

Another way of saying the same things........we cannot see your network or know what you might be thinking. Things that are obvious to you are totally unknown to us. So, we'll only know as much as you can tell us.

The extender will connect to the main router wirelessly.

Nowhere in my instructions do you see anything about connecting the Time Capsule to the AirPort Extreme using an Ethernet cable. You cannot have the Time Capsule connected to the AirPort Extreme using an Ethernet cable if you want it to extend the network using a wireless connection.

Do NOT connect an Ethernet cable between the AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule.

Follow the instructions above. If the Time Capsule is located where it can receive a strong WiFi signal from the AirPort Extreme....and....it is operating correctly.......then....you can connect an Ethernet cable from one of the three LAN <--> ports on the Time Capsule to the Mac. Make sure that the WiFi is turned off on the Mac, so the connection will be over Ethernet.

Nice work.

Hopefully, the Time Capsule will go a little longer. But, as LaPastenague mentioned, it is way overdue to fail, so hopefully you will not be storing any data that you cannot afford to lose on the Time Capsule.