Airport Extreme needs daily resetting

If you are using an Airport Extreme - the original, white, "round" Extreme - and you are running either firmware version 5.7 or 5.6, try downgrading it to 5.5.1.

The original Extreme looks like this:



It is model number A1034 and has three white LEDs on the front. It looks a lot like the "snow" Airport - a/k/a "dual Ethernet" model - that was 802.11b only.

I have been using this Extreme for years, with no problems. It never needs to be reset and it works with all the PCs and Apple clients I've ever used.

I have heard anecdotal reports of problems with 5.6 and 5.7 so I don't recommend them - I am unaware of any advantage offered by those versions.

So try 5.5.1 and let me know how it works for you. Be sure to use Airport Utility 5.4.2 for Mac or AirPort Utility 5.4.2 for Windows as appropriate.

I am not on my Airport network right now and can't walk you through the steps, but if you need help uploading firmware 5.5.1 write back and I'll describe how to do it.

Hope this helps.

Mr. Galt, I downgraded to 5.5.1 from 5.7 this evening, and I'll report back. Thank you.

Funny, mine has also been behaving for the past few days. For weeks I've been having to do the daily reset exercise, but that changed within the past week. I haven't made any changes, which pretty much eliminates the hardware or firmware.

Thanks for picking up this issue, Mr. Galt. I'm in the same situation as others with the Airport Extreme. The Airport firmware (?) is v 5.7. The Airport Utility is v 5.5.1. Any links you can offer to download the recommended items would be greatly appreciated.

David Thomas2 wrote:
... The Airport firmware (?) is v 5.7. The Airport Utility is v 5.5.1.

David, Airport Utility version 5.5.1 is correct for Leopard, if that's what you have - your system information indicated OS X 10.4.10. I assume that's just an oversight. The version of Airport Utility I linked above is version 5.4.2, the latest for my OS (Tiger). It also contains firmware version 5.5.1. Your version of Airport Utility might contain firmware 5.5.1 - I don't have Leopard so I don't know.

The fact that the Airport Utility version you have and the firmware version I recommend are identical is merely coincidental - not to mention confusing. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

In any event, downgrading the firmware is easy enough. First make sure you have the appropriate version of Airport Utility - it's linked in my previous reply. Then,

1. Launch Airport Utility.
2. Select your Airport Base Station on the left - do not click "Manual Setup" or anything else.
3. From the "Base Station" menu, select "Upload Firmware..."
4. For "Upload Version", select "5.5.1" and click OK.
5. Click Continue to acknowledge the fact your network will be down during the update.

Allow a few moments for your Extreme to reset. That's it!

If you need additional help uploading the firmware, I'll post a screenshot or something.

Please let me know how that version works for you.

Message was edited by: John Galt

John Galt wrote:
Your version of Airport Utility might contain firmware 5.5.1 - I don't have Leopard so I don't know.

David, I "borrowed" a Leopard machine, with *Airport Utility* 5.5.1 installed, and confirmed it does contain firmware 5.5.1.

So now I know. No need for you to download an earlier copy of Airport Utility.

Whew!

Switching to 5.51. firmware option did not work - in fact, now I can't get a connection at all. I can't get Airport Utility to read the unit to revert back to 5.7 or use the update function. The configuration file became corrupted, I replaced it with yesterday's version, and it still won't cooperate. AU "sees" the unit, but it won't accept a password to connect and an error message appears after AU spends several minutes trying to access the config file

"An error occurred while reading the configuration."

My sense is that I should trash the Base Station config file, do a hard reset of the unit, and work from there.

Connect the Airport to your computer with an Ethernet cable.

Don't try to load a configuration file exported from a later firmware version.

My sense is that I should trash the Base Station config file, do a hard reset of the unit, and work from there.

Yes, that's the best way to recover from a corrupted internal parameter. Be sure the "hard reset" was effective - the best way to verify this is observing the AirPort base station creates an open wireless network with the SSID "Apple Network xxxxxx".

I am having the same problem. Started a few weeks ago. Basically -- whenever I take my MacBook off the network (shutdown, etc), I have to reset.

It's driving me bonkers. Isn't there a Mac Pro out there to respond to this considering there are numerous folks with the same issue?

Count me in. I have to do a daily reset also. I find it suspicious that this happened all of a sudden with me, which lead me here to find out that I am not the only one.

I have 4 original Airport Extremes that stop responding at least 3 times a week. Since they are above the ceiling, I installed X10 appliance modules as a kill switch to reset the base station rather than getting the ladder out and pulling the plug. They are all running version 5.7 firmware. My guess is there will not be any newer firmware versions written for these base stations due to their age.

Instead of doing a hard reset via the button on the base station, I instead used the Airport Utility and selected "Restore Default Settings" from the base station menu. Once the base station rebooted and was visible to Airport Utility, I then chose "Upload Firmware" and selected the 5.5.1 version. The unit downgraded and rebooted without problem. I then reconfigured the base station manually.

So far I have only reverted 1 base station. I will report back whether the downgrade makes a difference in my particular situation.

Paul

Thanks Paul. Give it a few days, then please report your results.

My Airport Extreme has been doing this for a few months. My network just doesn't show up randomly sometimes daily, sometimes every few days. Usually after a period of inactivity. Never seems to fail while it is in use. So far all I have been doing is unplugging and replugging the power and it comes right back. Takes less than a minute.
Waiting to see if anyone really confirms it is the firmware

Add one more name to the list.

It's sad if we have to back up to an older version. Isn't Apple reading this???

Also, if I do, I wasn't sure from the threads if that older firmware version IS or IS NOT compatible w/ snow leopard. I'm using leopard on this Dual G5.

Thanks all!
Ralph