I have my family over and my brother is trying to use his laptop. It shows my network as locked and is asking for a password. Does anyone know how I can re-set my password?
All Airport Base Stations have a small hole the size of a bent paperclip or slightly smaller than the head of a ballpoint pen.
Try using the end of a bent paperclip once you find that hole, while the device is plugged in and on. Hold it in that hole for about 5 seconds and wait for the light to change. Then remove it. The base station will go back to its default name under the airport menu, and from the Airport setup utility, you can reset the password.
thanks, i did that however the light is amber/orange and we can't get the green light. What did you mean by m the Airport setup utility? how do i find the setup utility? thanks
The Airport Utility lives in your Utilities folder inside the Application folder. It is installed there if you did the normal install from the disc that shipped with your AirPort. The latest version is here .
3 plug back in the modem data cables (if a cable modem, plug back in the coax; if a DSL modem, plug back in the telephone cable; in either case, plug back in the Ethernet cable.)
4 plug back in the modem power cable. Wait for the modem to power up and stabilise.
5 plug the data cable from the modem to the router, and from the router to the Mac.
6 plug back in the router power cable. wait for the router to power up and stabilise.
7 launch AirPort Utility and see what it has to say.
Plug the laptop in by Ethernet cable so that you can set up the router using AirPort Utility. Once the router is set up, including the wireless settings, you can disconnect the Ethernet cable and connect wirelessly.
thanks again, so now I am connected using my ethernet cable and clicked on Applications, Utilities, Airport Utility. It says "Unable to detect wireless device" and i can only click on Rescan. At the bottom it says Manual Setup, but it is grayed out - naturally because I am using the ethernet cable!!
So next I tried right clicking at the top right corner (by the clock) where the symbol is for the airport utility, but what do i click on? Create Network? Join Network? I assume this is where I would re-name my port location and re-set my password? Is it possible for you to tell me in advance the correct options that I should choose from the set up wizard? Thank you again
Power down the router and power it back up. Wait a little once it's powered back up and you should detect it. You can set the wireless options even if you're connected by Ethernet.
As a final resort you could use a paper clip on the reset hole next to the security hole on the far side of the Ethernet ports on the back of the router. However, that will clear all current settings from the device.