Airport express ethernet troubleshooting with Belkin Powerline HD

Question

Airport express ethernet troubleshooting with Belkin Powerline HD

Dear All,

Equipment:
x3 Airport Express stations (G generation not N)
x3 Belkin Powerline HD (up to 1000mbit)
x1 iMac plugged (connected via ethernet)

I have three airport express devices around my house in order to play music in those rooms from itunes.

The Expresses never worked well wirelessly so I decided to buy Belkin Powerline hd devices that create ethernet bridges between my router and the three Airport express devices through the mains supply.

i. The lights go green when I plug in the ethernet cable on the Airport Expresses
ii. The Belkin Powerline hd boxes have the solid blue light indicating excellent connection
iii. The Airport expresses are set on "ethernet"

but the *airport express devices do not come up on my itunes and not in Airport Utility* on my iMac.

I have tried the following:
i. Unplugging one of the airport express devices from the Belkin Powerline hd and plugging my laptop in to the ethernet - and the internet works - so there is a connection between the Belkin Powerline hd devices.
ii. I have tried resetting the Airport expresses, giving them fixed ip addresses.
iii. I have used a regular ethernet between the airport express and my laptop and it registers perfectly.
iv. Tried putting all three Belkin Powerline hd mains devices in mains sockets in the same room.. but still doesn't pick up the airport expresses.

So it's highly confusing... internet works across the Belkin Powerline hd mains devices, the airport express lights come up green - but the airport expresses do not register in itunes or Airport utility. (for accuracy - it does come up for a few minutes when plugged in then disappears).

Please help... Belkin are just as perplexed as I am on this.

Thanks

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Jan 14, 2011 7:25 AM

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Answer 1

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,018 points

Jan 14, 2011 7:45 AM in response to jameslondonmacair

iii. I have used a regular ethernet between the airport express and my laptop and it registers perfectly

That's a pretty strong clue that the Belkin devices are performing some sort of filtering, probably to keep noise on the powerline down as low as possible. In the process, the iTunes stream is likely being identified as noise and is filtered as well.

Since the ethernet port on the AirPort Express will only handle 100 Mbps, the 1000 Mbps devices are not needed and may be the cause of your issue. If you can, try a standard 85 Mbps or 100-200 Mbps powerline product. I've used both Linksys devices and Netgear in the past for powerline and have had no issues when streaming audio or video over the network.

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Answer 2

Jan 14, 2011 7:58 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Thank you for your response. Belkin have sent me the 200Mb Powerline devices to test if that works better. It is doing exactly the same thing. Interesting what you say about the noise levels - because I have read reports that they interfere with certain radio bands. Belkin are saying that there should be no problem connecting Airport expresses to them - they even sell their devices in the Apple Store and as far as I know I am the first to post on this.

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Answer 3

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,018 points

Jan 14, 2011 8:04 AM in response to jameslondonmacair

I am sure you do have them set this way, but just to confirm...

The AirPort Express devices are all configured in Bridge Mode, correct?

Message was edited by: Bob Timmons

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Answer 4

Jan 14, 2011 8:16 AM in response to Bob Timmons

No problem Bob. I'm 100% sure they are in bridge mode.

I have also tried rolling back the firmwares on the Airport expresses as a long shot but no luck.

Please see the link below to a VERY amateurish sketch of how the network is set up...

public.me.com/james_nash

Thx again.

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Answer 5

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,018 points

Jan 14, 2011 8:21 AM in response to jameslondonmacair

I would sure be tempted to try a pair of Linksys products if the store would allow you to return them for full credit in case you see the same type of issue. If they work, you have your answer.

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Answer 6

Jan 14, 2011 9:34 AM in response to Bob Timmons

I appreciate that but I'm reluctant to move down to a 200Mbs device because:

i. In reality the 200Mbs will probably run at maximum 80Mbs (The house in question has a very large circuit running over quite a space)
ii. The 1000Mbs model works on a larger circuit range.
iii. the 1000Mbs model provides me with enough bandwidth to supply up to 6 Airport Express devices, 10 computers, an Apple TV, Apple Airport Extreme, 4 iphones, 6 TVs, Printers, Multiple security camera systems.. the list unfortunately goes on.
iv. I think the 200Mbs device would possibly suffice but all in all it will be a lot less future proof.

I just want to exhaust all the options before I am forced to make such a switch. I'm sure this is software related - unfortunately probably in the Belkin device's firmware.

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Answer 7

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,018 points

Jan 14, 2011 9:57 AM in response to jameslondonmacair

Understand the need for bandwidth. Netgear has some 500 Mbps products that I have not tried, so I can't say whether they would work or not.

I know it's difficult to run the ethernet cable all over the place in an existing home. Fortunately, my house is all one level with a big attic, so when I decided to go with an ethernet backbone to 4 areas of the house, it was not too difficult.

If your budget allows and the construction of the home allows, it is money well spent. But, I understand the challenges.

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Answer 8

Jan 15, 2011 7:07 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Thanks Bob. Running cables all around this house would be near impossible without making it look like an office! 🙂 I agree though that it is by far the best solution.

Belkin have promised to get to the bottom of it. I will wait and see. Be interesting if anybody else has experienced this problem...

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Answer 9

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,018 points

Jan 15, 2011 7:17 AM in response to jameslondonmacair

Thanks, understand that some homes just don't lend themselves to new wires throughout the house.

Please keep us posted on what you find, as to my knowledge, we've not seen an issue like yours on the forum boards.

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Answer 10

Jan 15, 2011 10:27 PM in response to jameslondonmacair

Running into the same exact problem with the belkin hd power adapters.

I have an apple tv connected via wired LAN direct to the router that is at the modem. (all in the tv cabinet).
The PC with iTunes is in the office across the house. Previously i was using wireless t connect the PC back to the router.

In an effort to improve the performance, I got the Belkin hd power line adapter starter kit earlier today because of the 1Gbps throughput.

The units connected quickly, and I was able to notice a significant difference on web browsing immediately. However, I could not get the apple tv to see the computer any longer.

After a couple of hours of checking firewall settings on my PC, checking itunes settings and ports, turning off home sharing and restarting it, as well as PC reboots, I was still unable to connect to the PC from the apple tv. I could ping the router from the PC and even ping the apple tv from the PC, but the apple tv and iTunes were still not seeing each other. yes - iTunes was open on the PC when I was trying to connect from the apple tv.

With everything still the same, I disabled the LAN and stuck the USB wireless dongle back in the PC. Once it connected, and I closed and reopened iTunes once more (for good measure) and immediately the apple tv was detected.

So.....there is something blocked on the belkin power line adapter.

Now I am hunting to see if there is a web interface for the belkin adapters that I could tweak in order to resolve this. If not, they are going back to best buy.

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Answer 11

Jan 16, 2011 9:00 PM in response to chickendance

ok - just upgraded the firmware on the belkin hd powerline adapters to 2.0.16 - still no change - will not detect apple tv from itunes

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Answer 12

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,018 points

Jan 16, 2011 9:07 PM in response to chickendance

Thanks for the info and updates. Please keep us posted on your progress.

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Answer 13

Jan 17, 2011 5:38 AM in response to chickendance

Thank you for your post!

Can you remember what firmware you upgraded from?

This is exactly the same problem I am having. What would be interesting is to find out if it is specific to Apple network products. Can you for example share files between two computers over the belkin link?

Are you based in the UK? I have a case open with Belkin on this matter with their "level 3" technicians. Maybe we should add your case to the mix.

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Answer 14

GezzaT

Level 1

8 points

Jan 21, 2011 12:47 PM in response to jameslondonmacair

Similar problem. Getting little from Belkin other than recommendation for a full refund. Apparently, they have recommended to resellers that anyone bringing them back should get a refund - no q's asked - to the avoid the need for user RMA's. I get the impression that they know there is something up with their firmware...

Get very good performance from stuff connected by wire to a TC, which is connected to the router by HD's.

It's not passing data to wireless clients of the TC though...

Any help from anyone greatly appreciated!

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Answer 15

Jan 22, 2011 6:53 AM in response to jameslondonmacair

yes - everything else seems to work perfect over the belkin adapters, except for the communication between itunes and the apple tv. the apple tv is not recognized by itunes as being on the network. I can ping the apple tv just fine, however itunes still does not see it when i am connected over the belkin units.

i am in the US.

also...i may go get another powerline adapter unit by another manufacturer today to see if it is belkin specific, or if it nhas something to do with the powerline adapter technology, or even the 1000Mbps network port on the belkin.

nothing scientific to my troubleshooting now. Just want to get it working.

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