Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT
I purchased an Airport Express to extend my network to an upstairs room. AE just blinks amber, doesn't reach green and does not show up in AirPort Utility. So, I tried a soft and hard reset, but still just blinks amber and still no device in AirPort utility. I also tried connecting to iMac via ethernet, but it still doesn't show up. Any ideas?
Power off the iMac, wait a moment, then power it back up
Power off the AirPort Express
Wait 5 minutes
Hold in the reset button on the Express
Continue to hold the reset button in 10-12 seconds while you plug the Express back in to power
Release the reset button
Allow 40-45 seconds for the Express to restart to a slow blinking amber light
Wait a few minutes to see if AirPort Utility will open automatically on the iMac
If not, open AirPort Utility
If the Express does not appear, close AirPort Utility
Click the fan shaped AirPort icon at the top of the iMac's screen
Click Join Other Network
Click Show Networks
Select Apple Network xxxxxxxx and connect to that network
Open AirPort Utility and the Express should appear
After doing the reset as you describe, the AE shows up in the utility and seemingly allows me to update the setting. However, I then get a message, "waiting for EZ to restart..." and it eventually just times out. Then another message pops up saying, "the settings for this AirPort device have been updated, but there was a problem re-joining the wireless network or finding the Airport device. I then close and reopen the AirPort Utility and the Airport Express no longer shows up (even though plugged into the iMac via Ethernet). AE still blinks amber.
By the way, I've tried this reset procedure probably a dozen times now, to no avail. I also went by the Apple Store to ask them about it, and they told me to call Apple Care, since the device is new. Many, many, many hours for what should be a simple effort. Oh well. Any added thoughts are welcome.
Are you trying to configure the AirPort Express to "join" another wireless network?
If not, what exactly are you trying to accomplish with the AirPort Express?
My end goal is to extend my existing network to my upstairs bedroom to get better connectivity to internet with my laptop and also for better connectivity for my bedroom AppleTV. First step, I can't even get the AE to work properly, I thought I would first see if I could simply get it to join my existing network (cable modem connected to a Time Capsule, which works like a charm). I thought I would first try to get the darn thing working in terms of connecting to the network. Then I thought I would go back in and reconfigure the AE to use it to extend the network (e.g., "participate in a WDS network"). As it stands, I can't even get a green light out of the bugger.
WDS settings would not be used on newer "n" devices. WDS is only for older "g" wireless devices, or a "mix" of "n" and "g" devices.
Open AirPort Utiity - select your Time Capsule - Click Manual Setup
Click the Wireless tab located just below the row of icons
Make sure that you have a check mark next to "Allow this network to be extended"
Click Update to save your changes
Perform a Factory Default Reset on the Airport Express, then move it close to your Time Capsule for the configuration.
Open AirPort Utility - Select the AirPort Express - Click Manual Setup
Click the Base Station tab below the icons to assign a name and device password and adjust Time Zone settings
Click the Wireless tab
Wireless Mode = Extend a wireless network
Wireless Network Name = Click the selection box and the name of the Time Capsule wireless network should appear. If it does not appear, enter the exact name of the Time Capsule wireless network by typing it in
Enter a check mark next to Allow Wireless Clients
Wireless Security = Exact same setting as your Time Capsule wireless network
Wireless Password = Same password as your Time Capsule wireless network
Confirm Password
Update to save settings. If your settings are correct, you will have a green light in 40-45 seconds
Unplug the Express and locate at a point that is about 1/2 the distance from the Time Capsule to the general area that needs more wireless coverage.
Post on your results.
Timmons, you're a genius. I made the changes as you outlined and everything works perfect. What a lovely little green light. I've already tested remote connectivity with my laptop in the upstairs bedroom... full signal strength! I'm pretty sure my error was in setting up the WDS setting when I first purchased the Express (based on instructions from Apple in how to use AE to extend your network). In any case, going back and setting it to "extend network" as you suggested worked perfectly. Thanks so much!
You are welcome! Glad that you got things working.
BTW, the "extend" setup you have will run circles around WDS. It will provide at least 5-6 times the speed that WDS could ever hope to achieve.
Hello everybody,
Sorry to jump in the discussion, not really sure it's the good thread, but it's the closest to my problem that I found.
Okay here's the deal :
I used to stream audio content through airplay from an ipad to my airport express.
It was great and it worked for the ipod app but also for other apps such as aweditorium for example.
Airport Express is still working. I can see it from the Mac. It show in Itunes and in Airfoil, which I use to stream every other from the mac.
BUT, it is not working anymore from the ipad. There's no "airplay" icon anymore in ipod player.
What did I do.
Only thing I did was disable the "N" wifi from my routeur because THEN, the ipad wasn't seeing the wifi AT ALL.
Now the wifi is fine on the iPad BUT, not airplay.
Please help ?
Thank You
Mister Jukebox
Oh, and of course, airplay works on the iPhone...
Hi
Great exchange
I have gone through all of what you so perfectly described. I have my Airport Extreem in my downstairs office, a Airport Express at the base of my stairs going to the upstairs bedrooms where my kids are. It was set up to Extend a Network. I have green lights all around yet it does not seem to be working. Even stading right next to the express I dont get great connectivity. Upstairs it is horrible if at all. Not sure what to do. Do I need a second express chained together? Seems there is a problem with the one since the signal strength is not great even right next to it with my iPad.
You guys seem to be on this stuff, would appreciate any thoughts you might have for me to improve. Running CAT V is not a real option.
Thanks in advance.
Bob, you seem to be very good at fixing these, so can I ask a question. I am having a similar issue to Russelboy.
I have an exisitng network in my house - its not run through a mac wifi system. - It came with the house so I know little about it, except how to connect to it. Which the Mac is happily doing.
I have an Airport Express that I was hoping to use just to connect the speakers and printer too.
I go through the set up via air port utlity happily, and it all works until i get to the last stage, after reset it is unable to reconnect and i get the same as RusselBoy described - "the settings for this AirPort device have been updated, but there was a problem re-joining the wireless network or finding the Airport device. I then close and reopen the AirPort Utility and the Airport Express no longer shows up (even though plugged into the iMac via Ethernet). AE still blinks amber."
To be able to see the airport after this I have to do a factory or hard reset.
I was unsure of how many of the commects you gave before related to the system russelboy had and wondered if you were able to answer my issue too.
Thanks!
Lizzy
Bob,
Sorry to bother you again - but I thought I would further explain what I have done.
I followed theses instuctions of yours.
"Perform a Factory Default Reset on the Airport Express (its currently not connected to an ethernet cable is this an issue)
Open AirPort Utility - Select the AirPort Express - Click Manual Setup
Click the Base Station tab below the icons to assign a name and device password and adjust Time Zone settings
Click the Wireless tab
Wireless Mode = Extend a wireless network - I didn't have this option so selected join.
Wireless Network Name = Click the selection box and the name of the Time Capsule wireless network should appear. It did.
Update to save settings. If your settings are correct, you will have a green light in 40-45 seconds" - unfortuntaly this didnt happen I was faced with this message again...
"The settings for this AirPort wireless device have been successfully updated, but there was a problem re-joining the wireless network or finding the AirPort wireless device. You may need to select your network from the Wi-Fi menu and try again.
The settings for this AirPort wireless device have been successfully updated, but there was a problem re-joining the wireless network or finding the AirPort wireless device. You may need to select your network from the Wi-Fi menu and try again."
Airport Express problem
