Cannot connect airport express to wireless network

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Cannot connect airport express to wireless network

Hello,

Please help. I bought my airport express specifically for playing iTunes through my hi-fi. However i cannot connect airport express to my current wireless network. I have reset numerous times but get through all the set up only for set up being close and then it says airport express settings did not match my wireless network. I have an iPhone and iPad connected with no problem to my wireless network.

My current Internet provider is Eircom and the router I have is a Zyxel P 660hw v3. I contacted apple to run through set up and was doing everything correct until I was then told over the phone that airport express will not connect to third party routers. The solution is to buy a airport extreme base station to use instead of my current router. This means going to an extra expense of €167.00 and it may still now work.

Has anyone please got a solution as I believe there should be a solution. I have connected through Ethernet cable but my router is upstairs and my hi-fi is downstairs. Once I disconnect the Ethernet cable the connection is lost on the airport express and the light goes from green to amber.

Again please help as it is driving me mad!

AirPort Express 802.11n (1st Gen), Windows Vista

Posted on Apr 16, 2012 3:02 PM

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Answer 1

Apr 16, 2012 3:25 PM in response to Damop

....I was then told over the phone that airport express will not connect to third party routers.

This is NOT correct.

The AirPort Express will connect to a wireless network if you know the following:

1) The name of the wireless network

2) The exact setting for wireless security that the network is using

3) The wireless network password

Most users know 1) and 3), but very few know the exact type of wireless security settings that their wireless router is using. The Express will not connect to the wireless network unless it receives all of the information listed above.

So...we will assume that you know the name of the wireless network and the password for the network.

Do you know the exact type of wireless security setting that your wireless router is using? If not, the Express will not connect.

You may need to check the setup of your wireless router....or if the router was supplied to you by an Internet Service Provider, they may be able to tell you what type of wireless security setting is being used.

Post back when you have this info and we will proceed. There are still no guarantees that the Express will connect....but at least there may be a chance.

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Answer 2

Damop Author

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Apr 16, 2012 3:29 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Hi Bob,

I am able to log into my router and my security settings are (WPA-PSK) which I set when trying to join the airport express to my wireless network. Are these settings ok or do I have to change to just (WPA) ?

Thanks for replying.

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Answer 3

Apr 16, 2012 3:32 PM in response to Damop

WPA has several flavors and WPA-PSK does not tell us what we need to know.

Look for additional encryption settings like AES or TKIP

The full picture will look something like the following examples:

WPA - PSK - TKIP

WPA2 - PSK - AES

WPA/WPA2 Personal

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Answer 4

Damop Author

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Apr 16, 2012 3:41 PM in response to Bob Timmons

I have checked this on my router and the setting is (TKIP) after the settings (WPA-PSK). The option of (AES) is available.

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Answer 5

Apr 16, 2012 3:49 PM in response to Damop

You are going to have to experiment with different combinations of settings on both your router and the AirPort Express. Unfortunately, you will need to start over if the Express does not display a green light about 45 seconds after you click the Update button.

The Express will connect when the settings match up between your router and Express. Unfortunately, different manufacturers use different names for security settings, so we are down to guesswork at this point.

Try the following first:

WPA-PSK-TKIP on your wireless router and WPA/WPA2 Personal on the AirPort Express

If no luck, then try the following next:

WPA2-PSK-AES on the wireless router and WPA2 Personal on the AirPort Express

Make sure that the name of your wireless network is one phrase consisting only of letters and numbers....with no spaces, apostrophes, exclamation marks, etc.

The password must be at least 8 characters with no spaces as well.

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Answer 6

Damop Author

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Apr 17, 2012 12:13 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Hi Bob,

I have spent yet another few hours changing the following settings but again to no avail. I have tried the following:

(WPA-PSK-TKIP on router and WPA/WPA2 Personal on the express) (WPA-PSK-TKIP router WEP 128 express)

(WPA2-PSK-AES router WPA2 express) (WPA2-PSK-AES router WPA-WPA2 personal on express)

(WPA-PSK-AES router WPA2 express) (WPA-PSK-AES router WPA/WPA2 personal on express).

Also i unticked the box alongside the option of enable WDS security which had the two options of either TKIP or AES. With this boxed ticked and me trying above combinations my airport express will just not connect to my

wireless network.

By any chance have you anymore suggestions and thanks again for your help.

Damop.

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Answer 7

Apr 17, 2012 12:39 PM in response to Damop

What happens if you temporarily turn off the wireless on Zyxel router and try to connect the Express that way?

If it still does not connect that way....it will never connect. You may have an Express that is acting up.

I have never found a router that is incompatible with an AirPort Express, but I haven't tested everything...and I'm not familiar with Zyxel at all. Sorry, I am out of ideas.

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Answer 8

Damop Author

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Apr 17, 2012 1:48 PM in response to Bob Timmons

I have connected throught Ethernet cable but where I want to position the airport express in a different room where my hi-fi is. I want to avoid running an Ethernet cable from my router to the airport express as the cable would be seen running along the skirting board.

Is there any chance that when the airport express connects through Ethernet cable that a wireless cable can then work? Once I unplugged my Ethernet from my router connection is then lost. I have read a lot of posts online and there seems to be no one who has found the settings required for connecting through wireless network.

The only solution seems to be going to the expense of buying a airport extreme base station which is mad to get my airport express to work AirPlay.

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Answer 9

Apr 17, 2012 1:59 PM in response to Damop

I want to avoid running an Ethernet cable from my router to the airport express as the cable would be seen running along the skirting board.

Consider a pair of Ethernet powerline adapters to send the Ethernet signal over the AC power lines in your home. You already have the wiring in place...you just need the adapters.

If you decide to try this, make sure that you can return the adapters if they do not work well. It is not possible to predict performance in advance with these devices. They have worked very well for me in the past. Unfortunately, they may cost about the same as an AirPort Extreme.

The only solution seems to be going to the expense of buying a airport extreme base station which is mad to get my airport express to work AirPlay.

I have configured Linksys, Cisco, Netgear, 2-Wire, Actiontec just to name a few that I know will work correctly using wireless only with the AirPort Express.

But, as I said, I have never used a Zyxel product. It is always possible that they are doing something that is not compatible with Apple wireless.

What happened when you tried to configure the Express to connect using no security on the Zyxel? Did it work?

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Answer 10

Damop Author

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Apr 17, 2012 2:27 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Now that you mention other brands of router I actually have a linksy which I have not used in over a year as I changed Internet service provider. I am going to use that router and see if I can connect to my airport express. Hopefully that will save the expense.

I will let you know tomorrow how I get on.

Thanks.

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Answer 11

nifos

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Apr 21, 2012 4:23 AM in response to Damop

I also have an issue connecting my express to the WPA/WPA 2 Personal. I am prompted to give the wifi password and everytime I give the password I am prompted to give it again and again, not connecting...

Any ideas more than welcome!

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Answer 12

Apr 21, 2012 7:11 AM in response to nifos

Please start a new post and include the make and model number of your modem. We also need to know what operating system you are running on your Mac or PC.

What service will the AirPort Express provide on your network?

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Answer 13

May 22, 2012 12:10 PM in response to Damop

Hi, I had a similar issue connecting my AE to my existing linksys system. I finally had to fix my linksys wifi to allow BOTH AES&TKIP as it was hard-coded to AES initially. Once I allowed both, the AE connected. I presume that the AE only uses TKIP.

hth

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Answer 14

Mohit S

Level 1

4 points

Jan 7, 2013 7:51 PM in response to Montreal514

Montreal514 is right. Thanks a lot. I was struggling to connect Airport Express with Linksys router. Once I changed the setting to AES&TKIP. Everything works like a charm.

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