airport solid amber light then a flash of green and back to amber

I had the same problem - an AE purchased in 2010 - the light was solid amber for a minute or two, then it flashes green for less than a second then goes back to solid amber. After hours and hours of Google searching and failed reset attempts, dropping it onto a carpeted floor from about 3 feet fixed the issue. Who would have thought!

This worked for me too.. dropped it on the ethernet port/reset button side onto carpet from about 3 feet up. Maybe it unsticks the reset button or something, but now I have a solid green light and works perfect..

Me too! Cannot help but smile at this result 😁 !

I've heard of the 'drop test' many times, but not for a piece of modern hardware like this.

Apple - are you reading this? 😊

Might just try the same trick with my old D*ll PC: but because it's bigger I'll try from the bedroom window onto the patio. That should fix it...

Same think here.

Tapping it on my lap strongly solved the issue as it did for the others before me. This is like cartoons! 😝

🙂

Thanks to the guys that reported this highly unusual workaround!

Cheers!

Honestly, I had this same issue, factory reset was no fix. I did the carpet drop, AND IT WORKED! I got back to the flashing amber light and then set up router again. Thanks for posting this unusual fix.

I am having the same problem as well and am reading these posts and cracking up due to their sheer lunacy. It's like charging your iPhone in the microwave. Since it wasn't working I said, "to **** with it." I dropped it from chest height onto a bath mat. Plugged it in and to my surprise it worked. Solid green for 20 minutes now. This is not BS.

Now the not so good news...

Mine worked for about a week after the drop, then I began to smell electrical burning!

POP! went the fuse in the plug and it died. 😢 Would not fire up again.

It's now laid to rest and replaced with a refurbished one from the Apple Store online. This is the new shape and is highly recommended.

Chiming in— I am SO GLAD for this thread! Ye gods. Did the carpet drop and I'm back to solid green.

Drop it on a carpeted floor a few times. Mine had the same problem. I tried this trick too and it when I plugged it in again, it flashed amber. Success! It now works perfectly.

This is hilarious! I was reading thread in disbelief saying these guys are jokers. I have the same light sequence amber then a flash of green, off, and back to amber. Seems to me like it can't get through the boot up sequence. My AE was sitting on the shelf for years so I said why not drop it on the carpet? ...and what do you know... it started working! What a joke.

The cause is probably a cold solder joint vs. the infamous power supply issue that is on youtube when you get no lights. The solder joint is getting repositioned on the impact is my guess. I will see how long it runs like this.

Yes folks, it really does work if you have the same symptoms.

Unbelievably this works. Dropped it 2/3 times. Amber light starting blinking again - allowing me to perform a reset link to the router and hey presto! All working.

harveydean wrote:

Unbelievably this works. Dropped it 2/3 times. Amber light starting blinking again - allowing me to perform a reset link to the router and hey presto! All working.

Surprisingly, there is some validity to that solution. However, it should be performed ONLY as a last resort because it could just as well cause a new problem as it could correct the existing problem.

Worked for me too. Ridiculous!

I wonder if that's the way Apple's products are repaired - drop the thing 3 times and all is fine. Anyway, worked for my AE today 🙂

I can't believe that this worked. Im almost ashamed that I tried it! But after a million resets etc frustration got the better of me and I dropped it on the floor .....

..... and now it works

Completely baffled