kylefromca
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Airport Express wont ...

I have spent hours searching forums and still having problems.

 

I purchased a used Airport Express.  It took me awhile to do a factory reset and get it to show up in the Airport Utility.

 

I am using an AT&T Uverse wifi router.  I am getting a wifi signal.

 

Via the Airport Utility, I set up an Airport Base Station  (the Airport Express) while wired with a Cat5.

 

Inside the Airport Utility 6.1, I am seeing an Internet icon with a green light.  I am also seeing an icon for the Airport Express and that shows a green light (as does the actual Airport Express).

 

My Airport Express is sitting only about 5 feet from the AT&T wifi router so its not a distance issue.

 

When I unplug the Cat 5 from the router and the Airport Express, I get an error light in the Utility (says im out of range of the Network) and I get flashing yellow light on the Airport Express.

 

I have tried restarting my Macbook Pro, I have tried to unplug and plug in the Airport Express.  Nothing seems to get the Airport Express to get a green light.

 

(I haven't even started trying to get the Airport Express to work with the printer yet)

 

Any suggestions?

Airport Express A1264, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.1)

Posted on Sep 7, 2012 8:58 PM

by Bob Timmons,Solvedanswer
Bob Timmons Bob Timmons
Level 10 (105,398 points)
Wireless
A:

Not sure what to do now.

Did you install the printer that is now located at the USB port of the Express?

 

If not, you have to "install" the printer, so your Mac will know where to look when you want to print.

 

Open System Prefereces (gear icon) on the dock

Open Print and Scan

Hopefully, your printer will show up here

If yes, click the printer to highlgiht it, then click Add

 

Now you can print to the printer.

Posted on Sep 8, 2012 2:23 PM

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kylefromca

Q: Airport Express wont ...

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  • by Deadcowboy,Helpful

    Deadcowboy Deadcowboy Sep 8, 2012 6:20 AM in response to kylefromca
    Level 1 (45 points)
    Sep 8, 2012 6:20 AM in response to kylefromca

    Hello,

     

        It seems that you may have set-up the Air Port Express for the primary and not for an extender.

    Reset both routers to factory default, set- up your primary router ( AT&T ), as for the extender, do not conect anything other then the power chord. The go to the Air Port utility and you should see both routers, select the extender router ( Air Port Express ) then set it up using the settings from you primary router. I believe you may have to perform a manual set-up.

     

        This article may provide more information

     

        http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4259

     

        I hope this helps you out.

     

        John

  • by kylefromca,

    kylefromca kylefromca Sep 8, 2012 12:52 PM in response to Deadcowboy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 8, 2012 12:52 PM in response to Deadcowboy

    Thanks for your suggestion.

     

    I'm pretty sure I set it up as an extender.  My Primary wifi is called 2Wirexxx, and then I created a new wifi network called Kyle's wifi network.

     

    If (on my Mac) I'm using 2Wirexxx, then my mac is good.  If I switch to the "Kyle's wifi network" then I losse signal.

     

    Does that sound correct?

     

    Kyle

  • by Bob Timmons,Helpful

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Sep 8, 2012 1:10 PM in response to kylefromca
    Level 10 (105,398 points)
    Wireless
    Sep 8, 2012 1:10 PM in response to kylefromca

    Unfortunately, things are really getting mixed up in this thread, so it would be best to backtrack and clarify a few things:

     

    1) The AirPort Express will only "extend" a wireless network...using wireless only....if it is connected to another Apple wireless network. It would not be compatible with a 2Wire product for this purpose.

     

    2) If you have the Ethernet cable connected between the 2Wire router and the Expess, then it is possible to configure the Express to "create a wireless network", which will provide more wireless coverage.

     

    But, the Express must remain permanently connected using an Ethernet cable for this to work.

     

    If you configure the Express to "create a wireless network using the exact same wireless network name, same wireless security settings and same password as the 2Wire network, with the Express in Bridge Mode, then everything will act like one "big" wireless network.

     

    This is tricky to do, and you must know the exact type of wireless security that the 2Wire router is using. Most users know the name of the wireless network and password. Few know the specific type of wireless security or encryption that the network is using.

  • by kylefromca,

    kylefromca kylefromca Sep 8, 2012 1:18 PM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 8, 2012 1:18 PM in response to Bob Timmons

    Bob,

     

    Thanks for the reply!  Sorry for any confussion.

     

    It sounds like I may not have the Express configured to an Apple network then.

     

    When I have the Express and the 2Wire router joined via an Ethernet cable, I get a green light.  When I disconnect the Ethernet cable I get a yellow flashing.

     

    What should I do next?

     

    K

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Sep 8, 2012 1:39 PM in response to kylefromca
    Level 10 (105,398 points)
    Wireless
    Sep 8, 2012 1:39 PM in response to kylefromca

    Do you understand that you will need to keep the Express connected to the 2Wire router at all times using the Ethernet cable?

     

    I can tell you how to create a new wireless network with a new network name, security and password, but you will need to log on to this network separately when you want to connect to the Express.

     

    If you want to configure the Express and 2Wire to act like one big network, we need to know what type of wireless security that your 2Wire router is using. 

  • by kylefromca,

    kylefromca kylefromca Sep 8, 2012 1:59 PM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 8, 2012 1:59 PM in response to Bob Timmons

    What I eventually want to do is print wirelessly.

     

    I am now able to get a green light on my Express.  When I configured as a new Network, I got flashing yellow (unless my ethernet was plugged in).  I reconfigured as an extended Network and now my Express shows a steady green light (without an Ethernet).

     

    (I'm guessing half the problem is solved)

     

    Now I have taken an USB and plugged into the Express and my printer (HP Photosmart C4280).  I have also power cycled both the Express (took 2-3 minutes to see green) and the Printer. 

     

    Not sure what to do now.

     

    In the Airport Utility, I tried to highlight the Express and then "Configure other".  A window pops up.  In the Address field, there is "Kyle's Printer".  I hit ok. A new window pops up "reading settings", then I get an error message "An error occurred while reading the configuration".

  • by Bob Timmons,Solvedanswer

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Sep 8, 2012 2:23 PM in response to kylefromca
    Level 10 (105,398 points)
    Wireless
    Sep 8, 2012 2:23 PM in response to kylefromca

    Not sure what to do now.

    Did you install the printer that is now located at the USB port of the Express?

     

    If not, you have to "install" the printer, so your Mac will know where to look when you want to print.

     

    Open System Prefereces (gear icon) on the dock

    Open Print and Scan

    Hopefully, your printer will show up here

    If yes, click the printer to highlgiht it, then click Add

     

    Now you can print to the printer.

  • by kylefromca,

    kylefromca kylefromca Sep 8, 2012 2:39 PM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 8, 2012 2:39 PM in response to Bob Timmons

    Bob you rock!

     

    Thanks for all your help!  I'm not sure why this was such an ordeal to deal with but got it to work.

     

    Thank you!

     

    Kyle