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Airport Express can only extend network, not create new one. Why?

I am sharing a flat with some friends. The shared broadband router is placed in the living room. To strengthen the signal and make it easier for me to manage, I bought an Airport Express, connected it to the shared router with an ethernet cable and set up a wireless network of my own in my room. It was working fine, until recently we renewed our broadband contract. The router had been replaced by a new one (I don't know why) and the network configration had been changed. Since then I was not able to use my own network. In the Airport Utility display, the light of Airport Express is green, but the light of Internet is yellow, and the status is disconnected. I tried to change various other configuration on the Airport Express, and all in vain. Until I switched the network mode from 'Create a new wireless network' to 'Extend a wireless network', the Internet connection was finally back online. But this merely extends the existing network and not what I want. Why this happens? Why my Airport Express can only extend a network, not create one?

Airport Express-OTHER, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2), Network

Posted on Jan 30, 2013 7:45 AM

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20 replies

Jan 31, 2013 8:47 AM in response to God_of_thunder

Do you want this wireless network to also have Internet access? If so, the AirPort Express MUST be connected back to the other router via an Ethernet connection. If not, then you can just use the Express in its default configuration which broadcasts an unsecured wireless network with a network name of something like: Apple Network NNNNNN ... but it will not have Internet access.

Feb 1, 2013 5:59 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Here is the situation on my Airport Express.


If I choose to extend the existing wireless network, the Airport Utility shows like this:


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If I set up a wireless network of my own, what I get in the Airport Utility is this:


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See my problems here? The Airport Express does not show anything in amble, but the Internet complains that there is no connection.


This problem did not occur before the broadband was renewed and the rounter was replaced.

Feb 1, 2013 6:16 PM in response to God_of_thunder

Thanks for posting the screenshots. I cannot duplicate this when I try to create a new network, but I am using an Apple router, so I cannot test with another brand of router.


Please try to reconfigure the Express to "extend a wireless network" If you can do that, we may be able to go back in using AirPort Utility and change the name of the wireless network. Then you will have your own network.


Post back when you have the Express set up to "extend".

Feb 1, 2013 6:44 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Already did.

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Another reason I don't want to extend the existing network is that, sometimes the Airport Express is lost in the Airport Utility. A warning symble appears next to the Airport Express icon. Clicking the Airport Express icon displays a message saying that the Airport Express cannot be found, and there is a button 'Forget' on the bottom of the message. When this button is clicked, the Airport Express icon is gone.

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Feb 1, 2013 6:54 PM in response to God_of_thunder

I bought an Airport Express, connected it to the shared router with an ethernet cable and set up a wireless network of my own in my room.


Sorry, but the screenshots that you posted indicate that the Express is connecting using wireless only.....not Ethernet. I understood from your information just above that you have an Ethernet connection established between the router and the AirPort Express.


If Ethernet was active, there would be a solid line between the connection and Express.....not a dotted line.


Please clarify

Feb 1, 2013 7:04 PM in response to God_of_thunder

You cannot have a wireless connection while an Ethernet cable is connected at the same time. This creates "looping" Things will never work this way.


When I said "extend", I meant the original setup of the device. Reset the Express back to factory defaults, connect the Express using Ethernet and accept the option to "extend" the network.


If this works, you will be connected using Ethernet and you will have the same wireless network name as the main network.


Then, you can go back in using AirPort Utility and manually edit the wireless network name to anything that you want. Then you have your own network.

Feb 1, 2013 7:15 PM in response to Bob Timmons

I just tried this with my AirPort Express connecting to a Netgear router at my neighbor's.


Start from a Factory Default Reset

Connect using Ethernet

Start AirPort Setup and let it analyze the network and announce that the Express will be setup to "extend"

Follow the steps


Now the Express will be broadcasting a signal with the same wireless network name.


Now it is easy to to change the name of the wireless network and password using AirPort Utility...so you have a new network with a new password.


It works fine. I am using it right now to type this.

Feb 1, 2013 7:29 PM in response to God_of_thunder

None. You need the option to "extend" the network. Sorry, but I cannot help if this option does not appear. The same option appeared when I connected the Express to my neighbor's Netgear router.


If you have an Apple Store or servicer near you, you might want to let them check the Express.


Another option is to use a different version of AirPort Utility. Post back if you are interested.



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Airport Express can only extend network, not create new one. Why?

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