jm555
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Airport is not doing as advertised.

I recently purchased an Airport express with the intention of boosting my wi-fi and streaming music from my imac to the hi-fi. I have plugged it into the power socket and connected a cable from the hi-fi to the airport express. All it does now is flash a nice orange light at me. According to the Apple page, set up is easier than making a cup of tea. Unless they mean travelling to India and harvesting the tea yourself!! I've googled for help and it seems I need to plug it into my router with an ethernet cable. I can do this but it then defeats the purpose of being able to stream music as my router is no where near my hi-fi.  Anyway, I plugged it in to help set it up (Not in the instructions, I hasten to add!!!!).  I carried out the set up through airport utility and it now works, until you unplug the ethernet cable. When I say work, all I mean is, is that it is connected to the internet and the light is green. It is now a pretty white brick with a green light and an ugly cable coming out of the back. Now my problem is, and will be the reason I contact trading standards soon, is, it says WI-FI, I repeat WI-FI. WIRELESS!!!! I do not want cables everywhere!!!

How do I stop this being a useless white brick.  I want to plug it into my wall beside my hi-fi, plug a mini jack into my hi-fi and stream music while boosting the wi-fi signal in my house?

Airport Express, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.1)

Posted on Sep 13, 2013 11:17 AM

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jm555

Q: Airport is not doing as advertised.

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  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Sep 13, 2013 2:38 PM in response to jm555
    Level 9 (54,864 points)
    Wireless
    Sep 13, 2013 2:38 PM in response to jm555

    If your goal is to both boost the Wi-Fi of your existing wireless router AND for iTunes streaming simultaneously using wireless connections between routers, this is possible ONLY if the othe wireless router is another Apple router (Express, Extreme, or Time Capsule). Is it?

  • by jm555,

    jm555 jm555 Sep 14, 2013 1:28 AM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 14, 2013 1:28 AM in response to Tesserax

    Thank you for the reply. According to this though, there is no mention of what it can't do simultaneously, http://www.apple.com/uk/airport-express/?target=apple/airportexpress.

    It is irrelevant anyway as it won't stream music and is still sitting there with a flashing orange light. I've done a hard reset but airport utility will not allow me to set it up. I really do not have the time or the inclination to spend all day trying to get the thing to work.

    I used to like Apple products until I purchased this. It reminds me of the bad old days of MS products.

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Sep 14, 2013 8:43 AM in response to jm555
    Level 9 (54,864 points)
    Wireless
    Sep 14, 2013 8:43 AM in response to jm555

    Actually it does state that the other wireless router would need to be another AirPort for extending.

     

    Extend an existing Wi-Fi network’s range.

    If you already have a wireless network in your home and want to extend its range,AirPort Express can help. Just place it in range of your primary base station — an AirPort Extreme, AirPort Time Capsule or another AirPort Express — and near the area where you want your wireless connection. Launch the easy-to-use AirPort Utility app on your iOS device or Mac, and you’re mere minutes away from long-range Wi-Fi enjoyment.

    It is irrelevant anyway as it won't stream music and is still sitting there with a flashing orange light. I've done a hard reset but airport utility will not allow me to set it up.

    Apple also provides instructions on how to configure the AirPort Express for AirPlay here.

     

    Regardless if you are unsatisfied with your Express Apple does provide a return policy if you got it from an Apple Store.