Airport Express and Time Capsule Not Playing Nice

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Level 1

4 points

Airport Express and Time Capsule Not Playing Nice

The Airport Express is connected to the modem by ethernet cable and the Airport Express is set to create a wireless network. The Time Capsule is set to extend the wireless network. When I am connected to the AE, I have no issue browsing the internet, and I can ping both the AE and TC. When I connected to the TC, I cannot ping the AE, cannot browse the internet, cannot ping google, cannot ping google's DNS, etc. The only thing I can ping when I am connected to the TC is the TC, and it behaves as if it is not connected to the internet at all. Even though if I connect back to the AE, I can ping both devices no problem.

Airport Express 7.6.4

Time Capsule 7.6.4

No history of connectivity problems before upgrading the firmware on both devices to 7.6.4. I'm sure the common advice will be to just roll back the hardware to 7.6.1 or some such, but I've tried that and the problem persists. I've searched all over trying to figure out if there is a setting that can cause this problem, but no luck finding anything helpful so far.

I've also tried factor resets, reinstalling the 7.6.4 firmware, rolling back the firmware, and tinkering with nearly every setting using the old 5.6 airport utility. Nothing seems to work.

Time Capsule-OTHER, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Oct 3, 2013 9:38 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 3, 2013 11:54 PM in response to joshuaaaaaa

Are you sure you are extending and not joining the wireless from the Express.. they are entirely different.

Have you swapped roles.. ?? ie put the TC as the AP or router plugged into the modem and Express as the extender?

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Answer 2

joshuaaaaaa Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 4, 2013 8:52 AM in response to LaPastenague

In my original post I said that the airport express is set to create the wireless and the time capsule is set to extend the wireless that the airport express has created. Yes, I am sure of how it is setup.

I have tried swapping roles, same problem. Interestingly, if I use the time capsule to create the wireless it can function in that role just fine. But I still cannot get the extended wireless setup that I had before.

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Answer 3

Oct 4, 2013 3:57 PM in response to joshuaaaaaa

What models are they?

Please give me the exact A1xxx from the label on each.

I would definitely go back to 7.6.1 or earlier if possible.. but I understand you have tried it.. some people have said it resulted in some change to the router that will not reverse.. but I am using a pair of TC in exactly this setup now and have had both to the latest firmware.. which is shocking.. but reverse that and back to earlier one.. and I have no issues with the extend.

This is how I do the seutp..

1. All names are short, no spaces, pure alphanumeric. I put in separate names for 2.4ghz and 5ghz.

2. Fix the wireless channels. Choose whichever is least used in your area now.. but with everything running auto wireless it is hardly significant.. just choose what works best. Some people suggest channel 8 for high wireless usage areas.. I tend to pick one of the non-overlapping channels for 2.4ghz, 11 6 or 1 in that order.

3. In the 5.6 utility you can get a pretty clear picture of how things are going.

Summary page for the main TC Gen4.. named Tardis4

Summary page for the tcgen3 on extend wireless.

Then you can check the wireless clients on each.

From the MAC addresses you can check all the links and see how they perform.

I have tried swapping roles, same problem. Interestingly, if I use the time capsule to create the wireless it can function in that role just fine. But I still cannot get the extended wireless setup that I had before.

The TC should be able to do either role.. as the express also should.

I can really only suggest the same as I have done.. as it does work.. even after that unfortunate trip to 7.6.4 .. if it is earlier box go back to 7.5.2 as a better firmware anyway.

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