I'm trying to set up an extended network. I can get my old AirPort Extreme and new AirPort Express to connect to my new AirPort Extreme ac, but can only get my old AirPort Express (1st gen) to connect using an ethernet cable.
Not compatible??
iMac, Mac OS X (10.5)
Your old 1st Gen Express may not be a 1st Gen. If it were, it would extend the signal wirelessly.
Please check the model number on the side of the old Express. A 1st Gen Express is Model Number A1264.
If you see A1084 or A1088, these are much older version of the Express that do not have a setting to "Extend a wireless network".
Apple did not start using the Gen naming until the "n" version of the AirPort Express appeared in late 2007. So, things can get confusing.....an Apple tradition.
Thanks for the quick response.
Obviously I neede more detail.
My old AirPort Epress is a Model A1264. It worked just fine extending my AirPort Extreme n.
I can get that Extreme to connect to and extend the Extreme ac, and the new Express (6 months old) extended it as well.
When I used an ethernet cable to set up the A1264 (because AirPort Untility did not "see" the Express on WiFi), it did join the extended network. However, once all set up, when I removed the ethernet cable and clicked on WiFi on the AirPort Utility, the A1264 dropped off and I was not able to get it to be recognized again.
When I used an ethernet cable to set up the A1264 (because AirPort Untility did not "see" the Express on WiFi), it did join the extended network
If you connected the Ethernet cable from your AirPort Extreme to the Express, then AirPort Utility thought that this was the way that you wanted to set up the Express permanently, so it configured the Express accordingly....to connect using Ethernet.
As soon as you disconnect the Ethernet cable, things won't work.
The real issue here is that AirPort Utility did not see the A1264 Express wirelessly. If you want to configure the Express to connect to the network wirelessly, then that is the way that you must set it up using Airport Utility.....wirelessly.
Try a Factory Default Reset on the A1264 Express to see that will allow AirPort Utility to see the Express wirelessly, so you can set it up that way.
Power off the Express for a few minutes
Hold in the reset button first and keep holding it in for an additional 10 seconds while you simultaneously plug the Express back into power
Release the reset button after the hold period and allow a full minute for the Express to restart to a slow, blinking amber light.
Then try the setup again.....wirelessly. If AirPort Utility still cannot see the Express after a few reset tries, the Express is likely defective.
As a last resort, try connecting an Ethernet cable from your Mac to the Express and try to set it up that way. If AirPort Utility "sees" the Express this way, you might be able to set it up, but this also confirms that something is not right with the Expess. You should be able to "see" it wirelessly using AirPort Utility.
Thanks again for the feedback.
FYI, re using the ethernet cable: I was unable to get the old AirPort Extreme to be "seen" in the AirPort Utility. I did a factory reset, and still got an "unknown error" message as the Utility tried to "talk" to the Extreme. I used the ethernet cable to set it up. This was a technique an Apple Care tech had mentioned when I had problems before. That got the Extreme on line, and it's working fine over wifi.
Every time I do the factory reset on the Express I get the same "unknown error" message as with the Extreme. When I used the ethernet cable I got the Express on line over the cable, but when I removed the cable, it dropped off, unlike the Extreme which remained connected wirelessly.
I think the Apple Care tech also had me go into the Library and trash a file, but could be wrong about that and didn't have it in my notes.
Guess I'll keep playing with it before I throw it away. Thanks again.
If I reset my A1264 AirPort Express and then try to set it up again wirelessly, AirPort Setup picks up the Express and automatically suggests that it be configured to "extend" the network from the main Apple router.
I cannot duplicate the error that you are reporting....but I am also not using OS X (10.5) that you indicate that you are using in your profile.
If you continue to receive the "unknown errror" message, I have to conclude that you have a defective AirPort Express.
Again thanks.
I am using OSX 10.9. Need to update the profile.
I'll keep trying.
Let's go step by step.
Perform a Factory Default Reset on the Express again.
Connect an Ethernet cable from the Express to your Mac.....not to the AirPort Extreme.
Click the AirPort icon at the top of the screen and wait a few seconds for a listing of New AirPort Base Station to appear. Just below that, click on AirPort Express.
At this point, AirPort Setup will open up automatically, and take a minute to analyze the network.
If you get an error at this point after a few tries, the Express is defective.
Otherwise, AirPort Setup will tell you that the Express will be configured to extend the AirPort Extreme network. Follow the prompts. Once you are Done, you can disconnect the Ethernet cable and move the Express to the desired location.
Hi Bob,
it is actually possible to extend a network with an A1084, i have two and do precisely that with my first gen airport extreme. It gives you the option when you first set up the express from the factory default settings, but you're not able to change to that setting once any other configuration has been set up, without peforming a factory reset and starting fresh first.
Shell44, i'm not sure if this applies to the express version you have, but with the A1084 you're only able to set it up using airport Utility 5.6. Saying that, they do actually show up as part of my network in the latest version of Airport utility, but if i select them i get a message saying 'This version of airport utility doesn't support this base station. Use airport utility 5.6 to configure and manage this base station'. Might be worth a try?
Cheers,
James
t is actually possible to extend a network with an A1084,
There is no setting under Wireless Mode in AirPort Utility to "extend a wireless network" on the A1084.
You can prove that to yourself by opening AirPort Utility 5.x, selecting Manual Setup, then clicking the Wireless tab below the icons.
Check to see what settings are available under Wireless Mode. "Extend a wireless netowrk" will not appear here on an A1084 Express.
You may be referring to a much older settings called WDS, which destroyrs the speed and bandwidth on the entire network.
You did not follow my instructions to select the Manual Setup option, then click the Wireless tab, then check the settings for Wireless Mode.
If you had done this, you would have seen that there was no setting under Wireless Mode to "Extend a wireles Nework"
Your Express is configured to "Join a wireless network". It does not "extend" a wireless signal in this setting.
Bob, the solution was to hook the ethernet cable to the iMac not the AirPort Extreme. That is how i had done it before.
Never could get the Express to get past the error message with WiFi only.
Now it's happily extending the network.
thanks.
Shell
Is an old airport express compatible with the new AirPort Extreme?
