hqbab1
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: The master extreme does not seem to be able to accept wireless clients.

I have a roaming network setup with several extremes/express devices. The probem I am having is the master extreme which is in the garage does not want to accept new wireless clients. I have 3 other devices which work just fine. They hand off clients as you move around the house. You can see the wireless network on your device and when you select it you get a pop up window prompting you for the password??? You enter the passwork/key and nothing seems to happen.

AirPort Extreme 802.11n (5th Gen), Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Jan 2, 2014 1:58 PM

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hqbab1

Q: The master extreme does not seem to be able to accept wireless clients.

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  • by Joseph Kriz,

    Joseph Kriz Joseph Kriz Jan 2, 2014 2:16 PM in response to hqbab1
    Level 5 (5,144 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 2, 2014 2:16 PM in response to hqbab1

    Can you tell us a little more?

     

    All the base stations should have the same network name, same password, same security, etc.

     

    Therefore, you only have one roaming network.

     

    Please explain why you have to enter the password/key and nothing happens.

    You should already be connected to the only network you have. No need to put another password in.

     

    Your network should be setup like this if it is Roaming.

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4260

     

    Make sure all your devices are connected by ethernet cable to the main base station only as in the photo.

  • by hqbab1,

    hqbab1 hqbab1 Jan 2, 2014 2:30 PM in response to Joseph Kriz
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 2, 2014 2:30 PM in response to Joseph Kriz

    Yes all of my base stations have the same network name, same password and same security setting. I have Comcast as my network provider. I have the latest airport extreme connected directly to the cable modem in the garage. I have 2 other base stations of the previous verison in house. One in my office and one in the living room. If I am moving around in the house I can use the airport utilitiy to look at those base stations and see which wireless clients they have. If I go out into the garage and try and connect to the wireless network the device appears to be trying (spinning dial icon) and then comes back with the pop up requesting a password. I have tried entering it and again it will appear to try and connect for a few seconds and then the pop up will appear again. I I walk into the house the device will connect with one of the other base stations.

     

    Also all of the base stations are connected via ethernet cable to the main base station in the garage. They are connected directly with no switch or router between them.

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Jan 2, 2014 2:49 PM in response to hqbab1
    Level 10 (105,433 points)
    Wireless
    Jan 2, 2014 2:49 PM in response to hqbab1

    Double checked to make sure that the Wireless Mode is "Create a wireless network".....not "Extend a wireless network"?

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Jan 2, 2014 2:41 PM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 10 (105,433 points)
    Wireless
    Jan 2, 2014 2:41 PM in response to Bob Timmons

    Ooops. My mistake. I now see that Joseph Kriz has already responded, so I will let him respond. Please wait for his response.

  • by Joseph Kriz,

    Joseph Kriz Joseph Kriz Jan 2, 2014 2:50 PM in response to hqbab1
    Level 5 (5,144 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 2, 2014 2:50 PM in response to hqbab1

    hqbab1 wrote:

     

    If I go out into the garage and try and connect to the wireless network the device appears to be trying (spinning dial icon) and then comes back with the pop up requesting a password.

    Here is where I don't understand.

    Why do you have to try and connect again in the garage?

    You should already be connected to your network just like you were in the house.

    Same network.

     

    As Bob mentions, All your base stations should be set to "Create a wireless network".

     

    Let us now more about your settings on each base station.

  • by hqbab1,

    hqbab1 hqbab1 Jan 2, 2014 2:53 PM in response to hqbab1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 2, 2014 2:53 PM in response to hqbab1

    one more little bit of info. If I restart the main base station it will accept clients. Not too much later it will stop accepting wireless clients...

  • by Joseph Kriz,

    Joseph Kriz Joseph Kriz Jan 2, 2014 3:06 PM in response to hqbab1
    Level 5 (5,144 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 2, 2014 3:06 PM in response to hqbab1

    Here is what I would do.

     

    Look at the main base station.

    Make sure it (and the others) are set to "Create a Wireless Network".

    Make sure they are all in Bridge mode.

     

    I assume your Comcast modem is the router and assigns IP addresses.

    At least the friends of mine that have Comcast work this way.

     

    Let us know.

     

    If that doesn't work, then I would reset the main base station and let the wizard set it up as a new base station using the above settings.

  • by hqbab1,

    hqbab1 hqbab1 Jan 6, 2014 11:44 AM in response to Joseph Kriz
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 6, 2014 11:44 AM in response to Joseph Kriz

    Actually the comcast modem is just a modem.  The main base station assigns IP addresses.

     

    So I have once again reset all of the devices and let the wizard set things up. The main base station will start to accept new wireless clients. This will work for a while, like maybe a day or so. Then it will again prompt for a password and after entering it will still not accept the client. If I walk into the house the device will automatically connect with on of the other base stations. As I move through the house you can see the client being handed off as you would expect. If you walk back into the garage you again are promted for a password which does not work.

     

    If you restart the main base station it will again start accepting clients for a limited time...

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Jan 6, 2014 12:48 PM in response to hqbab1
    Level 10 (105,433 points)
    Wireless
    Jan 6, 2014 12:48 PM in response to hqbab1

    I have 3 AirPorts here all wired together in a roaming network.....and I cannot duplicate the error that you are reporting. The network has run fine for years, with several changes of base stations as new models were introduced.

     

    As a test, what happens if you swap the base station in the garage with another base station and set up the network that way?

     

    Does the problem still repeat in the garage, or does a client now have problems connecting to the AirPort base station that was in the garage before, but is now at another location?

  • by Joseph Kriz,

    Joseph Kriz Joseph Kriz Jan 6, 2014 4:50 PM in response to hqbab1
    Level 5 (5,144 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 6, 2014 4:50 PM in response to hqbab1

    hqbab1,

     

    I would say then that the password in your master extreme base station is NOT the same.

    I know you may think it is the same but double check again.

     

    I would reset the password in that base station exactly like the others.

    Make sure the capital and/or lowercase letters are exactly the same.

     

    Certainly won't hurt to put a new password in even if it is the same password.

     

    Let us know.

  • by hqbab1,

    hqbab1 hqbab1 Jan 7, 2014 2:36 PM in response to Joseph Kriz
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 7, 2014 2:36 PM in response to Joseph Kriz

    I will give that a try over the weekend. Again the strange thing is if you restart the master base station it will work for a while. That while seems to be around a day or so....

     

    I also reentered tha passwords on all of the extreme stations...

     

    Thanks for your help.