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Time Capsule won't accept correct wifi password

Hi there,


I'm tearing my hair out with this one! I have set up a new wifi network with the Time capsule, everytime I try to connect it says "invalid password" when I know 100% its correct! I have ipad, imac, and apple tv, which also cannot connect with the same password. I have tried changing the password with the same result. I have tried no password and I am able to connect no problem. Can anyone help please?


Thanks

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9.1)

Posted on Jan 22, 2014 11:27 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Jan 22, 2014 11:38 AM

Change the name of the wireless network on the Time Capsule to something simple......


8-20 characters using only normal letters and numbers

No special characters like an apostrophe, dollar sign, asterisk, etc.

No blank spaces in the name


Same guidelines for the password, but do not use the same password that you have used before


Power off and restart all devices before you try to connect again.

21 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Jan 22, 2014 11:38 AM in response to cjaybee

Change the name of the wireless network on the Time Capsule to something simple......


8-20 characters using only normal letters and numbers

No special characters like an apostrophe, dollar sign, asterisk, etc.

No blank spaces in the name


Same guidelines for the password, but do not use the same password that you have used before


Power off and restart all devices before you try to connect again.

Jan 24, 2014 1:46 AM in response to cjaybee

Test briefly with no password at all.


That is always a good proof of whether it is really and truly a password issue or is a false error message.. and is really that the connection is broken and not passing packets.. which is likely.


Failure to connect without a password indicates a different problem.


What model TC is this?? A1xxx from the base please.


What firmware is it running?


How is it setup, ie bridge or router to what kind of broadband router?


The other addition is to fix wireless channels which seldom helps the Mac but often seems to help the iOS devices.


In the wireless options set 2.4ghz to 11, 6, 1 in that order..


Set 5ghz to 36 or 40 and >149 it is not particular which.


I recommend different names for both bands so you can clearly see which is failing if it is not both.

Jan 24, 2014 1:56 AM in response to LaPastenague

Hi ,


Its running firmware 7.7.2 and its a A1470. I tried with no password and it connected ok, and have now readded the password and it is working ok for the moment with all devices connected so thanks for the advice. This has happened before and it only connects temporarily (for a few hours) then drops out totally reasking for the passwords again, and refusing them when they are entered correctly.


But the for the moment its working! I will keep you posted if the above happens again.

Jan 24, 2014 3:22 AM in response to cjaybee

ok so its happened again, can't connect any devices now and it saying the passwords are invalid, I've tried changing the wifi transmission channels but this doesn't work either.


its running in bridge mode, and its connected to a Swisscom broadband router like this,


http://www.swisscom.ch/en/residential/more/save-energy/router-centro-grande-moto rola-adsl.html



I think I might take it back to the shop as its still under guarantee.

Jan 25, 2014 12:08 PM in response to cjaybee

Give us details of the full network setup.


If the swisscom is a full modem router, does it also have wireless? Can you connect to swisscom wireless and everything works fine?


How is the TC setup? Is it bridged or in router mode?


Is there any errors in the TC showing in the airport utility.. double NAT for instance?


Give us full details of the TC setup.. wireless setup on both routers in particular. Screenshots are the best way to help us see what is going on.

Jan 27, 2014 9:40 AM in response to LaPastenague

Hi LaPastengue,


I have a TC running firmware 7.7.2 and its a A1470. I have Ipad 3, mac mini (late 2012) and macbook pro (late 2013) on the network.


I have a swisscom router which is running wifi on auto channel transmission. I also have the TC set to wifi auto channel transmission. The 2 routers are fairly close to each other (about 1m apart)


I have the TC connected to the swisscom router by ethernet into the WAN port on the TC.


I have the mac mini connected by ethernet to the TC. Airport utility looks like this.


User uploaded file



User uploaded file


User uploaded file


User uploaded file


User uploaded file


Let me know if you need any further information.

Jan 27, 2014 11:16 AM in response to cjaybee

You have a hidden network.. that is bad.


In the second screenshot.. hiding the SSID was supposedly a security feature in the early days of wfi.. it was dreamed up by the router manufacturers.. it is not part of the code.. and never has been. In other words all the router manufacturers use it because everyone else does..

1. it is useless. Any hacker can see the ssid. It is clear as a bell in any wifi analyser.

2. it is worse than useless because it breaks some of the way that clients connect.. it causes problem.


I doubt that is the only issue.. but please never bother with hiding ssid (wireless name in applespeak)


Your security level is also lower than it should be. The one and only N wireless rated security is WPA2 Personal (AES to everyone else). If you have old G wireless stuff that doesn't work with WPA2, get a secondary WAP for it to join or use the swisscom router for that.


I would also lock the wireless channels..


On the swisscom set it to 1 and the TC set to 13 or 11 if that is problematic.. USA rules the world when it comes to wifi even if the regulations allow up to 13.. but if it is possible 13 is perhaps the least used channel in the world. Many client drivers cannot work with anything outside US code.


You can try setting 5ghz.. channel but my understanding is that it doesn't actually work. AC wireless uses 80mhz and so needs too much bandwidth.. apple seems to stick to 149.. I am unsure so if you want to report your findings please do.


Test it using the wireless diagnostics software on a computer or an app you can download for ipad/iphone.


Check that the channel is set correctly.


The diagnostics in Mountain Lion / Mavericks is fine.


http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5606

Aug 1, 2014 1:48 PM in response to cjaybee

I had the same problem, but with the Telus Actiontec V1000H.

I resolved the problem by 1st going back to the original wifi setup.

Next, with the TCs WAN plugged into the Actiontec's LAN, I plugged the TC into power.

I then held the reset button on the TC (after it powered on) for about 5 seconds until the amber light began to flash.

Following this, I created a new network with AirPort Utility.

The password then worked on all machines in the house.

Finally, I turned off the Actiontec's wifi to use AirPort.

(Previously I turned off the Actiontec's wifi before connecting the TC which resulted in giving me the "invalid password" problem)

Time Capsule won't accept correct wifi password

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