Need help to reset Airport Express A1084 on IOS 10.9.1

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Level 1

14 points

Need help to reset Airport Express A1084 on IOS 10.9.1

Hi. I'm trying to connect the old Airport Express with a new modem (and new internet service provider) but it won't connect properly. I've researched it and saw instructions from people that had the same modem that I need to reset Aiport Express and reconfigure it in Airport Utility. I did the hard reset but then when I looked in Airport Utility I got the error message:

"This version of AirPort Utility doesn’t support this base station. Go to AirPort Service and Support for more information."

When you click the link, it just takes you to Apple/Support instead of a specific help page.

I've researched that error message and found out that I need to download an older version Airport Utility 5.6 since the current one won't work with this ancient device. I searched that in Apple downloads and found version 5.6.1 for Snow Leopard and downloaded it but when I try to run the pkg file, I get the message:

"Airport Utility can't be installed on this disk. The version of Mac OS X on this volume is not supported." So... why is there a download for Snow Leopard if it can't be run on Snow Leopard???

More research again and I've found people saying to download extra apps just to download the pkg file.... I did not do that yet. I would rather not download non Apple apps.

I also saw some comments to try to reset the base on an older Mac. I will attempt to do that on our old old old Mac next but considering how many researches I've had to do so far I would really like an advice of someone that went through this already. (Also, even if reseting it on a Mac as old as this base does work this time, I'd like to be able to do that on the current Mac in the future as I don't know how long the old Mac will still work. The base might outlive it after all.)

Is there something I'm missing here? I would greatly appreciate your help.

Posted on Feb 11, 2014 6:27 PM

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Answer 1

Tesserax

Level 10

148,309 points

Feb 11, 2014 6:44 PM in response to Kamiccola

Basically, Apple eliminated support for the older 802.11g AirPort base stations from OS X Mountain Lion & Mavericks. Whether or not, Apple will rethink this strategy is anyone's guess but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Your only option would be to perform the reset, with Mavericks, is via that base station's reset button. The procedure to do so is provided by Apple here. Although the 802.11g Express is not shown in the images for the location of the reset button, it is in the same location as the 1st generation 802.11n Express.

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Answer 2

Kamiccola Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 11, 2014 6:53 PM in response to Tesserax

Part of the reset process is to access Airport Utility and that won't work.

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Answer 3

Feb 11, 2014 6:55 PM in response to Kamiccola

Apple has dropped support of the older A1084 AirPort Express in Mavericks (10.9.1).

You will need...or be able to borrow.....another Mac running Leopard (10.5.x) Snow Leopard (10.6.x), or a PC to be able to administer the A1084 AirPort Express.

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Answer 4

Tesserax

Level 10

148,309 points

Feb 11, 2014 6:58 PM in response to Kamiccola

Sorry, but you don't need to use the AirPort Utility to perform a manual reset. You would just use the reset button on the base station itself.

To perform a factory default reset on the Express:

Remove the Express from power.
Using a paper clip or something similar, depress and hold down the reset button.
While keeping the reset button depressed, plug the Express back into power.
Continue holding down the reset button until the LED starts flashing rapidly.
Then let go of the button.

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Answer 5

Kamiccola Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 11, 2014 7:05 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Thank you. I don't know why I got Snow Leopard stuck in my head. My old Mac has OS X 10.4.11. Can I use that?

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Answer 6

Feb 11, 2014 7:07 PM in response to Kamiccola

Worth a try. It might be called AirPort Admin Utility in 10.4.11....sorry, I cannot remember.

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Answer 7

Kamiccola Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 11, 2014 7:08 PM in response to Tesserax

Thank you but the reset alone does not solve my connection problem. I need to access the base on a computer.

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Answer 8

Tesserax

Level 10

148,309 points

Feb 11, 2014 7:12 PM in response to Kamiccola

Gotcha! Then Bob's advice would be the other path to take. Where you would need either a Mac running an earlier OS X version or a Windows-based PC to administer your Express.

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Answer 9

Kamiccola Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 11, 2014 7:23 PM in response to Bob Timmons

So the plot thickens. Now, it's just strange. When I opened Airport Admin Utility on the old Mac, the base wasn't showing. We found the original Airport CD and installed it on the old Mac and voila - mysteriously, WiFi is working. Allproblems solved, right? l I can pick it up on the old Mac. I pick it up on my phone. But I can't pick it up on the new Mac. ***? The network is not showing as an option. We tried to install the CD on the new Mac but it didn't do anything. I don't get it.

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Answer 10

Feb 11, 2014 7:33 PM in response to Kamiccola

If the iPhone can pick up the signal, then an iPad or any other Mac or PC should pick it up as well. But, I do not know what else to suggest to make that happen.

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Answer 11

Kamiccola Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 11, 2014 7:58 PM in response to Bob Timmons

It works for few minutes then it disappears. I'm losing hope we'll be able to use this. Since now the problem has changed to disappearing network, should I start a new thread?

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Answer 12

Mar 5, 2014 1:58 PM in response to Kamiccola

I have the same problem

"This version of AirPort Utility doesn’t support this base station. Go to AirPort Service and Support for more information."

what to dooo???

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