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My Airport Extreme intermittently shuts down completely.

My Airport Extreme (newest model) will shut down completely, all by itself, with the green light completely off. When I unplug and replug the device, it starts again and the green light comes back on after it boots. It's as if a "circuit breaker" cuts off the power. No other equipment shuts off, so it's not the electric outlet.

iOS 7.0.6

Posted on Feb 24, 2014 8:21 AM

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77 replies

Jun 28, 2017 4:49 PM in response to Steebie1044

Apple is a disappointment.


I bought mine in 2016 twos of them and both suffer from the same. I took them to apple and they denied exhaling them because it has been more than one year. No matter if it is a complete mistake on their behalf, manufacturing a crappy batch of Airport Extreme units, instead of accepting this and recall all this faulty units, they deny service, rep[air or echange unless they charge you for a placements.


What a disappointment apple.

Jun 28, 2017 5:16 PM in response to Stedica

They can be covered by AppleCare on a computer.. ipad or Apple TV are also possible .. the rules are apparently more complicated now than they were but I would still ask about buying an Apple TV as the cheapest item.. buying applecare for it and get your Airports replaced.


If you are in Europe or Australia or lots of other countries you also have additional coverage via your consumer law.. do not accept no for an answer in those places as coverage for at least 2 years is norm even if not revealed to users.

Any DIYers you know .. you can replace the power supply which is faulty.

Repair AC version Time Capsule or Extreme - LaPastenague

Jul 22, 2017 8:00 PM in response to Steebie1044

Just to add to this long running thread. I have the same issue. In fact I found the exact wiring setup and action (it was a house fan) to trigger the problem. After reading seeing the anecdotes in this thread and stories of multiple replacements and the specific things that trigger the issue, I feared that it was an inherent design flaw and a replacement may not help me. Well, I got a replacement under warranty and did the same test. It works! Hopefully it stays.

Feb 25, 2014 12:15 AM in response to Steebie1044

I just bought a new AE last year and today without any warning it just went off. No light nothing.

Tried to get a light by unplugging and rep lugging, still nothing.

I have had frequent episodes in the past few weeks where the AE dropped the line and I had to run diagnostics to get it going again.

I just put in an order for a new AE, but am wondering if this is normal, only getting one year out of a AE.

Sep 12, 2014 1:10 PM in response to julesbravo

I'm having the same problem. Took the first one back after a couple weeks, and now the new one is doing the same thing. At first I thought it was a defective power strip, but other devices never powered off. Replaced the power strip anyways and also tried it directly into the outlet, and same result. I have to unplug the AE and plug it back in. It usually works fine once plugged back in and powers up again, but this is obviously an annoying issue. There is no green/orange light whatsoever, it just completely powers off. I really don't want to have to switch to a different router, given how easy it is to set up the airport network with Airport Express extenders, etc.

Sep 12, 2014 5:16 PM in response to Jives

I really don't want to have to switch to a different router, given how easy it is to set up the airport network with Airport Express extenders, etc.

Given the poor nature of the product... if you wish to keep using Apple airports, I would recommend buying a second hand Gen5 from your ebay or whatever second hand market you have.. They are quite reliable.. and cheap. You will have no issues with the Express.


But your current Extreme is faulty.. there is no way you can fix it and it is totally Apple hardware being poorly made. Take it back for replacement.. and keep taking them back until you get a good one. This is hopeless situation. Occasional faults are expected.. two in a row indicate the local store has bad batch in stock. See if you can get a different apple store to replace if that is possible.

Sep 12, 2014 5:18 PM in response to julesbravo

julesbravo wrote:


I'm having the same issue. A few times per week my Airport Extreme just randomly turns off. It's not somewhere it'd be overheating and everything else on the same power source is fine. I exchanged my Airport Extreme for another one at the Apple store and the new one has the same problem.

Bad batch. keep taking them back.. the power supply in them are duds from the sound of it. It happens on all new products.. they go through testing and pass but a few weeks in the real world and the real bugs begin to surface. Try to get apple to replace from a different source.. your local store has a bad batch.

Sep 12, 2014 5:23 PM in response to Patrick Lovell

Patrick Lovell wrote:


I just bought a new AE last year and today without any warning it just went off. No light nothing.

Tried to get a light by unplugging and rep lugging, still nothing.

I have had frequent episodes in the past few weeks where the AE dropped the line and I had to run diagnostics to get it going again.

I just put in an order for a new AE, but am wondering if this is normal, only getting one year out of a AE.

This is really bad.. they should replace it even if it is outside 12months.. Just check if you have any applecare or a product you can buy applecare on, and it will cover the AE as well.. lacking anything you have to buy applecare, you can still buy an Apple TV, plus applecare.. that explicitly covers the Airport routers. Do not open the Apple TV.. you can sell it in shrink wrap.. so the purchase of the applecare is all you are paying.


Make apple replace it and keep replacing it.. do not wait.. if it is dropping the line and you need constantly to power cycle.. return it as unfit for use. Routers are supposed to have uptimes measured in months if not years. Daily or hourly reboots is not acceptable.

Sep 16, 2014 1:18 PM in response to LaPastenague

Third router, same problem. I went to a different Apple store so it's a different "batch." This time I took special precautions of placing it in a well-ventilated area, and tried it with/without a power strip. Again, other devices plug into the same outlet/power strip and have no power problems. I will be returning this one to Apple and either look for a previous model Airport Extreme or get a different brand router entirely. Very disappointed.

Sep 16, 2014 1:46 PM in response to Jives

They sometimes need to be carefully protected from spikes etc. It seems the airport is much worse than normal routers.. but I do protect all my network gear.. a cheap UPS might be a worthwhile investment.. but I would still take it back.. until they can produce products that work as well as the ones around them I see no reason to indulge apple, when you are paying the premium for premium products.

Sep 23, 2014 1:52 PM in response to Jives

Just an update...I returned my third router back to Apple (they still have no clue what's wrong). Hooked up the previous generation Airport Extreme with the identical configuration, same power outlet, network settings, Airport Express extensions, etc., and it has worked great for about 4 days so far. Obviously there is a power issue with this latest model using certain configurations. Too bad, because the wireless coverage and speed with wireless AC is noticeably better (when it was actually working), although the older model is allowing me to get by for now.

My Airport Extreme intermittently shuts down completely.

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