Trying to use Airport Express as an extender to my ATT (Motorola) wifi modem using ethernet, so i can get wifi in another part of the house. I can go thru entire setup on Airport Utility, and it says it is ready, but when I connect to the modem it just fIashes amber. What am I missing?
Thanks in advance....
AirPort Express 802.11N (2nd generation)
What version number of AirPort Utility are you using?
What model number Motorola modem/router?
Is the Ethernet cable long enough to allow the Express to remain connected and be located where you want?
Hey Bob, thanks for the quick response.
I just got a Motorola NVG589 and am using the latest Airport Utility 7.6.4
Cable is fine.
I was trying to set the AE with it hard wired to my MacBook Pro.
Like i said it went thru the setup and finished, saying it was completed, but when i hooked it up to the modem all it did was blink.
Is there a setting i need to change on the modem?
Unfortunately, this sounds like you may be planning to have the AirPort Express wirelessly extend the signal from the Motorola modem/router.
The Express cannot do this, it can only wirelessly extend a signal from another Apple router.
In other words, you will need to connect the AirPort Express to the Motorola with a permanent, wired Ethernet connection if you want to setup the Express to provide more wireless signal coverage for the Motorola modem/router.
That is why we asked whether your Ethernet cable is long enough to have the Express connected to the Motorola modem/router and provide the wireless coverage in the area where it is needed.
The Ethernet cable would be permanently connected on one end to a LAN <--> port on the Motorola device and on the other end to the WAN "O" port on the AirPort Express.
7.6.4 is the firmware version of the Express. To locate the version of AirPort Utility that you have, open up AirPort Utility, click the AirPort Utility menu in the upper left corner of the screen, then click About AirPort Utility and post back with the version number that you see there.
Thanks again for your help...
I have an ethernet cable dropped in the room I need to locate the AE, so I'm good...
Using Utility 6.2.3
Have reset the AE each time....but must be missing something
OK, thanks for the clarification.
I assume that you have already tested to make sure that the Ethernet cable is working correctly by temporarily connecting a laptop to the cable, turning off wireless on the laptop and then checking to make sure that you can get a good Internet connection.
Power up the Express for a few minutes and then hold in the reset button firmly on the back of the device for 10 seconds and release. Allow a full minute for the Express to restart to a slow, blinking amber light.
Connect the Ethernet cable to the WAN "O" port on the AirPort Express.
Turn the wireless back on if you will be using a Mac laptop to configure the Express
Open up AirPort Utility
Click on Other WiFi Devices
Click on AirPort Express
The utility should open up automatically and take a minute to analyze the connection, then present a screen that looks similar to this:
Type in the exact same wireless network name that the Motorola modem/router is using
Type in a device name that you want to use for for the Express
Type in the modem/router wireless password
Verify the password
Click Next
The utilty will configure everything for you. When you see a message of Setup Complete, click Done
You should be good to go with a green light on the Express. Since the Express is using the same wireless network name and password as the modem/router, it will act as an extender for the network. Technically, this is known as a "roaming" network.
Bob
Thanks for all the instructions...
Followed them all and still no luck...
All goes well...Utility says completed, and the light on the base station turns green for about 2-3 seconds...then goes back to flashing amber...
The screen that shows the internet globe and the base station, shows the internet connection as green and then the dot next to the base station flashes amber...there is a red circle with a number 1 in it on the other side
When i click on the dot i get a window that says edit....
..is it possible i have a defective unit?
Reset the base unit and tried again...same results
Sent from my iPad
When you click on the red badge, in addition to an Edit button, do you see an "Update" button near the Edit button?
If yes, click on Update and wait while the AirPort firmware updates.....will take a few minutes.
If you see an amber dot in the window, click on the amber dot and another window will open with more details. Post back on what you see.
...the latest...
When i click on the red dot i only see an edit button, and now a small yeeow dot by "no dns", when
I click that i get the option to " ignore"
When i do that i get green lights
The problem is that 2 versions of the router show up in the wifi settings..and neither one will hook to the router
I'm close but not quite there yet....
I did this several years ago.
It would only work when AirportExpress (primary) was plugged directly into the Internet connection and the BaseStation (extended) was used at another location to connect a wired network. It would not work the other way round because of limitations in the AirportExpress. 😠
The AirportExpress needs to be plugged directly into the Internet running DHCP with NAT. The BaseStation needs to have DHCP and NAT shut off. All the WiFi devices must use the same wireless password/protocol. You may have to experiment with passwords to find which kind will work with everything. You should set the SSID the same for all WiFi hotspots that use the same wireless password. 😉
You shut off WiFi on your laptop and connect both the AirportExpress and BaseStation using ethernet cables and a network switch directly to the laptop. Configure the BaseStation first, then configure the AirportExpress. You will loose contact with the AirportExpress until you re-enable WiFi on your laptop when you finish. 😮 The AirportExpress is then plugged into the Internet. The wired network is plugged into the BaseStation.
These links explain how this works with 802.11n equipment.
A totally diferent approach uses WDS with old equipment (802.11b and 802.11g).
If you don't care about speed, and if you have some stone-age equipment laying around, then you may be able to put several WiFi devices into 802.11b/g mode. This allows you to use Wireless Distribution System (WDS) to expand a WiFi network. WDS will only work with non-Apple WiFi routers if you use hex keys (or disable security). Here is a link that explains how WDS works. 😎
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4262
I have two different WiFi networks. One wireless network is WDS network with 802.11b for WiFi relay (old WiFi equipment). The other wireless network is high speed with 802.11n (newer WiFi equipment).
TimeMachine will not work with 802.11b/g mode. 😉
I wish I had a better answer.
Best of luck.
...the latest...
When i click on the red dot i only see an edit button, and now a small yeeow dot by "no dns", when
I click that i get the option to " ignore"
When i do that i get green lights
The problem is that 2 versions of the router show up in the wifi settings..and neither one will hook to the router
I'm close but not quite there yet....
Not sure what 2 versions of the router show up in the wifi settings might mean.
The AirPort Express does produce both a 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz network, so you will see what appears to be two versions of the same network on a WiFi utility.
I tested the same setup that I provided on an ATT Uverse router again last night and the Express again connected correctly and normally on the first pass.
I do not have the exact same NVG589 product here to test though......and do not know if that has any signficance. The setup that I provided works fine with any router that I've ever used.
I would start over again with a hard reset by holding in the reset button on the Express for 10 seconds and releasing. Allow a full minute of the Express to restart, then try the setup again.
If you still have issues, I would take the Express to an Apple Store.....if you have one near you.....to let them take a look.
Trying to use Airport Express as an extender to my ATT (Motorola)
