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Airport utility 6.3.4 sees my airport express but 5.6.1 doesn't

I've done a factory reset on my old style airport express. I know that I need to use airport utility 5.6.1 to configure it, but it won't show up there. However if I look under the wifi icon at the top of my Macbook I can see it there, but of course 6.3.4 won't configure it.


I have another old style AEx which shows up fine in 5.6.1. Any ideas please?

iPad 2, iOS 4.3.3

Posted on Dec 2, 2014 11:39 AM

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10 replies

Dec 2, 2014 12:06 PM in response to stevefrombrighton

Perform a factory default reset on the older AirPort Express as follows:


Power off the Express

Wait a minute or two

Hold in the reset button first, and keep holding it in for an additional 8-10 seconds while you simultaneously power up the Express

Release the reset button after the hold period

Allow a full minute for the Express to restart to a slow, blinking amber light status


Using AirPort Utility 5.6.1, see if the older Express will appear so that it can be reconfigured


If the Express will not appear after a few reset tries, it is defective and will need to be replaced. Since the Express is at least 8+ years old....probably older....and the average life of an Express is about 4-5 years, the Express has had a good life.

Dec 4, 2014 11:00 AM in response to stevefrombrighton

Thanks Bob, I've done all that and it still doesn't show up in airport utility 5.6.1. I accept your comment about it having a good life, but the really weird thing is that it is showing up as a new AE in the wireless drop down from the status bar at the top of the screen which seems to indicate that it's working OK, but I just can't get to configure it.

Jan 26, 2015 2:02 PM in response to stevefrombrighton

Hi guys. I had the same exact problem with my Airport Express. I use an Airport Extreme for my wifi, but I use the older Airport Express to share a printer over the network. The Airport Express is ten years old. I recently moved, and when I went to connect it at my new house, my Airport Utility 5.6.1 wouldn't see it, just like Steve. The newer airport utility COULD see it though. Frustrating. I kept trying to reset it, but that wouldn't work. Almost gave up and rendered it defective, like Bob's idea. Eventually I came across a solution that worked for me. I plugged the Airport Express directly into my Airport Extreme using an ethernet cable. 5.6.1 could then see it and I could configure it properly. I think the problem lied somewhere within the fact that my network configuration changed when I changed households. So, maybe try this before you junk the airport express...

May 30, 2016 4:37 PM in response to shanediggity

Thanks Shane!


Apple screwed around with some sort of network stacks setting in El Cap, rendering the old 5.6.1 setup over wifi non-functional. None of my current Macs have an ethernet port and I don't own a thunderbolt-to-ethernet connector, so I thought I was screwed. Never would have thought to plug the Airport Express into the Airport Extreme. Worked like a charm.

Airport utility 6.3.4 sees my airport express but 5.6.1 doesn't

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