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
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.
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.
If you cannot configure the Express, it is defective. It lasted twice as long as most Express devices. Be happy.
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...
If I need to replace my "old" AEx(1084), what is oldest Express that Airport Utility 6.3.4 will recognize and support?
Will it recognize a 1264 N Express?
Thanks
Will it recognize a 1264 N Express?
Yes, along with the current model A1392.
THANKS! I don't know why people are so ready to declare a product dead. This worked for me.
I had the same problem and this worked! Great, thanks!
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.
Thank you so much. This was the exact solution to my problem!!!
Airport utility 6.3.4 sees my airport express but 5.6.1 doesn't
