iMac prompting for airplay code

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Level 1

4 points

iMac prompting for airplay code

My issue is that the only thing I've discovered that won't airplay to my apple tv is my iMac. It's a late 2013 model. iPhone 5s works fine and iPad mini. It keeps prompting me for the airplay code for "apple tv" or "apple tv(2)" or even "apple tv(3)". I have it set to no security on the apple tv. And I once actually set a password for it and I think it worked the one time. But never again. I know it's the correct password as well. It started out of nowhere and why it has three variations of apple tv in there, I don't know. But even when I do enter it, and I press ok, it just grays out the "ok" button. Any help would be much appreciated!

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Jan 20, 2015 9:15 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 21, 2015 6:06 AM in response to RiffVomit

Try restarting the Apple TV, Mac and router.

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Answer 2

RiffVomit Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 21, 2015 7:40 AM in response to RiffVomit

Perhaps I should state that I have done all of the usual obvious things such as restarting, etc. Another weird thing happens too. When I go to log out a user or shut down, sometimes the top menu bar will disappear and it will act like it wants to shut down but then it just stays and doesn't. Instead I can open safari or any other app and keep going. At this point, though, the finder will not open or relaunch and when I try to open force quite, finder is grayed out and says (not responding) next to it or something similar. The only way to shut down after that is to go to the log in window and force shut down from there by entering a username and password. It used to let me shut down if I opened safari or another app and attempted to shut down while that was open but not anymore.

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Answer 3

RiffVomit Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 21, 2015 7:42 AM in response to RiffVomit

Does anyone know what the apple warranty on these is? I bought it at best bay in feb of last year. Do I take it to them or to the apple store?

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Answer 4

Jan 21, 2015 8:03 AM in response to RiffVomit

Intermittent problems are often a result of interference. Interference can be caused by other networks in the neighbourhood or from household electrical items.

You can download and install iStumbler (NetStumbler for windows users) to help you see which channels are used by neighbouring networks so that you can avoid them, but iStumbler will not see household items.

Refer to your router manual for instructions on changing your wifi channel or adjusting your multicast rate.

There are other types of problems that can affect networks, but this is by far the most common, hence worth mentioning first. Networks that have inherent issues can be seen to work differently with different versions of the same software. You might also try moving the Apple TV away from other electrical equipment.

The following article(s) may help you.

Troubleshooting Wi-Fi networks and connections

Recommended Wi-Fi settings

Sources of Interference

Wifi Diagnostic Software (for Mac users)

You may also find some help on this page, where I’ve collected some of the more unusual solutions to network issues.

There was an issue with Yosemite causing duplicate devices to show on a network. I believe that should be resolved with the latest versions of software, but if not you might try restoring the Apple TV software and any Airport routers you are using.

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Answer 5

RiffVomit Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 21, 2015 8:21 AM in response to Winston Churchill

Yeah, see, I use an airport express along with it and it never had a problem before updating to yosemite (I believe), and everything else seems to work fine, even the macbook pro. Everything I use is apple. Also, the apple tv is only sitting next to one thing and that's the modem and it's like 4-5 inches away from it.

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Answer 6

Jan 21, 2015 8:37 AM in response to RiffVomit

Also, the apple tv is only sitting next to one thing and that's the modem and it's like 4-5 inches away from it.

I'd say that's too close.

It may not be the source of your problem, but hardware failure whilst not impossible is fairly rare, I'd be inclined to test my Apple TV in another location (other network) before drawing the conclusions you seem to be doing.

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Answer 7

RiffVomit Author

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4 points

Jan 21, 2015 9:21 PM in response to RiffVomit

Ok, I moved it, unplugged everything and shut down and restarted the comp.along with everything else and it's still doing it. Could the fact that I have an external monitor plugged in have anything to do with it?

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Answer 8

RiffVomit Author

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4 points

Jan 21, 2015 9:22 PM in response to RiffVomit

I could insert a screenshot if it helps.

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Answer 9

RiffVomit Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 21, 2015 9:29 PM in response to RiffVomit

For example, just now, after the last reply I posted, I tried it again. When I clicked the airplay icon in the menu bar, "apple tv(2)" changed to "apple tv". I clicked it and it worked. I then disconnected and attempted to reconnect and I'm back where I was. Then, I attempted to simply re-click my already checked network and it seemed to changed "apple tv(2)" back to "apple tv". It's just bizarre to me. I'm baffled. It just keeps prompting me for a password.

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Answer 10

Jan 22, 2015 4:19 AM in response to RiffVomit

Did you restore the Apple TV and AirPort as suggested.

Also when I said try it in another location, I meant on another network.

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Answer 11

RiffVomit Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 22, 2015 11:57 AM in response to Winston Churchill

I restored the apple tv, I moved it much further away from the modem, I changed the channel of my network on the Imac, and I'm still having the same issue. I do not have another network to attempt to connect to. I don't have a neighbor or anything that will allow me to use theirs temporarily just to see. What's bizarre is that the phones and tablets work but not the imac.

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Answer 12

RiffVomit Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 22, 2015 11:57 AM in response to RiffVomit

And again, sometimes it works.

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Answer 13

Mar 22, 2015 4:52 PM in response to RiffVomit

Did you ever get it to work? I'm having the exact same problem and although I see a few other people on the apple support forums describing the same thing, there doesn't seem to be a fix as far as I can tell.

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Answer 14

Gromcan

Level 1

8 points

Feb 1, 2016 5:24 AM in response to RiffVomit

I have tried the same with regular router and airport express. Airplay works from my macs itunes to my apple tv, iphone airplay works too but macbook mirroring doesnt. Apple help!

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Answer 15

Nov 14, 2016 2:36 PM in response to Laura_mac

I'm having the same problem. Did you ever find a fix?

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