Setup of airport express with (verizon) dsl

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Level 1

14 points

Setup of airport express with (verizon) dsl

So far, no luck setting up wifi to internet with new airport express.

I plugged in the airport express (AX) connect the cable from the wan port (circular logo) to my dsl router.

power up the dsl router till proper lights light.

First time it popped open the ax utility automatically. I plugged in requested info it created a wireless network...that never connected to the internet.

On subsequent attempts the wifi icon in the top menu bar just keeps telling me it's connecting to PPOE...forever.

I've tried all kinds of power cycling.

The apple documentation for this little router is worse than any apple documentation I've ever seen (starting with the micro printing!)

I've looked at previous discussions on the site but none seem to shed any usable light on this.

airport utility: 6.3.1

airport express: latest model

router is verizon dsl

I'm on a mpb early 2011; os x 10.7.5

Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on May 6, 2015 8:30 PM

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Answer 1

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LaPastenague

Level 9

67,202 points

May 7, 2015 8:43 AM in response to kdinmass

What model is version DSL router?? I have assumed you used the term correctly and it is a router.. therefore the Express should not be.

The verizon DSL router will handle PPPOE and the Express should not do it.. Apple unfortunately seem to think they have to take over all control..

You need to either bridge the DSL router .. which I think is not a good idea..

Or bridge the express which would be the standard setup to use.

So reset the Express to factory and start again..

If the utility attempts to set the Express to PPPOE simply select other options and force it to bridge mode..

Or simply edit the current settings.

Click on the Express in the airport utility.. click on edit.

Go to the Network tab and select bridge mode.

Click update and wait for the Express to come back up.. the wireless should still be set correctly.. but Internet tab should now be set to DHCP.

Mostly you will need to start from a clean factory reset to get there..

If the Verizon adsl is really a modem or bridged.. then PPPOE can be flakey in Apple routers.. someone suggested recently turning off dhcp in the modem will help.. it made no difference for me.. but I do find many people cannot get PPPOE to work. So we need that detail of what make and model is the modem you have.

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Answer 2

kdinmass Author

Level 1

14 points

May 7, 2015 8:50 AM in response to LaPastenague

Thank you!

Resetting the express was definitely in order.

I decided to get a good night's sleep and begin with Apple tech support in the morning.

There were some other steps fiddling with the utility, which I do not quite recall but the reset was key

The reset procedure is not well described in any of the documentation.

1) Airport express is connected through wan port to dsl modem -- but not powered on

2) Using all three of your hands:

hold the router so you can see the status light and,
using a paper clip, hold in the reset button...keep holding it in
plug in the router
when the status light goes from quick green to rapidly flashing yellow...then let go

Now you can go through the set up procedure using the airport express utility -- There are some steps never outlined in the darn docs

For example, you may need to click on "other wifi devices" to see the express, etc.

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