Airport Express Music Streaming Options

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Airport Express Music Streaming Options

I got an airport express a few years ago as a cheap alternative to a Sonos system. I intended to hook it up to a receiver and then stream Spotify to it via my pc. For whatever reason, (I forget know) I had to buy Airfoil to get this system to work... but it accomplished what I wanted. Nowadays I find myself dissatisfied with this setup because my computer needs memory badly and asking it to open Airfoil, Spotify or iTunes is asking way too much... So now I want to stream to the Airport express via my iPad. How doable is this? And keep in mind that my airport express is not hard wired to my modem/router... I have it plugged into an outlet and my receiver only. I have tried to update the firmware on it via my pc multiple times but it won't allow me to do so because it is is not connected via wire.

Thanks!

Posted on Aug 18, 2015 6:08 PM

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Answer 1

Tesserax

Level 10

148,447 points

Aug 18, 2015 7:47 PM in response to schelle82

So now I want to stream to the Airport express via my iPad. How doable is this?

Yes, it is doable. Please check out the following Apple Support article for the details.

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Answer 2

schelle82 Author

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Aug 21, 2015 7:19 PM in response to Tesserax

Thanks, Tesserax. I tried that and I didn't have any luck...

FWIW: I can stream Spotify from my PC to my Airport Express (and the receiver and speakers they are connected to) using Airfoil but for whatever reason, I can't get the stuff on my iPad to stream to my speakers via the Airport Express... i don't know if it matters or not, but I was trying send Apple Music (both stuff from my library and Apple's library to my speakers via my iPad. Could it be related to the Airport Express settings... I set it up as a bridge but I guess I don't really know what that means. 😊

Thanks for all of your help!

-Clint

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Answer 3

Tesserax

Level 10

148,447 points

Aug 22, 2015 8:46 AM in response to schelle82

Since you can already stream from a PC then the AirPort Express is set up properly. Just not sure why you can't from your iPad. What exact model of iPad do you have? What version of iOS is it running? Also what model is your AirPort Express?

When you went through the article at what point was it not working? That is, could your iPad see the AirPort Express in the Control Center panel? Did you also go through the Getting Help article that was referenced as well? If so, where did it not work for you?

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Answer 4

Tesserax

Level 10

148,447 points

Aug 22, 2015 8:46 AM in response to schelle82

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Answer 5

schelle82 Author

Level 1

5 points

Aug 22, 2015 6:21 PM in response to schelle82

I got her now! It turns out that I had two networks, my normal one and my airport express one, so asking my normal network to communicate with the airport express it wasn't linked to probably wasn't the best idea... 😀

Thanks for all of your help!

-Clint

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Answer 6

schelle82 Author

Level 1

5 points

Aug 23, 2015 8:36 AM in response to schelle82

You still there, Tesserax? It turns out that I declared victory too early... To set up the Airport Express, I had it wired to my router, when I thought I was victorious, I disconnected the wire, and then lo and behold, the Airport Express didn't work anymore FYI: I am getting the dreaded flashing amber light, What is my next move here? I ask because every time I try to set this up, I cause a bunch of collateral damage (ie my Internet dies) and then after I fix my internet (by hard wiring the modem to the computer, the wi-if doesn't work anymore, and after I fix the wi-fi (by going into the router settings and connecting it again) and get the airport express working, I unplug it and start the whole process over again... could this be something related to the settings on my regular router overriding the settings on my airport express or vice versa? If so, how would I address that, there is probably some very specific order I need to be doings things in, I am guessing...

Thanks,

Clint

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Answer 7

Tesserax

Level 10

148,447 points

Aug 23, 2015 10:07 AM in response to schelle82

If you had two networks then you must have another wireless router in your current network configuration. What is the make & model of this other router? If you goal is to just use the AirPort Express for streaming, it will need to be configured to join that other network as a wireless client.

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Answer 8

schelle82 Author

Level 1

5 points

Aug 25, 2015 3:12 PM in response to Tesserax

Thanks again, Tesserax. I tried what you suggested and I am sorry to report that it did not work for me. I was able to set up the airport express as a wireless client and I was able set it up to join my wireless network (my network did not appear in the drop down list, but I entered in the information myself. However, when the moment of truth arrived (after I saved the settings and reset the airport express) the airport express did not connect to the network (the flight is flashing Amber and the error message says that the airport express could not find the network. I have no clue why this is happening. Do you have any more ideas, by chance?

FYI: My ipad is the first generation ipad air, my iOS is 8.4, and I have the second generation airport express.

Thanks!

-Clint

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Answer 9

Tesserax

Level 10

148,447 points

Aug 26, 2015 1:23 PM in response to schelle82

I was able to set up the airport express as a wireless client and I was able set it up to join my wireless network (my network did not appear in the drop down list, but I entered in the information myself. However, when the moment of truth arrived (after I saved the settings and reset the airport express) the airport express did not connect to the network (the flight is flashing Amber and the error message says that the airport express could not find the network.

When you attempted to set up the Express were both it and the other wireless router in the same room? I ask, because you said that you had to enter the network name manually instead of the AirPort Utility finding your existing network for you to choose.

If it was not in the same room, please try to set it up again by having them both nearby each other (in the same room would be preferable).

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