inkorporate
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Q: Airport express sees airport extreme but not internet

I wanted to create two wifi zones on opposite ends of my house since the signal is poor otherwise. I connected my airport express to my airport extreme through the wan port. When I'm in the airport extreme zone it works without issue. In airport utility, all the lights are green, internet works. but when I go the express zone. airport utilty shows green for the extreme and the express, but the internet is unavailable. I've tried resetting the airport express to factory default twice.

Airport Extreme 802.11ac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Sep 8, 2015 4:59 AM

by Bob Timmons,Solvedanswer
Bob Timmons Bob Timmons
Level 10 (105,118 points)
Wireless
A:

Please follow these instructions exactly.

 

We will use a different type of default reset.  (It is basically the same as a factory default reset, but most users find this easier to do, and get better results with a lot less effort. 


The Setup Guide does suggest this type of reset....called a Hard Reset first......page 22......and this is what most users should try first.

 

Power up the AirPort Express for a few minutes. Disconnect any Ethernet cables that might be connected, and then hold in the reset button 7-8 seconds on the Express. Release the reset button on the Express after the hold period, and then allow a full minute for the Express to restart to a slow, blinking amber light status.

 

Connect the long Ethernet cable to the WAN "O" port on the AirPort Express.

 

Click the WiFi icon at the top of the Mac's screen and look for a listing of New AirPort Base Station. Just below that, click on AirPort Express.

 

New AirPort Base Express.png

 

When you click on AirPort Express, that will get the setup "wizard" running. It will take a few seconds to analyze the network and then display a screen that looks like this......except that you will see pictures of your devices.

 

Extend Ethernet 1.png

 

Here, you see that an AirPort Express will set up to extend the signal from an AirPort Extreme.

 

Type in a short, simple name that you want to call the AirPort Express.  Mine is Express, for example.

 

Click Next

 

Now, watch the screen very carefully to confirm that the Express is being set up to "extend using Ethernet". This confirms that the setup "wizard" has detected the wired Ethernet connection between the AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express and it will automatically provide the Express with the correct settings.  You don't have to do anything other than watch this.

 

Extend Ethernet 2.png

 

After another few seconds, the screen will change again as shown below:

 

Extend Ethernet 3.png

 

Now click Done......and you are done.  The Express is now providing a network with the same wireless network name and password as the AirPort Extreme.

 

That's it.

Posted on Sep 9, 2015 4:18 PM

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Q: Airport express sees airport extreme but not internet

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Bob Timmons,Helpful

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Sep 8, 2015 6:57 PM in response to inkorporate
    Level 10 (105,118 points)
    Wireless
    Sep 8, 2015 6:57 PM in response to inkorporate

    Temporarily, power off the AirPort Express and then connect the long Ethernet cable from one of the LAN <--> ports on the AirPort Extreme directly to your Mac or another computer. Turn off the wireless on the computer temporarily and then check to see if you can get a good Internet connection that way.

     

    Post back on your results of that check.

     

    Next, I am not clear when you say that you want to create two WiFi zones whether both zones will use the same wireless network name and password, or whether each zone will have different wireless network names.

     

    The AirPort Express....is this a new Express, or one that you have had for some time and have used before?

     

    When you set up the AirPort Express did you use the Mac computer running Yosemite (10.10.5) or did you use an iPhone or iPad?  We ask because Yosemite has a number of networking bugs and these can create problems with new AirPort set ups.

  • by inkorporate,

    inkorporate inkorporate Sep 8, 2015 3:54 PM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 8, 2015 3:54 PM in response to Bob Timmons

    Hey Bob,
    Thanks so much for your help, So I disabled the wifi of the computer and connected the same wire that was connected to the express. It worked without issue, as expected, I got speeds much higher than what you can get through wifi.

     

    Next I tried plugging back the express. After I did the computer was able to see the network and connect to it with good speed.

     

    However when I get close to the extreme the network disconnects and I can no longer connect to the wifi.

     

    When I disconnect the power from the express, I can resume connection to the extreme.

     

    I would like both zone to share the same name and password.

     

    I purchased the express about a year ago and I used it without connecting the wan. I was connecting a computer through the lan port. It was working without issue.

     

    I used my mac to set it up, it's updated to the latest os.

     

    Thanks again for your help.

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Sep 8, 2015 5:41 PM in response to inkorporate
    Level 10 (105,118 points)
    Wireless
    Sep 8, 2015 5:41 PM in response to inkorporate

    I purchased the express about a year ago and I used it without connecting the wan. I was connecting a computer through the lan port. It was working without issue.

    So, does this mean that you originally set up the Express to wirelessly connect and extend the network that way? 

     

    If you did this, and you are now connecting an Ethernet cable to the Express.....that will create a huge feedback loop on the network and effectively crash the network......since the Express is expecting a wireless connection, it does not know what to do with the Ethernet signal, so it literally goes crazy trying to decide whether to use wireless or Ethernet. One of both AirPorts then won't work correctly.

     

    The solution......whenever you change from a wireless connection method to wired, or vice versa on an Express......is that you must reset the Express back to factory default settings, establish the Ethernet connection to the Express and then set up the Express again.

     

    The configuration "wizard" in Yosemite 10.10.x will literally do this for you.  Post back if you are not sure how to reset the Express and set things up again using the setup "wizard".

  • by inkorporate,

    inkorporate inkorporate Sep 8, 2015 6:57 PM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 8, 2015 6:57 PM in response to Bob Timmons

    Hi Bob,

     

    Yeah I've tried resetting it to factory setting twice. I did this by following the apple guide. (I held the reset button while restarting the device until it flashed an amber light) and then reinstalling the device, even with a different name. I also made the network forget the old device.

     

    I had a tought if this could be related to the channel. I can try switching channel. I could also try setting up a different network altogether.

     

    If you have any other ideas, they are very welcome.

     

    Thanks

  • by Bob Timmons,

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Sep 8, 2015 7:07 PM in response to inkorporate
    Level 10 (105,118 points)
    Wireless
    Sep 8, 2015 7:07 PM in response to inkorporate

    Sorry, but none of the things that you did sound anything like using the setup "wizard" to set up and configure the AirPort Express.

     

    As I said, the "wizard" will literally set things up for you..... almost automatically.  The only thing that you really have to do is enter a device name for the Express. Everything else will be taken care of for you.

     

    Do you need some tips on how to set things up?  The Setup Guide is pretty clear on this, but we'll go over things again if you want.

  • by inkorporate,

    inkorporate inkorporate Sep 8, 2015 7:20 PM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 8, 2015 7:20 PM in response to Bob Timmons

    I don't mind trying again tomorrow as well but I did follow the guide as explained on https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201945

    1. Disconnect the base station's power cord.
    2. Press and hold the reset button with a pen, pencil, or straightened paperclip. While continuing to hold the button, reconnect the power cord. Keep holding the reset button until you see the status light (LED) start to flash amber rapidly, which should occur after about six seconds.

     

    Then it appeared under other wifi devices and I reinstalled it. I chose a new name for the express and I set it to expand my network by selecting it's ID from the list.

     

    I'll give it another go tomorrow thanks

  • by Bob Timmons,Solvedanswer

    Bob Timmons Bob Timmons Sep 9, 2015 4:18 PM in response to inkorporate
    Level 10 (105,118 points)
    Wireless
    Sep 9, 2015 4:18 PM in response to inkorporate

    Please follow these instructions exactly.

     

    We will use a different type of default reset.  (It is basically the same as a factory default reset, but most users find this easier to do, and get better results with a lot less effort. 


    The Setup Guide does suggest this type of reset....called a Hard Reset first......page 22......and this is what most users should try first.

     

    Power up the AirPort Express for a few minutes. Disconnect any Ethernet cables that might be connected, and then hold in the reset button 7-8 seconds on the Express. Release the reset button on the Express after the hold period, and then allow a full minute for the Express to restart to a slow, blinking amber light status.

     

    Connect the long Ethernet cable to the WAN "O" port on the AirPort Express.

     

    Click the WiFi icon at the top of the Mac's screen and look for a listing of New AirPort Base Station. Just below that, click on AirPort Express.

     

    New AirPort Base Express.png

     

    When you click on AirPort Express, that will get the setup "wizard" running. It will take a few seconds to analyze the network and then display a screen that looks like this......except that you will see pictures of your devices.

     

    Extend Ethernet 1.png

     

    Here, you see that an AirPort Express will set up to extend the signal from an AirPort Extreme.

     

    Type in a short, simple name that you want to call the AirPort Express.  Mine is Express, for example.

     

    Click Next

     

    Now, watch the screen very carefully to confirm that the Express is being set up to "extend using Ethernet". This confirms that the setup "wizard" has detected the wired Ethernet connection between the AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express and it will automatically provide the Express with the correct settings.  You don't have to do anything other than watch this.

     

    Extend Ethernet 2.png

     

    After another few seconds, the screen will change again as shown below:

     

    Extend Ethernet 3.png

     

    Now click Done......and you are done.  The Express is now providing a network with the same wireless network name and password as the AirPort Extreme.

     

    That's it.

  • by inkorporate,

    inkorporate inkorporate Sep 9, 2015 4:18 PM in response to Bob Timmons
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 9, 2015 4:18 PM in response to Bob Timmons

    Hey Bill,

     

    Thanks so much for your help, this seems to have fixed my issue!

     

    You're the best