airport express

Question

Level 1

17 points

airport express

Hi, I have an Airport Express which I want to use to both stream music wireless from my iTunes library on my Mac 27 to my stereo in a different part of the house (working fine) and to extend my wifi network to an even further part of the house where my iPad is forever dropping out of range from the base station (a Time Capsule). The distance from my base station to the Airport Express (through walls and doors etc) is about 20m - and from the Airport Express to the area I want to use my iPad (again through walls and doors) is about another 15m.

When I open Airport Utility on my iPad I can see a link between the Time capsule and the internet and a solid line linking the airport express to the time capsule - so these are linked in a linear configuration. I would have thought that this was the way it should look and that if I turned my wifi off on the iPad and then back whilst I was in the FURTHEST point in the house the iPad would connect to the Airport Express point rather than trying to connect with the time capsule, however this is not happening. The iPad is connecting very weakly - I'm assuming to the base station. Even when I sit next to the Express - the signal is only half strength.

My questions...

(1) Is my Airport Express set up correctly?

(2) How can I check if the iPad is connected to the Airport Express OR the base station ?

(3) I have Yosemite 10.10.5 - I can't seem to find a Airport Utility application that is compatible - is there one ? Do I need this on my Mac given I have one on the iPad?

Sorry so many questions - but I'm struggling to see what I've done wrong....

Thanks in advance for any answers.

Andy

Airport Express-OTHER, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Jan 15, 2016 8:24 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 15, 2016 10:48 PM in response to Andy Kelsall

(1) Is my Airport Express set up correctly?

We don't have the details on how it is setup so no way to know.. if you used the auto setup in the airport utility and it is NOT plugged in by ethernet then it should be ok.

I suspect you have it setup wrongly.. to join a wireless network.. it has to be to extend a wireless network.

(2) How can I check if the iPad is connected to the Airport Express OR the base station ?

Open the airport utility on Yosemite and it should show you wireless devices connected to the TC and to the Express.

(3) I have Yosemite 10.10.5 - I can't seem to find a Airport Utility application that is compatible - is there one ? Do I need this on my Mac given I have one on the iPad?

Yes, you need it to find out why the ipad is not connecting properly.

Airport utility is built into every Mac OS since Snow Leopard.

If you cannot find it .. in Finder.. type airport utility into the search box.. it will instantly find the utility (always in Applications/Utility folder).

Open AU on the Mac and see what devices are connected by clicking the icon of the TC and the icon of the Express.

Also it will show the strength of the signal.

Hover your mouse over the wireless clients and you will see.

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Answer 2

Andy Kelsall Author

Level 1

17 points

Jan 15, 2016 10:57 PM in response to LaPastenague

Hi,

Thanks for your reply.

I've opened AirPort Utility (thank you for directing me to it ) and it shows Internet connected to Airport Time Capsule by a solid line then below that a dotted line to the Airport Express. If I click on the airport express it shows the network name (bigpond) the connection (excellent) and then Ip address details.

and version 7.6.4

How do I check it is set up correctly ?

It does not show my phone, other PC's iPads etc - these devices are all turned on but they are not showing in the window of Airport utility so I can't see how the iPad is connected.

Regards

Andy

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Answer 3

Jan 16, 2016 11:29 PM in response to Andy Kelsall

How do I check it is set up correctly ?

See the summary page on the screenshot I posted.. click on edit.

Go to the wireless tab and make sure it says Extend wireless network.. NOT join wireless network.

If you are extend then any device near the express can connect to its wireless..

Again see my screenshot.. it shows.. wireless clients.. but it shows them NOT by NAME that would be useful.. it shows them mostly by IP or MAC address.. the later being hard to use.. so you need to figure out what MAC address your IP has.

Normally you can do this by using a Netstat scan or load a simple utility onto your ipad.. eg Fing which shows IP address MAC address and name for some things.

Or iNet free version.

Much the same thing.

These are much more useful than anything the airport utility can show you because Apple don't believe in information to unwashed masses.

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Answer 4

Andy Kelsall Author

Level 1

17 points

Jan 17, 2016 1:23 AM in response to LaPastenague

Hi LaPastenague,

Thanks again for replying.

I've gone to the AirPort utility page and can now see internet, linked by solid line to Airport time capsule and then dotted line to the airport express.(this is on my Mac). See screen shot below.

When I click on the window and use the tool bar at the top I have File, Edit, Base Station, Window and help.

under Edit - everything is greyed out - no option other than "symbols" to work with.

Under "file" I have "configure other" When I go into this I have "andy's Airport Express" and a request for password. When I key in the password and click OK it starts to ""Reading Settings on "Andy's Airport express" - but it receives nothing - the wheel just spins and spins - it never gets the settings.

Sorry to continue to be a dullard - but I can't seem to get to the place where I can configure the unit to extend...

Regards

Andy

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Answer 5

Andy Kelsall Author

Level 1

17 points

Jan 17, 2016 1:28 AM in response to Andy Kelsall

Hi LaPastenague,

I think I've found it - I re-read your post and understand where the EDIT button is now - and I've found the Airport connected under JOIN not Extend - so I've changed that setting - and I think that has fixed the problem.....Thanks so much for your patience and help !!!

Regards

Andy

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