AirPlay and AirPort Express

Question

AirPlay and AirPort Express

Bottom line up front: My AirPort Express (N) (older model with single ethernet port) is not listed as an AirPlay device to my iMac (2011) and MacBook Pros (2011).

ISSUE:

The APE is connected to a stereo in the same room, but far away from my iMac. I am trying to use the APE to play my iTunes library from my iMac to the stereo. When I click on the AirPlay icon in the menu bar, I see the ATVs listed, but not the APE. If I use AirPlay on my iOS drives, I see everything listed (APE and ATVs).

BACKGROUND:

The iMac (as well as all my other Macs) is running El Capitan. I have FiOS and my iMac is hardwired (ethernet) to my verizon router as is the Time Capsule, which transmits WiFi to all my iOS devices (all my iOS devises are newer running iOS 9.3.1) and my MacBook Pros. I also have two AppleTVs hardwired to the network. My iMac and MacBook Pros (and iOS devices) see the AppleTVs and can AirPlay to them, but only the iOS devices see the AirPort Express.

TROUBLESHOOTING SO FAR:

My AP utility sees the APE (and the TC) and I can manipulate it without issue (change the name, settings, etc). My iPhone has no problem seeing and using the APE. I troubleshot the APE by connecting it to my network via ethernet (failed to fix). reset the APE (failed to fix), turned my iMac wifi on (no resolution), restarted the network and wifi (failed to fix), restarted my iMac and MBPs (failed to fix).

What else can I do? Thanks in advance.

Posted on Apr 30, 2016 10:01 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Tesserax

Level 10

148,453 points

Apr 30, 2016 1:56 PM in response to koryfromashburn

I understand in your current network configuration that you have the Time Capsule (TC) hardwired to the Verizon-provided router. I am assuming that you have the AirPort Express configured to use a wireless connection to the Wi-Fi network provided by the TC.

What is the make & model of the Verizon-provided router?
Is this router wireless and is it providing a Wi-Fi network along with the TC?
Are the TC and the Verizon router both configured for a roaming type network?
Is the Express configured to join or extend a wireless network?
Are both the TC & Express configured as bridges?

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Answer 2

Apr 30, 2016 5:01 PM in response to Tesserax

Ahh, no matter how hard you try to be detailed, something always slips past...

The Verizon router is a standard Actiontec Verizon MI424WR (newer gigabit version with the red stripe). Neither it nor my APE bridge or send any Wi-Fi signal. The only Wi-Fi I have is coming from the TC (no roaming). The APE is configured to join the Wi-Fi (not bridge it).

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Answer 3

Tesserax

Level 10

148,453 points

May 1, 2016 8:58 AM in response to koryfromashburn

The key for successfully streaming with AirPlay is that both the iTunes server and "speaker" must be on the same network subnet. In theory, based on the description of your network configuration, they should be. In your set up, the Express is another wireless network client. AirPlay can stream over wire or wireless. In your configuration, the iMac would first send the stream to the Actiontec. In turn, it would travel to the TC, and finally, to the Express.

One thing to try, if it is not already so, is to assign static local IP addresses to your AirPort base stations. Either make them static or reserve addresses from the Actiontec's DHCP scope.

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Answer 4

May 2, 2016 9:03 AM in response to Tesserax

First, thank you Tessarax for the assistance. I've been reading a bunch of forum input from you and it has been helpful.

So, I set my TC and APE to have static IP addresses, rebooted the iMac, the APE, the verizon router and the TC, and still the APE does not show up under the AirPlay items listed in the menu bar. I decided to open the terminal and ping the APE's IP address - this worked. Also, just for giggles, I opened the sound preferences on my iMac and the APE is listed under the output options (it was listed before, but I couldn't seem to get it to work).

BUT(!!), now when I select the APE and play music in iTunes, the music mysteriously emanates from my stereo.

I know not what kinds of sorcery are in play here so color me confused. I guess this means I have to open the sound presences and select the APE every time I want to iMac. Not as easy as using the AirPlay controls, but I can live with this. Any further thoughts or should I be happy I am in the same zip code as an answer and divert my attention to other things?

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Answer 5

Tesserax

Level 10

148,453 points

May 2, 2016 9:54 AM in response to koryfromashburn

Only other thing I can think of is, if not already, configure both base stations for IPv6 Link-local only. The default setting is: Automatically

AirPort Utility > Select the base station > Edit > Internet tab > Internet Options > Configure IPv6: Link-local only > Save

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