schorschy
Level 1 (4 points)
Wireless

Q: Airport Express - no internet if audio cable is connected

Hi there,

 

I do have an Airport Express since multiple years already and it worked perfectly fine for me until today.

 

I did realize that the internet connection stopped working. After trying different things, I realized that the internet connection stops working when I connect the audio cable to the the Airport Express - in the Airport utility program the internet sign suddenly does get orange and not green as soon as I connect the audio cable for using it for AirPlay. When I disconnect the audio cable again it works again.

 

Any ideas of what this could be?

This way I can not use Airplay any longer.

 

Airport Express: Version 7.6.7.

I tried updating the AX but this did not help.

 

Thank you anyone for your ideas!

 

Best Regards,

Georg

Posted on Aug 1, 2016 12:04 PM

by Tesserax,Solvedanswer
Tesserax Tesserax
Level 9 (54,040 points)
Wireless
A:

By default, the Zyxel should be providing an 802.11n wireless network.  For streaming, you can configure the Express to join this network. The following Apple Support article will provide the details.

Posted on Aug 1, 2016 1:28 PM

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schorschy

Q: Airport Express - no internet if audio cable is connected

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  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Aug 1, 2016 12:50 PM in response to schorschy
    Level 9 (54,040 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 1, 2016 12:50 PM in response to schorschy

    Is the AirPort Express base station the only router in your current network configuration? What is the make & model of the Internet modem or gateway that you have the Express connected directly to by Ethernet?

  • by schorschy,

    schorschy schorschy Aug 1, 2016 1:00 PM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 1, 2016 1:00 PM in response to Tesserax

    Yes, the Airport Express is the only router. The modem has always be the same one - seems to be "Zyxel" - model no. P-870HN-51b if this helps?

  • by Tesserax,Helpful

    Tesserax Tesserax Aug 1, 2016 1:28 PM in response to schorschy
    Level 9 (54,040 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 1, 2016 1:28 PM in response to schorschy

    Yes, it does help. The Zyxel is a combination modem & wireless router or gateway device. As such how do you have your AirPort Express configured to work with it? Is the Express connected to the Zyxel by a wired or wireless connection?

  • by schorschy,

    schorschy schorschy Aug 1, 2016 1:12 PM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 1, 2016 1:12 PM in response to Tesserax

    Hey thanks for the support!

    It is connected via an Ethernet cable. It always worked like that until today.

    Is an alternate setup possible? To use the Zyxel as WLAN router and connect the Airport Express via wireless? If so, I would not know how to configure that.

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Aug 1, 2016 1:17 PM in response to schorschy
    Level 9 (54,040 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 1, 2016 1:17 PM in response to schorschy

    It really depends on what your networking goals are for the Express. Are they to primarily use the Express for streaming and/or for sharing a USB printer ... or is it to use the Express to also extend the wireless range of the Zyxel?

     

    For the former, the Express can be connected to the Zyxel's wireless network as a wireless client. For the later, the Express must be connected by Ethernet.

  • by schorschy,

    schorschy schorschy Aug 1, 2016 1:27 PM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 1, 2016 1:27 PM in response to Tesserax

    If the Zyxel can be setup as wireless router then the Airport would just need to be used for AirPlay. No printer connected at the moment and wireless range is enough. Airport Express would work for AirPlay also if it is not connected via cable?

  • by Tesserax,Solvedanswer

    Tesserax Tesserax Aug 1, 2016 1:28 PM in response to schorschy
    Level 9 (54,040 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 1, 2016 1:28 PM in response to schorschy

    By default, the Zyxel should be providing an 802.11n wireless network.  For streaming, you can configure the Express to join this network. The following Apple Support article will provide the details.

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Aug 1, 2016 1:32 PM in response to schorschy
    Level 9 (54,040 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 1, 2016 1:32 PM in response to schorschy

    ... and yes, AirPlay will work over either wireless or wired connections. So, the Express can be connected to a network either way as well.

  • by schorschy,

    schorschy schorschy Aug 2, 2016 9:53 PM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 2, 2016 9:53 PM in response to Tesserax

    Hi, I configured everything like that - the Zyxel does create the wireless network and the Airport express is not connected to the Zyxel modem anymore via ethernet cable but is now part of the wireless network. The Airport Express is connected to my audio system and I can start Airplay. But as soon as I change my setting in Mac OS to play audio via airplay and stream some music the modem stops connecting to the internet!!

     

    You can even see it as the DSL light starts blinking and the internet led stops working at all at the modem...

     

    Any idea why this should happen? Is this an Airplay Issue or an issue with the modem or just sth. I need to setup differently?

     

    Thanks!

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Aug 3, 2016 8:09 AM in response to schorschy
    Level 9 (54,040 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 3, 2016 8:09 AM in response to schorschy

    The AirPort Express must be configured to "Join a wireless network." In this case it would be the wireless network provided by your Zyxel wireless gateway.

     

    I suggest performing a "factory default" reset on the Express, and then, configure it per the Apple Support link I provided earlier.