pob786
Level 1 (4 points)
Wireless

Q: Airport Extreme utility password not working

Hi All,

I was trying to connect an older laptop with an 802.11 wi-fi adapter installed to Airport extreme Base Station.

When I couldn't connect, I thought I would check the Airport Extreme Base Station settings but couldn't connect using "Airport Utility", because it doesn't recognise the existing password.

If I want to connect another device, for example a "Nexus 7", it connects OK using the existing password.

     Also, when I checked the Airport Extreme Base Station's "Airport I.D.", which I assume is the "MAC address", it states that it is:- 90:72:40:09:F7:E6, but when I check the Wireless Network "LAN Neighbours"information, it states the MAC Address for the Airport Extreme Base Station is:- 90:72:40:20:CA:A5.

Does anyone have answers to clarify/resolve the problem?

Thank you and regards,

John P.

Posted on Aug 16, 2016 7:27 AM

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pob786

Q: Airport Extreme utility password not working

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Aug 16, 2016 7:49 AM in response to pob786
    Level 9 (54,040 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 16, 2016 7:49 AM in response to pob786

    The AirPort Extreme base station actually has three MAC addresses, one for Ethernet, one for 2.4 GHz wireless, and the third for 5 GHz wireless.

     

    So you have a number of networking issues from what I can gather from your post:

    1. An older laptop that cannot connect to the base station's Wi-Fi network.
    2. Unable to connect to the base station using the AirPort Utility because of an issue with the base station administrator password.

     

    Are these both correct?

  • by pob786,

    pob786 pob786 Aug 16, 2016 8:24 AM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 16, 2016 8:24 AM in response to Tesserax

    Hi Tesserax,

    Both these are correct.

    To Clarify:- 1.     The older laptop displays the network "presence" in Wi-Fi mode, and will connect via ethernet cable                            without a problem.

                               But when I check ipconfig /all with command prompt it states re Wi-Fi......."No Media connected". Is the                            Wi-Fi adapter too old?

                        2.    The "Password" I'm using in Apple utility is the same password used to connect new devices to the                             Apple Extreme Base Station.

                                This password was also used on the original Netgear router which is utilised purely as a "Modem" and

                                the Apple Extreme Base Station as the router.

                                The Apple Extreme Base Station Base Station being set up by a third party so no idea if a differant                              password/s was used, only that the password I know doesn't work on "Apple Utility".

     

    Thanks and regards,

    John P.

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Aug 16, 2016 8:36 AM in response to pob786
    Level 9 (54,040 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 16, 2016 8:36 AM in response to pob786

    Ok, let's try to work these one at a time starting with the password issue first, if you don't mind.

     

    The AirPort base stations can have, at least, three types of passwords:

    1. Base station administrator
    2. Wi-Fi security
    3. Disk sharing

     

    All of these are configured using the AirPort Utility. The default base station administrator password is: public. Of course, if you changed that (you should), it will be something else. This is the password that the AirPort Utility will ask for ... unless you saved it in your OS X Keychain.

     

    Is this the password you are having issues with?

  • by pob786,

    pob786 pob786 Aug 16, 2016 8:53 AM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 16, 2016 8:53 AM in response to Tesserax

    Hi Tesserax,

    Like I said previously, the only passsword I know which is used to add new devices does not work as ""Base Station Administrator Password", and neither does "Public" password.

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Aug 16, 2016 8:58 AM in response to pob786
    Level 9 (54,040 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 16, 2016 8:58 AM in response to pob786

    No problem, just wanted to be sure I understood.

     

    You have a few choices, both requiring that you perform a reset on the base station.

     

    The first would be a "soft" reset. This will temporarily disable the base station password for at least 5 minutes. Which should give you ample time to access it with the AirPort Utility to change it.

     

    The second would be a "hard" reset. This will change the existing base station password back to the default: public. It will also reset the Wi-Fi network and base station names back to their defaults as well. Respectively, "Apple Network NNNNNN" & "AirPort Extreme NNNNNN".

     

    I would suggest that you just perform the soft reset to see if you can now access the base station. Details on these resets, plus the "factory default" reset can be found here.

     

    Once resolved we can go on to the laptop.

  • by pob786,

    pob786 pob786 Aug 16, 2016 9:31 AM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 16, 2016 9:31 AM in response to Tesserax

    Hi Tesserax,

    I was able to do the "soft reset", and pressed the Base Station button, which gave me several options.

    Could you explain what each option is and what it does please?

    Thanks and regards,

    John P.

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Aug 16, 2016 9:38 AM in response to pob786
    Level 9 (54,040 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 16, 2016 9:38 AM in response to pob786

    If you list the options, I'll do my best to explain them for you.

  • by pob786,

    pob786 pob786 Aug 17, 2016 4:40 AM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 17, 2016 4:40 AM in response to Tesserax

    Hi Tesserax,

    When I do a soft reset and press the "Base Station" on the Airport Utility Screen, the following list appears :-

     

    BASE STATION LIST

    1.      ASSIST ME
    2.      MANUAL SETUP
    3.      IDENTIFY
    4.      RESTART
    5.      UPLOAD FIRMWARE
    6.      RESTORE DEFAULT SETTINGS
    7.      MANAGE PROFILES
    8.      STATUS
    9.      LOG MESSAGES
    10.      EQUIVALENT NETWORK PASSWORD
    11.      ADD WIRELESS CLIENTS

     

    Down the left hand side of the screen it shows the apple devices connected as buttons, being:-

      1.     Apple Express (2nd Generation)

      2.     Apple Extreme 802.11ac?

    If I "double click" one of the buttons, it shows settings of individual device.


    Thank you and Regards,

    John P.


  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Aug 17, 2016 8:20 AM in response to pob786
    Level 9 (54,040 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 17, 2016 8:20 AM in response to pob786

    Ah, it looks like you are trying to use the older v5.x of the AirPort Utility. This should be fine for the 802.11n Express, but was not designed to work with the newer 802.11ac ones and I would recommend not using it as such. You will need to use v6.x on a OS X Lion or later Mac or an iOS which has the newer utility for these base stations.

     

    In the meantime here are what those menu options are:

    • Assist Me - Allows for an "automated" setup of a base station.
    • Manual Setup - Allows for base station setup via a manual method. Basically, it offers you an opportunity to control the complete administration of the base station.
    • Identify - When selected the base station's LED will flash to "identify" it.
    • Restart - Used to restart the base station via software.
    • Upload Firmware - For updating the base station's firmware.
    • Restore Default Settings - Same as a "factory default" reset but via software.
    • Manage Profiles - Access to the base station's configuration profiles. Especially handy for the Express when getting ready to travel.
    • Status - Provides base station status.
    • Log Message - Access to the base station's error/message logging.
    • Equivalent Network Password - Used to assist with adding wireless clients that were limited to only WEP for wireless security.
    • Add Wireless Clients - This was used to add wireless clients without them requiring a wireless password to connect to the base station.

  • by pob786,

    pob786 pob786 Aug 17, 2016 8:32 AM in response to Tesserax
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 17, 2016 8:32 AM in response to Tesserax

    Hi Tesserax,

    Thanks for the info.................................the reason I'm using version 5.1x is because I'm using a "windows based" laptop, my son, who had the Apple Mac has since left home!

    Thank you and regards,

    John P.

  • by Tesserax,

    Tesserax Tesserax Aug 17, 2016 8:41 AM in response to pob786
    Level 9 (54,040 points)
    Wireless
    Aug 17, 2016 8:41 AM in response to pob786

    I totally understand. It would be great if Apple would bring out an updated version for Windows, as well, since the current version (5.6.1) AirPort Utility for Windows came out in 2012. Then again, the 6.x version for OS X lacks many of the features its earlier companion had and maybe Apple is doing Windows users a favor?