setting up time capsule and wired airport express after power outage

If you believe there are setting changes, then it would be best to start over.

• First, you will want to perform a "factory default" reset on all of your base stations. This will get them back to their "out-of-the-box" configuration. Once completed, leave them all powered-off.
• Next, we will want to set up the Time Capsule (TC). Since it has been reset, it will broadcast an unsecured Wi-Fi network with a network name of something like: Apple Network NNNNNN.
• Use the AirPort Utility on your iPhone, Mac, or PC to configure the TC as a standalone wireless router. That is, configure it to provide a secured Wi-Fi network.
• Once the TC has been configured, verify that your network clients can gain Internet access with it.
• If successful, continue with the next step. If not, stop and post back your results.
• We are now going to configure all of your base stations for a roaming network.
• Power-up one of the three AirPort Express base stations.
• Again, you will need to use the AirPort Utility to continue. The utility should now find the Express, and if all goes well, it will offer to use the Express to extend the TC using Ethernet. This is what you want and just go through the automated steps to the "Setup Complete" window. Then click on Done.
• Do the same for the remaining two Express base stations.

Temporarily bring all of the Express base stations to the location of the TC. Connect them, one-at-a-time, to the TC using an Ethernet cable. Then try using the AirPort Utility to configure them.

I would now suspect the Ethernet connections between the TC and the other Ethernet outlets. Either the cable runs are bad or incorrectly wired for CAT5 or CAT6 or the Ethernet termination points are faulty. A good Ethernet cable tester would come in handy here.

Are any or all of the Ethernet wall outlets multi-purpose? That, is do they have more than one jack. For example, one for Ethernet and the other for land-line phone service?

They are all cat6 and test out good.

... but have they been tested since the power outage?

Modem directly to TC one port on TC to 8 port switch and then 3 ports of the switch run directly to the three AE.

What is the make & model of the modem? I assume that the cable coming from this modem is directly connected to the TC's WAN (circle-of-dots) port ... correct? From there you have an Ethernet cable connected to one of the TC's LAN (opposing arrows) port to an 8-port Ethernet switch. Finally each of the Express base stations are connected back to the same switch.

...all work flawlessly until we had the power "flicker" three times quickly one night. I don't recall the setting change but all the units are set with the same SSID and password so that it is one large seamless network throughout the house.

... and they shouldn't change due to either a power brownout or blackout. The settings you describe would be that for a roaming network. In a roaming network each base station used would be in bridge mode except for the "main" base station that is performing as a router. This would be your TC. All base stations would broadcast their own Wi-Fi network, but all of these network would use the same network name and wireless security type & password. This way all wireless clients just "see" one wireless network.

I was just reading somewhere where the AE are setup to create a new network but that setup doesn't work and triggers 3 errors when i tried that.

Not sure why that is happening. I believe you said that was not the case when you connected all of the Express base stations directly to the TC ... correct? If so, then it still indicates something amiss with the Ethernet wiring or the Ethernet switch.

Ok, let's try this.

• Power-down the Express base stations. Again bring them to the same room as the TC.
• Disconnect all Ethernet cables from the TC except the one going to the modem.
• Perform a "factory default" reset on one of the Express base stations.
• Once completed, remove the Express from power, and then, connect it to one of the TC's LAN ports.
• Using the AirPort Utility configure the Express with the TC for a roaming network.
• Verify that you can gain Internet access in this manner.
• If successful, power-down the Express, and then, connect the Ethernet cable to another one of the TC's LAN ports.
• Test for Internet access again.
• Do the same for the last TC LAN port.
• Please post back your results.

Sure, here you go. For each of the Express base stations:

• Base Station tab

  Enter a unique name for the base station. I suggest that you keep it simple, like AX1, AX2, AX3 for each of the Express base stations.

• Internet tab

  Connect Using: DHCP

• Wireless tab
  • Network Mode: Create a wireless network
  • Wireless Network Name: <The name you use must be the same on all base stations. Again, I suggest that you use a name that is fairly simple. Do not use spaces or special characters for the name.>
  • Wireless Password: <enter the same password for all base stations>
  • Verify Password: <enter the same password for all base stations>
• Network tab

  Router Mode: Off (Bridge Mode)

You're very welcome! I'm glad you got it worked out.