Airport Extreme is Acting...

Question

Level 1

12 points

Airport Extreme is Acting...

I have enabled Access Control on my AirPort Extreme device so only registered MAC addresses have access to the WiFi network. I have done this before and with many routers, Apple and other brands. It is a very straight forward procedure. In the case of Apple WiFi router devices, just enable by checking the proper box on AirPort Utility Network tab, select Timed Access Control, change the Unlimited (default) under Wireless Clients to No Access under Wireless Access Times, and then just add as many Wireless Clients by clicking on ( + ), typing a simple Description, the appropriate MAC Address, make sure under Wireless Access Times Everyday and All Day is selected, click on Save and then click on Update. The router resets itself and voilá, restricted access to only registered devices (PCs, Laptops, Phones, Tablets, etc.)

Well, out of a total 84 entries, only some Windows laptops, and some Apple devices are not being able to get through and connect to the WiFi. The Windows laptops response is just that they can not connect. The Apple devices respond with the "Incorrect Password" error message which is common when your device is not configured on the router.

FACTS:

- All the configurations for all MACs are the same under the AirPort utility Access Control/Timed Access Control.

- All MAC addresses have being double checked and confirmed.

- All problematic MACs have been deleted and reconfigured on the AirPort Utility with Apple device reset in between.

- There are other laptops and Apple devices of the same make and model connecting without trouble to the same WiFi network.

- Said devices with the connection problem do connect to other WiFi networks without a hiccup, thus confirming the inconvenient lays in the Apple router and its configuration.

- The AirPort Extreme device has been factory reseted and all the MACs have been reconfigured by hand and also by uploading a backup file, to no avail.

- The Apple router is up to date. Firmware version 7.7.9.

- Windows laptops OS is 7.

- Apple devices, are also up to date.

- I have tried configuring said problematic MAC addresses using AirPort Utility on Macbook Pro, iPhone 5-8 and iPad with same results.

I can't seem to figure out what is wrong... Any suggestions will be highly appreciated.

Airport Extreme 802.11ac

Posted on Oct 31, 2018 7:35 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,042 points

Oct 31, 2018 7:57 AM in response to jamalvarez

How many WiFi devices are connected at the same time?

Not sure if you were aware that there is a limit of 50 WiFi devices that can connect to an AirPort Extreme, so you may be overloading the capabilities of the product.

Try powering off all of your WiFi devices

Power off and then restart the AirPort Extreme

Try to connect only the devices that were having problems before

What happens?

Here, I am assuming that you have configured the AirPort Extreme as a DHCP and NAT router, so it is the device "in charge" of allocating IP addresses to connected clients......so the AirPort Extreme is not configured to operate in Bridge Mode. Is that correct?

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Answer 2

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,042 points

Oct 31, 2018 9:08 AM in response to jamalvarez

After hours today, when most everybody has left, I will try your suggestion about powering off the unit and retry the connection with the stubborn units.

Unfortunately, your AirPort is operating in Bridge Mode, so the IP addresses for clients are being provided by another device. You might call this your "modem", but it is a modem/router.

You will need to power off the "modem" as well since that is the device that is "in charge" of the number of devices that will be allowed to connect to the network.

Clients are given an IP address and a "lease time"......usually one day.....Another device that connects, even though the original device might not be connected.....will not be able to use that same address until the lease expires.

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Answer 3

Nov 7, 2018 6:39 AM in response to jamalvarez

Using airports for business use is really pushing the devices.. they are really designed for home use.

Apple does not even give you access to log information to find out why your current controls are not working. That is why they are totally unsuitable for anything but using as simple WAP.

You should really be looking at something like Ubiquiti unifi with controller.. it will do a far superior job.

I know sometimes you are stuck with what you have..

You can certainly continue to use the existing Extreme as WAP units.. but buy a better (not apple) main router with decent controls. I haven't been doing business installs for ages.. but again ubiquiti make cheap and very decent routers with excellent controls.. albeit the learning curve is pretty steep.

A really nice project exists called Gargoyle.. you can load that firmware onto a cheap router.. I recommend the WRT1200AC or WRT1900ACS which will allow you to control access from all your clients. However it is far from being a professional solution.

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Answer 4

jamalvarez Author

Level 1

12 points

Oct 31, 2018 8:54 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Hello Bob:

Thanks for your response.

I was not aware of the 50 user limit. Many thanks.

Seldom all devices configured (84) in the Access Control may be connected at once. Nevertheless, at the time of writing this reply, only 36 devices are connected, and still those specific devices with the problem are not able to connect.

Actually, this AirPort Extreme base is being replicated by other three (3) units spreading the network throughout the office building.

Yes, the main ("in charge") AirPort Extreme device (ATSA_DIG_IT) is configured as a DHCP and NAT.

And the replicating ones, Bridge Mode.

(Idea) If the user limit was the problem, would it be possible to assign a static IP address through a reservation on the main router using the replicating one's MAC addresses and then turn them into DHCPs?

After hours today, when most everybody has left, I will try your suggestion about powering off the unit and retry the connection with the stubborn units.

Again, thanks for your help.

Regards,

Tony

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Answer 5

jamalvarez Author

Level 1

12 points

Nov 6, 2018 11:13 AM in response to Bob Timmons

Hello again:

Sorry for my late response. Had other priorities to take care of.

Tried your suggestion of shutting off the airport unit with same results. The devices that did not connect before, did not connect after. I enabled unlimited access, the devices connected without a hitch. Disabled unlimited access again (restricted), devices stayed connected until manually disconnected and failed to reconnect with same error message "incorrect message". All through the test, there were only 5 devices connected to the hub. Thus, I think we can conclude there no problems regarding overloading the Airport Base.

Two more devices had being added since without a problem.

I also tried with a brand new Aiport unit. No dice...

Any other ideas?

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Answer 6

jamalvarez Author

Level 1

12 points

Nov 6, 2018 12:01 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Hello Bob. No sweat. Thanks for you help...

If it makes any difference, it seems I forgot to mention that the main Airport base (ATSA_DIG_IT), the one connected to the ISP's modem has a static IP configured, thus making "it" the DHCP and the IP provider to the devices connected to the WiFi network and the bridge devices spreading its signal.