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User profile for user: Randallsm
Randallsm Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Windows AirPort Utility will not find airport extreme or airport express

Airport utility drops its recognition of my airport extreme and my airport express. Sometimes airport utility will show the airport extreme and airport express, and then they disappear.


When I talk about "recognizing" or "showing" the airiport extreme and express, I mean that they show up in the opening window when I start up the airport utility app. I've attached a screen shot. (Since I'm not having the problem at the moment, I can't produce a screenshot of the window displaying my problem. But I'm confident it will happen again.)


User uploaded file


What happens when I am having a problem is that, when I open Airport Utility, this opening page says briefly that it is discovering airport devices, and then it reports that it cannot find any devices and produces a button which permits me to "rescan." Of course, the rescan does not locate my airport extreme and express.


(After producing the screenshot above, I left my computer alone for a few hours. The next screenshot shows the trouble I'm describing.)


User uploaded file


The really odd thing in connection with this behavior is that the airport extreme works fine as a router, and even when I cannot find it in Airport Utility, the light on the airport extreme glows green and permits anybody who signs onto my wireless network to use it normally.


My problem shows up with my laptop, which is running Windows 10 and (obviously) using the Windows version of Airport Utility, version 5.6.1. My airport extreme is a 5th generation, and the firmware version is 7.6.9.


My only clue is that I seem to be able to find my airport devices for awhile after I have done something in the nature of a reboot. Then after awhile, they disappear again. The things that I have done that enable me to find the airport devices are--

  • Reboot the computer
  • Pull up my router by going in Airport Utility to File --> Configure Other, entering the IP address and password for the airport extreme, modifying its configuration, accepting the modification, and waiting for the airport extreme to reboot. Any change in configuration seems to work, though I certainly haven't tried everything. I've done
    • in the "configure apple wireless" window, go to Airport -->wireless -->wireless network options (button)-->click "create closed network" button
    • in the "configure apple wireless" window, go to Advanced -->IPv6 -->IPv6 mode (drop-down menu), change selection from "Router" to "Link-local only."
    • Or change the selection back from "Link-local only" to "Router."

Any suggestions would be welcomed.


Thanks!

Windows 10

Posted on Nov 25, 2018 3:08 PM

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User profile for user: Bob Timmons
Bob Timmons
Community+ 2024
User level: Level 10
159,986 points

Posted on Nov 26, 2018 6:27 AM

AirPort Utility for Windows is long out of date, since it was designed to work with Windows 7. It is a known fact that Windows 10 no longer officially supports SMB1, which the AirPort routers use for some communications.


It is possible....but not recommended.....to enable SMBv1 on the Windows 10 PC. Whether or not that would help with the AirPort Utility application is open to question. We really need a PC guy to post and help us out.


How to temporarily re-enable the SMBv1 protocol on Windows 10

  1. Open Control Panel.
  2. Click on Programs.
  3. Click on Turn Windows features on or off link.
  4. Expand the SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support option.
  5. Check the SMB 1.0/CIFS Client option.
  6. Click the OK button.
  7. Click the Restart now button.


A guess would be that AirPort Utility 5.6.1 is simply not going to work reliably with Windows 10. Last resort.....again not recommended......would be to try turning off the Windows firewall on the PC.


Disable the Firewall in Windows 10, 8, and 7

  1. Open Control Panel. ...
  2. Select the System and Security link. ...
  3. Choose Windows Firewall. ...
  4. On the left side of the "Windows Firewall" screen, select Turn Windows Firewall on or off.
  5. Select the bubble next to Turn off Windows Firewall (not recommended).


I think using AirPort Utility on an iPhone or iPad if possible would be your best bet.

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Question marked as Best reply
User profile for user: Bob Timmons
Bob Timmons
Community+ 2024
User level: Level 10
159,986 points

Nov 26, 2018 6:27 AM in response to Randallsm

AirPort Utility for Windows is long out of date, since it was designed to work with Windows 7. It is a known fact that Windows 10 no longer officially supports SMB1, which the AirPort routers use for some communications.


It is possible....but not recommended.....to enable SMBv1 on the Windows 10 PC. Whether or not that would help with the AirPort Utility application is open to question. We really need a PC guy to post and help us out.


How to temporarily re-enable the SMBv1 protocol on Windows 10

  1. Open Control Panel.
  2. Click on Programs.
  3. Click on Turn Windows features on or off link.
  4. Expand the SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support option.
  5. Check the SMB 1.0/CIFS Client option.
  6. Click the OK button.
  7. Click the Restart now button.


A guess would be that AirPort Utility 5.6.1 is simply not going to work reliably with Windows 10. Last resort.....again not recommended......would be to try turning off the Windows firewall on the PC.


Disable the Firewall in Windows 10, 8, and 7

  1. Open Control Panel. ...
  2. Select the System and Security link. ...
  3. Choose Windows Firewall. ...
  4. On the left side of the "Windows Firewall" screen, select Turn Windows Firewall on or off.
  5. Select the bubble next to Turn off Windows Firewall (not recommended).


I think using AirPort Utility on an iPhone or iPad if possible would be your best bet.

Reply
User profile for user: Bob Timmons
Bob Timmons
Community+ 2024
User level: Level 10
159,986 points

Nov 25, 2018 3:53 PM in response to Randallsm

Unfortunately, Apple has not changed or updated AirPort Utility for Windows in over 6 years..... since the times of Windows 7......so if you have an iPhone or iPad, you could try running AirPort Utility for iOS to see if that might work more reliably.


Are the actual device names of your AirPorts......"AirPort Express connected to stereo" and "RS and KT AirPortExtreme Base Station"?


If they are, try renaming the devices using short, simple names.....no more than 12-16 characters (less is always better) with no blank spaces in the name. For example, the name of my AirPort Extreme is AEBS and names of my AirPort Expresses are AX1 and AX2.


Link Local Only would the correct settings for the AirPort devices unless your Internet Service Provider has recommended specific IPv6 settings that they want you to use with their service.


It may or may not be a factor that your AirPort Extreme is at least 5+ years old and as much as 7+ depending on when it was originally placed into service, but the average useful life of the AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express is about 5 years before it starts to head downhill.


As far as a "closed network", Apple specifically recommends against using a "closed" or "hidden" network in their support documents, so that may or may not be a factor here as well. Here is what Apple Support says:

Hidden network

Hidden networks don't broadcast their SSID over Wi-Fi. This option might be incorrectly referred to as a closed network, and the corresponding nonhidden state might be referred to as broadcast.

Set to: Disabled

Because hidden networks don't broadcast their SSID, devices might need more time to find them and connect to them. Hiding a network doesn't secure your Wi-Fi network, because the SSID can still be discovered in other ways.

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User profile for user: Randallsm
Randallsm Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Nov 26, 2018 6:07 AM in response to Randallsm

Well, I tried all those suggestions. Shortened the names of the devices to 4 and 6 characters. Went to "Link-local only." DIsabled the closed network. My thought was that all of these things promised to improve the quality of my network connections, and I could see no way that any of them could make things worse. I would say that AirPort Utility probably maintained its ability to find my airport express and extreme longer than before. But when I reopen AirPort Utility this morning, it no longer can find the devices.

One question. This behavior is a bit similar to that of a Canon printer of mine, which kept dropping off another network I maintain until I assigned a static IP address for it. Then the dropoffs ceased. Is there anything similar that can be tried here? I will note that both my Radio Mode and Radio Channel Connection for my router are set for "automatic."

Does that thought make sense? Any other thoughts?

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Windows AirPort Utility will not find airport extreme or airport express

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