Error joining the AirPort network

Question

Level 1

4 points

Error joining the AirPort network

I recently replaced my Graphite Airport network (2 ABS connected with ethernet) with the Airport Extreme "n" network.
I configured it with my Duel which is connected by ethernet.
Our emac (running Tiger) and 15" 1.5 GHz PowerBook (running Panther) perform fine. The Epson printer connected with the USB port works too.
However, my older G4 "TiBook" (with older airport card but running Tiger) gets the error message "There was an error joining the AirPort network "MyNetwork". My old G3 Wallstreet (OS9), which was running fine with a network card in the PCMCIA slot, no longer connects. Neither does the G3 imac running Panther.
In other words, I am having trouble connecting with the older wireless cards. Please help!

G4 Dual 1.25 GHz, G4 15" PB 1.5 GHz, G4 15" PB 500 MHz, G3 PB - Walllstreet Mac OS X (10.4.8) some run OS 10.3 and 9.1

G4 Dual 1.25 GHz, G4 15" PB 1.5 GHz, G4 15" PB 500 MHz, G3 PB - Walllstreet, Mac OS X (10.4.8), some run OS 10.3 and 9.1

Posted on Mar 8, 2007 10:43 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Mar 8, 2007 10:44 AM in response to Ellie-VT

Try changing the channel on the wireless tab from auto to 11

Reply

Answer 2

Anonymous

Level 2

430 points

Mar 8, 2007 10:49 AM in response to Ellie-VT

Ellie-VT,

I advise you test setting the base station to broadcast on various channels. Knowledge base article http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=AirPortUtility/5.0/en/ap2085.html provides additional information on how this is done.

Regards,
Chris

Reply

Answer 3

Ellie-VT Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 8, 2007 11:16 AM in response to Anonymous

I have tried channels 6 and 11, but I still get the network error.

Reply

Answer 4

Mar 8, 2007 11:45 AM in response to Ellie-VT

Try turning security off on the network and see if that helps.

Reply

Answer 5

Ellie-VT Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 8, 2007 12:53 PM in response to Mitchell Greenfield

Thanks! That got the old TiBook online.
I do have an amber flashing light. Airport Utility warns me that there is no security.
So the next question is
How do you turn security on and still use the older computers?

Reply

Answer 6

Mar 8, 2007 12:53 PM in response to Ellie-VT

Easier said then done! I dont know if the older systems have software that support WPA2. WPA2 is the only security that can be used in an n network. The obvious answer is to update your OS but that isn't going to work with such old hardware. I am not really sure the answer...

Reply

Answer 7

Anonymous

Level 2

430 points

Mar 8, 2007 12:58 PM in response to Ellie-VT

You may want to consider setting the security level to WEP 128 and explore at your own discretion if this is a valid work around.

Regards,
Chris

Reply

Answer 8

Mar 8, 2007 12:59 PM in response to Ellie-VT

Have you tried setting the AEBSn wireless security to WEP?

Reply

Answer 9

Ellie-VT Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 8, 2007 1:17 PM in response to Anonymous

Thanks. I have tried WEP and WPA/WPA2 Personal. Only the new computers with new airport cards work.
I think my solution will be to use security when using only the new computers and turn it off when I need to access the old computers.
I think Apple should address this problem with 802.11b Airport cards and mention it in their technical specifications.

Reply

Answer 10

Ellie-VT Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 8, 2007 1:26 PM in response to Ellie-VT

Thank you, everybody, for your help.

Reply

Answer 11

Mar 8, 2007 1:42 PM in response to Ellie-VT

Have you tried using your old graphite base station as a wireless bridge to the new AEBSn router and then connecting only the older computers through it (the graphite)?

Reply

Answer 12

Ellie-VT Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 8, 2007 2:19 PM in response to James A. Weston

Yes, I am thinking about that. I guess I'll find out if the new airport can be password protected while my old one is not.
But that is for another day.

Reply

Answer 13

Henry G4

Level 4

1,865 points

Mar 8, 2007 3:25 PM in response to Ellie-VT

Hi, Ellie.

You can enable the MAC Address Access Control, so it won't be an encrypted network (no password, WEP or WPA), but only the machines whose MAC Address are in the Acces Control List will join the network. Machines which are not on this list will see the network, but they will not obtain an ip address, and will not join it.

You can find details on how to do this in the Designing Aiport Extreme 802.11n Networks Manual, page 51.

Good Luck

MacMini G4 1.25GHz 1GB Mac OS X (10.4.8)

MacMini G4 1.25GHz 1GB Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Reply

Answer 14

Mar 8, 2007 7:03 PM in response to Ellie-VT

Your older Mac only supports WEP. So configure your new AirPort Extreme 802.11n base station to use WEP(Transitional Security Network).

The cool thing is that the older Mac will associate with WEP, but the newer Macs that support WPA, will associate as WPA automatically.

So you can have your cake, and eat it. 🙂

Reply

Answer 15

Ellie-VT Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 9, 2007 6:42 AM in response to Scott Player

Back again. I had the new AirPort set up to use WEP, but could not get it to work. That is when the old computers got the error messages. They could see the network; they just couldn't log on.

Reply