Airport Extreme Drops Connections When Another Computer Connects

We have a brand new Airport Extreme (Simultaneous Dual-Band II). This replaced an older model that worked perfectly until it died. This new machine will drop the connection for all connected devices, when any new machine connects to the network. Connected devices include MacBook Pros, iPads and iPhones. It happens about 50% of the time a device connects.

When it does happen, our network name just disappears from the list of available networks. If you try and connect manually, you get a timeout. Left to its own devices, it will eventually reconnect after a few minutes and apart from the annoying reconnection delay, it loses the VPN connection we all have on the laptops. Frustrating to say the least.

I have updated the firmware and of course restarted the Airport many times. Is this fixable or should I return the unit for replacement? Thanks for any suggestions.

smithrh said:

Has it always done this?

If not, you might try to reset to factory settings.

Also, is there anything in the logs? It keeps reasonably decent logs, I'd suspect something will be in there.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply smithrh. Yes it has always done this. I have pasted todays log below. Perhaps the Disassociated and Deauthenticating bits mean something? Can you spot anything that is awry?

---------------------
Jan 23 09:07:59 Severity:5 Initialized (firmware 7.5.2).
Jan 23 09:08:15 Severity:5 Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 3).
Jan 23 09:08:15 Severity:5 Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 2).
Jan 23 09:08:15 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 09:08:15 Severity:5 Disk sd0 (WD 10EACS External 1.65) plugged in.
Jan 23 09:08:16 Severity:5 Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 2).
Jan 23 09:08:16 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 09:08:16 Severity:5 Internet configuration leased [IPv4] -- host <58.173.100.21/255.255.252.0> gateway <58.173.100.1> dns <61.9.194.49 61.9.195.193> wins <> lease <86400> domain <nsw.bigpond.net.au>
Jan 23 09:08:18 Severity:5 (WAN) link state is Up.
Jan 23 09:08:18 Severity:5 Internet configuration leased [IPv4] -- host <58.173.100.21/255.255.252.0> gateway <58.173.100.1> dns <61.9.194.49 61.9.195.193> wins <> lease <86398> domain <nsw.bigpond.net.au>
Jan 23 09:08:20 Severity:5 Clock synchronized to network time server time.apple.com (adjusted +3 seconds).
Jan 23 09:08:21 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:23:6c:8f:a5:4c
Jan 23 09:08:21 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:23:6c:8f:a5:4c
Jan 23 09:08:21 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:52071 to 10.0.1.11:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 09:08:25 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:1f:5b:b4:f2:ac
Jan 23 09:08:25 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:1f:5b:b4:f2:ac
Jan 23 09:08:25 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:32776 to 10.0.1.198:4500 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 09:08:25 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:32777 to 10.0.1.198:5353 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 09:08:25 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:55838 to 10.0.1.198:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 09:08:28 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:00:48:db:97:ca
Jan 23 09:08:28 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:00:48:db:97:ca
Jan 23 09:08:30 Severity:5 Associated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 09:08:30 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 09:08:55 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:26:b0:c1:8d:54
Jan 23 09:08:55 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:26:b0:c1:8d:54
Jan 23 09:09:48 Severity:5 AFP login OK from Sue Carr@10.0.1.198.
Jan 23 09:20:04 Severity:5 Disassociated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 09:20:09 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 09:20:09 Severity:5 Deauthenticating with station 00:1f:5b:b4:f2:ac (reserved 2).
Jan 23 09:20:09 Severity:5 Disassociated with station 00:1f:5b:b4:f2:ac
Jan 23 09:20:10 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 09:20:13 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:1f:5b:b4:f2:ac
Jan 23 09:20:13 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:1f:5b:b4:f2:ac
Jan 23 09:20:18 Severity:5 Associated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 09:20:18 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 09:23:52 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:52071 to 10.0.1.11:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 09:23:52 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:32776 to 10.0.1.198:4500 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 09:23:52 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:32777 to 10.0.1.198:5353 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 09:23:52 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:55838 to 10.0.1.198:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 09:29:52 Severity:5 AFP session from Sue Carr@10.0.1.198 closing.
Jan 23 09:35:27 Severity:5 Disassociated with station 00:23:6c:8f:a5:4c
Jan 23 09:35:28 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 09:53:50 Severity:5 Disassociated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 09:53:51 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 09:53:52 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:32776 to 10.0.1.198:4500 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 09:53:52 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:32777 to 10.0.1.198:5353 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 09:53:52 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:55838 to 10.0.1.198:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 10:08:16 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 10:08:24 Severity:5 Clock synchronized to network time server time.apple.com (adjusted +0 seconds).
Jan 23 10:09:23 Severity:5 AFP login OK from Sue Carr@10.0.1.198.
Jan 23 10:23:52 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:32776 to 10.0.1.198:4500 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 10:23:52 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:32777 to 10.0.1.198:5353 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 10:23:52 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:55838 to 10.0.1.198:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 10:23:55 Severity:5 Binding expired for udp to 10.0.1.11:16402
Jan 23 10:24:30 Severity:5 AFP session from Sue Carr@10.0.1.198 closing.
Jan 23 10:37:59 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:23:6c:8f:a5:4c
Jan 23 10:37:59 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:23:6c:8f:a5:4c
Jan 23 10:37:59 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:52071 to 10.0.1.11:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 10:46:56 Severity:5 Disassociated with station 00:1f:5b:b4:f2:ac
Jan 23 10:46:57 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 11:07:59 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:52071 to 10.0.1.11:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 11:08:16 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 11:08:24 Severity:5 Clock synchronized to network time server time.apple.com (adjusted +0 seconds).
Jan 23 11:23:53 Severity:5 Binding expired for udp to 10.0.1.198:4500
Jan 23 11:23:53 Severity:5 Binding expired for udp to 10.0.1.198:5353
Jan 23 11:23:53 Severity:5 Binding expired for udp to 10.0.1.198:16402
Jan 23 11:38:00 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:52071 to 10.0.1.11:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 11:46:57 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 12:04:38 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:1f:5b:b4:f2:ac
Jan 23 12:04:38 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:1f:5b:b4:f2:ac
Jan 23 12:04:38 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:32776 to 10.0.1.198:4500 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 12:04:38 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:32777 to 10.0.1.198:5353 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 12:04:38 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:55838 to 10.0.1.198:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 12:04:40 Severity:5 AFP login OK from Sue Carr@10.0.1.198.
Jan 23 12:04:41 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:31855 to 10.0.1.198:31855 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 12:04:41 Severity:5 Binding added for tcp, 58.173.100.21:31855 to 10.0.1.198:31855 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 12:08:00 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:52071 to 10.0.1.11:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 12:08:16 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 12:08:25 Severity:5 Clock synchronized to network time server time.apple.com (adjusted -1 seconds).
Jan 23 12:14:16 Severity:5 AFP session from Sue Carr@10.0.1.198 closing.
Jan 23 12:20:02 Severity:5 Disassociated with station 00:1f:5b:b4:f2:ac
Jan 23 12:20:02 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:1f:5b:b4:f2:ac
Jan 23 12:20:02 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:1f:5b:b4:f2:ac
Jan 23 12:20:02 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 12:22:02 Severity:5 Associated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 12:22:02 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 12:22:21 Severity:5 Disassociated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 12:22:22 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 12:26:59 Severity:5 AFP login OK from Sue Carr@10.0.1.198.
Jan 23 12:34:38 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:32776 to 10.0.1.198:4500 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 12:34:38 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:32777 to 10.0.1.198:5353 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 12:34:38 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:55838 to 10.0.1.198:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 12:34:41 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:31855 to 10.0.1.198:31855 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 12:34:41 Severity:5 Binding added for tcp, 58.173.100.21:31855 to 10.0.1.198:31855 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 12:37:59 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:52071 to 10.0.1.11:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 12:39:42 Severity:5 AFP session from Sue Carr@10.0.1.198 closing.
Jan 23 12:54:21 Severity:5 Disassociated with station 00:1f:5b:b4:f2:ac
Jan 23 12:54:22 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 13:07:59 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:52071 to 10.0.1.11:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 13:08:20 Severity:5 Disassociated with station 00:26:b0:c1:8d:54
Jan 23 13:08:21 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 13:08:25 Severity:5 Clock synchronized to network time server time.apple.com (adjusted +0 seconds).
Jan 23 13:34:38 Severity:5 Binding expired for udp to 10.0.1.198:4500
Jan 23 13:34:38 Severity:5 Binding expired for udp to 10.0.1.198:5353
Jan 23 13:34:38 Severity:5 Binding expired for udp to 10.0.1.198:16402
Jan 23 13:34:42 Severity:5 Binding expired for udp to 10.0.1.198:31855
Jan 23 13:34:42 Severity:5 Binding expired for tcp to 10.0.1.198:31855
Jan 23 13:38:00 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:52071 to 10.0.1.11:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 13:42:41 Severity:5 Disassociated with station 00:23:6c:8f:a5:4c
Jan 23 13:42:42 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 14:04:33 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:26:b0:c1:8d:54
Jan 23 14:04:33 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:26:b0:c1:8d:54
Jan 23 14:05:17 Severity:5 Disassociated with station 00:26:b0:c1:8d:54
Jan 23 14:05:18 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 14:08:26 Severity:5 Clock synchronized to network time server time.apple.com (adjusted -1 seconds).
Jan 23 14:12:13 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:23:6c:8f:a5:4c
Jan 23 14:12:13 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:23:6c:8f:a5:4c
Jan 23 14:12:13 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:52071 to 10.0.1.11:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 14:14:23 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:26:b0:c1:8d:54
Jan 23 14:14:23 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:26:b0:c1:8d:54
Jan 23 14:15:07 Severity:5 Disassociated with station 00:26:b0:c1:8d:54
Jan 23 14:15:07 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 14:21:02 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [fe80::223:6cff:fe8f:a54c%bridge0]:55630.
Jan 23 14:21:04 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [fe80::223:6cff:fe8f:a54c%bridge0]:55631.
Jan 23 14:21:04 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [fe80::223:6cff:fe8f:a54c%bridge0]:55632.
Jan 23 14:24:13 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:26:b0:c1:8d:54
Jan 23 14:24:13 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:26:b0:c1:8d:54
Jan 23 14:25:12 Severity:5 Disassociated with station 00:26:b0:c1:8d:54
Jan 23 14:25:12 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 14:31:58 Severity:5 Associated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:31:58 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:35:18 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:26:b0:c1:8d:54
Jan 23 14:35:18 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:26:b0:c1:8d:54
Jan 23 14:36:11 Severity:5 Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 3).
Jan 23 14:36:11 Severity:5 Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 2).
Jan 23 14:36:11 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 14:36:17 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:23:6c:8f:a5:4c
Jan 23 14:36:17 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:23:6c:8f:a5:4c
Jan 23 14:36:17 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:52071 to 10.0.1.11:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 14:36:20 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [fe80::223:6cff:fe8f:a54c%bridge0]:55636.
Jan 23 14:36:21 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [fe80::223:6cff:fe8f:a54c%bridge0]:55637.
Jan 23 14:36:21 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [fe80::223:6cff:fe8f:a54c%bridge0]:55638.
Jan 23 14:36:29 Severity:5 Associated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:36:29 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:36:57 Severity:5 Associated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:36:57 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:37:08 Severity:5 Associated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:37:08 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:37:13 Severity:5 Associated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:37:13 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:37:45 Severity:5 Associated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:37:45 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:38:09 Severity:5 Associated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:38:09 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:38:59 Severity:5 Disassociated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:39:11 Severity:5 Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 3).
Jan 23 14:39:11 Severity:5 Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 2).
Jan 23 14:39:11 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 14:39:25 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:23:6c:8f:a5:4c
Jan 23 14:39:25 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:23:6c:8f:a5:4c
Jan 23 14:39:25 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 58.173.100.21:52071 to 10.0.1.11:16402 with lifetime 3600
Jan 23 14:39:26 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [fe80::223:6cff:fe8f:a54c%bridge0]:55681.
Jan 23 14:39:26 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:00:48:db:97:ca
Jan 23 14:39:26 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:00:48:db:97:ca
Jan 23 14:39:27 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [fe80::223:6cff:fe8f:a54c%bridge0]:55682.
Jan 23 14:39:27 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [fe80::223:6cff:fe8f:a54c%bridge0]:55683.
Jan 23 14:45:13 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:26:b0:c1:8d:54
Jan 23 14:45:13 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:26:b0:c1:8d:54
Jan 23 14:45:57 Severity:5 Disassociated with station 00:26:b0:c1:8d:54
Jan 23 14:45:57 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 14:49:09 Severity:5 Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 3).
Jan 23 14:49:09 Severity:5 Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 2).
Jan 23 14:49:09 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 14:49:10 Severity:5 Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 2).
Jan 23 14:49:10 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jan 23 14:49:14 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:23:6c:8f:a5:4c
Jan 23 14:49:14 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:23:6c:8f:a5:4c
Jan 23 14:49:16 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [fe80::223:6cff:fe8f:a54c%bridge0]:55834.
Jan 23 14:49:17 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [fe80::223:6cff:fe8f:a54c%bridge0]:55835.
Jan 23 14:49:17 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [fe80::223:6cff:fe8f:a54c%bridge0]:55836.
Jan 23 14:49:24 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:00:48:db:97:ca
Jan 23 14:49:25 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:00:48:db:97:ca
Jan 23 14:49:42 Severity:5 Associated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:49:42 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:50:08 Severity:5 Associated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:50:08 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:50:24 Severity:5 Associated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:50:24 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:51:22 Severity:5 Associated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:51:22 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:52:00 Severity:5 Associated with station 78:ca:39:e0:49:32
Jan 23 14:52:00 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 78:ca:39:e0:49:32

jenzjen said:

I know you said you've restarted many times but try a true factory reset and see what happens?

1. Unplug the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule from power.

2. Press and hold the reset button with a pen or pencil, then plug the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule back in while continuing to hold the button until you see the light (LED) flash rapidly. This should happen after a few seconds.

3. Release the button. This will factory default reset the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion jenzjen and apologies for not reporting back sooner. I did try the full reset exactly as you instructed and wanted to give it some time to see if the bad old behavior recurred. Unfortunately it did, not at first but eventually after a few days, gradually getting back to how it was when I first reported it.

Our network name just disappears from the list and all the computers drop off. You know it has happened because you hear the iChat connection sound on each computer as they come back on line. It might even be tolerable were it not for the fact that the VPN connections are all lost at the same time. I guess it is time to take it back to Apple.

Thanks again for everyone's help.