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Airport problem: Admin utility can't read configuration of base station?

sandman42

sandman42

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
When I try to use the Airport Admin utility to configure my airport network, I enter my password then get the error message: "The AirPort Admin Utility was unable to read the configuration of the selected base station." While this is happening, the network seems to be operating fine otherwise, meaning I can access the internet.

At about the same time this started, I started having problems where I'll start the computer and it won't connect to the internet unless I restart the base station (from the computer, not the reset button on the base station). Funny thing is, it seems that I _can_ configure the base station (to restart it) when the internet's not available.

I have an Airport card and base station (neither is 'extreme') and I'm running it on a 600MHz iBook, using Airport 3.3.

Has anyone else had a problem like this?
 
What flavor of base station are you using?

I've experienced similar problems with my 2.0 (snow) base station. It's always cleared up by a cold restart -- unplugging the power for a few seconds. (The symptom in my case on at least one occasion was no network service from the ethernet hub but the wireless still worked.)
 
I had a similar problem - albeit with an extreme base station. The solution for me was to run an ethernet cable directly from the base station (I think the "WAN" port) to the ethernet port on the computer. While directly connected, I was prompted to update the base station firmware when opening the config utility. After the firmware was updated, I regained access to the base station through both the admin utility and the config utility. I hope this helps.

Cheers.
 
I've had this problem too, and it happens usually when I get a bad connection and have to disconnect. However, I have updated the firmware and that didn't solve the problem.
Once a month or so, I have to cold restart the Base Station and after that it behaves. I get this even if I run the utility from my iMac which is plugged in via ethernet. I've never found a solution for it.
 
My AEBS was doing the same thing - cold restarting only worked for a while and they I'd lose the signal again and Airport Admin couldn't see the base.

I search on Apple's site and found out how to reset the base station. It's been fine since.

m
 
My base station is the 'snow' variety, but not extreme.

The problem I'm having isn't a connectivity problem, that's the weird thing: the Utility can't access the base station to configure it when the connection between the computer and the base station is otherwise working just fine. Right now for instance: I'm accessing the internet (and this web site), have plenty of signal strength, etc, but the utility can't 'open' the base station.

The other new thing that happens, but very rarely and may not even be related, is that a few times when I've woken up or started the computer the internet's not available. My connection strength indicator shows that the signal is there (and strong), but, no internet. When this has happened, I _have_ been able to start the configuration utility (bizarrely!), and doing a restart of the base station (via software, from the utility) restores the connection.

Weird, eh?

I'm fairly certain my base station has the most recent firmware.

I'm going to try doing a hardware reset of the base station, and see if that helps.
 
Meant to include this image, if it's any help.

Just to make this clear, I get this error when the computer seems to have no other problems communicating with the base station.
 

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ive had this problem too (on an extreme base station, no internal 56k).
it only seems to happen once i enable security on the network. if i set up a password for the base station, the configuration fails. if there is no password, then it is fine. that is, up until a few days ago.. now it wont read it even with the default password 🙁

oh well, try setting a password on your modem and not distributing addresses (if youre using it for just one comp) or setting a password for the base station. i hope that works for you; its not ideal but its pretty secure.
 
Finally found the problem: had the cable modem plugged in to the LAN port on the Airport Base Station, should have been the WAN port. Changed that, and the problem is all better.
 
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