Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Airport Utility won't see Airport Express

E

ElWardo

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 3, 2008
12
0
New Jersey
I am trying to extend the range of my airport extreme using a 1st generation airport express. When I plug the Express in and open airport utility, the utility will not see the Express. This is contrary to all the help sources I have been consulting about extending wifi range which make it look so simple (14 year olds can do this on YouTube...). Is there a step I'm missing? Do the two devices need to be connected by ethernet for the initial setup, then separated? Is there a mismatch between the generations of the base station and the express? The base station is newer tho I'm not sure of its generation and naturally I can't find its documentation. I have plugged the Express into several locations hoping to get a connection but no dice.

Any suggestions appreciated.
 
I believe you need the old 5.6 version of Airport Util to recognize that Airport Express. It won't install on Mountain Lion, but there is a work around here.
 
ElWardo said:
When I plug the Express in and open airport utility, the utility will not see the Express.
Click to expand...
This will happen if the AE was set to "join a wireless network" which is not your wifi network : the Ethernet port is disabled and the AE is not connected to your wifi network.
So it is connected to nothing.

As a result, Airport Utility can not see it.

Connect the AE to your network via Ethernet and reset the AE : it will be visible again.

And if you need AU 5.6 I can send it to you by mail (6,9 Mo zip).
 
got it working

Thanks to you both. I used the workaround recommended by Weaselboy and got it up and running.
 
That's good news, but for your information, even the last version of Airport Utility (6.3.1) can see a first generation Airport Express.
(I am running Mountain Lion and have 2 first generation AE among others).

It can't set it up, though.

So you actually need AU 5.6 for that AE.
 
That is Apple's way of telling you it is time to get the latest generation of base stations. The old ones are likely to work with Mavericks either.
 
OK, so I'm talking here in mid 2015 on a 27" 5K Mac running 10.10.3 Yosemite, and wanting to re-set my network containing an Airport Extreme (tall 2014 one) and three airport expresses (ranging from 2011 to one flat one from 2013)

People are saying you need the old Airport Utility 5.6.1 to see the old AExp's and configure them...well, despite ALL the instructions on the web, I still can't install that...lots of different errors.

Always remembered the thing about sticking a biro pen into the reset slot, and leaving it there FOR A LONG TIME (30 seconds etc) and after rapid amber light flashing and back to gradual flashing, every AExp is ready to be seen in the newest version of Airport Utility (mine currently at 6.3.5).

RESTART Airport utility, and wait! After a minute or two maybe, there WILL be in the top left hand corner "other wifi devices (3)" say, and each one will be seen and despite the fact that the new Utility app doesn't let you do anything, for me at least, it kinda just automatically joins your new network. Patience is a virtue it seems. Hope this helps other people.
 
Last edited:
@Bruno09 The AirPort Express with wireless G is not supported. The first generation AirPort Express with wireless N is still supported in AirPort Utility 6.

@christof69 If all of your AirPorts are wireless N then you would be able to use AirPort Utility 6. AirPort Utility 5.6 is only needed when configuring an older base station with wireless G or when accessing advanced options not available in 6.x.
 
Bruno09 said:
It's what I said : AU 6 can "see" an old Express with wifi g but can't set it up.
Click to expand...

I was making an observation. By definition, the wireless G models were just "AirPort Express". The wireless N model (that was the same style) was called "AirPort Express (First Generation)". The current flat model is the second generation. It really does not make any sense how the generations worked as you would think that the current generation would be the third.
 
Altemose said:
@Bruno09 The AirPort Express with wireless G is not supported. The first generation AirPort Express with wireless N is still supported in AirPort Utility 6.

@christof69 If all of your AirPorts are wireless N then you would be able to use AirPort Utility 6. AirPort Utility 5.6 is only needed when configuring an older base station with wireless G or when accessing advanced options not available in 6.x.
Click to expand...

Aha....indeed. Still think it's a hassle loading up that old Airport Utility (I still haven't succeeded)...and on this occasion, surely Apple have got to support older Apple router/wifi hardware for much much longer.
 
@christof69 No. You need to download the Corey J. Mahler version and copy the whole folder to /Applications or another location. You then use the launcher to open the app. Screenshot any error you see and post it.
 
@Badrottie Any AirPort Extreme from August 2007 on and AirPort Express from March 2008 on is supported. I don't have an issue with them dropping support in the utilities but rather them stripping features like SNMP, transmit power, multicast rate, etc.
 
christof69 said:
OK, so I'm talking here in mid 2015 on a 27" 5K Mac running 10.10.3 Yosemite, and wanting to re-set my network containing an Airport Extreme (tall 2014 one) and three airport expresses (ranging from 2011 to one flat one from 2013)

People are saying you need the old Airport Utility 5.6.1 to see the old AExp's and configure them...well, despite ALL the instructions on the web, I still can't install that...lots of different errors.

Always remembered the thing about sticking a biro pen into the reset slot, and leaving it there FOR A LONG TIME (30 seconds etc) and after rapid amber light flashing and back to gradual flashing, every AExp is ready to be seen in the newest version of Airport Utility (mine currently at 6.3.5).

RESTART Airport utility, and wait! After a minute or two maybe, there WILL be in the top left hand corner "other wifi devices (3)" say, and each one will be seen and despite the fact that the new Utility app doesn't let you do anything, for me at least, it kinda just automatically joins your new network. Patience is a virtue it seems. Hope this helps other people.
Click to expand...
[doublepost=1501814234][/doublepost]christof69 - Thank you, thank you, thank you. I had no idea there was a reset slot which worked beautifully. That Airport Express was in a drawer for years. I have AU 6.3.6, it finally saw my Airport Express under "other wifi devices (1)," and expanded my network. I updated the firmware on my Airport Extreme and Airport Express, and I might be able to set up an outdoor wifi security camera now with my expanded network. Thanks to you, I had a good day.
 
christof69 said:
OK, so I'm talking here in mid 2015 on a 27" 5K Mac running 10.10.3 Yosemite, and wanting to re-set my network containing an Airport Extreme (tall 2014 one) and three airport expresses (ranging from 2011 to one flat one from 2013)

People are saying you need the old Airport Utility 5.6.1 to see the old AExp's and configure them...well, despite ALL the instructions on the web, I still can't install that...lots of different errors.

Always remembered the thing about sticking a biro pen into the reset slot, and leaving it there FOR A LONG TIME (30 seconds etc) and after rapid amber light flashing and back to gradual flashing, every AExp is ready to be seen in the newest version of Airport Utility (mine currently at 6.3.5).

RESTART Airport utility, and wait! After a minute or two maybe, there WILL be in the top left hand corner "other wifi devices (3)" say, and each one will be seen and despite the fact that the new Utility app doesn't let you do anything, for me at least, it kinda just automatically joins your new network. Patience is a virtue it seems. Hope this helps other people.
Click to expand...

It's 2022. I just followed this procedure and it worked perfectly. I had a boxed AE bought years ago that I wanted to add to my network to extend my wifi, and now it's done. Thanks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back