New AirPort Extreme won't work wirelessly

[Nermal]

Hi everyone

I got a new Extreme a couple of days ago, and it's worked perfectly through Ethernet, but none of my wireless computers (Mac or Windows) can see it. I've pushed the reset switch and returned it to default settings, but neither the AirPort menu, Internet Connect, nor the AirPort Utility (or their Windows equivalents) will see the base. It's not a range issue; I've put the base right next to the computer and it still doesn't pick it up. If I plug in through Ethernet, everything's fine.

Has anyone else had this problem? Does it sound like it's DOA?

Thanks

 

[dadsp33k]

only my xbox 360 cant see mine wirelessly. all else can. did you unstall airport utility?

 

[aristobrat]

Sounds DOA to me.

 

[skunk]

They're tricky things to set up sometimes. When you reset it, you have to unplug everything and set it all up again afresh. Then you have to wait for up to a minute for it to pick up the network on a rescan. Try again, and be very patient. I had to mess around for ages with the settings on mine.

 

[tilman]

Did you install the software from the CD that came with it? After that, you should have a new Airport utility in your Applications -> Utilities folder. I'm not sitting in front of my computer where I have installed it right now, so I don't recall it's name. The old one (with the pointy saucer icon) will not recognize the Airport Extreme base station.

 

[Nermal]

They're tricky things to set up sometimes. When you reset it, you have to unplug everything and set it all up again afresh. Then you have to wait for up to a minute for it to pick up the network on a rescan. Try again, and be very patient. I had to mess around for ages with the settings on mine.

Yeah I did a full reset, it's not seeing it at all over wireless.

Did you install the software from the CD that came with it?

Yes, I'm using the new software, and as mentioned it sees it over Ethernet.

 

[skunk]

you should have a new Airport utility in your Applications -> Utilities folder. I'm not sitting in front of my computer where I have installed it right now, so I don't recall it's name.

Funnily enough, it's called "Airport Utility"...

 

[skunk]

Yeah I did a full reset, it's not seeing it at all over wireless.

I have just finished resetting mine: it took SIX attempts to get it to recognise the Airport Network it was on.

 

[Nermal]

Six resets, or six attempts to connect?

 

[skunk]

Six resets, or six attempts to connect?

Three resets, three restarts. They're tricky little buggers.

 

[Nermal]

Lovely. I'm not looking forward to this!

Edit: Three resets later, it's still not seeing it. My old "flying saucer" base isn't seeing it either. I think I'll ring Apple on Monday.

 

[Nermal]

Well, I rang Apple and they were incredibly helpful but couldn't solve the problem

I now have to reinstall OS X onto a FireWire drive and see whether I can connect. He suspects that the problem might be my US MacBook vs NZ AirPort.

The Windows PC connects now after changing the channel from Automatic to 5.

Edit: Reinstalling the OS didn't work

 

[mikes63737]

Does NZ use different frequencies for WiFi than the US? That could be why it doesn't show up. Try using a wireless device bought in NZ to see.

 

[Nermal]

It connects to my old AirPort G, which I presume was bought in NZ (I got it second-hand).

Edit: And the *other* Windows box still won't connect.

 

[Nermal]

OK, talked to AppleCare again, and he figured it out!

It was indeed a US vs NZ thing; I had to set the Extreme to not use the extra channels that we have over here. All the Windows systems are now seeing it too

 

[Nermal]

Aaaaand it stopped working again!

And then, the next day, without changing any settings (I wasn't even home!) it started again.

Apple has now declared it DOA and I'll be getting a replacement

 

[Nermal]

Replacement arrived today, and my MBP's not seeing it

I have yet to set the channel to 7 again.

 

[Nermal]

I have yet to set the channel to 7 again.

Channel 7 didn't work, and channel 5 (the other one that Apple suggested) didn't work either.

Then I tried something else, and I don't know why I didn't think of this before. I looked at the settings for my old (working) base, and found it was using channel 1. I set the new base to 1 (after disabling the old one, of course) and it's working perfectly!

 

[aristobrat]

Is there any chance that the clients were set to '1' instead of 'auto'?

 

[Nermal]

How do you check?

My guess would be no, because the problem happened on multiple computers and even after reinstalling OS X.

 

[daveporter]

I purchased the Airport Extreme yesterday and installed it. It is working great here both with my wired connections and two different Wi-Fi cards on two PC laptops.

One thing to check is that the status of WEP and other security setting are on the router and make sure that your have the same settings on your laptop (WEP, MAC Filtering, etc.) and try entering the Network Name manually in Wi-Fi control software on your laptop so that it matches that reported in the Airport Utility for the router.

One last thing to check would be to see if somehow the Wireless Options dialog box someone has not checked "Create A Closed Network" utill after you have had your laptop find the router the at least once so that it will know what the proper settings are before you close the network if you want to do that.

Hope this helps,

Dave

 

[Borderlaw]

Another KIWI

What a refreshing forum. Fired up the new airport extreme during the weekend and felt like I wanted to go back to my former wireless (trouble free network) but my love of the skinny gleaming white box made me hang in.
Have now got both macs to recognise the airport extreme(n). But like our Moderator am having trouble with the Win XP driven laptop. Also my kids Sony PSP 's don't 'see' this network. I'll follow the recommended frequency setting adjustments. Does any one have experience in sorting out my kids problem with their PSP not picking up the wireless signal.

ps also noticed that the signal strength sometimes starts out weak i.e. 10 bars out of 15 before warming up to 15 /15. Yet computer is next to the extreme.
Cheers

 

[Shaduu]

PSPs are notorious for not liking AirPort-driven wireless networks. Make sure your network is protected via 128-bit WEP then the PSP should recognise it. That's what I had to do for my PSP to finally see my network.

 

[Borderlaw]

PSP's & security of WEP setting

Thks. Will try. But isn't WEP less secure that WPK