Setting static IP addresses within Airport Utility

[boston04and07]

So I have an AirPort Extreme and was wondering if anyone could tell me how to set static IP addresses for connected devices within Airport Utility, as I'm not the greatest when it comes to dealing with routers. 😕 I have a bunch of HomeKit accessories - IDevices switches and Philips Hue Bulbs - and I've been having some issues with these devices not being found from time to time, mostly when I'm away from home, even though I have an always-on Apple TV 4 acting as the hub. I read somewhere that setting static IP addresses for these devices could help but for the life of me I can't figure out how to do that on the AirPort Extreme. I'm sure I'm probably missing something pretty obvious.

So, of someone could point me in the right direction, I'd be really grateful!

 

[Arran]

So I have an AirPort Extreme and was wondering if anyone could tell me how to set static IP addresses for connected devices within Airport Utility, as I'm not the greatest when it comes to dealing with routers. 😕 I have a bunch of HomeKit accessories - IDevices switches and Philips Hue Bulbs - and I've been having some issues with these devices not being found from time to time, mostly when I'm away from home, even though I have an always-on Apple TV 4 acting as the hub. I read somewhere that setting static IP addresses for these devices could help but for the life of me I can't figure out how to do that on the AirPort Extreme. I'm sure I'm probably missing something pretty obvious.

So, of someone could point me in the right direction, I'd be really grateful!

You want to continue using DHCP for everything, but you also want to set up some DHCP reservations for the devices that must have "static IP" addresses.

That means that whenever the AirPort Extreme sees a particular MAC address trying to connect (say, the MAC address for the Hue hub) it will always give it the same IP address (and just as importantly, it will never give that particular IP address to any other device)

 

[Weaselboy]

You need to go to this screen in Airport Utility and add the devices under DHCP Reservations. You will need the MAC address of each device to do that.

 

[boston04and07]

@Arran and @Weaselboy, thank you both so much for the quick responses and very detailed instructions. I just went through all my devices this morning and assigned static IP addresses to them this way. Hoping it helps!!

 

[boston04and07]

So now I have a follow up question (that's pretty convoluted...apologies in advance) and was wondering if anyone here would have any thoughts for me again. 🙄

Long story short, a while ago I moved in with some new roommates who already had a latest gen AirPort Extreme as their wireless router. (That's the device I just set up all my DHCP reservations on). However, I already owned, from my previous apartment, my own latest gen Airport Time Capsule. When I moved in I set that up to just "join the wireless network" that the house already had (i.e. my roommate's AirPort Extreme) in order to not mess with the existing setup too much, and since then I've been backing up my Macs to my Time Capsule no problem while keeping everything on the same wireless network. When I did that, in Airport Utility, the Time Capsule (as well as a few Airport Expresses that we have) all showed up as being downstream from the AirPort Extreme, so to speak.

However a few weeks ago I unplugged the Time Capsule when I was moving stuff around and it's been turned off ever since. Lately though I've been wanting to use it again to back up my Macs, but now that I've set up all those DHCP reservations, I'm not sure if doing that would mess things up too much. I used to notice in Airport Utility that random household devices were connecting to the Time Capsule instead of the AirPort Extreme, so does that mean that I'd need to create those same reservations on the Time Capsule as well, or am I all set now that I've added them to the AirPort Extreme (the master router?) Alternatively, is there any way to just use the Time Capsule as sort of a wireless hard drive for my Macs and keep any other device from connecting to it just to maybe save myself some time and potential confusion?

Also, since unplugging the Time Capsule, I swear that AirPlaying to my Airport Expresses has been way smoother - before I used to get skips and cutouts all the time - so now I'm wondering if having the two routers in the house was somehow just too much. But if there's any way I could just keep backing up to my Time Capsule I'd love to just use the existing equipment that's I have. Can I plug my Mac into the TC via Ethernet and back up that way while still remaining on the AirPort Extreme's wifi network?

Ugh, idk! Told ya this was a convoluted issue! 😕 Sorry for the wall of text, haha, but if anyone has any ideas or advice I'd be oh so very grateful!!

 

[Weaselboy]

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204617

So your TC is connected to the AE wirelessly? If so, sound like you just want to extend using the instructions at this link. You would only want to setup the reservations on the AE.

 

[boston04and07]

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204617

So your TC is connected to the AE wirelessly? If so, sound like you just want to extend using the instructions at this link. You would only want to setup the reservations on the AE.

Thanks again @Weaselboy for replying so quickly. Yeah, the TC was connected wirelessly to the AirPort Extreme and they were pretty close together in the same room. Ill make sure my settings on both devices follow the instructions you've listed above and hopefully that'll help everything. Also very glad I don't need to re-add all my reservations on the TC 🙂

 

[fhall1]

Once you get everything the way you want it, in Airport Utility you should select the AE and Time Capsule (one at a time obviously) and do a "File/Export Configuration" and save all the settings to a file for each. That way if you ever need to reset the units or buy a replacement all you need to do is hook it up and import the config file and all your setting will be back.

 

[boston04and07]

Once you get everything the way you want it, in Airport Utility you should select the AE and Time Capsule (one at a time obviously) and do a "File/Export Configuration" and save all the settings to a file for each. That way if you ever need to reset the units or buy a replacement all you need to do is hook it up and import the config file and all your setting will be back.

That's a really great idea - I didn't even know that existed. Thanks @fhall1! This thread has been super helpful 😀

 

[Le Big Mac]

However a few weeks ago I unplugged the Time Capsule when I was moving stuff around and it's been turned off ever since. Lately though I've been wanting to use it again to back up my Macs, but now that I've set up all those DHCP reservations, I'm not sure if doing that would mess things up too much. I used to notice in Airport Utility that random household devices were connecting to the Time Capsule instead of the AirPort Extreme, so does that mean that I'd need to create those same reservations on the Time Capsule as well, or am I all set now that I've added them to the AirPort Extreme (the master router?) Alternatively, is there any way to just use the Time Capsule as sort of a wireless hard drive for my Macs and keep any other device from connecting to it just to maybe save myself some time and potential confusion?

Not certain how you have this set up, but hopefully the AEX is acting as the router for the entire house . . . it will handle DHCP assignment. But that also means devices can connect to the network through your TC. If you want your own private network running off your TC, you'll have to set it up as a subnetwork, and then you can fully control access, etc.

 

[boston04and07]

Not certain how you have this set up, but hopefully the AEX is acting as the router for the entire house . . . it will handle DHCP assignment. But that also means devices can connect to the network through your TC. If you want your own private network running off your TC, you'll have to set it up as a subnetwork, and then you can fully control access, etc.

Thank you @Le Big Mac! To be honest I really not concerned about having my own private network on the TC; I don't care what devices in the house connect to it, so long as the DHCP reservations that I set up still apply. So far it seems like they are.

When I turned the TC back on, I decided to move it to another room, and since then the issues I mentioned above with the Airport Expresses skipping audio has seemingly gone away. Knock on wood! The AE and TC were pretty close together before, so I'm wondering if they somehow were causing interference with each other. Is that even possible? The TC is also now much closer to the Airport Expresses, so maybe having a base station closer to them is helping too...idk. Whatever...as long as it works I'm very happy!

Thanks everyone for your help with this!

 

[Arran]

Thank you @Le Big Mac! To be honest I really not concerned about having my own private network on the TC; I don't care what devices in the house connect to it, so long as the DHCP reservations that I set up still apply. So far it seems like they are.

When I turned the TC back on, I decided to move it to another room, and since then the issues I mentioned above with the Airport Expresses skipping audio has seemingly gone away. Knock on wood! The AE and TC were pretty close together before, so I'm wondering if they somehow were causing interference with each other. Is that even possible? The TC is also now much closer to the Airport Expresses, so maybe having a base station closer to them is helping too...idk. Whatever...as long as it works I'm very happy!

Thanks everyone for your help with this!

Glad to hear you got it all working.

Don't forget to do as fhall1 suggested above and export your configurations so you have a backup. There's been a few times I regretted not doing that after reconfiguring.

 

[Giraffe17]

You need to go to this screen in Airport Utility and add the devices under DHCP Reservations. You will need the MAC address of each device to do that.


View attachment 683805

[doublepost=1502167680][/doublepost]I have the same issue, with a twist. I only have mobile devices so I only have access to the iOS airport utility.

I need to set up a static IP for a device (OpenSprinkler) but cannot find how to do that from the iOS utility. There is a network setup option in iOS but no provision for MAC address or IP. It only offers IPv6 and that has stopped me.

I have the mac address and the assigned IP for the device.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Arran]

[doublepost=1502167680][/doublepost]I have the same issue, with a twist. I only have mobile devices so I only have access to the iOS airport utility.

I need to set up a static IP for a device (OpenSprinkler) but cannot find how to do that from the iOS utility. There is a network setup option in iOS but no provision for MAC address or IP. It only offers IPv6 and that has stopped me.

I have the mac address and the assigned IP for the device.

Thanks in advance for any help.

In the iOS utility:

1. Tap on your AirPort Extreme or time capsule
2. Tap on Edit at the top
3. Tap on Advanced
4. Tap on DHCP and NAT
5. Tap on Reservations
6. Tap on New Reservation