Because of distance from my Airport Extreme upstairs-- and sometimes I am downstairs working and lose my connection, I purchased an Airport Express Base Station for better Internet connectivity.

My question is...now my Mac G4 laptop isn't finding this base station I have downstairs- that is it's not showing under the Airport Utility application...How do I get it to recognize this one??

The lil light on top flashes orange and not green like it used to.

If it's flashing orange, there's a problem with it - most likely, it doesn't have an IP address.

You should set it up again using the Airport Utility and let it guide you through the setup. You may have to connect directly to the Express.

Since you have a G4, when you set up the Express make sure it is using g or b or b/g networking, and not "n only", as your laptop can't do "n" networking.

It would help us to have some more details. Is the Express connected to your network via ethernet, or are you using it to extend the wireless network from the Extreme and the Express does not have an ethernet connection?

Jack.. I am currently using the Express to extend the network range of the Extreme Base Station I have upstairs. No, the express isn't connected via ethernet downstairs.

The Express used to appear under my Extreme Base Station in the Airport Utility and now it doesn't show up at all.

Isn't there a little reset pinhole on the Express? Have you tried that? I haven't set one up in a while and don't have one handy to check.

Donna I am not sure-- I'll check when I get home...

Thanks

Just unplug it - that's safer. If you hold the pinhole reset too long, you will reset to factory defaults (granted, it's not just a second or two, but unplugging is just safer).

Did this ever work correctly?

Jack, yes in the beginning- a few months I think, it showed up under the Airport Utility when I ran it...The Extreme AND the Express both showed.

When I get home tonight , I'll try that lil reset button and let you know how that went.

And yes I HAVE unplugged it for a few days to see if that helped any, it didn't.

btw, why is resetting to factory defaults a bad thing??

Wouldn't that allow me to re-configure it??

I believe resetting to factory defaults would allow you to completely reconfigure it from scratch using Airport Utility.Do you still have the instruction manual or can you track it down online at the Apple site?

Donna--*laughs softly...manual is "somewhere" around...yeah I can probably track down in Apple support area.

I'll check that out tonight.

I sense you use the same filing system for manuals that I do.

I have found that it sometimes takes 2-3 tries to get Expresses configured properly as extenders - so from my point of view, that's a "bad thing". I also tend to have a lot of custom rules that don't always seem to reload properly from the backups. So I don't do a factory reset unless I really need to.

If you unplugged it for a few days, then you need to re-do it via the factory reset. If it still won't work, it's dead. If it's less than a year old, take it back to the Apple store and they will most likely replace it.

*laughs til tears run...

yeah sounds like it Donna- I just meant it may be downstairs or upstairs..I just gotta find out where it's playin' "hide n seek" on me .

Jack...yeah I can see your point. IF it (sighs) is dead...yeah I'll have to see about returning it --which means a 100 mile trip back to Michigan , where I purchased it. On the flip side,, would be niec to visit that nice Apple store that Andrew took me to--Grrreat place to shop....first time I think my jaw dropped and I wept and seeing ALL the Mac stuff. lol..As you can tell I don't shop much at Apple stores huh :P .

If you purchased it at an Apple Store, you don't have to go back to that same store to return or exchange it. Isn't there anything closer than 100 miles? Where are you? If it IS dead, and you are still under warranty, I'd call Apple and report it, so the date is documented that it failed within warranty, so when/if you need to exchange/replace it you are all set. Hopefully is in not dead.

You don't need to go back to the store you bought it at. Any store should do, or you could call them as Donna suggests. I have had one die on me in under a year, showing similar symptoms - just flashing orange forever.

It might be easier for you to simply download the manual from Apple support rather than try and find it.

No, I don't need to return it-- it still works.
It's still flashing amber right now-as I am trying to get it configured once again (sighs) with my Extreme network system.

Andrew's rubbing off on me as I found myself cursing - not in reg. cussing words- but in bloody English. Not out loud mind you but under my breath.

The first time setting this up was soooo easy--I am thinking what's the glitch I am encountering now to raise my ire.

Needless to say, I stepped away from set-up and said tomorrow's another day.

The minor issue is-- when I run Airport Utility and continue in to set up the Express I get a message that says I need to switch networks in order to go on-- which means I lose the Internet and my connection to Andrew. Yes, he's trying to help me -- albeit 80 miles away and "flying blind" as he'd says since he can't "see" what's going on physically.

That's the update I have thus far-- tonight's a new day.

quote:

Originally posted by Laura Roth:
No, I don't need to return it-- it still works.

Sounds like that's yet to be proven. When mine failed, it would do the same thing.

Hmmm..,maybe Jack.

But, I'd like to get through all options before I think of replacing it. I still got to find the receipt that it's on too.

I do know where THAT'S at least... lol .

I do appreciate greatly the help and advice you're giving.

Just an update...

Still working on getting the Express re-set to the network...keep getting an error message towards end of the set-up phase.

I spoke with Andrew and the next time I am up there -- he's going to look at it.

jack-- Andrew said same thing you did, that it might have gone bad-- and that "we" didnt get it from Apple store...but a megacomplex shopping center.

Doesn't matter where you bought it, the Apple warranty is still good as long as it hasn't run out.

Yes Jack.
Thanks

HUGS (Hope you don't mind hugs-- am a hugger by nature )