Air Express

[Al Rogers]

After reading about the Apple Airport Express decided to buy one for the sole purpose of connecting wirelessly in hotels or while on a cruise ship with my iPad. The Airport Express arrived in the mail yesterday but before it arrived I read the install instructions from many sources on websites to include the posts of Miketoolz and Mth3w. Today came the test of my patience on setting up this device, at first try I had problems, could not get the green light to come on, re-booted and got the same results, read the instructions over again (must say they are not the best I have read) the help page is overwhelming, however I decided to give it one more try and this time I found the install wizard and set up went perfect and I got the green light. I never used the Ethernet cable as I wanted to install the wireless feature so I typed in the name of my network and typed in my password and it was up and running.
Now I need a little help.
After completion of the install it said a new firmware is available and Press Here For Download, which I did, then it asked me for a password, I typed in my network password but it would not take it, so my question is what password do they mean.
Also when I go to use it again in a hotel or a friends house do I just hook the Ethernet cable to his router from the Air Express to his router, and do the same thing in a hotel with the plug in the room.
Of course this is based on if the settings I made are correct
Appreciate any help, thanks.

Al

 

[twerppoet]

The network password is what you use to log into the wifi you set up.

There is another password you should have set that allows access to the device's settings. That is to keep just anyone from logging on and messing with it. If you did not set the password, try leaving the field blank when it asks.

If you did set it, but can't remember what it was you will have to reset the AirPort Express and start over.

Or you can ignore the firmware update until you're in the mood start over.

Before you start over, since you have things working, I strongly suggest going through the settings and writing them down. Though how you are to get back into settings without the password is beyond me, unless you're browser is remembering them.

Luck.

Edit: Sorry, missed the last question. As long as the router acts as a DHCP server you should be fine. Most hotels will, and if your friend's router hooks up to more than one computer it probably does. This is the default on most routers. It's possible your friend may be using manual network settings. Just ask. Unless someone else set the network up for them they will know.

 

[Al Rogers]

twerppoet,many thanks for your post and the info you provided,I went back over my setting and downloaded the firmware so everything is running OK, again thanks for your post.


Al

 

[Al Rogers]

Well I took my Airport Express out for a test run, while at my sons house I plugged into the wall and then into the Ethernet socket of his router, it lit up and gave me a green light but did not work so it was back to the drawing board again. I went through the settings again and I got the same thing, it said it was working but I had my doubts. After reading the owners set -up manual again plus many posts from various sources’ I could see that the manual was very lacking in instructions, ’there was no mention of setting up PROFILES in the manual at all, or for using the device for other purposes other than home use. It was hit and miss but I did get the thing to work, I plugged the thing into my router, then into the wall socket, found the menu that lets you set up profiles, made one for home and one for motel, and making sure that BRIDGE was selected as the way to connect. In the Home mode (Profile) it gave me a good boost on my wireless network I created, in order to test it I checked the new network with my iPad and sure enough it found it, however it would not log on to any website, so the Icon and strength signal was a bunch of BS. I will now have to wait to check it out in my son’s home or a hotel. The Saga continues. Below is a post I found very helpful, maybe it will help others to configure this apple express.

AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express Base Stations can store up to five configurations, known as profiles. A profile contains base station settings, such as names and passwords, and network configuration information, such as the way the base station connects to the Internet.

Using profiles may be useful if you move your base station from one location to another. For example, you might have one profile for using your base station at home, where you connect to the Internet using PPPoE. You might have another profile for using your base station at your office, where you connect to the Internet using DHCP.

When you create a new profile, a copy of your current base station settings is stored in the current profile. You can add a new profile, change profile settings, and then update your base station with your new settings.

To switch between profiles, select the profile you want to make active, and then click OK.

Open AirPort Utility, select your base station, and then choose Manual Setup from the Base Station menu. Enter the base station password if necessary.

AirPort Utility is located in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder on a computer using Mac OS X, and in Start > All Programs > AirPort on a computer using Windows.

To create or edit a profile:
Choose Manage Profiles from the Base Station menu.
Click Add ("+") to copy the current base station settings. Give the copy a name, "Office," for example, and make the appropriate changes to the your base station, depending on how you use it at the office.
Click Update to save the changes and switch to the new settings.
To switch between profiles you've set up, choose the profile you want to use from the Profiles pop-up menu at the bottom of the AirPort Utility window, and then click Update.

 

[twerppoet]

Sorry to hear that. I've been lucky enough that the defaults have always worked for me, except when I set it up as a network extender.

Note on the wireless signal, that only shows you how strong the signal to the Airport Express is. It doesn't indicate a good internet connection. The green light on the Airport only indicates it has a good connection with with your router. It will not indicate a good/bad setup or actual internet access.

Too bad there isn't a special light that says "you've got internet", but even your router doesn't really have that. It only tells you that you've got a good connection to your ISP.

The only real test for internet is to get internet.

 

[col.bris]

The defaults password for upgrades should be the following
AirPort Base Station passwords are "public."

This is access into the airport for manual set up also this information should be in the manual.

 

[Al Rogers]

UPDATE.
Used the old paper clip method and re-set AE to factory settings and went through the set-up,used two Profiles(Home and Hotel) used Bridge Settings, Hooked it up to a Ethernet plug and fired it up, Bingo it worked!! Checked my iPad Wi-Fi setting and my new net-work appeared in the settings,entered my password and I was up and running on the Internet. Now for the hotel test,I don't see why it shouldn't work.

Thanks for all your input and help.

Al

 

[twerppoet]

Great! Be waiting to hear the results of the Hotel test.