[Tyler McAdams]

I just moved and my airport express is blinking yellow after I pluged it in. The base station is the original one with the latest firmware. All the basestation's settings are the same.

Anybody know what to do?

[ghporter]

Google and Apple's Knowledgebase are your friends.

It means basically that the Express doesn't have an IP address from your main base station.

[Tyler McAdams]

Well thanks for the link but it does not seem to meet the criteria of that amber flashing light table. It's not a client, it's in the same room and it does not even see it when I connect it via the eithernet jack.

Is there a waqy to reset it?

[joe]

From what you're describing you may have a combination of 2 separate probllems that I've also had with my Airport Express: firmware & lost settings (the latter was my own fault). With a bit more info I may be able to help.

First, in a similar situation my APExpress worked perfectly with my original cable modem. But when my cable company sent me a new cable modem my Airport Express never got past the flashing yellow LED (ie - it could not get an IP from the cable modem). Since you just moved, this may a similar problem. As it turns out, Apple released a firmware update for the Airport Express that improves it's ability to connect with the latest cable/dsl modems and other basestations. But I hadn't installed it at the time and it never occured to me to check for base station firmware updates. The update would've been installed automatically via OSX software update. However, I use ethernet most of the time instead of wireless. So when the OSX Software Update downloaded, the Airport Express wasn't connected and therefore would not get updated automatically. There may be an AirPort update file in your apps/utilities folder that from OSX software update that will perform the firmware update. But you can always go to Apple's support site and do a search for the file instead. After I did the firmware update my APExpress was able to get an IP from my new cable modem (solid green LED) even faster than with the older cable modem.

HOWEVER, even without the firmware update or a cable/DSL modem connected you should still be able to scan for your AirPort Express with the Airport Admin Utility. That assumes you didn't make the network invisible, forget the network name, forget your password, and NOT save the configuration from when you originally setup your Airport Express. Why would I know this? Because that's what exactly what I did I made my network invisible, forgot the name, pw, and never saved the config file. It was easy to forget since I set it up a couple of years ago and never modified it since. Fear not - Apple has a solution for this as well. You can reset your Airport Express to factory default settings (among other options). Then use the Airport Setup Assistant to reconfigure it. ISTR that this Setup assistant also recognized that my basestation firmware needed updating and performed that step automatically. But if I'm wrong, the worst that will happen is that you won't connect to anything beyond the AirPort Express until you do the firmware update.

It's very easy to reset the Airport Express. Even so it's best to read through the steps before proceeding because of the various options. For a step by step tutorial Just run the Airport Admin Utility, click Help / Airport Help from the pull down menu, than search for "reset." One of the results will be "Resetting AirPort Express." Be sure to use the "factory default" reset if you've forgotten/lost all your settings.

Good luck. Let us know how it works out.

[Tyler McAdams]

Thanks joe that was even more helpful, but I'm beginning to think there is something really messed up wit my Airport Express. I've tired both a hard reset and a "factory default" reset but after either the thing starts to flash amber again.

Is there anywhere to download the airport express assistant? I don't seem to have that on my G4 for some reason.

[joe]

IIRC, I believe the Airport Express software originally came on a grey CD with my Airport Express (bought new). However, I'm almost positive that the Airport setup programs are included with every recent version of OSX (Tiger, Panther). Regardless, it's more likely those programs are already be on your hard drive since you had this working at your last location. Here's where they are located on my Mac:

Open a Finder window. Click Applications on the left. Scroll down and double-click Utilities. Near the top of the list you should see:
Airport Admin Utility
Airport Setup Assistant

If you just want to do a quick check and see if your Express is working, open up the Airport Admin Assistant and click on the RESCAN button and see if it shows up in the list. It should show up since you did a factory default (IE not invisible or pw protected). If it does, exit out and run the Airport Setup Assistant since it's a lot faster and easier to set up. Since you had this working just before you moved, it's very likely it just has to be setup for the new cable/dsl modem (and possibly a firmware upgrade like mine).

However, if you absolutely can't scan your Express with the Airport Admin Utility, then it's time to either have it repaired or replaced. I doubt this is the case since you just had it working. But there's always the possibllity. If this is the case, I'd it to a nearby AppleStore and have them test it and repair if needed. I'm sure they repair them since I've seen them on the Apple Store refurb page from time to time.

Good luck, let us know how you made out!

[Tyler McAdams]

If this thing did not look like a work of art I'd throw it out the window. I finally got it to show up on the Airport Admin Utility by putting a rj45 in it. But the settings did not stick. Thanks for the help though it was very helpful for the record.

[joe]

hmm. This may be a stupid Q. But is there any chance the AirPort card in your computer came loose during the move? Maybe partially unseated the card? Or the antenna? If your AirPort Express shows up in the AirPort Admin window via ethernet there's a chance the trouble is on the computer side.

If you have a notebook you could also try a local coffee house . Both free and paid wifi access (ie Starbucks charges $) have a freely accessible log-in page that will prove your computer's Airport card is working. You should be able to see all the available networks from the AirPort symbol in the top right of your screen.

If you have a tower or desktop I can't think of any way to test it other than checking connections or taking it to an AppleStore. Good luck......joe

[Tyler McAdams]

Well that might be part of the problem. I gave my Airport card for my G4 to a friend. That means any time I've got to configure the Airport Base Station I've got to use a rj45.