[mvalentine]

Dear experts,

I had bought an Airport Express a little over a year ago, and plugged it into my stereo receiver to play my iTunes catalog though my stereo speakers. At the time my system was using OS 10.3.9 and I think I was using iTunes 7 or some version around there. Everything was working fine.

I had recently upgraded to OS 10.4.1.1 and downloaded iTunes 8. All of a sudden iTunes tells me it can't find my remote speakers. I opened up Airport Utility and sure enough, it can't detect any remote wireless devices. Is it just an iTunes 8 issue, because my wife's laptop had OS 10.4.1.1 before I did and before she downloaded iTunes 8 she could also play her catalog through the speakers. Now she can't either. However, her laptop can still go online so the Airport must be working somehow, right?

I noticed that the light on the Airport Express is orange as opposed to the usual green. I tried the "paper clip/reset button" thing but it almost immediately turns orange again.

I tried a firmware update, but that didn't seem to do anything either.

Should I downgrade to an earlier version of iTunes? Will that solve the problem or make things worse?

Please help!

mvalentine

[ibook_steve]

I assume you mean 10.4.11, not 10.4.1.1 (which doesn't exist). Do you have the latest Airport Utility? Any updates in Software Update available (assuming you try bypassing the Airport Express and connect directly to your DSL or cable modem)? Resetting the AE with the paper clip wiped all your internet config and other settings, so you'll need to connect directly to it to reconfigure.

Steve

[mvalentine]

Thanks for responding!

I'm using a DSL modem. Would I have to connect the Airport Express directly to the modem? Forgive me, it was initially set up for me by a relative so I'm a little naive. Would you mind explaining the process please?

Thanks again,
mvalentine

[OreoCookie]

Yes, you would connect it directly to the modem. AirTunes works just fine with on my system (iTunes 8 + OS X 10.5.5 + AirPort Express).

[mvalentine]

Thanks for the response. I connected the modem directly to the modem's firewire port and the USB end to the Airport Express which I plugged into the outlet. The Airport icon shows up on my menu bar, but when I open up Airport utility, it's still "unable to find any Apple wireless devices." Am I doing something wrong??? Do I need to open up Network preferences or something? Getting a little frustrated....

Thanks for your patience.

[mvalentine]

Oh, and the orange light is still flashing, by the way....

[mvalentine]

When I do open up Network preferences, I keep getting a message that says "your network settings have been changed by another application." The message continuously pops up, even after I click "OK." I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it, and I'm not sure what that means exactly.

[OreoCookie]

An orange blinking light means that your network and/or your internet connection haven't been configured properly.

I'd do the following:
(1) Do a reset of your Airport Express base station to the factory presets.
(2) Lauch the Airport Admin Utility. It should find your base station. Double click it to configure it. Activate AirTunes.

Does it work now?

[mvalentine]

Did the reset with the paper clip. The light flashed repeatedly, turned green, then turned orange again. I turned on Airport Admin Utility but it still didn't detect it. And now the Airport Express is orange and flashing.

[ibook_steve]

Originally Posted by mvalentine 

Thanks for the response. I connected the modem directly to the modem's firewire port and the USB end to the Airport Express which I plugged into the outlet. The Airport icon shows up on my menu bar, but when I open up Airport utility, it's still "unable to find any Apple wireless devices." Am I doing something wrong??? Do I need to open up Network preferences or something? Getting a little frustrated....

Thanks for your patience.

Whoah. Hold on a minute there. A direct connection to your computer using a DSL modem would be phone jack to modem with standard telephone cable, then modem ethernet port to the ethernet port on your computer using standard RJ45 ethernet cable (connector looks a little bigger than a standard telephone jack). There's no USB or Firewire involved. With that type of connection, make sure you can browse the Internet and get any updates available from Apple, specifically any Airport Utility updates.

Once you've done that, disconnect the ethernet cable from the DSL modem and connect it to the Airport Express (plugged in for power). Now run Airport Utility (not Airport Admin Utility; that's an older program for the older UFO-shaped routers) and configure the AE for the Internet connection (probably using PPPoE, but it depends on how your DSL modem connects to the Internet) and for the local wireless connection. If you need help with the Internet side of the connection, you'll need to contact your ISP for info, but if you need help with the internal, wireless side, reply back here.

Steve

[mvalentine]

Hi,

Thanks for your response. I plugged in the ethernet cord to the airport Express and Airport Utility was able to recognize it. But after going readjusting all the settings and waiting for it to restart, I got a message saying it couldn't detect any wireless devices. Now I'm back at square one again.

Did I do the settings wrong?

I don't know if this is helpful information but here goes:
My G4 Mac desktop is connected to the internet by a 2WIRE DSL modem. My wife's laptop has an Airport card in it. We do have a name for our wireless network on her laptop, though on my desktop it doesn't seem to be in our Network drop-down menus. Does that have anything to do with it? And why, when I open up our Network preferences, do I constantly get a message saying "your settings have been changed by another application." repeatedly, even after I click OK?

Again, thanks for your patience, folks.