Airport Extreme Base station setup HELP!!!

aj_4176

aj_4176

aj_4176

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I have just bought AEBS (gigabit version not dual band) and was trying to set it up last night, but it was forever flashing yellow (amber) light.

I have connected the ethernet cable from my O2 (Thompson router) wireless box II router to the WAN port on the AEBS but instead of the status light going solid green, it is constantly flashing amber (which according to the manual mean either it cannot find internet or is starting up).

My internet is working fine as I have two other computer on the router hardwired and another laptop wireless and it shouldn't take the whole night to start up.

Can anyone shed some more light into this problem? Is there a known fault in the AEBS that I am unaware of? or Has anyone got a similar setup and can give me some helpful pointers.

Any help appreciated.
 
Is Airport Utility saying anything or have you just plugged and played?

It might be worth disconnecting the AEBS from the router, trying again with the Airport Utility and then I'm sure there's a step in the setup about connecting it to an existing router...

Panzer
 
The Airport Utility is not picking up anything as AEBS is constantly flashing amber. I did try to set it up again by disconnecting everything.

BTW what should be the steps of setting up AEBS?

What i did was:-

Step 1) Connect the ethernet cable from O2 router to WAN port in AEBS
Step 2) Connect the power cable to AEBS
Step 3) There is no step 3 as AEBS is just flashing amber.
 
I think the best thing to do would be to disconnect it from the router, turn it off (unplug it completely) turn it back on without connecting it to the router and then try and access it via Airport Utility.

You should then be able to configure it without any trouble.

Panzer
 
Panzerbjorn said:
I think the best thing to do would be to disconnect it from the router, turn it off (unplug it completely) turn it back on without connecting it to the router and then try and access it via Airport Utility.

You should then be able to configure it without any trouble.

Panzer
Click to expand...

I never knew that the airport utility would pick it up without connecting it to my existing router (new to AEBS). Will it be hardwired or wireless.

What would I need to do/check/configure?
When should I connect it to my existing router?
 
Yellow flashing just means it's detected a problem / update.

It could be something as silly as there is a required update that you haven't installed, or you're running it without configuring a setting.
 
EVH said:
Yellow flashing just means it's detected a problem / update.

It could be something as silly as there is a required update that you haven't installed, or you're running it without configuring a setting.
Click to expand...

The thing I'm getting confused with it is when/how will my MBP pick AEBS up? Is it just the case of my plugging it up and then my airport utility should pick it up? or do i need to have it connected with my existing router and then my macbook pro (via airport utility) recognise it?

As far as updates are concerned my MBP is fully up to date 10.5.7 with all latest updates done (airport utility is 5.4.2), however do i need to be connected with AEBS to perform any updates relating to it's (AEBS) software?
 
Right..

  1. Reset the AEBS by pushing the reset button for 30 seconds while powered on
  2. Plug Ethernet from WAN to modem
  3. Turn on AEBS
  4. Launch AirPort Utility on MBP
  5. Shove AEBS in to "Bridge" mode
  6. Configure any printers, Wi-Fi encryption etc
  7. Click Save
  8. Enjoy

You can configure the AEBS over Wi-Fi without a connection to the modem, but it's better to have it plugged in so the DHCP can sort itself out.
 
EVH said:
Right..

  1. Reset the AEBS by pushing the reset button for 30 seconds while powered on
  2. Plug Ethernet from WAN to modem
  3. Turn on AEBS
  4. Launch AirPort Utility on MBP
  5. Shove AEBS in to "Bridge" mode
  6. Configure any printers, Wi-Fi encryption etc
  7. Click Save
  8. Enjoy

You can configure the AEBS over Wi-Fi without a connection to the modem, but it's better to have it plugged in so the DHCP can sort itself out.
Click to expand...

Brilliant thanks for above. I'll sort it out as soon as I go home tonight.
 
aj_4176 said:
Brilliant thanks for above. I'll sort it out as soon as I go home tonight.
Click to expand...

Another option (and preferably in my opinion) would be to turn Wirless off on the O2 router and just use the Airport Extreme to do the wireless.

Anyhow the Airport Utility should pick the AE up over Wireless - that's how I configured mine.

I plugged my modem into the AE's WAN port. Powered off the modem, powered it back on, powered the AE on. Waited a few minutes and fired up Airport Utility and then it detected an Airport Extreme and I did a manual config on it.

Was as easy as falling off a log. That's one of the reasons I got an AE. I've been through three other brand routers and had problems and I had the old tit shaped Airport many a year ogo (when I had the iLamp G3 iMac) and that worked perfectly and so has my new AE!
 
Last edited:
LordSplodge said:
Another option (and preferably in my opinion) would be to turn Wirless off on the O2 router and just use the Airport Extreme to do the wireless.
Click to expand...

I don't want to turn the wireless off before setting up my AEBS, but i will probably do this. Just incase i don't will it cause any problem?
or
Can i do a dual router setup?
 
aj_4176 said:
I don't want to turn the wireless off before setting up my AEBS, but i will probably do this. Just incase i don't will it cause any problem?
or
Can i do a dual router setup?
Click to expand...

Here's what I'd do. Switch off your O2 router and the AE. Switch on the AE, wait a few minutes and then run Airport Utility from the MacBook.

Configure the base station*. Turn on the O2 router and then log onto that a disable Wireless (and any other options that the AE will now be doing).

Job done.


* Decide if you want the O2 router or the AE doing DHCP! One not both!
 
My suggestion above relies on using the AEBS providing the wireless, but the router dishing out DHCP addresses (hence why I said bridge mode).

It's just easier this way and the router has better IP restrictions (2Wire business router)
 
EVH said:
My suggestion above relies on using the AEBS providing the wireless, but the router dishing out DHCP addresses (hence why I said bridge mode).

It's just easier this way and the router has better IP restrictions (2Wire business router)
Click to expand...

Either way the set up should be straight forward.
 
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