AirPort "By Default Join"

In my network preferences when I have "Location: Automatic" selected, my AirPort tab's "By Default Join" only allows me to select "A specific network". If I create a new location "Work" I can select "Automatic" and "Preferred Networks". Is this the way it's supposed to be? The problem that I'm running into is I have an AirPort network at home and another at work. I should be able to put the "Location" to Automatic and connect to whichever location I'm at. But that only works if I set my location to work because the automatic is looking for a specific network.?

Hello Rory..Do you have the box checked that says "allow this computer to create networks"??
What I would suggest is to set up at home like this: in system prefs>network> Location :airport > Show Airport> Automatic Check allow this computer to create networks, and check show airport status in menu bar. Get it all set up, and surf away....
When you get to work: system pref's> Location> NEW LOCATION: make your work network settings....,then click to SHOW> network status....
Now go to the menu bar, and turn on airport. Still at the menu bar, click again on the airport symbol after a few seconds, and the signal bars show black not grey.... now the drop down menu should show the emplyer's network. Drag the cursor down so a blue line cover's your boss' network name, and let go: repeat the click: there should now be a check next to the network name.... and any moment too, you should if it is password protected, be challenged for a password,which you enter....
Back at the system prefs, if you click it to SHOW> network status, it should have a green dot next to the airport and say you are connected to the network...
When I have my pref page at Location Automatic Show Airport, and the airport box made blue, I can switch the by default join: to either automatic or
a specific network....
Tell me.... if you switch the SHOW to "network port configurations" which one is at the top and checked? Airport should be at the top, with a checked box.
Uncheck the ones you do not ever use.
If you leave the ethernet checked in port config's, and you need to plug in,then it will still work: if on automatic...otherwise you need to put it on ethernet... (and enter settings if you have always had this machine only on airport)
I hope this helped at all....

Similar Messages

"By default, join" drop-down doesn't have "Preferred Networks" option

I use my laptop on two different networks. I would like it to automatically join whichever one is available. The Mac Help has instructions titled "Choosing preferred AirPort networks" with three steps. Step 1 works fine; I can open network preferences and get to the drop-down labelled "By default, join". It says I should then select the option "Preferred networks" from the drop-down. The problem I have is, there is no such option. The drop-down has only one option, labelled "A specific network".
It works identically on a regular user account and an adminstrator account. I have authenticated.
Tiger 10.4.8, fully updated.

Can't find the TIL again... might have it bookmarked at work though, but that's the problem... Sorry can't remember the fix right now at all.

Restrict airport to only join one network

After an "upgrade" recently, when I reboot my iMac G5, it fails to find its usual airport base station, and will then proceed to try to join my neighbor's unprotected wireless access point. I have to manually click no after it offers to join, wait a couple of seconds, and then manually choose the correct option from a list of at least three.
Neither my older iMac nor my laptop experience this problem, and this behavior is new since a recent upgrade.
Is there some configuration file I can edit to force this computer to only join one wireless network, and to keep trying until it gets it right?

This worked, although it has nothing to do with unix, but I thought as long as I posted this question, I should post how I fixed it:
[10/6] [Updated] Our Mac OS X 10.4.8 AirPort/Internet Re-Connect Problem Fixed
After we tested the latest Mac OS X update, v10.4.8, on our 2.33GHz 24" iMac Core 2 Duo, we added another user account for the long-term tester. But after a restart or cold start, the iMac would reconnect to our AirPort network but it would get assigned an internal IP address rather than one from our router so it would not connect to the internet.
This problem could be temporarily solved by using the AirPort menu icon to turn off and then turn back on the AirPort card. This was frustrating because the original user account on our iMac continued to connect automatically to the network and internet after a restart or sleep as did all of our other Macs upgraded to 10.4.8.
We tried everything listed by Apple in its technical support articles (e.g. Article Number 304482) and provided on other Web sites, including deleting the preferred network in the System Preferences Network pane and re-adding it. We even tried deleting every AirPort-related preference ".plist" file including the "Networkinterface.plist" as recommended on another Web site yesterday. Nothing worked.
Then we tried a variation on Apple's suggestion and it worked. Here are the steps:
Open System Preferences, select the Network pane and select AirPort in the "Show:" popup menu.
Set the "By default, join:" popup menu to "Preferred networks."
Delete the listed preferred networks using the "-" button but this time we did not add it back again with the "+" button as Apple recommends.
Set the "By default, join:" popup menu to "Automatic."
Restart.
Manually rejoin the AirPort network using the AirPort menu icon, i.e. selecting the network (or selecting "Other" and typing in the network name if hidden) and typing in the WPA (or WEP) password.
Now every time we restart our iMac, it automatically connects again to the AirPort network and gets an IP address assigned by the router so that it also connects to the internet.
Restart again: it should join automatically without delay
[Update: Reader Karl Warschau pointed out that his 24" iMac Core 2 Duo will not reconnect after a restart if his WiFi network's name (SSID) is hidden. However, if its name is broadcast, then it works. He confirmed this with an AppleCare tech. We have also confirmed this.] [Bill Fox]
http://macsonly.com/arch00610.html
G5 2x2.5 GHZ and a few others Mac OS X (10.4.7)

How to set Time capsule as base station and airport express to join

I have a wireless network using an Airport express. Now I would like to have time capsule to be set up as the base station and just the airport express to join this network, in order to listen wirelessly to music, but keep the speed of the time capsule.
Right now, the ethernet cable is connected to the Airport express. Do I have to switch that to the Time capsule? I tried to do that, but it wasn't able to connect to the internet in this case.... I am lost. Now I have a speedy time capsule, but have the network running on the slow Airport express... Please help!!! And I believe as you guessed already, I am not a smarty, when it comes to networks.
HELP! Please!!

I actually have mine set up this way that you are looking to do. Works well for me. here si what you can try:
Make sure you unplug the Express all together first. It does interfere when trying to set this up. Next setup your TC just like the instruction says (remember no Express). You should just be able to set up your TC, connect to the internet and get going like any other router or like the Airport Extreme. if you set up your TC with your comp and CANNOT access the internet that is your first problem. My suggestion: do a hard reset of the TC if you have already attached it to the Express while also doing a hard reset of the Express - this is to bring them both back to afctory defaults to start fresh. This definitaely helped me.
So once you have your TC up and running and you have internet access thru your TC, you are halfway there. Make sure your TC shows in the left column of the Airport Utility (and dont forget to install the Airport Utility from the disc that comes with teh TC before you do any of this, forgot that). if it shows up in the left column you should also be able to see the Express in that column, both with green lights, if you have set this up correctly. Then plug in the Express. As the above mentioned remember t make sure it is connected to the correct port on that back of the TC. It will remain amber then blink a few times. This is normal. It should be blinking amber when you attempt the setup of the Express. Your airport utility shoul dnow see the addt base station (Express) in the left column. When you click on it and click CONTINUE it will ask you if you want to switch networks. You can do that and lick switch provided you are already connected to the TC and alrady have an internet connection. Once you click switch the TC will disappear from the left column and you will be left only with the Express. This is OK. I am not in fron to fm y comp right now so I am doing this from memory but in setting up the Express you want to add it to your existing network. You will have to choose which network to add it to in a drop down box in one of those steps - just make sure you add it to the one that you named your TC. Then click to the finish and click UPDATE. Let it finish the update - you shoul dsee green light son both the TC and Extreme HARDWARE - not necessarily in the airport utility. Also it is a good idea to to to the menu bar on top where the WiFi icon is and manually select your network in case you get bumped off while the TC is updating itself after you ckicl update - this happened ot me and it wouldnt complete the update and took me forever to figure out it needs internet connection to complete the update screen.
next make sure you RESTART your comp. This I guess will make all changes basically go into effect as you cycle it up. When you are up and running you should see your WiFi connect as your TC and NOT your Express. Also go back into airport utility and see if you ahve both items listed in left column - they too should have a greenlight. If they do you should be set.
I did this because I wanted to steam my iTunes files that I have on my TC to stream to iTunes via my network. The Express part, as you know, is what allows the streaming. So make sure you plug your stereo cable into the Express audio port. Then go to iTunes and on the bottom you will notice a new little drop down box - make sure to select Express so it can wireless stream (in iTunes prefs there is a pref you must turn on also to allow iTunes to see remote speakers.
Ive simplified this a little since I am not at home but this is the gist. In a prefect worl you should be able to easily have this work. I did so I know it does at least work if not anything else. You just have to make sure you get the steps correct and have everyhing plugge din where they should be...
G'luck

Cannot get Airport Express to join AT&T U-Verse (2Wire) for printing

I just switched to AT&T U-Verse and now cannot get my Airport Express to join the network to provide wireless printing. When I go through Airport Utility to configure the Airport to join an existing network to provide wireless printing it initally states setting change success and begins a restart process from which it never is found on the network again. I contacted Apple Care who was very thourough in running various tests and settings and even checking AT&T 2-Wire network settings. They even replaced my airport (which was 3 years old but covered under the Apple Care I purchased with my new iMac - very cool). However, new Airport Express was still not able to join the network. After another hour of working with Apple Care with the new Express the expert advised the issue must be with AT&T 2-Wire security settings. I contacted AT&T U-Verse internet support and was advised they charge by the hour for network support and there is no guarantee it will be resolved.
Anyone have this issue?

Just found solution from another post from Mark:
I had the same problem... couldn't get the AE to join the network. Here is how I got it to work. Go to the 2Wire config page in safari. For me it's <http://192.168.1.254> Go to settings tab. Go to LAN tab. Go to wireless heading. Under "Security", change "Authentication Type" to "WPA2-PSK (AES)". After the 3800HGV-B reboots, use Airport utility to configure the AE to join the wireless network. I have no idea why, but it works. The light is solid green and I can play Airtunes through my antique AE using iTunes or iPhone. Hope it works for you as well. Mark

HT1731 How does one configure a NEW (unconfigured) AirPort Express to join a WiFi network that has a non-broadcasted SSID?

The following KB article assumes that the user has a configured AirPort Express:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1731
I reset my AirPort Express, because the SSID of the WiFi network changed and its name is not broadcast for security reasons.
When using the "AirPort Utility" ( not the "AirPort Admin Utility" – which is the wrong name of the application in the article! ) the application found the unconfigured AirPort Express, connected to the LAN via ethernet; However, when selected, the configuration "wizard" assumes that the user wants to configure the AirPort Express as a WiFi base station.
I selected the option to have the AirPort Express join a WiFi network; However, the AirPort Utility sent back an error, saying that a "Base station" ( WiFi network?! ) could not be found. Well, guess what? That's because the SSID of the network I want the AirPort Express to join.
UGH!
...and the best part is that there is no other solution, but to run with the AirPort Utility's assumptions, configure the AirPort Express as a WiFi Base station, then follow the KB article's instructions ( which are not accurate ) to re-configure the AirPort Express as a WiFi client.
This is a really bad user experience, Apple.
Please try following your own instructions to see how fantastically they fail..then, re-write your KB articles.
Thanks,
PS — If anyone knows of any easier methodologies, do tell. (That's the "question" part of this inquiry )
PPS — My Mac Pro, which I used to configure the AirPort Express, does not have WiFi.
PPPS — Why do all the articles that match searches for "AirPort Express" return articles that refer to "AirPort Base Stations"?! Please, for the love of UX, be consistent!

Here are the basic steps:
Run the AirPort Utility
Select the AirPort Express
Click on Manual Setup
Click on the AirPort icon
Click on the Wireless tab
For Wireless Mode, select the "Join a wireless network" option
In the Wireless Network Name field, enter the SSID of the hidden wireless network you want the Express to join.
Select the approrpriate wireless security type in the Wireless Security window.
Enter the appropriate wireless security password for the hidden network.
Click on Update.

By default: join a specific network

I was using 128 bit WEP until just tonight when I got a new wireless router which does WPA. While using the WEP encryption, my computer was set to join my wireless network by default. This worked perfectly, upon restarting my computer it would automatically reconnect to the internet and all.
Ever since the change to use the new key and WPA, when the computer restarts it does not automatically join the network any longer. In the network tab of system preferences everything is set to automatically join the network, but it doesn't. I know the settings to join the network are correct because when I choose the network from the airport menu item at the top of the Finder, it connects no problem without asking for any keys or passwords of any kind.
Any ideas?
I would like to have this work properly as I run a server off of my machine and need it to be running in the even I should lose power and the machine restarts while I'm not home.

I've got a similar problem. Everything was fine and then I accepted a software update for iTunes and Quicktime. Now, my Mac won't connect to my network automatically. It's a 128 bit WEP key, and I've gone into network connections to verify the "specific network" settings. Seems like it doesn't want the 26 character key.

How to make Wi Fi Airport the Default connection

I have an Airport and a MacBook Air. There are a dozen or so WiFi nodes near me. I want to specify one (mine) as the default. Every time the MacBook sleeps, I lose the connection and have to tell it where to hook up all over again.
How do I —once and for all— tell my network to always link to my Airport?

Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, and then click Network.
Choose Wi-Fi in the network connection services list, and then click Advanced. If Wi-Fi isn’t in the list, make sure you have an AirPort Card in your computer, and then click Add at the bottom of the list. Choose Wi-Fi from the Interface pop-up menu, give the service a name, and then click Create.
Click Wi-Fi. If the networks you expect to see aren’t in the preferred networks list, click Add at the bottom of the list, and choose the network you want. Enter the network password if necessary. To give a network the highest priority, drag the name of the network to the top of the list. This is the network your computer will attempt to join first.

I changed the password on my WiFi network and can't get my Airport Express to join the network

AT$tT recently replaced my DSL modem with a modem/router. I was able to reset my Airport Express gen1 to join the network. Then I changed my network password and cannot get it to reconfigure to join the network with a new password. Suggestions?

Next time you want to change the network password.......change it on the Express first....and then on your main router. Then, as soon as you restart the main router, the Express already has the settings that it needs to join the network and it will join with no problems.
Now, you must reset the Express back to factory default settings and then set it up again. To do that......
Power off the Express for a minute
Hold in the reset button first, and keep holding it in for an additional 10 seconds while you simultaneously plug the Express back in to power
Release the reset button after the 10 second hold, and allow a full minute for the Express to restart to a slow, blinking amber light status
The Express has now been reset and you can reconfigure it to join your "new" network now.

Airport Extreme - Cannot join a wireless network

I just purchased the Airport Extreme and cannot get it to find a wireless network. In the Airport Utility I receive the following messages, "Joining a wireless network….An error occurred joining the selected wireless network.". I cannot proceed past this point. When I select "manual" configure I get the same error message. I've tried repeatedly disconnecting the cable & power from the modem and the airport extreme and then restarting but nothing happens. Any advice would be appreciated!

If you have a cable modem, you will need to power it off for at least 15-20 minutes and pull the battery if is has one as it is remembering the last device (probably your computer) that is was connected to. Power it back up after 20 minutes and connect the ethernet cable to the WAN port on the AEBS.
Suggest you do a factory default reset to clear the corrupted settings and start over again on the AEBS
Power down the AEBS
Hold in the reset button +and keep holding it in+ as you plug the power back in
Release the reset button after approximately 8-10 seconds
Temporarily, connect an ethernet cable from your computer to one of the LAN <-> ports on the AEBS to help AirPort Utility connect with the device.
You will be configuring the AEBS to "Share a public IP address" and "create a wireless network. The guided setup will step you through.

How can I use an Airport Express to join my wireless network and provide an internet signal to my Power Mac g5 via an ethernet cable?

I have a power mac g5 that does not have a wireless card, and connects to the internet via ethernet cable.
I want to know how to set up an airport express so that it joins my wireless home network and provides the G5 with an internet signal.
This via an ethernet cable that is plugged into the airport express and then into the ethernet port on the g5.
Please advise as I have configured the airport express in every way possible, the green light is on and when I plug the ethernet cable into the G5 my network cofigurations shows nothing and says that the ethernet cable is not plugged in (It is).
I get an internet signal if the ethernet cable is plugged directly into my wireless router, so the ethernet port works.
Please assist. Thanks.

Two requirements that must be met to do what you want.......
1) An AirPort Express 802.11n must be used. Check the Model No on the label on the side of the Express. It needs to be A1264. Any other model number will not do what you want.
2) The Express must be configured to "Join a wireless network" and the option to enable Ethernet Clients must be checked.
Open AirPort Utility and click Manual Setup
Click the Wireless tab below the row of icons
The box to "Allow Ethernet Clients" must be checked
Please check to verify that your AirPort Express meets both requirements

Airport Extreme "default password" error

After resetting Extreme, I cannot rectify the amber light error for "default password in use".
The password is not set to the default.
Have tried various new passwords, but after updating each time nothing changes.
All internet and wireless connections apper to be working 100% - it's just annoying the **** out of me..........

Open AirPort Utility 6.1, click on the AirPort Extreme icon, and click Edit in the window that appears
Click the Base Station tab at the top of the window
Edit out / backspace the Base Station Password and enter a new password. Write that down.
Do the same to Verify Password
Click Update at the lower right of the window and allow 25-30 seconds for the AirPort Extreme to restart
You should have a green light, unless you still have other default settings that need to be changed.

Problem with setting up Airport Express to join an existing network

I want to use an Airport Express to stream music from iTunes to my stereo. I've followed all of the instructions in Airport Utility (latest update) to the end, when the Airport Utility starts to update and loses sight of my airport Express. I get the following message: "Airport Utility was unable to find your AirPort device after restarting. The setting for this AirPort device was successfully updated, but there was a problem in joining the network or the Airport device." After this, the only way I can get back on the internet is to use the Network panel in System Preferences. When I start that off, I get this message: "Airport has the self-assigned IP address x.x.x.x and will not be able to connect to the internet." After rejoining my network, I'm back where I started from, but the MacBook cannot see the Airport Express device. I have to do a Factory Reset, in order to start over. But I end up just where I was: with Airport Utility losing sight of Airport Express and I having to return to Network Preferences to get back on the Internet.

Welcome to the discussions, Matt!
"Airport Utility was unable to find your AirPort device after restarting. The setting for this AirPort device was successfully updated, but there was a problem in joining the network or the Airport device."
This error occurs when the AirPort Express does not receive the correct information to join the wireless network. The settings that you provided were stored successfully on the AirPort Express...what the message does not tell you is that unfortunately they were not the right settings. It's almost always a security setting that causes this error.
Please go into your wireless router and locate the settings page. We need to know the exact type of wireless security that your router is using. When we have this information, we should be able to recommend a compatible setting for the AirPort Express or another setting on your wireless router that will allow a successful connection.

Airport network not joining automatically

After changing out a modem and reconfiguring the airport extreme, all computers in the house (including iPhones and and a windows computer automatically connect to my home network, EXCEPT my G5, which says none of my preferred networks is available; asks me to join a network, shows the home network, and connects once I select the network (it's the only one showing). This never happened this way before, and all the settings indicate it should join automatically. Any help out there?

Thank you for the response. Unfortunately, after following the instructions, the same phenomenon occurred. At start up (or recovery from sleep), a dialogue box appears that says "None of your preferred networks are available. Select the network you want to join and enter a password if required" My preferred network is shown, and I select it and the password is populated automatically, and when I hit enter, I am joined to the network, but it will not join without this procedure each time. As I said, all other computers join automatically, and, oddly enough, this G5 also joined automatically yesterday after installing the new modem and reconfiguring Airport. Today, however, I have to log in each and every time. Anything else I can try? All "remember this network" boxes are checked.

AirPort Express Cannot Join Network

Hello all,
I've tried searching and can't find this exact issue; please forgive me it's a dup.
I just purchased an AirPort Express to use with several Windows XP machines for AirTunes and printer sharing. I already have wifi set up using a 2Wire 270HG modem/wireless router.
Using the AirPort Utility, I can see the AX and go through the steps to "Connect to my current wireless network" and then "Join my wireless network". I give it my network name, password, etc., and it reprograms the AX but is then never able to connect to in after the restart.
I initially thought this was due to using WEP (even though adding $ before my passkey did not help), but I have since switched to WPA-PSK and am having the same results. Admittedly, I wasn't sure which of the WPA settings in the AirPort Utility to select, but I've tried both with no luck.
I have reset the AX and run through the setup at least 10 times! Really not sure where to go from here, except to turn off all security on the router and just use MAC address filtering to keep out the neighbors... but this seems like a pretty bad system.
Am I doing something wrong?
Thanks in advance,
Drew

Well, it looks like I've been wasting my time.
At the end of running the Utility wizard, I get the error:
"An error occurred while trying to access the base station. Make sure you network connection is valid and try again."
It then tells me it was unable to find the base station after restarting and forces me to quit the AirPort Utility. When I restart the Utility, it can then see the base station and everything works fine.
So, basically, I've spent the whole night troubleshooting a meaningless error message when everything was working fine.
Great. Can anyone explain why it's reporting this error if everything is fine?
Thanks again.
-drewz

AirPort "By Default Join"

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