Airport Express dropping out

I am using an airport express to join my network and have connected a network printer to it using and ethernet cable. I have previously used this airport express to connect a windows PC and never had a problem. I recently purchased an iMac to replace the windows PC and no longer need the Airport for the windows PC, so I am now using it for my network printer. The problem is that the Airport now keeps dropping the network. The Yellow light flashes momentarily and then re-connects, and while this is happening my printer is not on-line. The funny thing is that it only happens when the iMac (which is only several feet from the Airport express) is on. If I put the iMac to sleep it works fine. If I reboot the iMac it works again for a while but eventually starts dropping out again. I have tried power-cycling the Airport and printer but to no avail. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
P.S. all software and firmware are up to date for both the iMac, the Airport Express, and my Airport Extreme.

Welcome to the discussions!
By close the laptop, do you mean it goes into standby or a sleep mode? Or, are you using a larger monitor, closing the laptop and not using the laptop screen?
If it's the former, you need to check on the HP to see if there is a "remember this network setting", "stay alive" or something similar so the connection is not lost.
When you close the lid on the HP, it is probably blocking access to the internal antenna within the laptop. If the top is closed, the only way the radio waves can be seen would through the sides of the laptop.
Unless you are seeing intermittent drops in the wireless connection when the laptop is open, it sounds like the Express is delivering a constant wireless signal. Download www.istumbler.net to get a good look at the signal strength and noise on your network. The strength indicators on most laptops are not very accurate.

Similar Messages

  • Airport Express dropping out constantly so I can't print wirelessly

    I have an iMacG5 running OSX 10.3.9. I have a DLink wireless router which creates my wireless network that the iMac connects to. Also, as my printer as at the other end of the room, I have an airport express connected via USB to the printer so I can print wirelessly. Everything worked like a dream for about 12 months. Until recently I had no security on this network and although I was aware this was risky, I was reluctant to change anything because it all worked so well. But my paranoia got the better of me and I changed the DLink to WPA security. Ever since then, the airport express has acted very strangely. The connection dropped and I was required to do a hard reset. I did that and everything worked. I felt so smug that I had worked out a computer issue! Little did I know that as soon as I shut down the system the airport express dropped out again. I have since discovered that I don't actually need to shut down for the thing to drop out. It just does it of its own accord.
    I have contacted AppleCare 3 times and spent a total of about 4 hours on this to date. No luck. They suggested interference. However my airport icon usually shows either 3 or 4 bars and there is no difference when the thing drops out.
    The only thing I have learned is that Airport Express does not have to be reset all the time. In my situation, it is best to just unplug it, let it rest for about 30 seconds and then you should be able to see the thing in the airport admin utility. It does take a while and several rescans in the utility, but eventually it does show up. This at least means I don't have to constantly set it up to join the network.
    In fact, really it is a doddle to print! I don't know why people like to just go File-Print when you can go through the delight of getting out of your chair, unplugging Airport Express, waiting 30 seconds, looking at the dust under the cupboard thinking I really must get that, plugging the airport express back in, watching the light change from green to amber, to flashing amber, wait for it...wait for it...it's not happening....waiting...finally - green!. Back to the computer, go to Finder - Applications - Utilities - Airport Admin Utility, not showing up, rescan, not there, rescan, rescan, rescan, still not there, rescan, oh good, airport express is showing up. Now, go to Printer setup utility, delete the printer that is there, then add printer, select rendezvous, add my hp, OK......now I can hit File - Print.
    Has anyone got any ideas on how I can join the boring legions of people who are oblivious to the joys of printing my way?

    Hi,
    I am currently replying to this as it shows in the iChat Community.
    I have asked the Hosts to move it to Snow Leopard  (you should not lose contact with it through any email links you get)
    I also don't do Wirelss printing so I can't actaully help either.
    10:01 PM      Friday; July 29, 2011
    Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb( 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
    "Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

  • New topic, old problem: Airport Express dropping out

    I'm aware of the many threads on Airport Express issues on here but since no solution has emerged I feel I must rake over it again in the hope that someone at Apple will pick up the ball and create a fix for AEX BDS or Bizarre Dropout Syndrome as I call it.
    Playing my iTunes music, via my 2T Time Machine>MacBook>AEX (extending my network to the basement) used to work seamlessly until...approximately... I upgraded to Leopard>Snow Leopard although if I'm honest I can't swear to this coincidence. Anyhow the symptoms are the similar as other ppl report elsewhere on this forum: ie Connecting prompts a microburst of a tune then randomly more bursts of varying length, never longer then 15secs, then after an hour or so it suddenly decides to play continuously for 4 or 5mins at a time but always dropping out again ad nauseam.
    I called Apple tech support who could only offer it was interference from neighbour's WiFi networks at work, I checked but my neighbours are all on different channels to me. I have tediously checked, rechecked, rebooted, reconfigured, reinstalled iTunes and OS, moved the unit even tried a brand new 11n AEX but to no avail, always the same problem (so at least I can rule out a hardware issue with the AEX unit itself). I'm hoping there is a fix out there.......otherwise the AEX units are just very expensive paperweights.

    I do not know if this answer will help much, but it is based on solid experience. 
    I tried using wi-fi and it kept dropping out.  I went through 3 routers!  A local salesperson told me enough with the new routers, it's your d*mn ISP. 
    Well, I started using speedtest.net to monitor my ISP's performance/signal strength.  I discovered that my signal FREQUENTLY dropped to very low levels.
    My theory is that whenever the signal dropped, which was very, very often, I lost wi-fi connectivity.
    I went to ethernet and never looked back, but with all these wireless devices, I'm wondering if I need to take a look at wifi again.  My ISP has cleaned up its act, so I might do better.
    Unfortunately, I haven't tried it yet, so I can't announce the results.  But I thought it might possibly relate to your situation.

  • Airport Express drop out

    Hi. First post here and I'm in need of help. I've connected my Airport Express to stream iTunes from my PC (Vista OS) to my stereo and while I can wirelessly connect to my network, after approximately 30 minutes of play, the signal drops out and the Airport Express is no longer recognized by either the utility, my iTouch remote app or iTunes.
    I then tried a reset, disabled the wireless function and configured the device to stream via ethernet but now have the same problem.
    I have changed my Firewall settings to allow all network and program rules access to the Utility and iTunes and have even disabled the Firewall with no luck.
    Help!!

    have you checked for _*wireless interference*_ ?
    perhaps your neighbor's wireless networks interfere with yours. you could download iStumbler (free) or AirRadar (it has a trial period) and note the channels other networks in your vicinity are broadcasting on. change the channel of your network as far away as possible from those.
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  • Airport Express drop-out - useless device

    If you're reading this and you haven't purchased an Airport Express yet.... Don't.
    I've been one of the most loyal Apple devotees for the last 15 years but have had enough. There was a time when Apple products were faultless - they always did what they were supposed to do.
    Airport Express is the latest shambles to damage Apples brand even further. What is the point of making a device to stream my myriad of other Apple devices if it continually drops out? And seems there is no remedy which is evidenced by others frustrations on various blogs. TOTAL waste of money.
    Apple would do well to make less products and make sure that they actually worked rather than an increasing number of products that don't eg iphone5, Airport Express.

    I have purchased several of them. Unlike the cheaper routers I've tried, none have ever failed. Countless thousands of them have been working flawlessly for others all over the world for years.
    Wireless networking is subject to a number of environmental variables that can preclude success no matter what product you use.
    If you believe yours is faulty return it. You have 14 days from the purchase date for a complete refund.
    Everyone I know with an iPhone 5 loves it too. I can only guess those who didn't returned theirs for a complete refund.

  • Apple Airport Express dropping out after song finishes.

    I need some help finding out why my Airport Express sometimes drops out after a song has finished? Itunes has moved onto playing the next song but the sound is no longer playing through airtunes. If I pause and play the song it will come though the speakers again. This does not happen every time I use air turns but everynow and again.. Can anyone help me with this? I do have my Airport express set to get updates every week so Im sure I should have the latest updates.

    Welcome to the discussions!
    Tesserax discussed the reasons for this and possible improvement for this problem in a recent post. See the link below:
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=11542774&#11542774

  • AirPort Express drop-out / skips -- Windows XPSP2 w/ Linksys WRT54GS router

    Hello,
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    I haven't yet budgeted to buy a different router, but I'll respond when I do as to whether this was the fix or not.
    Just an observation ... in your case, the music streams wirelessly from your laptop to your router, and then wirelessly again from the router to your Airport. That's 2 wireless paths it must go. In my case, music streams directly to my router with a LAN cable; then, wirelessly from my router to the airport. So that's only 1 wireless path, and even still I am experiencing problems.

  • HT4587 I downloaded Airport Express Utility 5.6 to get my Airport Express to work with the latest Mac OSX 10.7.4, but when I install and run it, it still says my Airport Express is out-of-date and needs the 5.6 utility.

    I downloaded and installed Airport Express Utility 5.6 to get my old Airport Express to work with the latest Mac OSX 10.7.4, but when I install and run it, it still says my Airport Express is out-of-date and needs the 5.6 utility. What's up?

    It is likely that you downloaded AirPort Utility 5.6.1.  If you checked the requirements, this only runs on Leopard or Snow Leopard Macs.
    You have Lion, so you need AirPort Utility 5.6 for Mac OS X Lion

  • Express drops out w/ change of computer. Why?

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    I am having the same type of problem. I've had my Airport express for several years and it has worked perfectly. This morning it would not connect to the internet. It's impossible because every minute or so, the internet connection just freezes and I just sit there for about 10 seconds until it reconnects or gets the connection back.
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    That worked for me!... Good Luck.
    ---->>>You can change the channel used by your base station to hopefully locate a channel that is operating better.<<<-----

  • Airport Express dropping connections while streaming music

    Airport Express once conected to my existing wifi network is not streaming music correctly, instead is dropping without a continuous play.
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  • Airport Express Cutting Out

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    PowerBook G4/1.67 Mac OS X (10.4.5)
    PowerBook G4/1.67   Mac OS X (10.4.5)  

  • Airport Express dropping internet?

    G'day all.
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  • Airport Express drops, stalls, disappears

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  • Airport Express drops connection

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  • Airport Express drops connections

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