Airport not "recognizing" network - blinking amber light

I just got a new Airport Express. I plugged it in hooked up the ethernet cable to it and all I get is the blinking amber light.
I thought it might need the Cable modem restarted so I did that. Nothing.
I thought it might be an issue with my Vonage adapter. I rebooted that. Nothing.
I bypassed the Vonage completely by directly going from cable modem to Airport Express. Nothing.
I've tried everything but it isn't working.
iBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.7) 1.33mHz 14.1" 768ram 60gb HD

Any time when you reset you have to do it in a specific order to make it work correctly.
The normal reset sequence is to Pull the power adapter from the ISP's Modem and then your Airport Express or Extreme and shut your computer clear off.and next you wait for everything to reset to default settings. (Normally 5 minutes). After your wait you have to plug in the Modem first, wait until it re acquires the signal and all the lights (normally 3) depending on the modem you have. Next Plug in your express or Extreme and again you have to wait a minute and then you can restart your computer.
Be sure before you start the sequence you have the correct setting in System preferences and Network to Airport. and drag it to the top of the list and it has to be highlighted with the little green dot,and be sure you go up to the icon next to your HELP for signal strength and make sure your Airport is ON.
And last welcome to the discussions
Cheers Don

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I recently bought an Airport Express and connected it to my TimeWarner modem. Am able to surf the internet using my MacBook Air, iPad, and Apple TV, but the AirPort Express has a blinking amber light. How could I change it to a green light?

I recently bought an Airport Express and connected it to my TimeWarner modem. Am able to surf the internet using my MacBook Air, iPad, and Apple TV, but the AirPort Express has a blinking amber light. How could I change it to a green light?

The following may help: Wi-Fi base station: Understanding and resolving a blinking amber status light

Airport Express won't connect to network, blinking amber light, and "unexpected error occurred."

I have two aiport expresses - both have the problem. Both continue to have a blinking amber light, when I go through all the setup activities, after completing the factory reset multiple times, I simply get "An unexpected error occurred."
In fact after I do this, my laptop has issues connecting to the network. I have Verizon Fios, not sure if that means anything.
Haven't seen this covered in any of the troubleshooting materials; they just keep going to factory reset to solve all problems, which I've done several times with each device to the same end.
Any ideas?

Hi - You can install 5.6 on Mountain Lion but it is tricky - here are instructions from a post by guru Bob Timmons -
The workaround is to use a utility like Pacifist to manually extract the application and then manually install it in the Utilities folder - see this link:
http://www.macworld.com/article/1167965/mountain_lion_and_the_ancient_airport_ba se_station.html
Another workaround....if you have Time Machine backups.....is to back in time to locate AirPort Utility 5.6 and restore it to the desktop. Then drag it into the Utilities folder.

Re: Can not get AX configured to wireless network/blinking amber light

Discovered my AX wasn't connected to my AEBS when i couldn't play iTunes through it. I probably screwed up the settings trying to get it to work. I'm running Leopard and Airport Utility shows my AX with an amber light and says that it found an AX with "default settings?" . When I click on "Manual Setup" I get the "reading base station configuration" but no window opens showing the Summary, Base Station, Wireless, etc. window. I've tried doing a hard reset twice, but to no effect.
Where do I go from here?

Eventually solved this problem. One issue was that the channels chosen were different on my AEBS and my AX. The other issue involved resolving the configuration on my AX. For some reason, Airport Utility kept reading it as an ethernet connected device when it was part of a WDS wireless network.

Airport not recognizing network signal

I often go to a friend's house and take my computer with me. recently my computer is not recognizing the network signal from the router. I can connect to to the internet with an ethernet cable, but there is no WiFi signal. The router IS sending WiFi signal but it does not show on Airport at all.
I have tried reseting the router and everything but no luck.
Any ideas????
Thank you.

Your problem is common under Snow. I give some solutions that have worked for others below. Consider carefully which you want to try, if any. These solutions worked at the users main locations. If you use them and then have problems at "home," then no joy.
Adding a new location has worked for some.
Go System Preferences > Network > Location.
Edit location (whatever name you want).
Click + and then click done.
Try your browser.
And, here is another possibility that has worked for others (basically suggested by Carolyn).
Go Finder > Your HD > Library > Preferences > SystemConfiguration.
Move the SystemConfiguration folder to your Desktop.
Restart.
Try your browser.
Try something a little different on the above theme.
Go Finder > Your HD > Library > Preferences > SystemConfiguration.
Move the SystemConfiguration folder to your Desktop.
Go System Preferences > Network > Delete all locations, and use Automatic.
Restart.
Try your browser.
You may have to reconnect to your wireless network if applicable. And, you may need to go System Preferences > Sharing and re-enter your computer's name. Check what name is given in sharing before following my instructions. If problems develop, then your can move the original folder back where it started—overwriting any folder recreated.
Work with Keychain
Start Keychain Access. Delete any entries related to wireless networking/connecting to the internet.

AirPort not recognizing network

I have a wireless network set up in my house (A PC and Linksys router - WRT54GS. The PC is connected directly to the router using an Ethernet cable. I installed the Linksys router for my Mac) I purchased an Airport card for my G5 and AirPort is installed and recognized by my Mac. My network in the house is up and running. But when using my Network settings to try to connect, I'm unable to--it's simply not picking up the network. In the Internet Connect box I've chosen AirPort, and (because the network does not appear in the drop down menu), chosen "other," typed in the network name, security type, and password. I receive the following notice: "There was an error joing the Airport network." Any thoughts on what to do? (I'm new to wireless networks. Maybe I'm overlooking something obvious.)

Which G5 do you have? The early G5s shipped with an external AirPort antenna which is required.
See "PowerMac G5 wireless problem? Check this..."
The later G5s are not compatible with the AirPort Extreme card and require a special board. See KB 302721, Power Mac G5 (Late 2005) AirPort and Bluetooth options.

Airport-- not recognizing networks

I have a home Wifi network. Recently, Airport is unable to recognize it as a preferred network. Everytime I turn on my PB, a window pops up and says non of my preferred networks are available, but my home network is there. In sys prefs, it's also listed under the preferred network list. I haven't changed anything on my base station. It's a pain having to select my network every time.
Any advice?

This won't help much, but at least help narrowing on the issue:
-> I've got the same problem on my Tiger PowerBook forever. It's linked to my account as I didn't have this issue with other accounts. I did everything possible fiddling with the Keychain and plists of preferred netowrk ... to no avail.
-> To my pleasure: No issue today with my 3 months old MacBook Pro with Leopard.
Rgds,
Thierry

TS1589 Help, blinking amber light.

My airport express shows the blinking amber light. I've tried to reset it but since I've got no luck at all it seems the reset button isn't working. My airport utility wont find the airport express, I tried finding it with wi-fi/ethernet but it wont come up. Ideas?

Be sure to press and hold the reset button for sufficient time for the LED to blink rapidly, then release it. It will take five to ten seconds. It will then illuminate solid amber for about a minute, after which it will flash amber, slowly. That is when AirPort Utility should be able to recognize it.
You should feel, and may hear, a barely perceptible click when you press the button. There are anecdotal reports of users who may have damaged the reset button by pressing too hard, so don't do that.

I just replaced my airport extreme and now the amber light on my airport express is flashing and so it is not being recognized. I have been on the computer and gone to airport utility and it is simply not showing up at all. What can I do?

I just replaced my airport extreme and now the amber light on my airport express is blinking. When I go to utilities and try to find the airport express it does not show up.
What should I do?

Anytime you change networking hardware it is always a good idea to perform a complete power recycle of that hardware. Check out the following AirPort User Tip for details. Please post back your results.

Airport Express 801.11b/g and the neverending, unconfigurable blinking amber light

Gather round and let me tell you a tale. Once upon a time I bought an airport express 801.11b/g and I was very happy to use it for airtunes, extending a wi-fi network and the wireless printing capabilities. One day, it beagn flashing a scaaaary amber light. The base station stopped showing up in my airport utility 5.6 as well. The only way to get it to show up, was to hard reset it, and lose all the configurations I once enjoyed happily. After the hard reset, It would show up in the utility, and I would reconfigure it to do all its cool things it once did, and it would restart. But sadly, after restarting the blinking amber light came on a again. It would also not show up in the utility unless I hard reset it again, and the same thing happened over and over and over until I felt like pulling my hair out.
I decided to get another airport express a few months later, ultimately deciding that the unit must have just been defective. Bad luck. But - the second unit literally went through the SAME EXACT THING. Worked for a while, then onto the blinking amber light- hard reset- reconfigure-blinking amber light thing. Over and over and over. Just like the first one. The end.
So - either Im missing something totally fundamental or I had the misfortune of getting two defective units in a row. Both were bought used from different places, and worked "fine" for previous owners. Am I corrupting these things or what?
I have spent literally hours trying all the resets, configuring "workarounds" and nothing works. For both of them.
What do I do with these two devices? I don't need two shiny white paperweights.
Please advise,
Thanks.

Yes. It seems an integral part of the set up process though, you don't have to seperately configure the airport do you?
My wireless security is WPA/WPA2 Personal. When I go through the standard network set up, it automatically enters my wireless security settings. So it doesn't really seem to give an option to specifically set that option on the airport if that makes sense?
I did go through maunual mode to try that with the same result:
If I'm using the airports own network and connect to the wifi, no security, then I'm getting airtunes from my macbook. Of course this means it's plugged into my router via ethernet which isn't any use to me as I want it in my kitchen, and would rather not limit my apple devices to b/g when I have a decent N router, and would also mean running a huge ethernet cable across my house!
The seller has said it worked for him but he's not up to scratch on his tech, so if I'm sure it's malfunctioning he'll refund. Obviously this is great news and he seems like a very nice guy so I want to be certain it's not me malfunctioning before I send it back!
So in summary I have it functioning on it's OWN network:
Wireless mode: Create a wireless network
Wireless network name: Apple Network XXXXXX
etc
Once 'wireless mode' is switched from 'create a wireless network' to 'join a wireless network' I select my current WiFi, security and password, checked the TCP/IP settings all good. Select 'Update'. Get the warning that device and network will be temporarily unavailable am I sure I want to continue. Then it goes through the same as before, says it's succesful, restarts to flashing amber with no way of accessing it unless I hard reset.
Thanks for the help so far...

Airport extreme blinking amber light error when connecting to new modem

I have just bought and installed a new modem gateway. It is an Arris TG852G DOC 3.0 model with a built in WiFi router.
After connecting it and activating it through Comcast, I reset, then reconnected my airport extreme MD0331LL/A Model No. A1408 to the new Arris
modem, I am getting blinking amber lights on the base station. I have internet connectivity, but I am still getting an amber light. My wireless devices (ipad and iphones) all see the old network name and id and seem to work just fine.
When I scanned for my airport base station in my airport utility (version 5.6.1) to try to resolve the error message I get
a message stating that the Airport Utility is not detecting any airport devices.
I cannot reset the default settings as these buttons do not work within the Airport Utility.
I suspect interference between the built in router in the Arris and I understand I need to operate it in bridge mode. Can you please help me fix this.
The COMCAST people are extremely unhelpful, and stated that this is not their problem but a problem with my router
as they have provifded me internet connectivity through the modem and the issue is my problem.

Try connecting an Ethernet cable from your computer directly to one of the LAN <-> ports on the AirPort Extreme to see if AirPort Utility can detect the AirPort Extreme that way.
If yes, click on the AirPort Extreme and then click directly on the word Status (2nd line on the summary page)
A window will open to explain why the amber light is blinking
If the message indicates that you need to configure the AirPort in Bridge Mode......
Click the Internet icon at the top of the window
Click the Internet Connection tab just below
Change the setting for Connection Sharing to Off (Bridge Mode)
Click Update at the lower right of the window to save the new setting and restart the AirPort Extreme
You can disconnect the Ethernet cable that you were using to configure the AirPort Extreme now
It would be a good idea to power off both the Arris gateway and the AirPort Extreme now
Wait a minute
Start the Arris first, and let it run a full minute
Start the AirPort Extreme next the same way
You should be all set

First time startup- Blinking amber light. Not sure what to do.

So I just got my airport express and when i first started getting the airport utility downloaded for windows xp, i used my modem (time warner ubee modem) ethernet cable and all but I am just getting a blinking amber light. I don't know if it hasn't configured if I need to wait longer for to initally start. I am kind of derp when it comes to networking, so..

A persistent, flashing amber light indicates that any of the several potential conditions may require your attention:
The base station has not yet been configured because it is new, or the reset switch has been set.
You have selected a security configuration that is not recommended.
One of several other conditions, such as a disconnected Ethernet cable or invalid IP address has been detected.
(ref: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=305101)
If you run the AirPort Utility, it will show an amber circle on the summary page next to the area(s) causing the problem. Click on this amber circle and it should provide an explanation. Please post back your findings.

Airport Utility cannot find Time Capsule and has a blinking amber light

I have a wireless router for my Wifi set up through AT&T (2WIRE). I am trying to add my TC to my existing network rather than establishing a new Wifi network with it. When I try to plug in my TC to set it up, Airport Utility cannot even find it. My TC has a blinking amber light also. I have tried reseting my TC, resetting my router, unplugging my router, unplugging my TC... I have the latest version of Air Port utility (6.2 (620.33)).

Connect the TC LAN port to the computer by ethernet.
If necessary do a reset of the TC so it shows up.
Put the TC into bridge mode.
Go to the wireless page, and set wireless to off.
Update the TC.. disconnect from the PC and plug WAN port to LAN port of the 2wire with ethernet.
The TC will now exist as a client in your network without creating a second wireless network.
You should also be able to access the TC via the airport utility.
I do think you should use the TC wireless since the 2wire does not provide a signal at 5ghz which is much faster than 2.4ghz.
So I do suggest you in fact do use the wireless but it is up to you.
It makes no difference having two wireless networks if they both connect back to the same router.
Do not use the "Join a wireless network" method.. ie no cable between the TC and 2wire.. that is poorest possible setup.

I have an Airport Extreme Base Station and have recently upgraded to Mountain Lion. Now airport utility won't work with my base station so I bought a Time Capsule. For the life of me I can't make the substitution work and only see a blinking amber light.

I have an Airport Extreme Base Station and have recently upgraded to Mountain Lion. Now airport utility won't work with my base station so I bought a Time Capsule. For the life of me I can't make the substitution work and only see a blinking amber light. Can anyone who has made this change offer some advice?

apikoros wrote:
The Utility transferred all of the AE's settings, so I still have to change the password, which leaves me with only 2 other questions, I think:
1) I assume it's just a matter of using the Utility, entering a stronger password and checking for it to be remembered in Keychain Access. But do I have to change the password for each individual unit-- the TC, the Extreme and both Expresses-- or will changing it just for the TC alone work for the entire network?
Resetting the password you will need to do for each device... the utility cannot even see those old units.
So you will have to do it for each one.. think it through.. because as you change passwords the others will lose connection.. so start from the express which are wireless extending .. change those first.. and go back up the chain.. as each one changes it will drop off the network.. until you reach extreme and change that. Then you might need to reboot the whole network to get everything talking again. If something goes wrong.. just pluck that one out of the mix and plug in ethernet.. reset and redo the setup. That is my preferred method anyway.. do everything in isolation one by one. By ethernet and then nothing goes wrong.
2) Who's the treasonous SOB who spilled the beans to you about the ICBM in my back yard?!?
N.Korean hackers.
[Edit] Whoops-- one more question: I want to partition the TC's disk, but Disk Utility doesn't see it. What do I need to do?
You cannot partition a network disk. And apple provided no tools for it in the TC itself. You can pull the disk out and partition it but that voids your warranty. (although done with care who is to know).
Look at Q3 here.
http://pondini.org/TM/Time_Capsule.html
Mixing TM and data on the TC is worth planning carefully. They don't necessarily sit happily together.

Trying to resolve a blinking amber light on my Time Capsule. The problem is i don't see the airport utilities under Apps/Utilities..any ideas?

trying to resolve a blinking amber light on my Time Capsule. The problem is i don't see the airport utilities under Apps/Utilities to try and reset..any ideas?

AirPort Utility should be here: Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities > AirPort Utility
If it is not there, you can download it from here:
http://support.apple.com/downloads/#airport
Temporarily, connect an Etherent cable from your Mac to one of the LAN <-> ports on the back of the Time Capsule
Open AirPort Utility - Click Manual Setup
Click directly on the word Status (2nd line) and a window will open to explain why the Time Capsule is complaining along with suggested actions to remedy the issue

Airport not "recognizing" network - blinking amber light

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