Apple Airport Extreme Base Station toast?

[navychop]

It's been well over a year since I've noticed the wifi wasn't working. Decided today to troubleshoot. 4 Ethernet cables and one printer USB are connected (never worked). Plus power. I have a flashing amber light. The wired portion seems to be working.

So I start up the AirPort Utility on my PC, and after a couple tries, it sees the Extreme. It updates the s/w. I reset the PW and move on- wired connection, yes to making it a WAP, join current network, etc. I haven't used this PC, save very briefly, in weeks, maybe months. Of course, just as I get near the end of setting up the base station, Windows 10 decides it's going to reboot and install updates NOW! Sigh.

So after HOURS of Windows, Firefox and Norton updating, I open the AirPort Utility again. Only now, it cannot see my Extreme:

I can rescan, power cycle, and say bad things. Nada.

Any ideas to bring back the dead?

If it is truly dead, maybe I should keep it for the switch feature, and get a cheap wifi extender like another Trendnet TEW-637AP, and abandon simultaneous dual band. But I suspect the Extender is interfering with my wifi, which has become a little flaky lately. I tend to lose connection to the Fios wifi router, one floor below and I'd say 10-25 feet away, in different spots around the MBR and bath.

I might find another switch around here in "that" (shudder) closet.

Or should I bite the bullet and spring for a couple hundred for "nice?"

 

[navychop]

Any thoughts on the $50 Asus RT-AC1200? No switch function, though.

 

[navychop]

Looks like the 1300 has four ports.

 

[navychop]

Turned off the base station. Wifi problems on my 6+ went away. Good, stable signal. iPad 3 never had problems. I wonder if it only has 2 gig reception.

Might only need a switch. Might have one. If you hear a loud crash, it'll be because I opened that closet, and the TTYs fell out.

 

[navychop]

Look what fell out of the closet while looking for a switch! Wonder if it works...

Sigh. Still can't upload pics on iPhone. It's a D-Link Xtreme N Gaming Router. 2.4/5 with 4 Ethernet outs and USB. Oddly, no install CD. Should be no problem.

 

[Foxbat]

If you need to replace your AirPort Extreme the Refurbished Unit at $129 is a way to do it "On the Cheep" (in Apple terms): http://www.apple.com/shop/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/mac_accessories

 

[rockymtnhigh]

I just replaced the last 3rd gen AE I had, so that all of them are on 1300mbs ac wireless. And a fully gigabit wired network. My house is blanketed in 3 AE's for wifi. Of course I bought mine (refurbished, from Best Buy for $109) a day before they announced no more router division at Apple.
But since everyone in the house is running a current (2015) MBP or latest MBAir, we all have AC-capable modems, and this should keep us happy for several years.

 

[navychop]

News to me. No more Apple routers?

I never got the USB printer plugged in to the AE to work. That would be the only advantage to Apple to me.

I will give it one more try to get the AE and the D-Link DGL-4500 working. But I don't seem to need them anymore, now that I've unplugged the AE.

 

[navychop]

If you need to replace your AirPort Extreme the Refurbished Unit at $129 is a way to do it "On the Cheep" (in Apple terms): http://www.apple.com/shop/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/mac_accessories

Employee purchases- incl participating companies. Looks like they take your word for it.

 

[klang]

I thought doing away with the routers was a rumor?

 

[rockymtnhigh]

News to me. No more Apple routers?

I never got the USB printer plugged in to the AE to work. That would be the only advantage to Apple to me.

I will give it one more try to get the AE and the D-Link DGL-4500 working. But I don't seem to need them anymore, now that I've unplugged the AE.

The news came out about two days ago. They were no longer continuing their router division.

Of any router and WAP I have had, the Airports have been the best.

 

[Foxbat]

Employee purchases- incl participating companies. Looks like they take your word for it.

Oh, S&#$^@$! I thought I had sanitized the link to remove my E.P.P. number. Can a Mod please zap that Link and any quotes with it so I don't jeopardize our participation?

Update: Thanks!!!

The news came out about two days ago. They were no longer continuing their router division.
?
Of any router and WAP I have had, the Airports have been the best.

Yeah, I was bummed to hear this as well. The feature I will miss most is the Airport Express w/Airplay output. I suppose more and more AVR and other "smart" receivers include Bluetooth and Airplay connectivity, so it isn't as important, but it also makes for a neat way to access (and protect) your equipment while traveling.

 

[king3pj]

News to me. No more Apple routers?

I never got the USB printer plugged in to the AE to work. That would be the only advantage to Apple to me.

I will give it one more try to get the AE and the D-Link DGL-4500 working. But I don't seem to need them anymore, now that I've unplugged the AE.

Lot's of other routers support USB printers now. I bought this Linksys Dual Band AC router to replace my 3rd gen Airport Extreme about a year ago and I have no complaints. While the range on the Airport Extreme was good, this is actually a little better. I now keep my WiFi connection and internet radio on my phone the whole time when I cut the grass while the Airport would drop in and out depending on what part of the yard I was in. It was never a big complaint for me because I didn't expect to have blanket WiFi coverage in my yard but it's nice to have now that I do.

It has a Gigabit WAN port and 4 Gigabit LAN ports as well as USB 3.0 that can be used to provide a printer or USB hard drive to the entire network.

I upgraded from the Airport Extreme for a couple reasons. First, I wanted an AC router and my Airport was the older wireless N version.

The real reason was for remote play from my PS4 though. If I was in my house remote play worked on the Airport Extreme but no matter what settings I changed I couldn't get it to wake the PS4 from outside my LAN. Apple doesn't seem to support the standard DMZ, UPnP, and port forwarding systems that just about every other router does. I tried forwarding all the ports Sony told me to and when that didn't work I tried putting the PS4 in Apple's version of DMZ but no matter what I did my PS4 could not be located from outside of my LAN.

I had an old D-Link wireless G router in a storage closet and I finally gave that a try after several hours of screwing with the Airport and PS4 settings and it just worked the way it should automatically. Once I saw that it was an easy decision for me to go with a more standard, and cheaper router that still had all the features I wanted.

Don't get me wrong, I used the Airport Extreme for several years and had no problem with it. The range was good and it has the Apple quality I have come to expect from using their other devices. I think they probably work great for 99% of the uses that most people have for them. It wasn't until I wanted to be able to access my PS4 from outside my home that I saw the benefit to going with a router that uses the industry standards instead of Apple's proprietary systems.

 

[klang]

Disappointing if this is actually true. Assuming no firmware updates in the future we pretty much have no choice but to replace the Airport Extreme sooner rather then later.

 

[navychop]

Lot's of other routers support USB printers now. I bought this Linksys Dual Band AC router to replace my 3rd gen Airport Extreme about a year ago and I have no complaints. While the range on the Airport Extreme was good, this is actually a little better. I now keep my WiFi connection and internet radio on my phone the whole time when I cut the grass while the Airport would drop in and out depending on what part of the yard I was in. It was never a big complaint for me because I didn't expect to have blanket WiFi coverage in my yard but it's nice to have now that I do.

It has a Gigabit WAN port and 4 Gigabit LAN ports as well as USB 3.0 that can be used to provide a printer or USB hard drive to the entire network....

I have lust in my heart...

 

[dont24]

I also want to replace my wireless N extreme with the last gen for AC. Until I heard the Apple news. However. I have 2 airport expresses I use to extend my wireless coverage to my pool area and four season room. My Extreme is located in my basement office, so not the best spot for whole house coverage. Not sure how airport expresses "play" with other router types to extend. Before I do that though, I have a new gateway router coming from Comcast. I plan to put it in brige mode, to continue to use my Apple hardware.

 

[Foxbat]

FYI, Apple has released new Firmware for the Airport Express, Extreme, and Time Capsule units. I'm not sure what was fixed or changed.


—Roland

 

[klang]

FYI, Apple has released new Firmware for the Airport Express, Extreme, and Time Capsule units. I'm not sure what was fixed or changed.


—Roland

Got that last week. I didn't see any obvious changes. Wonder if it is the last update? Hadn't seen any others for a while.

 

[navychop]

Since I can't even get the thing to be seen by the s/w, I can't update.

 

[catamount]

I don't think there is anything wrong with your router. I've experienced all of your problems over the years. I've read there was no software update for Win10. Some people have luck trying to connect as soon as they boot their computer. I use win7 and was able to connect last week (surprised me) I use older airport firmware, upgrading always made things worse for me. No problems with printer and USB port, using Bonjour for windows, although have to turn firewall off to print. I had that fixed last week but seems to have reocurred today.

This was my first router Gen2 I believe. Good coverage and have gone three years without resetting, on 24/7. probably about eight years old.

Catamount