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How to Set Up Apple AirPort Express

Wirelessly share speakers and printers with other computers

By Sam Costello Sam Costello Writer Ithaca College Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on October 26, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apple Macs iPad

What to Know

Plug the Airport Express into a power outlet and launch AirPort Utility.Highlight Airport Express in the left panel and complete the fields, including Name and Password. Select Continue.Choose a network option and select Continue. Choose the network you want to use and select Continue. This article explains how to set up an Apple AirPort Express using AirPort Utility. The AirPort Utility software comes loaded with Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) through 10.13 (High Sierra), and you can download it for newer Macs. The article also includes troubleshooting tips for the AirPort Express.
Apple discontinued AirPort and AirPort Express in April 2018. That means the hardware is no longer sold and the software no longer maintained, but there are still products available on the secondary market.

How to Set Up the AirPort Express Base Station

Apple's AirPort Express Wi-Fi base station lets you wirelessly share devices like speakers or printers with other computers. Using the AirPort Express, you can connect any home speaker to a single iTunes library, effectively creating a wireless home music network. You can also use AirPrint to wirelessly print documents to printers in other rooms. Start by plugging the AirPort Express into an electrical outlet in the room where you want to use it. If you don't already have the AirPort Utility software installed, install it from the CD that came with the AirPort Express or download it from Apple's website. Launch AirPort Utility. Once it starts, you’ll see the AirPort Express base station listed in the left pane. Single-click to highlight it, if it's not already highlighted. Complete the fields on the right side. Give the AirPort Express a name and a password that you'll remember so you can access it later. Select Continue.

Choose the Airport Express Connection Type

Next, you'll need to decide what kind of Wi-Fi connection you want to set up. Choose whether you're connecting the AirPort Express to an existing Wi-Fi network, replacing another, or connecting via Ethernet. Select an option and then select Continue. A list of the available wireless networks will display. Select the appropriate network and click Continue. When the changed settings are saved, the AirPort Express restarts. Once it restarts, the AirPort Express appears in the AirPort Utility window with the new name. It is now ready to use. Apple Inc. To learn more about AirPort Express and how to use it, check out: How to stream music over AirPlay AirPlay & AirPlay Mirroring Explained What Printers Are AirPrint Compatible?

Troubleshooting AirPort Express Problems

Apple Inc. The Apple Airport Express base station is simple to set up and a useful addition to any home or office setup, but like most network devices, it's not perfect. Here are some troubleshooting tips if the Airport Express disappears from the speakers list in iTunes: Check the network: Make sure your computer is on the same Wi-Fi network as the AirPort Express. Restart iTunes: If your computer and the AirPort Express are on the same network, try quitting iTunes and restarting it. Check for updates: Make sure you have the most recent version of iTunes installed. Unplug the AirPort Express and plug it back in: Wait for it to restart. When the light turns green, it has restarted and connected to the Wi-Fi network. You may need to quit and restart iTunes. Reset the AirPort Express: You can do this by pressing the reset button on the bottom of the device. This may require a paper clip or other item with a small point. Hold the button for about a second until the light flashes amber. This resets the base station password so you can set it up again using the AirPort Utility. Try a hard reset: This erases all data from the AirPort Express and lets you set it up from scratch with the AirPort Utility. Try this after all other troubleshooting tips have failed. To perform a hard reset, hold the reset button for 10 seconds, then set up the base station once again. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Apple's AirPort Express - What You Need To Know How to Fix It When Alexa says the Echo is Offline What to Do When Windows 11 Can't Connect to a Network How to Connect Google Home to Wi-Fi How to Find the Printer on Your Network in Windows 10 How to Use Google Home With Your iPhone How to Fix Wi-Fi Authentication Problems on Android How to Set up a New iPhone How to Fix a "Failed to Obtain IP Address" Android Error How to Add a Printer to Windows 10 How to Connect Two Home Computers Through a Network Fixing an iPad That Won't Connect to Wi-Fi How to Reset iPhone 12 (Restart & Hard Reset) How to Set Up an Amazon Fire Tablet How to Fix a Missing AirPlay Icon on iPhone and Mac How to Reset Your Chromecast Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies