Airport Express Problem

[harveymt]

While using Airport express it keeps cutting out like a record skipping. I've searched about it but cant find why it might be doing this. Couple of things about changing broadcast channel but these are Mac related and im using PC. It normally seems to get worse the longer you leave it to the point were nothing is playing at all.

My router is IEEE 'g' but is over 3 years old. Might it be the problem?

 

[Xanderzdad]

I believe if you search this forum for 'airport express skipping' or similar you will find the answer. Sorry I can't remember the exact solution, but it does involve switching off a Windows Service. It is quite simple as I had the same problem before moving to Windows 7.

 

[professorhat]

It's the Wireless Zero Configuration service. This thread goes through what you need to do to see if this is causing the issue (towards the bottom of the second page, though there are other suggestions throughout the thread).

 

[harveymt]

I've done that and so far it's working. It's late now but I'll give it a good run tomorrow and fingers crossed...

When following those instructions for the zero config, on my computer that did not come up. After a little searching, I found it's actually under WLAN AutoConfig. I stopped the service, but all that did was cut my computer off completely from the router. I switced it on again and tried just the second part where I double clicked on WLAN AutoConfig and selected disabled from the drop down box at Start Up Type. This seems to have done the trick, although again I'll give it a good test tomorrow with Spotify over Airfoil as well.

Im not that computer literate so was hoping someone could actually explain what it is I've done? I like knowing why doing what Im doing fixes things to increase my knowledge.

Just in case anybody else is in the same boat, I read a lot about changing the channel in airport Utility. I have seen screenshots where this was a drop down box. On mine there was no such option. I think that is because the router is on Channel 6 and if I changed Airport Expressto a different channel the router wouldn't see it. Not sure how to change the channel on my router as this doesnt seem to an option, or at least I can't find it.

Also have read about a robustness option? Where might this be as I cant find it.

 

[professorhat]

Yup, looks like the WLAN AutoConfig service in Vista is the equivalent of the WZC service in XP (see here). Basically, your computer won't automatically go out and look for new wireless networks any more, you need to use the tool which came with your wireless network card if you want to do this now. So unless it's a laptop and you use it outside the home to connect to wireless hotspots, this shouldn't really matter to you.

 

[harveymt]

Been trying to use Express today and no joy. I get a couple of mins play and then it starts skipping again every couple of seconds.

A bit of possibly useful information - My wireless LAN PCI adaptor is Edimax EW-7128G like this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/EDIMAX-WIRELESS-NIC-54Mbps-PCI-+-ANTENNA_W0QQitemZ190332969007QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090905?IMSfp=TL090905153003r4860

I have a Speedcom Series Wireless Router WR514W. I've googled this but found nothing. It's up to 54 Mbps, 802.11g and 2.4Ghz.

I also have a BT Aqua wireless phone. I knew this may cause interference so have had it switched off all day and still having the problems.

When I disable the Zero Config and restart my computer I have to then manually connect the Network. If I do disable it once connected I still get the skips.

I've also had a look at IPv6 settings but again when restarting my computer I could not connect to the Network and had to put the settings back to where they where.

If I search for Networks I do pick up a BT Home Hub that is 'n' but the signal strength is usally below mine.

I have also tried moving the airport Express to 2 locations in the house and still the same, couple of mins of music then skipping.

The problem is there both for iTunes and Spotify playing through Airfoil.

Do I have Wireless problem? Or is it a software problem? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated at this point.

 

[harveymt]

Also, if this is relevant, my tunes are still stored on my desktop hard drive. Haven't got round to getting a NAS yet.

Also, if I go to Network and Sharing Centre and click on View Status i notice that my connection speed regularly drops to 12Mbps. If I click on diagnose below it it tells me I have a problem and then fixes it, the speed goes back up to 54Mbps.

If thats any use.

 

[fatboyslimfast]

The latter bit sounds like the card and the router are auto-negotiating the speed. Set one of them (in Advanced settings) to 54mbps rather than auto to stop this happening...

 

[harveymt]

I've played about with this now for a few days and still getting the problems. I ended up having to reset my router last night as something had happened to it.

I had a look at this page

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1702030&start=15&tstart=0

I carried out most of what was on this page.

As regards Zero Configuration I downloaded Vista Anit-Lag which is a program that will supposedly stop your computer searching for new networks but without actually switching off zero config. Im still gettign skips with that.

One thing I noticed is that if I select mulitple speakers in iTunes, both the computer and the express, the computer itself seems to slow down. The mouse (Logitech wireless mouse) sometimes sticks where it is or moves very jerkily and if I tried to go online, pages load very slowly.

Speaking of the mouse, it's got a bluetooth dongle plugged into the back of the computer. Could bluetooth interfere with wireless network? It never has in past.

So to sum up where Im at. I can stream music no problem but after a couple of mins it skips. These get worse and worse until it basically stops with the occasional snippet of music coming through.

 

[professorhat]

Strange one this. I'm thinking it's worth trying to nail down if this skipping is being caused by something on your machine, or something interrupting the wireless signal. Are you able to hook your Windows machine and your Airport Express into your wired network (via an ethernet cable) and then set the AE unit to "Enable AirTunes over Ethernet" (open Airport Utility, click on the Music tab and tick the box labelled this)?

Switch off your wireless connectivity on the laptop to make sure music is definitely being streamed over the ethernet connection and then see how it performs. If it works fine, looks like wireless is the issue, if it doesn't, looks like something on the PC is causing the issue.

 

[harveymt]

How would I go about doing that? Is it as simple as plugging in an Ethernet cable into the back of the computer, the other end into the Airport express and then connecting the airport express into the stereo? Or would I have to plug the computer into the router via ethernet and also plug the express into the router via ethernet?

I have read that some people having problems only solved them by letting the Express create it's own network in addition to the home one. I think the new one is at 5Ghz instead of 2.4Ghz. To do that I take it I would have to plug my express into router and set it up as additional network. The computer would then send tunes wirelessly to express which would be connected to stereo.

 

[professorhat]

harveymt:would I have to plug the computer into the router via ethernet and also plug the express into the router via ethernet?

That's the ticket, and then following my instructions above to set the Airport to allow streaming over Ethernet.

harveymt:I have read that some people having problems only solved them by letting the Express create it's own network in addition to the home one. I think the new one is at 5Ghz instead of 2.4Ghz. To do that I take it I would have to plug my express into router and set it up as additional network. The computer would then send tunes wirelessly to express which would be connected to stereo.

Could also be worth a go, but I'd try streaming over ethernet first just to make sure it's not something on your computer which is causing the issue.

 

[harveymt]

Finally got it sorted.

I got a bit lazy, as I didnt have an Ethernet cable long enough to go down two floors to router, so I didnt do fully wired. I did a hard reset on the Express then plugged it into the router this time instead of wirelessly. I installed everything and it worked first time. No skips. Then I unplugged the express from the router and it stream wirelessly no problem. My heart sank when I started getting some skips, but I repostioned the router and that sorted it.

What took the longest time was trying to get the security to work. I changed my computer last August and just re-installed stuff presuming it would all have the same settings (a guy from work set it up originally four years ago), so I mightn't have had any security since then. When I did try to put on the security I could no longer connect to the Internet or even the router after restarting the computer. Vista didn't save the correct settings. I had to manually enter them a few times to get it to work and reset the router. I spent days going over settings and trying to figure out what was wrong. Eventually after reading many help pages I tried un-installing the wireless card completely then just re-installing the drivers. It seems the utility with the wireless card was trying to do the same job as Vista and between the two they were causing the problem.

There was also a problem when I tried adding in the Expres with security. My router doesn't seem to support WPA2 so I had it set for WPA. The setting on the Express I think is WPA/WPA2, a joint one. This seemed to change the setting to WPA2 on Vista. I had to try it a couple of times to get it to work.

Im up and running now. It was a nightmare setting it up however it has increased my knowledge of wireless networks which should prove useful in the long run. Many thanks for the help. There's probably a lot of info in the above that isnt necessary but it may prove useful for someone down the line. Now I just have the fun of getting all my music onto a NAS drive and eventually using a laptop to control. I am sooo looking forward to it...