How To Resolve If Airport Utility Not Finding Airport Extreme

Resolve If Airport Utility Not Finding Airport Extreme:

While using Apple Extreme I got perplexed when I opened the AirPort utility and could not see AirPort Extreme in the relevant dialogue box. Usually, this issue is classified as “Equipment not Visible Problem” and requires preliminary scrutiny to gauge the reasons for the same.

This issue of “AirPort utility not finding AirPort Extreme” is occasional and doesn’t annoy a Mac user frequently. There is nothing to worry about as this glitch in your Mac can be promptly handled by you as well.

This may have become existent due to mild technical snag arising due to ad-hoc configuration settings as happened in my case. So, I would like to share with you the possible reasons for this technical glitch and probable troubleshooting steps that you can follow to fix the same. 

An Existing Bug may have Probably Caused It

In my own scenario due to a bug or worm in the 7.7.7 advanced firmware version, the AirPort Extreme became invisible on the AirPort utility dashboard. This snag may also be existing in 7.7.8 firmware version as well in your case. This ideally happens when you may have signed into your Apple IDs via the “Back to My Mac” option.

The probable remedy for this is discussed in the following easy-to-follow steps.

Step 1: You must disconnect your AirPort utility console first and should plug it back in after waiting for a minute. 

Step 2: Now you must connect to your Wi-Fi network and should promptly open the AirPort Utility. 

Step 3: Next you should click on the “EDIT” option immediately after the AirPort Extreme starts getting visible.

Step 4: Now you have to strike out the “Apple ID” option being displayed against the “Back to My Mac” option.

The above desirable collective set of actions would probably be resetting the relevant settings and would configure AirPort Extreme with the system and will consequently allow AirPort Extreme to become visible in the AirPort utility dialogue box whenever you open the AirPort utility.

Comprehensive Factory Reset may Too have Caused the “Not Showing” Problem

On some occasions, you may have resorted to a “Default Reset” earlier that may have potentially caused AirPort Extreme to become unmanageable by causing it to become invisible in the AirPort Utility window. In this scenario, the AirPort Extreme will have to be set up again.

The steps to fix this are as follows.

Step 1: You can simply open the setup wizard by clicking on the AirPort Extreme.

Step 2: Subsequently, follow the sequential steps in the setup wizard of the Airport Extreme by successively clicking on the “Next” button. 

If the default setting is the actual cause of the AirPort utility not finding AirPort Extreme, the AirPort Extreme will start getting reflected on the AirPort utility after the setup wizard successfully runs on your Mac.