AirPort Extreme Base Station passcodes

D

Dean M

Registered
Hi.
Is there any way to recover the passcode for my AirPort Extreme Base Station v.5.6 ?
I would like to update the firmware, but I can't remember what passcode they gave me when I talked to the tech who walked me through the installation. I connect wirelessly to the base station which in turn is connected to Qwest DSL with an ethernet cable and modem connection to the wall phone outlet on the wall. I have tried a soft reset which doesn't give me a place to put in a new passcode....
I'm running a G4 125GHz 17" flat screen

Thanks. Dean M
 
Install the Airport Management Utility. I have version 1 installed.

Run the program.

Choose "Rendezvous" from the left sidebar and click the triangle to expand the list. You should see your Base station in the list.

Click and open the base station data, and choose the Configuration Tab.
You will see the Base Station and Network passwords as a row of stars.
Click the small triangle to the left of either and the password should appear!

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107929

There was also this thread that linked to it, but the Apple page is not found...


http://www.apple.com/support/airport/ -> Additional Resources (column on the right) -> Airport Management Tools download.
Click to expand...
 
Hi sgould.
I downloaded and installed Airport Management Utility 1.0 but when it opened, it said I needed to 'update' but when I clicked on 'update' another window said my software was up to date, but I don't have any other 'Management' Utility on my Hard Drive....

Any other suggestions ? Thanks Dean M
 
Open the Key Access (/YourHardDrive/Applictions/Utilties/Keychain Access) and se if if ever saved the original password. You will need your Admin's password to see the password though.
 
sgould,

I did as you suggested. At the step "click configuration tab", it opened an alert box asking for the base station's password. Since I remember mine, I entered it and then the rest followed as you described.

If I cancel the alert, it displayed all the base station's info EXCEPT its passwords. If it did anything else, it would be a huge security hole.

I think you must have gone through this once long ago and your keychain remembered it for you.
 
I was shocked when I saw the passwords in clear text in the window.

The passwords in the window show as stars against the name. To see the password I clicked the triangle. Don't know how they appear.

If I look in the Keychain, access to the password is denied until I enter the master Keychain one.

I'm confused now!!
 
According to Apple, a soft reset should reset the password to "public". Does "public" get rejected?
You should reset if:
  • You forgot your base station password and need to reconfigure one or more AirPort options (including resetting the base station password). You can do this with soft reset.
Click to expand...
What happens during reset

The LEDs on the AirPort Extreme Base will flash repeatedly as it reloads the software and reinitializes. For a short time, the base station may not be visible from AirPort menu item or from the configuration utilities. This whole process takes approximately 30 seconds to complete. You may then use the base station in its default state, or reconfigure it using either the AirPort Setup Assistant, AirPort Admin Utility or AirPort Utility. During reset, the base station loads the following default settings:
  • Set to request IP address by DHCP.
  • Base station password is "public".
  • Base station name reverts to "Base Station".
  • Network name is "Apple Network XXXXXX", where XXXXXX is the last six digits of the wireless MAC address (See Note, below).
Click to expand...
 
Hi again.
I did check the 'Key Access' and all the websites, etc have the passwords available. But mostly I try not to use one at all.....Mac.com required one as do some others, but if I had had a choice at the time, I would not have put in a password for the Base Station either. I have a phone number for the Base Station Tech Wireless, it will cost, but I guess that's the only way I can update.
Thank a lot for your concern.......Dean M
 
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