Is Airport wireless device password same as network password?

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I'm troubleshooting why my AirPort isn't working (storm last night... AirPort green light on, have 4 bars but won't connect wirelessly) I'm updating AirPort Utility Firmware. I am being asked to enter my "password for the selected AirPort wireless device". I put in my AirPort Network password but it's not taking it and keeps asking for a password. Wouldn't my Network password be the same as my device password? If not, how can I find out what my device password is? Also, I tried my system admin password and that didn't work either. Thank you.
 
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It's a specific password entered when configuring the express. If you don't know it you'll have to reset the express by pressing and holding the tiny little recessed button for 10 seconds.

It will reset it to factory fresh status so you'll need to reconfigure again
 
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Thank you Mrplow. Is there a lot involved in reconfiguring the router? I'm nervous about doing this (not that I have a choice)... my husband set up our network years ago and has since abandoned me. I'm not a technical person at all and was happy today when I figured out what the difference between my modem and router is. Do you think I handle reconfiguring my router (network?) myself or should I get someone else to do it? Thank you so much for your advice.
 
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I think I misread your device as an airport express but it sounds as though it's an airport extreme (about 8inch square, about an inch high?)

Either way, if you don't know the password you'll have to reset.

Basic router config is easy enough using the airport utility. You'll need to choose a router password, wifi network name and password. The utility walks you through it reasonably painlessly. But you can always post back here for help
 
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Right now the TimeWarner cable is connected to my laptop. Before I reset the router should I put that cable in to the AirPort router? Or is that not necessary? Thank you again for your help.
 
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Makes little difference but I'd reset it, then connect your cable to it before firing up the airport utility
 
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OK... I reset the router... it blinked amber quickly and now is blinking amber slowly. I followed the prompts and couldn't get past "nothing is connected to the Ethernet WAN port" even though I plugged the TimeWarner cable in to the AirPort. I put the cable back in to my laptop so I could post this update... and the AirPort is still blinking amber. Could it have been irreparably damaged from the storm even though it's blinking and was reacting to a number of the prompts? Thank you again.
 
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To configure the router you'll need to connect your mac to it using an Ethernet cable then run the airport utility.

Not meaning to ask the obvious but you did connect the TimeWarner cable to the Wan port, not one of the 4 Ethernet ports
 
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Don't worry about asking the obvious... nothing about this is obvious to me. Yes, I put the TimeWarner cable into the correct slot. So, I need to put a cable in to my computer that goes in to the AirPort, and ALSO put the red TimeWarner cable in to the AirPort? Can I take my blue network cable that's plugged in to my network printer and the AirPort and put that in to my computer? I'm not sure what an ethernet cable is...
 
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OK... the box is still blinking amber slowly... I put the red TW cable into it's correct port, and put the other blue cable that's already in the AirPort into my computer and I still get "nothing is connected to the ethernet WAN port"...
 
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That doesn't look good ......
I take it you're seeing that message in the airport utility.

If you know the modem works (ie it's fine connected directly to your mac) but its not detected by the airport extreme then it's looking like an issue with the extremes wan port.
As one last thing to try you could try another cable to connect from the modem to the router
 
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Thank you so much for trying to help me. I agree that this doesn't look good. I think I may either just continue to use the TW cable into my computer or get another router. In the scheme of things this is no biggie... I've even been considering getting rid of the internet altogether at home (waste of precious time) and this may be a nudge toward doing that. Thanks again for your help.
 

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