Resetting an AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule FAQ

Summary

Learn about resetting an AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule.

Products Affected

AirPort, AirPort Express 802.11n (1st Generation), AirPort Express 802.11n (2nd Generation), AirPort Extreme 802.11n (1st Generation), AirPort Extreme 802.11n (2nd Generation), AirPort Extreme 802.11n (3rd Generation), AirPort Extreme 802.11n (4th Generation), Time Capsule 802.11n (1st Generation), Time Capsule 802.11n (2nd Generation), Time Capsule 802.11n (3rd Generation)

This article answers frequently asked questions about resetting your AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule. It includes the steps to reset your specific AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule.

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What is a reset?

An AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule reset is the first step in a process that restores your AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule to a state that will allow you to gain control of it when you have either lost the password or when the device is not responding as expected. Depending on the type or reset needed, you will either need to push a reset button on the device or complete the reset from the AirPort Utility application.

Graphite, Snow (Dual Ethernet), and Extreme (802.11b/g) AirPort Base Stations support soft and factory default resets, while all other AirPort Base Stations and Time Capsule support soft, hard, and factory default resets.

Depending on the situation, you will need to choose one of the following AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule reset types:

  • Soft reset: Resets the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule password and disables security for five minutes so that you can join the network to make changes.
  • Hard reset: Erases all user settings on the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule but retains saved profiles*.
  • Factory default reset: The same as a hard reset but also removes any saved profiles*.

*Saved profiles are used in more recent versions of AirPort Base Stations and Time Capsule to store up to five configurations, known as profiles. A profile contains base station settings, such as names and passwords, and network configuration information, such as the way the base station connects to the Internet. Using profiles may be useful if you move your device from one location to another.

Under what circumstances will I need to do a reset?

  • Soft reset: Perform this reset if your have forgotten your password.  A soft reset resets your password and disables security settings (Access Control and RADIUS settings are temporarily interrupted). Forgetting the password would normally prevent you from connecting to or configuring the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule. If you make no changes within five minutes of doing a soft reset, the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule will revert back to its former state. All of the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule's settings will be available after it has restarted.
  • Hard reset: Perform this reset for troubleshooting and resolving problems with an unresponsive AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule, or to troubleshoot network accessibility issues.
  • Factory default reset: Perform this reset if you wish to repurpose the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule and want to remove all personal profiles and settings first. This reset resets the device to its state when you first purchased it. Data stored on internal or external hard drives connected to the device will not be erased. If you choose, you may manually erase the hard drive using AirPort Utility. 

What default settings will my AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule have after a hard or factory default reset?

  • AirPort Base Stations and Time Capsule are set to request an IP address by DHCP.
  • AirPort Base Station passwords are "public."
  • AirPort Base Station names revert to "Base Station xxxxxx," where xxxxxx is the last six digits of the wireless MAC address*.
  • AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule network names are "Apple Network xxxxxx," where xxxxxx is the last six digits of the wireless MAC address*.
A MAC (Media Access Control) address, also known as a "network ID," is a unique hardware identification number for a network port.  You can find the wireless and Ethernet network IDs on the printed label on the bottom or side of the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule.

What important information should I know before performing a reset?

  • An AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule will remain in soft reset mode for five minutes. If you do not make your changes within five minutes of pressing the reset button, you will need to reset it again.
  • When troubleshooting, you should only use hard or factory default resets if all other methods of accessing the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule fail or if you want to repurpose the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule.
  • If your AirPort Base Station stops responding completely, you can reset the AirPort Base Station. A hard or factory default reset of an AirPort Base Station may be useful when troubleshooting an AirPort Base Station problem, because it will restore the AirPort Base Station to its default state, allowing you to reconfigure it.
  • In the case of Graphite or Snow (Dual Ethernet) AirPort Base Stations, your computer should be directly connected to the device using an Ethernet cable, as you will need it to be able to configure the wireless connection.

How long does a reset take?

A soft reset is instant. As soon as you hit the reset button, the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule in soft reset mode.

After a hard or factory default reset, the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule will not be visible in the AirPort menu item or AirPort Utility for a short time, as the device will take approximately 45 seconds to become available again. You may then use the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule in its default state or reconfigure it using AirPort Utility.

Should I use AirPort Admin Utility or AirPort Utility?

  • The latest version of AirPort Utility should be used for Extreme and Express Base Stations and Time Capsule. AirPort utilities can be found on Support Downloads.
  • For Graphite and Snow (Dual Ethernet) Base Stations, use AirPort Admin Utility for Graphite and Snow 4.2.5. AirPort Admin Utility is compatible with versions of Mac OS from 9 through Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard.

Where is the reset button on my specific AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule?

 Here's a close-up view of the reset button icon.

AirPort Extreme 802.11n (top) and Time Capsule (bottom) - The reset button is to the right of the last LAN port:

reset button on back of extreme or time capsule

AirPort Express 802.11n (2nd Generation) - The reset button is located near the audio port:

AirPort Express 802.11n (1st Generation) - The reset button is located near the audio port:

reset button on back of airport express

Extreme Base Station (802.11b/g) - The reset button is to the left of the Ethernet WAN port:

reset button on back of extreme base station

Snow (Dual Ethernet) (802.11b) - The reset button is to the right of the ethernet LAN port:

reset button on back of snow base station

Graphite (802.11b) - The reset button is located underneath the device:

reset button on back of graphite base station

 

How do I reset my AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule?

Choose your AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule and the type of reset you wish to complete below to see the appropriate reset steps.

AirPort Express 802.11n, AirPort Extreme 802.11n, and Time Capsule

Soft reset

  1. Connect the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule to power and wait for it to complete its start up process. To learn more about the start up process, please see All about Wi-Fi Base Station Status Lights (LED).
  2. Press and hold the reset button with a pen or pencil for 1 full second, then release it. The light (LED) will begin flashing amber, indicating that the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule is in soft reset mode.
  3. From the AirPort menu bar item, choose the network created by the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule (the network name does not change).
  4. Open AirPort Utility in Applications > Utilities on a Mac using Mac OS X, and in Start > All Programs > AirPort on a computer using Windows.
  5. Select the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule and click Continue.
  6. A window indicating that the device has been reset will appear.
  7. Select "Restore the previous settings" and select OK.
  8. Move through subsequent windows to make changes to your passwords or other settings as desired, clicking Continue after each one.
  9. When you have moved through all of the selection windows you will be able to select Update. Click Update to install the new settings.
  10. Click Continue to allow your AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule to restart.
  11. Quit AirPort Utility.

The device and network services may not be available until the device has restarted.

Hard reset

  1. Press and hold the reset button with a pen or pencil until you see the status light (LED) start to flash amber rapidly, which should occur after about five seconds.
  2. Release the button, and the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule will hard reset.

Factory default reset (using AirPort Utility)

If the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule is accessible from AirPort Utility, the Factory Default reset can be accomplished without using the reset button.

  1. Open AirPort Utility in Applications > Utilities on a Mac using Mac OS X, and in Start > All Programs > AirPort on a computer using Windows.
  2. Select the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule you’re setting up, and then click Manual Setup. Enter the password if necessary.
  3. From the Base Station menu, select Restore Default Settings…
  4. Click Continue to accept that you wish to erase the device and restore default settings. Files on AirPort disks will not be affected.

Factory default reset (using reset button)

If the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule isn't accessible from AirPort Utility, the Factory Default reset can be accomplished by using the reset button.

  1. Unplug the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule from power.
  2. Press and hold the reset button with a pen or pencil, then plug the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule back in while continuing to hold the button until you see the light (LED) flash rapidly. This should happen after a few seconds.
  3. Release the button. This will factory default reset the AirPort Base Station or Time Capsule.

Extreme Base Station (802.11b/g)

Soft reset

  1. Open AirPort Utility in Applications > Utilities.
  2. Select AirPort Utility > Check for Updates...
  3. Install the most recent firmware and version of AirPort Utility available for your Mac.
  4. Connect the base station to power.
  5. Push and hold the reset button with a straightened paperclip for ten seconds.
  6. Release the button. The base station will soft reset.

Hard reset

No hard reset option is available for Extreme Base Station (802.11b/g).  Use a factory default reset instead.

Factory default reset

  1. Disconnect the base station from its power source.
  2. Press and hold the reset button with a straightened paperclip, then plug the base station back in while continuing to hold the button for approximately 5 seconds until you see the three status lights glow.
  3. Release the button. The base station will factory default reset.

Graphite (802.11b) and Snow (Dual Ethernet) Base Station (802.11b)

Soft reset for Mac OS X v10.5 or earlier

  1. Connect the base station to power.
  2. Insert a straightened paperclip through the hole where the reset button is located and press and hold it for one full second.
  3. The middle LED will blink once every second while in soft reset mode.
  4. The base station password is set to "public" and the IP address is reset.
  5. Use AirPort Admin Utility for Graphite and Snow 4.2.5 to reconfigure the base station.
    Note: The location of this utility varies with different operating system versions. You may locate it using Sherlock prior to Mac OS X 10.2, or the Find dialog of the Finder in Mac OS X v10.2 or later.

You can connect to the soft reset base station using the following manual network settings on your computer:

  • IP Address 192.42.249.15
  • Subnet 255.255.255.0
  • Router 192.42.249.13
  1. From the AirPort menu bar item, choose the network created by the base station (the network name does not change).
  2. Open AirPort Admin Utility for Graphite and Snow.
  3. Select the base station and click Configure. This allows you to make the following changes:
    • IP address: Unless you have been given an IP address by your Internet service provider or system administrator, do not change the IP address.
    • Reset the base station password.
    • Turn encryption on to activate password protection for your AirPort network. If you turn on encryption, enter a new password for your AirPort network.
  4. Make changes to passwords or any other settings you require, then click Update. The base station will use the new settings after it has restarted. 

Hard reset

No hard reset option is available for Graphite and Snow base stations.  Use a factory default reset instead.

Factory default reset for Mac OS X v10.5 or earlier

  1. Connect your computer to the AirPort Base Station using Ethernet. You can connect directly to the base station using an Ethernet crossover cable, or you can connect through an Ethernet switch using standard Ethernet cables.
  2. Configure your Mac's TCP settings to connect using Ethernet, and configure manually (IP 192.42.249.15, Subnet 255.255.255.0, Router 192.42.249.13).
    You may notice a brief system delay after closing the control panel.
  3. Disconnect the power adapter from the base station and then reconnect it.
  4. When all three status lights light up, insert a straightened paperclip into the reset button hole on the bottom of the base station.
  5. Press and hold the reset button for 30 seconds until the middle AirPort Base Station status light turns on. In the case of the Graphite base station, if the middle light glows green, you pressed the reset button too late. Go back to step 3 and try again.
  6. Open AirPort Admin Utility for Graphite and Snow 4.2.5.
    Note: The location of this utility varies with different operating system versions. You may locate it using Sherlock prior to Mac OS X 10.2, or the Find dialog of the Finder in Mac OS X 10.2 or later.
    Note: AirPort Admin Utility for Graphite and Snow 4.2.5 does not currently work with Mac OS X 10.6 or later.
  7. After a brief delay, a list of base stations appears. If the AirPort Admin Utility for Graphite and Snow is already open, click the Re-scan button.
  8. Select your base station from the list and click Configure (The base station name will be set to the Ethernet ID of the base station, for example "00-50-E4-5B-8F-EA").
  9. Follow the onscreen instructions to reinstall your AirPort Base Station software.
    Note: The AirPort Base Station password is set to "public."
  10. Use AirPort Admin Utility for Graphite and Snow to reconfigure the base station.

Verifying a factory default reset
Check the base station's name. If the name is the same as the user defined it, then the device went into a soft reset instead of a factory default reset. A Graphite Base Station in factory default mode will only show up if the computer is connected to it with an ethernet cable. It will not reappear on the wireless network until it has been reconfigured and restarted.

Important: After you complete the AirPort Base Station reset and wireless reconfiguration using AirPort Admin Utility, remove the Ethernet cable from the computer. Then, select the new wireless network from your computer's network settings.

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