[ssimon]

Ever since I upgraded to iTunes 8 airtunes has been unreliable. Yesterday, it didn't connect at all offering the explanation that: "Error -3256 error occurred while connecting to remote speaker." No settings were changed in system preferences (or anywhere else) before this problem cropped up. My firewall by the way allows all connections, so I don't believe it's a port problem.

Any theories out there?

Thx
S

[PhilipH]

Hi there,
I have the same issue after I upgraded to iTunes 8: lost all my remote speaker connections to a remote Airport Express that is connected to my hi-fi. Also refer post #28 in this thread:


forums.macworld.com/thread/105172?start=15&tstart=0



I believe it to be a bug, which we should expect to be rectified in a further upgrade.

The only known work-around I have seen - uninstall iTunes 8 and reinstall iTunes 7

[PhilipH]

ssimon,

Just for my interest is the Mac you run your iTunes through to Outlook Express intel or a motorola chipped?

[PhilipH]

Issue Now Resolved

iTunes 8.1 now gives a link to the Knowledge Article from Apple's website - relating to firewall setups and the required updated Airport versions that deal with this -3256 error.

The issue in my case was that my Airport Express was not correctly updated to version 6.3 which specifically deals this error, and this has now solved the problem.

AirTunes is now rocking the house again. Fantastic.

[timsk]

"Airport Express was not correctly updated to version 6.3 which specifically deals this error ..."

Unfortunately for me, I've got firmware 6.3 on my Airport Express, along with the latest version of iTunes for Mac (8.0.2), but I've just come across this problem. It has only occurred today for the first time though, and today is the first time I've brought my MacBook and the Airport Express to my parents' house*, so it's probably an issue with their router, as it has always worked fine at home.

Luckily, I've found a workaround -- although iTunes complains of a -3256 error when it tries to stream music to the Airport Express, it turns out that AirFoil has no such issue, and is happy to stream the music from iTunes or indeed any other application over to the Airport Express. Yay the Rogue Amoeba!

Should just bloody work though. :-(

*Unfortunately, I brought the stuff here to demonstrate how wizzy and clever it all is. Lucky I found a way round it!

[dnehrs]

It was working fine yesterday. Now, all of a sudden I get this error message. None of the solutions mentioned in the postings worked. To solve the problems I had to re-configure the Airpot Express by holding in the button on the unit (using a ball point pen) while I plugged it in. I held it until i saw the green light flashing, then I let it go. At that point, I went to the Airport Utility and re-configured the unit to connect to my wireless network, and it worked. My question is: what caused this to happen in the first place? I have all of the latest software updates and am running Leopard 10.5.6..

[MingTheMerciless]

I have a new MacBook.....Airport Extreme.......and i just added an Airport Express to play music through my sound system. I got error 3256. The solution given worked great. Muaic is now everywhere.

[johnnyrains]

I agree that Airfoil is the best solution. I tried the firewall thing, the tcp/ip thing, all of it. New macbook pro, airport extreme, airport express all up to date.