[tomppu]

A week has passed and still I can't use my Aiport network without constat troubles. I've tried everything I can think of (though I'm not too experienced with networking) and my BS just don't seem to work properly. Here is the problem:
I have two machines, iBook with with Aiport card and iMac (dead ethernet port) with external USB-wireless adapter from Belkin plus graphite Airport base connected to A-Link Roadrunner 44B router. About a week ago everything was just fine, I just got the adapter for iMac and both macs were happily cruising the net wirelessly. Then, all of a sudden the BS started getting these errors. Dropping both machines of the network, stalling with one green light and then amber on the leftmost. About 10 seconds goes by and network is back, for some time (5sec - 10 min) and then the error strikes again.
Tried resetting the damn thing but that doesn't help. Also, if I pull the power cord off I need to plugin it back two times before the Base starts up. Some static noise can be heard too when it's plugged in, which I don't remember hearing when everything was ok. So, after trying about all the possible settings and testing those to macs working alright without Base station I've come to think that it could be actually dying after all these years. Is there anything you can suggest me to do, or any way to confirm if this is indeed hardware failure or only software issue that maybe corrected somehow?

Thanks in advance,
tómppu


ps. almost forgot to mention that Base station seems to be fine if there are no computers connected to it's network.

[namannik]

It might possibly be a bad capacitor. Look at this site, which describes the problem and how it can be fixed:

http://www.vonwentzel.net/ABS/Repair/

[namannik]

Here's a place that will repair your Base Station:

http://www.basestationrescue.com/

[Grrr]

Agree'd.. I suspect it's 2 power regulating capacitors that have failed deep inside the base station. It's a very common fault on this model of base station. Mostly caused by the fact that this base station has zero ventilation, and it does get damn hot inside there. Those 2 components get baked, and are the 1st to fail.
I have already repaired 2 base stations myself which suffered from this problem.
The 2 parts that need to be replaced are very cheap. but actually replacing them is a little fiddly, so some good soldering experience is called for.