Originally posted by ZaDa:
Evening
Got my self a 17" Laptop which i am currently running with the lid closed alongside an external 23" Alu display, everything works great apart from the wireless range.
When the PB lid is open i get great wireless range when the lid is closed i get terrible range, would my wireless range be better if i was to use a wireless card and bypass the airport card ?
Regards - Zada.
The antennas are in the plastic "windows" on each side of the lid. When you close the lid, you're actually folding the antennas down to where they aren't as effective. You could put the closed laptop in a vertical stand that would orient the antennas towards your wireless router, thereby getting better reception. Technically, your laptop doesn't care whether it's horizontal or vertical, as long as it isn't violently moved back and forth.
Any possibility of running an ethernet cord? You're hooked to the monitor, another cable is no big deal, for the most part.
As for the wireless pc-card, depends on the card and depends on which model of lapzilla. The wireless cards with Broadcom chips are supported natively, which means you have to disconnect the internal card because the system can't differentiate between the pc-card and the internal AE. However, if you have the most recent 17" then the user no longer has access to the internal card, so removing it involves possibly voiding your applecare (although if you're good with tools and leave no traces, who's to know?) Alternatively, using something like a Cisco Aironet 350 (11b) would work, because it uses a different network port which allows you to setup a different location where the internal card is turned off and the Aironet is turned on. However, you're then dependent on Cisco keeping the driver and software up to date (with Tiger coming up, there may be a substantial lag if their software stops working.)
In other words, it gets complicated. Your choice...ethernet, leaving the lid open, a vertical stand for the closed laptop, complicated maneuvering with various uninstalls and switching cards.
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