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dgs212 · Apr 30, 2005, 01:47 AM

Here's the problem:

I have a 15" Ti Powerbook (rev A). I only recently got a wireless card, and as such, I had to buy a 3rd party card as the Apple Airport card that fits this computer is no longer manufactured. I have a D-Link AirPlus DWL-G650X PCI Card (802.11g) and an Airport express base station.

For two or three months, everything works great. No problems. Awesome signal strength. Could not be happier.

Then, one day, I put the powerbook to sleep and when I woke it up, there was no wireless signal. Many tech support calls to D-Link (and a replaced wireless card) later, and we discover that the Airport Express base station is the culprit. I power-cycle the base-station, it comes back on, and we are up and running again.

Except, now, the reception is spotty, download rates are abysmal, and signal strength is rarely over 44%. I upgraded the firmware, per an Apple Store Genius' recommendation and nothing. Anyone have any ideas?

fulmer · Apr 30, 2005, 12:48 PM

have you recently upgraded any software or drivers for anything on your powerbook?

also, try resetting pram.

Oisín · May 2, 2005, 05:57 PM

Sort of related:

I have an AirPort Express set up as base station, with normally one, sometimes two, computers connected to the network and using the Internet via it.

Sometimes (ranges from nearly once an hour to once every third day or so), I will suddenly lose all signal from the AirPort. The network disappears, Internet disappears, everything. It's most noticeable with AirTunes, which will suddenly stop playing in the middle of a song. The AirPort light is still green and doesn't start blinking yellow at any point.

Turning the AirPort off and on again fixes it (sometimes I have to turn my DSL modem off and on as well, but usually just the AirPort is enough), but only for so long. Anyone know what the reason for this odd behaviour might be, and what I can do to prevent this?

Oisín · 05:57 AM

*bump*

Just did it twice in about ten minutes now. This is getting really annoying. Nobody got ideas?

Edit: Make that three times in fifteen minutes! Argh!!!

Grrr · May 7, 2005, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by Ois�n

*bump*

Just did it twice in about ten minutes now. This is getting really annoying. Nobody got ideas?

Edit: Make that three times in fifteen minutes! Argh!!!

Probably interference from a nearby cordless phone. Happens to me all too often. Have a read of this..
http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials...le.php/2191241

The good news is, although the phones cause problems for wireless networks.. Wireless networks also cause lots of interference for the cordless phone. So today I powered up all my old base stations at once (3 all in all), in an attempt to bully the neighbours into ditching their crap phone

Oisín · May 8, 2005, 04:01 PM

But I don't think anyone around here has a cordless phone; in fact, I'm pretty sure no one has.

Also, from that article you linked to, it seems that cordless phones only interfere with 802.11a and 802.11b, and the only people on my little network are all 802.11g; it shouldn't use 802.11b, then, should it?

There is something another network showing up in my network menu; could that be the culprit? Or perhaps the microwave out in the kitchen (about eight metres from the AirPort)?

ghporter · May 8, 2005, 04:27 PM

2.4GHz is 2.4GHz; 802.11b and g are both in the 2.4GHz range, so both are affected by 2.4GHz wireless phones. Microwave ovens ALSO work in the same frequency range; if you notice a real connection between interference problems with your network and running the microwave (it doesn't do anything just sitting there), then it's your culprit-and you may want to replace it because it's leaking RF, which is BAD.

Another network on the same channel could easily screw with yours. If it is showing up on the same channel as yours, then change to a different channel. Most wireless stuff comes from the factory on channel 1, 6, or 11 (14 in Europe), so change your AirPort Express to a different channel. If you're at the end (1 or 11) then move toward the middle. If in the middle,pick an end. And change in two or three channel steps (go from 1 to 3 or 4) instead of moving one by one, because there are issues with adjacent channels.

Oisín · May 9, 2005, 02:48 PM

Ngh, double post.

Oisín · May 9, 2005, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

2.4GHz is 2.4GHz; 802.11b and g are both in the 2.4GHz range, so both are affected by 2.4GHz wireless phones.

That was my initial thought, but since that page made absolutely no mention of 802.11g whatsoever, I figured (hoped) that perhaps I was wrong. 'Parently not.

Microwave ovens ALSO work in the same frequency range; if you notice a real connection between interference problems with your network and running the microwave (it doesn't do anything just sitting there), then it's your culprit-and you may want to replace it because it's leaking RF, which is BAD.

I have very little doubt that the crappy old microwave we have here is leaking all sorts of lethal rays and whatnots. Unfortunately, it's not my oven, but the dorm's; changing it is not much of an option...

Another network on the same channel could easily screw with yours. If it is showing up on the same channel as yours, then change to a different channel. Most wireless stuff comes from the factory on channel 1, 6, or 11 (14 in Europe), so change your AirPort Express to a different channel. If you're at the end (1 or 11) then move toward the middle. If in the middle,pick an end. And change in two or three channel steps (go from 1 to 3 or 4) instead of moving one by one, because there are issues with adjacent channels.

Mine is set to automatic - should I set a manual channel instead, and try my way through the channels? I do have other networks showing up sometimes, but they usually don't affect my network. Or maybe they do; I only notice them when I open the AirPort menu, which of course I only do when a) I want to connect to the network; b) the network just died. I don't know if the other networks stay there or not...

ghporter · May 9, 2005, 03:53 PM

In a dorm environment, particularly one with a number of wireless networks, you definitely want a fixed channel for yours. Most other vendors don't provide an automatic option for their access points, so they start out on a set channel. What you're seeing may be situations where somebody turns on their equipment and thus disrupts your network. A fixed channel will probably reduce the interference enough to resolve your problem.

Oisín · 03:42 PM

Tried changing to channel 7... we'll see if it works, otherwise I'll try the 'ends' instead.

Edit: Nope, channel 7 no good; trying if 13 is better...

So far, thank you for explaining and advising me on the conundrums of wireless networking

AKcrab · Jun 14, 2005, 10:25 PM

Hooray for a search function that searches, hooray for MacNN!

My AE started going from full to zero, to full within seconds, was terrible on the laptop (which would drop connection completely) OK on my tower.. Changed to channel 7, all good.

I assume the neighbors must have got a new device that started causing trouble for me, it started completely out of the blue.

Oisín · Jun 16, 2005, 11:32 AM

Channel 6 has been working wonderfully for me for the past two to three weeks now. It did fall out once yesterday, but that's pretty much it.

I have a theory that whoever it was had another network, or a cordless phone, or whatever it was that caused the interference, got so frustrated with their [whatever it was] falling out within a minute of their using it, and gave up using it in the end. It's all about stubbornness!