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asb819 · Jul 30, 2006, 02:22 PM

Hey everyone,
I've had my 1.42 ghz mini for about a year no with issues. It is networked with a Linksys router upstairs, which is connected to a fast (8mbps) cable connection. The Airport has ALWAYS given me full reception, with a very rare dropping of a few bars for just a couple seconds. I've always wondered why I can only get about 3-3.5mbps on this computer considering that the connection is at full, but I've kind of just accepted it -- it's not by any means slow anyway. But now I have another issue -- all of a sudden the mini can't keep full reception for more than a couple minutes at a time. It's constantly jumping between 2 or 3 bars and full on the menu bar. Right now it's at 2 bars and a download test is giving me about 50 kbps... I'm just kind of baffled because it's ran so flawlessly all year, and nothing has changed with the connection or location of the computer. We haven't introduced any new phones or appliances. I have restarted the Airport numerous times, as well with resetting the modem and Linksys. I've moved around the computer and repositioned the Linksys' antennae, but haven't had any luck. Any ideas? Thanks for the help.

asb

ghporter · Jul 30, 2006, 08:30 PM

Neighbors with a new 2.4GHz phone? Someone with another wireless network near you?It sounds like something is interfering with your signal. Try changing the channel you're on-most systems default to channel 7 or 6, so try one at the low or high end and see if that doesn't change things a bit.

asb819 · Jul 30, 2006, 10:14 PM

Well, it appears fixed for now (knock on wood...). I unplugged and brought it upstairs to backup my music library on my other computer (much bigger hard drive), brought it back down and now it's fine. I'm hoping that whatever was the problem just needed another restart... WAIT... in the middle of typing this I decided to do another speed test. Low and behold, it drops a bar as the transfer goes. I just ran the test again -- it gets about 1.5 mbps and then the bar drops and it sort of stalls around 800 kbps. What's going on? I'll try switching the channel now and see if that helps...