[popstand]

Just got my replacement for my first 24" 3.06 GHz iMac, and again the airport does not work properly. I have isolated the problem. It appears that the new 24" iMac does not like wireless N or mixed wireless n/g networks. I have tested this extensively. It works fine when connected to the internet through airport express, fine when connected through my neighbors linksys router (both wireless g networks), but will not connect properly to either my time capsule, or the airport extreme that the time capsule is replacing, both n or mixed n networks. Over N the iMac struggles to connect, and when it does connect, it works extremely slowly and unreliably. WTF? Is anybody else having these issues with a new 24" over wireless N? I really don't want to send yet another computer back to Apple.

[mduell]

My guess would be a disconnected or improperly connected antenna. Call AppleCare or take it to an Apple Store.

[popstand]

This is the second one. I have already exchanged it once, and the replacement has the same problem. Wireless G should not work flawlessly if the antenna is loose, and it seems unlikely that this would happen twice in a row.

[mduell]

G is 2.4Ghz and only requires one antenna, N wants three.

[popstand]

I've found a workaround for this problem. After trying everything else, I figured I'd try using a fixed channel rather than automatic channel selection. I went into Airport Utility and arbitrarily selected channel 4, and everything is stable now, and my internet speeds have quadrupled. Slingplayer now streams at a steady 3MBPS over the local network, as opposed to the previously dismal 350 KBPS. Not a fix, but it does the trick, and hopefully a firmware/software update will take care of the rest in time...A

[Simon]

Originally Posted by popstand 

I've found a workaround for this problem. After trying everything else, I figured I'd try using a fixed channel rather than automatic channel selection. I went into Airport Utility and arbitrarily selected channel 4, and everything is stable now, and my internet speeds have quadrupled.

Sounds familiar. In theory automatic channel selection should find the channel with the best SNR and give you the best performance. In my experience it often doesn't. I have resorted to using tools like iStumbler or AirMoose to check out what channels are being used by people in the vicinity and then going for a free one. If possible it's even better to have an extra free "padding" channel between yours and the others. The only problem with those tools is that they won't see networks with hidden SSIDs.

[ghporter]

I agree with Simon on this. I don't think Automatic Channel is intelligent enough to do its thing properly, especially if there are other channels in use around you. And being reactive rather than proactive, using automatic selection keeps YOUR network bouncing around while people around you just (typically) leave their channels set to the factory default (almost always 6 or 7) and don't even think about it. I prefer to "stake a claim" to a particular set of frequencies and make other people who show up later adapt to me. And I've never had an interference issue because of other networks in the area.

(I'm moving this to the Networking forum where it now obviously belongs.)

[popstand]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I did take a look at the area with Airmoose, and indeed there were two different networks using channel 11 (the channel automatic selection had chosen). It still doesn't explain why the Mac Pro was having no difficulties, but either way at least it's a usable workaround.