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brontobyte.1024 · Jan 15, 2005, 06:51 AM

Hello guys!
Kindly help me with this small problem of mine.
I bought an iBook last month.
The Airport Extreme has serious problems. it is not workin if i take the iBook to a distance more than 10metres. U understand what is
10metres? it is as good as not having an Airport Extreme. And if i go
to a different room,with walls in between, then it does not work even
for 5 metres also. People go as far as 50 metres, and still there
Wi-Fi is workin so fast. I have an Apple product, and this is the
state of affairs.
Thanx!!

(I tried lifting the keyboard and reseating the AIRPORT CARD, but it isnt helping!!)

ghporter · Jan 15, 2005, 08:42 AM

First things first: when you say "not working," do you mean that you lose the connection, or that the connection gets very, very slow?

Second, where is your AE box located? On a shelf high up (which is better) or on a low table or under something (which is much, much worse)?

Third, did this begin gradually, like you noticed it a few days ago, and it's gotten worse since then?

There are a lot of variables in a problematic wireless network, so the more information you can give, the better.

Finally, when you reseated your card, did you ensure that the antenna cable was FIRMLY connected? Sometimes the cable slips out and gives this EXACT symptom. A lot of people keep this from happening more than once by putting a bit of tape across the connector to hold it on the card.

Anyway, 10m is just too little range. It indicates a radio-related problem, such as bad base placement, or an antenna problem in the laptop. So far you've started looking in the right direction, but more information is essential to getting help tracking it down.

larkost · Jan 15, 2005, 11:13 AM

And from the Just-in-Case department: the AirportExtreme is set to 100% power, correct? It can be dialed way back. The settings are available through the Airport Assistant.

xanderwilson · Jan 16, 2005, 03:20 PM

Move the airport away from anything metal. In my last apartment I couldn't understand why one wall in particular seemed to act as a shield around the signal until I figured out that there was a big piece of metal in the wall.

Also, are any other wireless networks showing up that could be causing interference? Do you or your neighbors use 2.4 Ghz phones? Lead paint on the walls maybe (hope not)?

An external antenna (Dr Bott I think) has worked wonders for me when I needed more range, but something appears to be wrong here.

Alex.

The Oracle · Jan 16, 2005, 06:06 PM

and fix your sig while you're at it. 4-5 lines of text is all that's authorised.

brontobyte.1024 · Jan 17, 2005, 08:49 AM

Originally posted by GHPorter:
First things first: when you say "not working," do you mean that you lose the connection, or that the connection gets very, very slow?

Second, where is your AE box located? On a shelf high up (which is better) or on a low table or under something (which is much, much worse)?

Third, did this begin gradually, like you noticed it a few days ago, and it's gotten worse since then?

There are a lot of variables in a problematic wireless network, so the more information you can give, the better.

Finally, when you reseated your card, did you ensure that the antenna cable was FIRMLY connected? Sometimes the cable slips out and gives this EXACT symptom. A lot of people keep this from happening more than once by putting a bit of tape across the connector to hold it on the card.

Anyway, 10m is just too little range. It indicates a radio-related problem, such as bad base placement, or an antenna problem in the laptop. So far you've started looking in the right direction, but more information is essential to getting help tracking it down.

Hey GHPorter,
Thanx for da response.
I will tell u exactly whaz this problem abt.
I am here at my University. The Wi-Fi Hub is in the library, kept high up on a shelf.
And if i am sitting inside the library, only then am i able to access teh internet. If i go a li'l far away from the Hub, but remain inside the library, then the signals become weak.
but the moment i go out of the library, then there is no wireless connection to be detected by me Aiport extreme. Same is the problem if i am sitting inside my lecture theatres, then also there is no signal at all, and no internet. But my friends who have different makes, i.e. COMPAQ HP, or SONY, or ACER, or TOSHIBA, or IBM, etc etc, they areeasily accessing the internet even sitting inside the lecture theatres which is another room other than the library. The theatres are are at a distance of about 25-35 metres i guess, and r different rooms of course. But why r my friends ableto access, and not me?

Is a general 802.11g Wi-Fi card better than the Apple Airport Extreme?

And this has been the problem ever since i bought my iBook in december 2004.

Thanx!

The Oracle · Jan 17, 2005, 11:56 AM

There's no magic solution for this. Your iBook simply gets worse reception than your friends' models.

You are out of luck if you are not allowed to reposition or add another wifi hub.

aaanorton · 06:30 PM

aaanorton · Jan 17, 2005, 06:29 PM

Originally posted by brontobyte.1024:
(I tried lifting the keyboard and reseating the AIRPORT CARD, but it isnt helping!!)

The card needs to be seated well and the antenna cable needs to be very firmly attached. Or at least that's the way I remember it...

ghporter · Jan 17, 2005, 10:20 PM

Originally posted by brontobyte.1024:
Hey GHPorter,
Thanx for da response.
...if i am sitting inside the library, only then am i able to access teh internet. If i go a li'l far away from the Hub, but remain inside the library, then the signals become weak. but the moment i go out of the library, then there is no wireless connection to be detected by me Aiport extreme. Same is the problem if i am sitting inside my lecture theatres, then also there is no signal at all, and no internet. But my friends who have different makes, i.e. COMPAQ HP, or SONY, or ACER, or TOSHIBA, or IBM, etc etc, they areeasily accessing the internet even sitting inside the lecture theatres which is another room other than the library. The theatres are are at a distance of about 25-35 metres i guess, and r different rooms of course. But why r my friends ableto access, and not me?

Is a general 802.11g Wi-Fi card better than the Apple Airport Extreme?

And this has been the problem ever since i bought my iBook in december 2004.

Thanx!

No, other brands aren't "better" than AE cards. The difference (usually) is where the antenna is on the computer, and how the card's software deals with signals. Many PC makers use two antennas-Toshiba, for example has twin antennas in the display frame of their laptops. A two antenna system is much more able to deal with the interference inherent in low signal situations than a single antenna system is.

On the other hand, you shouldn't be experiencing quite this level of dropoff. I think your antenna cable is not quite plugged in all the way. Here's a link to an Apple Knowledge Base Article on installing an Airport Extreme Card and another Apple Knowledge Base Article that specifically addresses the antenna cable. They should help you out in determining if your card is properly installed and the antenna properly pluged in. I've heard of some people who tape the connector in place to keep it from wiggling out through movement of the laptop.

brontobyte.1024 · Jan 19, 2005, 08:47 AM

They should help you out in determining if your card is properly installed and the antenna properly pluged in. I've heard of some people who tape the connector in place to keep it from wiggling out through movement of the laptop. [/B]

Hey, thanx for the link. I will take a look at my computer again.
But wait, will u plz elaborate a li'l more opn what u said.
I have quoted the relevant part above.
I want a li'l more explanation on this.
Thanx