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Kenstee · Oct 28, 2003, 11:09 PM

Anybody have decreased range/performance with Airport Extreme on their PBs since installing Panther? If so, is it just with AEBS and/or with other wireless access points like Starbuck's, wireless networks, etc.

kentuckyfried · Oct 28, 2003, 11:16 PM

Nope. Tried it out yesterday, was fine.

bigben1024 · Oct 29, 2003, 12:18 AM

Used mine on campus the other day.
No problems.

smorris76 · Oct 29, 2003, 12:46 AM

Yes, I noticed this. Even sitting right next to my AP I now only get 3 bars.

DVD Plaza · Oct 29, 2003, 06:56 PM

I've always had full bars, not suprising given my airport base station is a mere few meters away from me, but Panther has dropped that down a bar.

Weird - and last night, for about five minutes, the connection dropped/reconnected/dropped/reconnected/dropped/reconnected/dropped/reconnected/dropped...

s0litude · Oct 31, 2003, 01:11 AM

I'm downloading the airport update now.

chabig · Oct 31, 2003, 08:21 AM

An OS update probably doesn't change the performance of the radio inside your Powerbook. But the OS might be displaying the signal strenth icon a bit differently.

Chris

elvis2000 · Oct 31, 2003, 01:23 PM

Originally posted by DVD Plaza:
I've always had full bars, not suprising given my airport base station is a mere few meters away from me, but Panther has dropped that down a bar.

Weird - and last night, for about five minutes, the connection dropped/reconnected/dropped/reconnected/dropped/reconnected/dropped/reconnected/dropped...

Wierd -- same thing happened to me the other night. Something to do with those solar storms?

elmer · Nov 5, 2003, 02:40 PM

Nope, storm's over and last night it was happening to me. I use a Netgear WGR614; never tried it with Panther so I don't know if it's related to the upgrade

bgordon · Nov 7, 2003, 01:26 AM

Yup, I've noticed a decrease.

4 bars in Jag sitting 5 feet from Apt. Extreme Base Station, 2 bars when I move 30 feet away.

3 bars in Panther sitting 5 feet from Apt. Extreme Base Station, 0 bars (and no connection) when I move 30 feet away.

Same locations, nothing changed other than the OS.

MusicalTone · Nov 7, 2003, 04:12 AM

Originally posted by bgordon:
Yup, I've noticed a decrease.

4 bars in Jag sitting 5 feet from Apt. Extreme Base Station, 2 bars when I move 30 feet away.

3 bars in Panther sitting 5 feet from Apt. Extreme Base Station, 0 bars (and no connection) when I move 30 feet away.

Same locations, nothing changed other than the OS.

Me too

Wesson · Nov 7, 2003, 04:59 AM

same here, very wierd....i hope they fix it asap

schk · Nov 7, 2003, 09:27 AM

I'm getting 3 bars consistently in one room over from my base station where I got 4 bars in 10.2.8.

chabig · Nov 7, 2003, 10:24 AM

I'm betting it's just an issue with the signal strenth display. As long as you're able to connect to the network, who really cares?

Chris

dialo · Nov 7, 2003, 11:03 AM

Originally posted by chabig:
I'm betting it's just an issue with the signal strenth display. As long as you're able to connect to the network, who really cares?

Chris

Exactly. I've had a few powerbooks and ibooks, and it's clear that that little display is far from accurate.

HiRez · Nov 7, 2003, 07:44 PM

Originally posted by dialo:
Exactly. I've had a few powerbooks and ibooks, and it's clear that that little display is far from accurate.

Open the Internet Connect app, that gives you a 15-step signal strength display. It's strange, because after I installed Panther and uploaded new base station firmware, I get much better Airport reception. PowerBook 800 DVI, Panther, Airport Extreme base station 5 feet from laptop (but note -- I run it in strict 802.11b mode, not 802.11g or mixed). Here's my signal strength based on distance (apx.):

0'-10' 13 bars
20' 13 bars
30' 13 bars (through a floor)
40' 10-11 bars (through a floor)
50' 8-9 bars (through a floor and a wall)

At 50' that's about twice the signal I got pre-Panther, where the connection was previously almost unusable. Make sure you are running the latest Airport software and that you've updated the base station firmware with Airport Admin Utility.

MrNo · Nov 7, 2003, 07:54 PM

I used to be able to use my PB on the second floor of the house with Jaguar, now with Panther I get no signal at all. I haven't changed anything but upgrade the OS.

chabig · Nov 7, 2003, 11:24 PM

Did you recently install the Airport 3.2 software update? Remember, Panther and Airport 3.2 came out at about the same time. It's more likely that the new Airport software is responsible for any changes in airport performance than is Panther.

Chris

nate_02 · Nov 8, 2003, 01:35 AM

My reception seems to fluctuate a lot more than it did with Jaguar. I haven't completely lost the signal though.

GENERAL_SMILEY · Nov 8, 2003, 10:49 AM

I've had Panther for awhile, it is only since the Airport upgrade that I've noticed the change. Hopefully it is just a much more conservative strength indicator now.

JohnM15141 · Nov 8, 2003, 11:41 AM

I installed Panther on all my Mac's on the release date and always had all the reception bars showing from the same location with my laptop.

I downloaded the Airport update using my laptop from the same location where I normally got perfect reception and after the update was installed and rebooted my reception dropped by one bar and has been that way ever since. So I would say I have experienced a drop in reception since Installing Panther and the Airport Update.

Podolsky · Nov 8, 2003, 12:48 PM

Originally posted by JohnM15141:
I installed Panther on all my Mac's on the release date and always had all the reception bars showing from the same location with my laptop.

I downloaded the Airport update using my laptop from the same location where I normally got perfect reception and after the update was installed and rebooted my reception dropped by one bar and has been that way ever since. So I would say I have experienced a drop in reception since Installing Panther and the Airport Update.

This is what I found exactly, one less bar (from the menu) with Panther than with Jag.

mallison · Nov 8, 2003, 08:32 PM

Originally posted by Kenstee:
Anybody have decreased range/performance with Airport Extreme on their PBs since installing Panther? If so, is it just with AEBS and/or with other wireless access points like Starbuck's, wireless networks, etc.

Yes, after I got my new PowerBook 15" I had full bars with my Airport Extreme. After upgrading to Panther I have one bar less! Using it from the same location, etc.!

Marty

mbperk · Nov 8, 2003, 10:20 PM

After upgrading to Panther I have had trouble with my Airport Extreme on my PB 17". I had no trouble connecting in my office with Jaguar, but now the signal is up and down, and often times it will loose the connection. I am lucky to keep three bars, and most of the time it hovers at two bars. Everywhere else in the house is fine.

ngrande · Nov 8, 2003, 11:09 PM

I have a 1 Ghz 17" LCD iMac and the exact same thing happened to me when I upgraded to Panther. I consistantly had four bars before I upgraded and now I never get any more than 3 bars, and the extreme base station is only about 15 feet away!

Originally posted by Kenstee:
Anybody have decreased range/performance with Airport Extreme on their PBs since installing Panther? If so, is it just with AEBS and/or with other wireless access points like Starbuck's, wireless networks, etc.

BlueCat · Nov 9, 2003, 03:19 AM

From my desk at home, I'm pretty sure I used to consistently get 4 bars but after upgrading to Panther, from that same spot I now get 3 bars. However, when I move closer to the wireless router (Netgear wGR614), I regain my 4 bars!

On my other Windoze machine, the wireless indicator also displays the speed (i.e. Ghz). Is there a way in panther to display this or is there some recommended third party tool? (is this what Mac Stumbler does?).

mrfcobf · Nov 9, 2003, 09:43 AM

I think this is a case of the computer reporting it differently. I also see different bars, but if you do any extended file sharing or any extended network operations, the # of minutes does not change.

BTW, I have a Linksys 802.11g access point and just bought the signal booster that is SUPPOSED to only work on 802.11b, and it boosts the g signal nicely! I turned off b in the web interface and confirmed that my other 2 powerbooks have no signal, but my 17" has a FULL g signal!

Triple the range and I can sit on my back deck with a full g signal now! SCHWING!javascript:smilie('

')

Originally posted by Kenstee:
Anybody have decreased range/performance with Airport Extreme on their PBs since installing Panther? If so, is it just with AEBS and/or with other wireless access points like Starbuck's, wireless networks, etc.

CTMartin · Nov 9, 2003, 03:17 PM

Regarding weak connection 2 feet from the base station, you might want to see if you have a 2.4 GHz portable phone nearby. My phone "sometimes" will completely knock out airport connections. I think it depends on what channel the phone happens to be on, though that is a guess.

ghotirsd · Nov 9, 2003, 04:04 PM

Originally posted by CTMartin:
Regarding weak connection 2 feet from the base station, you might want to see if you have a 2.4 GHz portable phone nearby. My phone "sometimes" will completely knock out airport connections. I think it depends on what channel the phone happens to be on, though that is a guess.

That's a possibility, for sure.
I used to work for a DSL provider whose 'modem' worked at 900Mhz. Either the 900Mhz phones would knock out the DSL connection, or it was the other way around.
Darn that FCC and their device interference regulations!
Instead of fixing it, the DSL provider told people to move the phone or get a different phone altogether.

HiRez · Nov 9, 2003, 08:09 PM

Originally posted by ghotirsd:
That's a possibility, for sure.
I used to work for a DSL provider whose 'modem' worked at 900Mhz. Either the 900Mhz phones would knock out the DSL connection, or it was the other way around.
Darn that FCC and their device interference regulations!
Instead of fixing it, the DSL provider told people to move the phone or get a different phone altogether.

FYI, I noticed a new option in the latest Airport Admin software to do what sounded like error-correction or active frequency hopping maybe, to help eliminate interference from 2.4 GHz phones, microwave ovens, etc. I forget the name of the actual button, but it's pretty obvious if you look in there. Try turning that on and see if it helps, if you have an Airport Extreme base.

mbperk · 10:01 PM

Originally posted by HiRez:
FYI, I noticed a new option in the latest Airport Admin software to do what sounded like error-correction or active frequency hopping maybe, to help eliminate interference from 2.4 GHz phones, microwave ovens, etc. I forget the name of the actual button, but it's pretty obvious if you look in there. Try turning that on and see if it helps, if you have an Airport Extreme base.

Is it "use interference robustness" that is in the Airport Admin & Airport Menu?

I do have a Siemens Gigaset desk unit in my office, but I never had any trouble with it when I was running Jaguar.

Elektronkind · Nov 9, 2003, 11:01 PM

I too have been plagued by drops and slowness since upgrading to Panther and applying the Airport 3.2/APE Firmware 5.2 upgrade to my APE at the same time.

Terrible drops and range issues across my three machines - a 800Mhz TiBook, a B&W G3 with a Linksys 54G PCI card, and a dual 2Ghz G5. All of them would drop off the net at the same time. It seemed that no combination of settings on the APE would solve the issue.

So I downloaded the APE 5.1.3 firmware image from www.info.apple.com, fired up the Airport Admin utility and uploaded it, overwriting the 5.2 version.

I'm happy to report not a single problem since!

/ek

sjampoo · Nov 18, 2003, 07:34 PM

Originally posted by Elektronkind:
...
So I downloaded the APE 5.1.3 firmware image from www.info.apple.com, fired up the Airport Admin utility and uploaded it, overwriting the 5.2 version.

I'm happy to report not a single problem since!

/ek

I have been struggling with the same problem, have been experiencing lots of nasty connection drops and a decreased range. I wondered what it could be: panther/interference/fw update/broken hardware.

After following your advice and downgrading to 5.1.3 my range doubled, thanks for that

. Btw disabling "interference robustness" increased my range even more. But I'm still not sure what is causing the problem, if it is the basestation or my airport extreme card not handling the new protocol very well.

So for now i have to use 5.1.3, allthough i would really like to use 5.2 so i can activate WPA.

I wonder how everyone in here fixed their problems...

rgl · Nov 18, 2003, 09:50 PM

Originally posted by Elektronkind:
I too have been plagued by drops and slowness since upgrading to Panther and applying the Airport 3.2/APE Firmware 5.2 upgrade to my APE at the same time.

Terrible drops and range issues across my three machines - a 800Mhz TiBook, a B&W G3 with a Linksys 54G PCI card, and a dual 2Ghz G5. All of them would drop off the net at the same time. It seemed that no combination of settings on the APE would solve the issue.

So I downloaded the APE 5.1.3 firmware image from www.info.apple.com, fired up the Airport Admin utility and uploaded it, overwriting the 5.2 version.

I'm happy to report not a single problem since!

/ek

Forgive my ignorance...

Might going back to 5.1.3 help increase range with third-party wireless routers, ie Netgear, or will it only help with Apple's APE Base Station? (For that matter, could you even install 5.1.3 on something other than an APEBS?)

sjampoo · Nov 19, 2003, 05:55 PM

Originally posted by rgl:
Forgive my ignorance...

Might going back to 5.1.3 help increase range with third-party wireless routers, ie Netgear, or will it only help with Apple's APE Base Station? (For that matter, could you even install 5.1.3 on something other than an APEBS?)

No, you cant install the 5.1.3 fw on anything else but the AEBS.

If i where you, i would try to reinstall the orriginal drivers that shipped with your PB12".

Since when are you experiencing problems?