[Tom N]

Has anyone attempted to modify their TiBook to gain better airport reception capabilities?

I'm sick and tired of having to be less then one wall away from a wireless access point, and confined to a very limited area of reception. All this while my Pismo can go anywhere in the house, out to the barn and the garage, even next door.

I was thinking, now that the Tibook is out of warrenty to replace the internal antenna. perhaps drill a access hole in the case, and route the antenna outside and around the perimeter of the Tibook.

Has anyone done this? Or does anyone have any suggestions?

Tom N.

[Evangellydonut]

not sure...but something i've always been wondering 'bout is why can't they come up with something where the metal casing IS the antenna...now that's be interesting...

[Bluebomber21XX]

No modification necessary. From MacFixIt.com...

Mac OS X 10.2 (Jaguar) Compatibility Reports
Increasing PowerBook G4 AirPort reception

Brett Wickens writes that new options in Mac OS X 10.2's System Preferences have dramatically improved his PowerBook G4 Titanium's AirPort reception:


"Here's an interesting discovery I made this evening which has dramatically improved the notoriously poor Airport reception on my G4 PowerBook 800. In Jaguar, under System Preferences > Network > Airport there are some new options. If I select 'Join network with best signal', I get 5 bars of signal strength on my PowerBook. If I select 'Join a specific network' choosing my named Airport Base Station (I have only one), I get only two bars of signal strength. I've had three different PowerBook G4 models and the most signal strength I could get at 20 feet through one wood wall was 2 bars. This discovery has more than doubled my reception distance and power."


UPDATE: Stephen Smith experienced similar success using the "Join network with best signal" command on his iBook.


"I experienced the same resulting improvement in transmission
distance after using the command. My machine is a 500Mhz Dual USB iBook, with a signal provided by a 3Com Office Connect router."

[Bluebomber21XX]

Oh yes, you could also try modifying your Airport Base Station.

Instructions can be found at:
http://www.wwc.edu/~frohro/Airport/Airport.html

[Tom N]

I think the "connect to network with strongest signal" fix is nothing more then auto suggestion. I saw the suggested fix as well and scratched my head over it. I did however try it, and it made zero, none, nada, difference in signal level. Nor can I think of any reason why it would. As I siad, I think this is a case of auto suggestion working and will soon be passed on as urban myth.

As for modifing the access point.... What for, it is not the problem. My access point is an SMC wireless router, which is currently providing ample signal strength. With the Pismo powerbook I can go anywhere on my property, including two out buildings, a garage, and even next door to a friends home. So the coverage provided by the SMC is more then adaquate. It is the Ti book that is not adaquate.

After opening up the Tibook, it appears removing the exisiting antenna would require almost a complete case and inards disassembly. So I think I will try taking the antenna from a Quicksilver dual 800 Mac, which has a connector for installing an internal airport card currently not being used. And use that antenna for the Tibook. I though about going to one of the suppliers of 802.11b connectivity and ordering an antenna to mount to the side of the Tibook, but I think just running the antenna wire around the outside of the powerbook will perform well enough for me, and be easier to install. A little dab of hot melt glue here and there to hold it in place should work well.

Tom N.

[Nile]

no luck here with connecting with best signal either. Ig et the same frooky 18' reception as before.

[Tom N]

Over the weekend I spent some time tinkering with the TiBook. Here is what I have found out (some of this is from Apples discussion fourms).

The reception problem is as most people know caused mainly by the Titanium used on the design of the TiBook. However, Apple also knew this would be a problem and created two wave guide openings in the case that should provide for good reception. The Airport antenna is routed from the airport card, around the perimeter of the TiBook, pass each of the waveguide openings (They are located on the side of the TiBook near the hinge). The antenna wire itself passing by the opening is not enough to ensure good singal capture, so Apple added a length of metal tape that sandwiches the antenna wire between the tape and the opening. This tape also acts as a reflector, concentrating the signal onto the antenna wire. What appears to happen is this tape comes loose, probably from the heat generated in the TiBook.

I temporarily reattached the tape on one of the openings by removing the battery from underneath the TiBook, this exposed the metal tape (it has printing on it and is easy to see with the battery removed). I ran my finger along the tape, pressing it inot the antenna wire, reinstalled the battery and fired the TiBook up. My signal strength improved dramatically. Where I once has a signal of one or two bars, I know had full strength.

I'm not sure how long this "fix" will work, but I imagine not to long, since the same heat that allowed the tape to become loose is still present. What I'm doing now is looking for some type of material to place between the battery and the tape, to act as a wedge, holding the tape against the airport antenna. I was going to use some open cell foam, the type used for anti-static packaging, but I need to find out what temp extremes it will handle, don't want it melting and ruining the battery compartment. I also though about using some metal shims, perhaps from a automotive feeler gauge. Once I determined the correct thickness, I could use a bit of epoxy to hold them together. Anyway, I'll see what I can come up with. Also, there is the other antenna port, on the other side of the case. I haven't accessed that one to see what condition it is in, but I suspect it will be the same. However, to get to it, it looks like I need to remove a bit more parts then just taking the case off, so I'm looking for any dis-assembly PDFs that Apple may have.

Try the tape trick and see if it works for you.

Tom N.

[Evinyatar]

For information on cracking open your PowerBook, try the service manuals found here.

[Tastannin]

The best solution to this issue is to get a better basestation than the Apple Airport one. I went for a SMC Barricade, and boy, it does make a big difference! 1,800 feet range, and TWO antennas I can position one horizontal and one vertical, so that I get maximum coverage in my house. Before I'd get one or two bars on my bed with my TiBook. Now I get 4-5 bars. Yes, you'll have to get a separate router - but do you want a pretty basestation or one that works??

[mrwalker]

I got better results by turning off the 'interference robustness' option and changing the base station density detting to 'high'.

Not by a great deal, but the signal makes it to my desk and the sofa now

-mrwalker

[edit - 100 posts! Senior member. How do I go back & compile a 'best of' session?]