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You are here: MacNN Forums > Enthusiast Zone > Networking > Wireless PC Card

Wireless PC Card
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LisaJill
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Northampton, MA.
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Jul 19, 2005, 07:20 PM
 
Hey all, I've searched for this but found the results causd more confusion for me.

I have a Powerbook 1.5 Ghz G4 with 2gig SDRam. The airport card in it works beautifully at home.

But I noticed that in classrooms, theh people on Dells next to me seem to have full strength to the wireless network, but I have none.

Worst, though, is that I've started hanging out in the cofee shops and sometimes I'll start dropping wireless constantly, connect, reconnect (all automatically) or have to force a reconnection. This is random. I goe from full 5 bars (throughput on Tiger, or something?) to nothing. I have tried with Interface Robustness on, and off.

Sometimes it sits at 2 bars.

I have no idea wihere the Access Point is.

Anyway, I don't have the patience to figure out quite what is going on. Would a Pc Card slot wireless card fix this? and which one has drivers for the Mac? Wireless is at least 80% of what I do on this thing and I need reliable one.

A friend suggested that it may be trying to reconnect to someone broadcasting the same ssid and getting confused - that the PCs here may not experience that as they "lock on" or some such. Is there some way I can emulate that?

Once again, i'm sorry if this is the most common question ever. =)

As a note, using istumbler I can see that I jump between 27 to 49 signal (no idea what that is, it is usually around 44) and always 0 noise.
( Last edited by LisaJill; Jul 19, 2005 at 07:27 PM. )
     
t500
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Jul 19, 2005, 07:54 PM
 
I've noticed this problem when I upgraded to 10.4.1

My Powerbook and my desktop (That does not move) would just loose signal stregnth. When I updated to 10.4.2 the problem went away. The signal never dropped out all together. I use an Orinoco card with Kismac, I never tried to surf the net with it. Try the update.
     
LisaJill  (op)
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Jul 19, 2005, 08:05 PM
 
I'm absolutely fine at home, full strength, no dropouts. What's kismac?

I just want something that works consistently in public places.
     
ghporter
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Location: San Antonio TX USA
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Jul 19, 2005, 08:06 PM
 
Let's try asking this networking question in the Networking forum...

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
LisaJill  (op)
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Jul 19, 2005, 08:19 PM
 
Ah, sorry, I thought a pc card would fit under wireless. My apologies. =) Thanks for moving it!
     
tooki
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Jul 21, 2005, 04:05 PM
 
Right -- and wireless networking is in the description for the Networking forum.

tooki
     
LisaJill  (op)
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Jul 21, 2005, 04:11 PM
 
Oh c'mon, you're used to people not reading, after 8,837 posts?

*blushes*

Sorry about that.

If anyone has any knowledge in this area, I'm still after solutions. Thank you!
     
Macola
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Madison, WI
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Jul 22, 2005, 09:04 AM
 
Does your PowerBook have a PC card slot? My 12" 867 doesn't, but I haven't seen the latest generation PowerBooks in person.
I do not like those green links and spam.
I do not like them, Sam I am.
     
tooki
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Jul 22, 2005, 10:25 AM
 
The 12" do not have PC Card slots. The 15 and 17" do.

tooki
     
LisaJill  (op)
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Jul 22, 2005, 10:25 AM
 
Yes, it has one. =)
     
Macola
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Jul 22, 2005, 05:58 PM
 
Originally Posted by LisaJill
Yes, it has one. =)
Makes sense...I missed that when I switched from my Titanium to the 12". Anyway, in that case, try this:

http://www.smalldog.com/product/45405

BTW, nice blog
I do not like those green links and spam.
I do not like them, Sam I am.
     
LisaJill  (op)
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Jul 22, 2005, 07:04 PM
 
Excellent. Thank you, Macola. =)

And thank you for the compliment =)
     
   
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