Any Mac/Airport Express users?
Posted by: Steve Bull on 22 August 2004
For the first time ever, I'm having some problems getting a piece of Apple kit up and running. I've got a G4-800 ibook with Airport Extreme card, and an Airport Express which is plugged into the output from my ntl cable modem.
The problem I'm having is that the range of my 'network' seems to be about 4 feet, and even standing with the ibook directly above the AE base unit, I don't get more than two of the four signal strength indicators (at least, I assume that's what they are) on the airport icon lit up. As soon as I back away from the AE base unit more than a few feet, the signal is lost.
This is plainly ridiculous - so anyone got any bright ideas what's going wrong here?
Steve.
It's a grand old team to play for...
Posted on: 22 August 2004 by nodrog
You can check on transmitter power in your Airport Admin Utility under 'Wireless Options'. It may be very low. Reset it to 100％ . Mine works up to about 30ft away.
Peter
Posted on: 22 August 2004 by Steve Bull
domo arigato nodrog, will try in the morning.
quote:
"Mine works up to about 30ft away."
An improvement on my current arrangement, but still not quite the
"...45-metre (150-foot) range of your AirPort Express or AirPort Extreme Base Station." mentioned on the Apple site. 30ft will barely get to the other end of the house, never mind the garden.
Steve.
It's a grand old team to play for...
Posted on: 22 August 2004 by Chris Bell
Check the antenna cable which connects to the airport card in your iBook.
Chris Bell
Posted on: 23 August 2004 by Top Cat
Steve, can't speak for your particular laptop card, but in my case my PBG4 12" (with integral Airport Extreme) operates all over my home. Then again, I'm using a D-Link DI-624 access point. The last suggestion re: antenna cable gets my vote as 'most likely to be it'...
John
Posted on: 23 August 2004 by Hawk
Steve
There is definately something not quite right, and my vote also goes for checking that you have attached the aerial lead to the airport card in your laptop correctly. I have a 17in G4 laptop that works all over my reasonable sized 3 bed semi... Ive also just added an express to my lounge for airtunes and again my laptop has no problem playing internet radio through the hifi even from the garden!!
Cheers
Neil
Posted on: 23 August 2004 by Justin
The week before last my sister purchased a new ibook (G4, I think) with the airport card, etc. We took it to my house to set the thing up. I use a Linksys wireless router with my laptops (pc based, on in the office, one upstairs in the bedroom). After installing the airport card (AND, being careful to connect the internal antenna) the system was able to swiftly and seamlessly "find" the wireless network (desite it being Linksys instead of Mac Airport) and internet access flowed freely.
However, two problems - First, even with the ibook literally 18 inches from the wireless transmitter, we were surprised to find that often only 3 of the 4 signal strength bars were lit up. That aint right. I can get FULL strength on my Toshiba (with PCMCIA wireless card) two rooms away and even outside. The Apple went down to 1 bar two rooms away.
The second problem is that the apple seems to load web pages slower than my ("slower" and older) Toshiba despite the Apple being able to load local programs MUCH faster than the Toshiba. That does not seem right either.
Wondering if this all comes down to using it without a wireless transmitter other than an apple.
Judd
Posted on: 24 August 2004 by Top Cat
quote:
Wondering if this all comes down to using it without a wireless transmitter other than an apple.
DOn't think so - mine is a D-Link DI-624 "G" and I get nearly maximum bars around thirty feet away, through a couple of walls and a floor. I can actually lose the signal if I walk to the far end of the house, but then it's a large Victorian stone-built job and so it's 'denser' than a modern house would be.
John
Posted on: 24 August 2004 by Steve Bull
sorted
Didn't realise the antenna lead was a 'double-push' to fit, so it was only half-way in. I'm now up and running though the signal strength seems to vary between one and three rings on the airport icon.
Thanks for all your suggestions and advice.
Steve :-)
It's a grand old team to play for...
