weak signal - wireless networking

[MacFi]

I just got a brand new ibook with airport for my wife.

I am using it with a netgear wireless router, which I already use with a windows XP laptop with no issues.

It works fine with the mac, but the signal strength is really really low, and it only works within a few metres of the base station it seems. The windows laptop works for quite a long distance away with no issues, even at the same time.

Any ideas? Please help.

I am using WEP with a hex key/password, nothing fancy.

[jtown]

Make sure the antenna is plugged in all the way.

[titaniumducky]

I just got a brand new ibook with airport for my wife.

I am using it with a netgear wireless router, which I already use with a windows XP laptop with no issues.

It works fine with the mac, but the signal strength is really really low, and it only works within a few metres of the base station it seems. The windows laptop works for quite a long distance away with no issues, even at the same time.

Any ideas? Please help.

I am using WEP with a hex key/password, nothing fancy.

Try reseating the Airport card.

edit: Oh yeah, my 500th post. Looks like it's time to change that sig. :D

[MacFi]

Try reseating the Airport card.

It was bought with it installed, is it easy to do myself, or should I take it to the shop and have them look at it?

[AliensAreFuzzy]

Has OS 10.3.5 been installed yet. I know on my brother's laptop and a few other people got better wireless signal once they installed the update.

[wdlove]

If you live near an Apple Store, I would recommend taking in to the store. That way you can see if it makes any difference. A way to eliminate the problems. It could be the antenna, airport card or your wireless network.

[aswitcher]

If you live near an Apple Store, I would recommend taking in to the store. That way you can see if it makes any difference. A way to eliminate the problems. It could be the antenna, airport card or your wireless network.

Yeah this doesn't sound right.

[aStabell]

lol looks like someone was up in the clouds while responding.

its not like any of us havn't made a incoherant post before.

[seasponge]

i had a similar problem with my ibook and airport extreme so i tried to make sure the antenna cable was plugged into the card properly and i still had the problem. so i left it since i don't use wireless very much. however, recently i tried pushing the antenna cable in again and it went in even further. its kind of deceiving how far the cable goes in. so now my signal strength is normal. don't be afraid to push that cable in.

[MacFi]

Well I took it back, and it turned out that it wasn't inserted properly ! so all is fine now, thanks for the advise.

I also updated the firmward on my router for good measure, and after inventing several new curses, was able to make it work again.