Internet Connection question...

DuskyandBurnie · Nov 29, 2009, 01:50 PM

HELP...my wife has a old iBook and connects to the internet (through a neighbors signal---we are on a budget!!). Interestingly, I cannot get my MacBook Pro to connect and neither can my son. Any ideas as to why? Could really use some help on this...thanks!!

gugucom · Nov 29, 2009, 03:04 PM

It sounds like the neighbor has wireless LAN. If an old machine can connect to it but not a new machine it may be due to the different encryption standards. Older notebooks used WEP and the newer versions use WPA or WPA2.

If the WLAN isn't encrypted other reasons may be a different WLAN mode.

Old systems use B type mode while newer systems might be set to G/N mode exclusively.

There is also the chance that a different mechanism for obtaining an IP adress (DHCP or manual) is selected.

Finally there could be different channels activated or the network is MAC address restricted.

alphaod · Nov 29, 2009, 05:06 PM

The wireless on the MacBook Pro notebooks are not as good as that on the iBook notebooks.

It's mostly due to antenna placement: MacBook Pro antenna is in the hinge surrounded by RF blocking aluminium while the iBook is all plastic.

Therefore that may be a possible reason you can't pick up the signal. Pretty much the only way to resolve that is to get your own Internet or call up your neighbor and have them replace the AP with a better one.

DoFoT9 · 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gugucom

It sounds like the neighbor has wireless LAN. If an old machine can connect to it but not a new machine it may be due to the different encryption standards. Older notebooks used WEP and the newer versions use WPA or WPA2.

FWIW my dads ibook can connect to all WPA/WPA2 standards, and i can connect to all WEP standards - so i dont think that its that. i think the problem lies with signal strength or IP address conflicts.

Tesselator · Nov 29, 2009, 07:00 PM

I think you're right. I think the various security protocols are software based. They are on a windows machine anyway - right?

BTW if you want to increase the signal reception it's pretty easy. Get on youtube or use google and you'll see some really smart user mods you can do with just household items - and then of course there are USB devices too.

Washac · Nov 30, 2009, 02:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuskyandBurnie

HELP...my wife has a old iBook and connects to the internet (through a neighbors signal---we are on a budget!!). Interestingly, I cannot get my MacBook Pro to connect and neither can my son. Any ideas as to why? Could really use some help on this...thanks!!

I hope that you are aware that in the UK using somebody elses connection is illegal

Nov 29, 2009, 01:50 PM	#1
DuskyandBurnie macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2009	Internet Connection question... HELP...my wife has a old iBook and connects to the internet (through a neighbors signal---we are on a budget!!). Interestingly, I cannot get my MacBook Pro to connect and neither can my son. Any ideas as to why? Could really use some help on this...thanks!!
	0

Nov 29, 2009, 03:04 PM	#2
gugucom macrumors 68020 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Munich, Germany	It sounds like the neighbor has wireless LAN. If an old machine can connect to it but not a new machine it may be due to the different encryption standards. Older notebooks used WEP and the newer versions use WPA or WPA2. If the WLAN isn't encrypted other reasons may be a different WLAN mode. Old systems use B type mode while newer systems might be set to G/N mode exclusively. There is also the chance that a different mechanism for obtaining an IP adress (DHCP or manual) is selected. Finally there could be different channels activated or the network is MAC address restricted. __________________ MP4,1●3,33GHz Octad●2*160GB SSD●12GB RAM●Blu-Ray●FireDTV-S2●SL/Vista64 uMBP●SL/Vista64 TC 2TB iPhone●16GB
	0

Nov 29, 2009, 05:06 PM	#3
alphaod macrumors P6 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: NYC	The wireless on the MacBook Pro notebooks are not as good as that on the iBook notebooks. It's mostly due to antenna placement: MacBook Pro antenna is in the hinge surrounded by RF blocking aluminium while the iBook is all plastic. Therefore that may be a possible reason you can't pick up the signal. Pretty much the only way to resolve that is to get your own Internet or call up your neighbor and have them replace the AP with a better one. __________________ Mac Pro \| 27" iMac \| 15" MacBook Pro with Retina display \| iPhone 5 \| iPad 3 \| iPad mini
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Nov 29, 2009, 07:00 PM	#5
Tesselator macrumors 68040 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Japan	I think you're right. I think the various security protocols are software based. They are on a windows machine anyway - right? BTW if you want to increase the signal reception it's pretty easy. Get on youtube or use google and you'll see some really smart user mods you can do with just household items - and then of course there are USB devices too. __________________ The Right <--> Left paradigm is an illusion which keeps the masses playing checkers while the elite play chess. -- Oh My...
	0

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