Help-Airport Connection Problem!

[eyedoc_00]

I have a g5 iMac rev B. I connect to the internet using the built in airport card. I have Verizon Vios internet. My airport extreme base station is in another room. I am having problems with my connection being lost. Then, I am not able to find my network to be able to sign back on. Any thouhgts on why I am loosing my connection and why I can not find my network? I hace to keep checking the airport symbol in the menu bar untill it finds my network.

Thanks in advanced for your help.

 

[Eniregnat]

A few things to check. Did you attach the external antenna? Have you tried reorientating the Airport station?

If your walls have mettle studs, instead of wood, you will get significantly less signal strength.
Also, if the signal is just dropping, perhaps you are experiencing some kind of interference (like a 2.4 Ghz phone). It's unlikely to be the primary cause, as you also are having trouble finding the network. If interference is the cause, try interference robustness, which does nothing to the range or power, but does help with some kinds of harmonic and sporadic interference.

If you try everything, moving the Airport, etc, then perhaps you might want an external antenna or two. A single directional antenna can help some, but 2 good antennas is best. Perhaps even an Airport express as a bridge/repeater.

[The following is taken from a previous post I made. Pardon the recycling of text.]
You need to diagnose the problem first. Get a program like Kismac or iStumbler or MacStumbler so that you can get better metrics on your signal strength. iStumbler now has a Widget that connects to the program if your running it. Kismac is my preferred wireless tool. A nearly static graph with 5 levels of information isn't as good as one that has the potential for hundreds of lines of resolution over time. You can find the "sweet" spots as well as dead spots in your house with these tools. You can find other networks that might be interfering. It might help you position your network hardware better. If you choose a directional antenna, which I think might be too much trouble, these tools will help you figure out how best to align it. It's also nice to have a good stumbler for when your out and about.

I have a cantenna, and it does boost signal strength, but it is very directional. On my iBook (now dead) I got a noticeable gain, but I had to run the cable through my keyboard. From the router it should help, but then again, a Pringles antenna or any directional antenna set up works best when both units are directional. If your a DIY person, http://www.Airshare.org has instructions. You can also Google it. It's nice getting a starter kit. The Cantanna is also anodized now, but I don't think it's worth it.

Link to a DIY Yagi in a Pringles Can.

Hawkingtech offers a nice little portable external wi-fi router (HWL2A) (with high-gain antenna) that will double as a wi-fi locator (looks a little like a StarTrek tricorder). This tool can be used as an external router that can directly connect to your mac. It's on my list to purchase, but I haven’t used it. It's also pricey.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, for better wireless reception, build a AFDB. Also good against certain high level surveillance methods used by the U.S. Government and by alien entities.

 

[Eniregnat]

Some things to check.

Airport Admin Utl.--->Configure-->Airport Tab->Wireless Options button>Multicast Rate, set this to 1.

Airport Admin Utl.--->Configure-->Airport Tab->Wireless Options button>Multicast Rate, set this to 1.

Airport Admin Utl.--->Configure-->Airport Tab->Wireless Options button>Interference Robustness, disable at first (Enable it if you think that interference is the issue.)

Airport Admin Utl.--->Configure-->Airport Tab->Wireless Options button>Transmitter Power, set to 100%

 

[eyedoc_00]

Thank you both for your responses.

What does the multicast rate do? Mine was set at 2. I changed it to 1.
The transmitter power was at 100%

Some things to check.

Airport Admin Utl.--->Configure-->Airport Tab->Wireless Options button>Multicast Rate, set this to 1.

Airport Admin Utl.--->Configure-->Airport Tab->Wireless Options button>Multicast Rate, set this to 1.

Airport Admin Utl.--->Configure-->Airport Tab->Wireless Options button>Interference Robustness, disable at first (Enable it if you think that interference is the issue.)

Airport Admin Utl.--->Configure-->Airport Tab->Wireless Options button>Transmitter Power, set to 100%

 

[Eniregnat]

Did you load Kismac? What do you see?
Can you locate your router anywhere else?
Are you wearing the tinfoil hat?
Anybody else have any ideas?

Multicasting is a few different things (in a nutshell- so this is grossly simplified).
It allows multiple streams of data to different sources, usually on a local network. For instance mediums like audio and video streams. It also is a protocol for accessing information about local clients, servers, routers, etc... with out accessing anything beyond the local area network. Setting your multicast rate to 1, technically makes it a unicast, so not power/signal is split between receivers.

Interference Robustness (You didn't ask, but here is some info.)
[Recycled Text from another post of mine]

Interference Robustness is a protocol to dynamicly break up packet sizes and for resending lost/damaged packet. (By the way, this is a best guess as little is written about Interference Robustness) I also makes the system more resistant to accepting a lost signal, i.e. gives the computer a longer time to wait before it accepts that a signal is lost. A lot of interference doesn’t come from just similarly cycled sources, i.e. a 2.3-2.5Ghz (I know that's quite a range, but I am a little tired to remember exactly what frequency 802.x.y specs are- I think 2.4Ghz,). Any way, harmonic distortions, i.e., regular cycling of a 60hz signal can interfere with regularity. It is guessed by others that Apple dynamically changes the lengths of packets so that if a number of packets are returned as damaged or missing, it can request smaller less efficient chunks. My add to this is that I have seen anywhere from a nominal performance hit to a significant one in regard to bandwidth. I bet that along with dynamic packet sizing it also automatically adds levels of redundancy to information sent and received, as well as preforming error checking with increased accuracy. Lastly, again just my belief, I think that the system lengthens the time it takes before it reports a lost signal, and reattempts to find the network and execute handshaking. The latter two are I figured out using some networking tools while I was streaming information.