Airport connection problem

[pizpaz]

Hi Guys,

I have an Alu iMac running 10.5.6, it connects to the internet through airport using a belkin N wireless router.

I connect to this set-up fine using the windows PC's (vista) and have no connection troubles. The window's laptops all have static IP adresses.

However, on my mac, the internet connection randomly drops (I would say every 20 minutes). Airport displays 3 bars, but I cannot connect to any more websites unless I turn airport on and off or change the router's channel.

Once I change the router's channel the problem is solved until I either
A.) Log off and back in again, or
B.) Shut the mac down and boot it up again.

There isn't any particularly bad wifi traffic in this area, usually 2 other wireless networks in-range. I have used a 'sniffer' tool and I make sure that my channel is at least 2 away from the other networks in the area.

It is very frustrating as I use a lot of forums and generally I will go to submit a post only to find that my wireless connection has dropped! It is seemingly only the connection to the internet that has dropped, not the router, as I can still connect to the router using it's I.P (192.168.2.1) from the mac, once the internet connection has been dropped.

Thanks,
Josh
P.S... This problem happens cross-browser!!

 

[PrincessPeach]

I was actually about to post a similar problem so instead I'll join your thread in the hope that the more information we share the closer to a solution we will get.

Mine is complicated by the fact that the router and Mac are my mother's and she lives too far away for me to visit. So there is a certain element of randomness in everything I say as I'm only 90% sure she follows instructions carefully.

She has a black Macbook and a brand new Belkin wireless modem/router. The Macbook replaces a Windows PC which connects to the modem with a network cable. The wired PC is fine, and when the Mac is connected directly it is also fine.

Just like you, she experiences complete dropouts of the wireless service even though the internet connection is up (PC can use it) and the Mac reports a full wireless signal (full bars in the menubar, and in the Network pane she sees a green light with Airport and a proper internal IP). I have asked her to try changing channels several times with no luck. I have changed DNS settings on the Mac with no luck. I have flushed the DNS cache, and changed from DHCP to a manual IP address, with no luck. Her local network works fine during the dropouts, which does rather point to the router being to blame. Sometimes cycling power on the router fixes it but sometimes it doesn't seem to. She also seems to have weird problems reaching certain websites on the Mac despite having the same DNS settings and connection as the Windows PC (it's not a browser issue, it feels more like routing but I can't understand why it's different between computers).

I'm sure it will be fixable once I'm next able to visit her and see the Mac but in the meantime I'm running out of things to suggest to her and she's a very frustrated OSX newbie! Anyone got any ideas to help us? Is the Belkin hardware just crazy?

 

[maxso48]

Pssword Invalid

I have an airport connection problem also. I am connecting through an SMC wireless router which only has WEP encryption. When my brand new Mac Workbook asks for my password to connect, I enter the 10 digits exactly as I did on my other IBM Pcs but the new Mac indicates the password is invalid. What can I do to get connected?

 

[BrightWolf]

I was about to post this problem myself too. The internet connection sometimes drops, and is not available after a reboot (or after awaking sleep mode) in about 50% of the times. I have a brand new iMac. The first week I had it I did not experience this problem at all, but then, when I moved my router one floor higher in the house (I returned it to it's original place after some refurbishment) the problem started. Yes, the router is now further away from my iMac but I still have a very good connection: all bars are showing.

Here are some effects that I have seen:
1. sometimes the connection is instable in the first few minutes after start up (or awaking after sleep)
2. sometimes I have to re-enter my WEP key. And sometimes it is not accepted! I have to re-enter it completely (very inconvenient) and sometimes is suddenly accepts it, especially when I clicked 'show passphrase'
3. sometimes my own network is not found anymore by my iMac. I then have to click the network bars in the menu bar, and wait until it found it after a couple of searches.

Any ideas .. ? It seems the problem is related to the distance between router and iMac, but how is this possible when the connection actually is very good? I have an Asus WL500W router (wireless n draft).

BTW Like the first poster I also noticed that only the internet connection dropped, I can still access the router through it's homepage .. I used the same router (located in the same remote place) with my old Windows system until a few weeks ago, and never experienced this problem.