Airport Express - Connection Freezes

[RealPolitik]

I have just set up my new 802.11n Airport Express in Bridge mode - I have a Netgear DG834 router plugged into it via a new ethernet cable and another ethernet cable from the router into my G5 iMac.

I bought the Airport Express so that I can use a Samsung NC10 netbook (using Windows XP) wirelessly (Airport Utility is installed on the iMac).

The NC10 shows excellent signal strength and never appears to actually drop the connection (and the the solid green LED remains lit on the AX), but the "cannot display the webpage" page constantly opens. The wired connection to the iMac is perfectly stable.

The only way to display the site you want is to manually disconnect and reconnect each time.

It's extremely annoying as the connection is actually far more reliable when using the house next door's unsecured wifi, and is faultless when connecting via a wireless router elsewhere.

Streaming video (BBC iPlayer) works perfectly with no breaks or hesitation, but random surfing constantly brings up the "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage" page when attempting to navigate to a new page.

As well as displaying the "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage" page, Internet Explorer freezes (no progress bar) when clicking on a link. Signal strength is shown as excellent (it's only a few feet away) and the connection is never actually lost.

The only way I've found to solve it is to manually disconnect from and reconnect to the Airport Express network each time you want to navigate to another webpage.

I've done several Factory Default resets, done the set up again and changed channels but it's still the same.

Can anyone suggest a solution or different settings to try? At the moment, it's virtually unusable.

Thanks.

 

[RealPolitik]

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[jazz1]

I have the same if not similar situation. I'm using an older Extreme, and setting my older Express on Bridge mode to extend the "G" (not WDS). My Dell Mini 9 stalls all the time even though I get a Windows 7 "Good" or even "Excellent" signal strength. Re-boot of the Express brings it back. If I'm sitting within a few feet of the Express I get fewer stalls.It used to work just fine, but guess is i'm getting neighborhood Wifi interference or the last firmware update messed things up.

I don't use any other laptop in "G" mode with that old Express.But my kids have older Macs that don't seem to have a problem getting "G" signal. I do have a MBP running off the "N" only Extreme.

I've been fighting this for weeks. I finally ordered the new Extreme SIM that was announced yesterday. Supposed to have better antennas. I'm hoping this will solve my problems, even though it will mean relocating the new Extreme towards the center of the house where I need more "G" coverage for my kids. My basement Airport set-up is a little weird as the house is 'L" shaped. So I don't know if the new Extreme is really going to help or not.

 

[RealPolitik]

Mine is a new 802.11n with current firmware and the netbook is rarely more than 15 feet away, no walls in between.

Using the AX wirelessly with my iMac works perfectly, and I know it isn't a reception issue with the NC10 because it works perfectly on other wireless networks. Changing AX channel makes no difference.

It's annoying when using a neighbor's distant unsecured connection works better than a new Apple product.

 

[raccoontail]

Mine is a new 802.11n with current firmware and the netbook is rarely more than 15 feet away, no walls in between.

Same problems here. I'm visiting a friend with an AE and it just doesn't work with the NC10. I've seen similar reports in numerous other forums. If I had had an AE myself, I would probably try swapping the internal wireless card in the netbook with a $20 dell internal wireless card to see if that fixes the incompatibility.