Airport signal?

[boomtopper]

I just got my airport extreme cards today and installed them fine. I have networked them but the signal is stupidly low. I am only a couple of feet from the machine i am connecting to and i only have 1 or 2 notches on my airport meter.
Will a airport basestation improve my signal becuase i am thinking of buying one of them. Also when i was installing the lead in my g5 there was 2 arial leads inside. One is the same as the one in my powerbook and the other is something else?
Also it says in my powermac g5 manual that i should attach an arial to the back of my g5, but i have lost this arial. If anyone can help me with this it would be much appreciated!!!!!!

 

[jsw]

Yeah, you absolutely need the extension antenna for the G5. Without it, you're screwed for signal strength because the aluminum case blocks it. You should be able to buy a new one cheaply from a local Apple Store or online. Call Apple support and ask.

And, in case you're not sure what the G5 antenna looks like - it's 'T' shaped, about two inches tall (base of the 'T') and an inch and a half wide (top of the 'T') and maybe a quarter inch thick, with a rubberized treatment. I mention this in case you haven't actually lost it but aren't sure what to look for.

 

[qubex]

The "other" aerial you write of is the Bluetooth aerial. It serves a similar function as the Airport one, since the G5's gounded aluminium case serves as a very effective Farady cage (blocking most electromagnetic signals from emanating out, or penetrating into, the interior space of the case).

Side note: somebody mentioned to me that having the metal case helped Apple's FCC submission, though that may well be an urban legend.