Difficulties to connect to Wireless LAN

[Silly John Fatty]

A house next to ours was demolished a few days ago. Since then, my iPad as well as my Mac Pro have had difficulties connecting to the Wifi from the room that was closest to the (now demolished) house.

The iPad I can carry around, so it's no problem, but still annoying, because I'm often in that room. My Mac I need for working, and I need internet on it as well. And I can't move it, because it's a Mac Pro.

The router is at the complete other end of the house, one story below. But there haven't been any problems, ever.

Now it would always disconnect me when I'm in that room. And I have to search for the Wifi again and again and again.

The house next to use had lots of steel and metal on the outside. I wondering if it wasn't maybe acting as an antenna.

It's extremely annoying anyway. Anyone know what I could do? Anyone ever had something like this happen to them? I'm pretty sure it's linked to the demolished house. It's when it all started.

 

[LC Phil]

Hi there,

It sounds like the house was reflecting or acting as an antenna. On your Mac, if you hold down the Option key and click on the Airport symbol in the menu bar it will show your signal strength. You want to really have signal strength in the low -60s. If it’s in the -70s, don’t bother.

Everything can have an effect on a wireless network, and whilst I’m not sure what kind of wireless gear you have, it sounds like it’s time to put an AP on the second floor of the house.

If you can run a cable from the current wireless station to upstairs to connect the new station, that would be the best solution. Otherwise make sure you put the repeater/station in a location where it’s broadcasts a good signal, not at the edge of the existing wireless network.

Good luck!

Side note: Check current wireless networks in your area by using the wireless scanner (hold option when clicking the Airport symbol and select Wi-Fi Diagnostics) to make sure there is no co-channel interference. Channels 1 – 6 – 11 are the ones to go for depending on region. Or if in doubt, screen shot this in your reply

 

[glenthompson]

Are you sure you were connected to the same router and not one in the demolished building?

Simplest solution is to add a repeater or wireless access points.

 

[LiveM]

Not going to work well - it would have the same reception issues and would hamper the entire network.

I would get a powerline ethernet adaptor and connect the Mac Pro. Some of them also provide Wi-Fi but I would connect an Airport Express to it and you can reliably and seamlessly extend the wireless network - no overhead affecting throughout and no forcing your main base station into slower n mode, and no need to physically swap your iPad's access point connection in settings.