iBook G4 airport problems

[ibidiem]

I purchased my iBook (latest model) at the beginning of sept, and have been using a local wireless service to do my internet stuff. It's speedy quick (especially compared to my old iMac 333 on the dialup front) -- yet every now and then, when I attempt to open too many windows or participate in too much down/uploads at once, my mouse cursor begins to skip and stagger across the screen, and moments later the airport bars all collapse to grey.

I didn't think much about this, figuring it had something to do with the particular router I'm routing, but then yesturday I was doing some file exchange with a friend's powerbook, and it happened again.

Which got me thinking that I had a problem (sure sign of a novice, I suppose).

This morning I checked the apple discussion boards, and sure enough, there's a whole thread 15 posts deep on matter (see here and here as well) -- so I know I'm definitely not alone!

To summarize what's there: it seems that apple engineering is on the problem with a projected fix to be out 'in a few weeks'. They believe this occurs due to some funk in either airport or Tiger's relationship with 1.5 gigs of RAM (which is where my 'book's at). The main 'temporary fix' seems to be acquiring a program (such as TinkerTool or Xupport) to reduce the RAM that Tiger believes it has at its disposal.

I haven't yet tried this, but those on the apple discussion board who have have said it works.

This post is both a heads up and an invite for other's input.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

(EDIT: I checked TinkerTool and couldn't find the option to reduce percieved RAM. &lso: Xupport ain't free.

And you can fiddle with the firmware yourself (if that be to your liking) by following out the instructions posted here)

 

[Hattig]

I get this too on my iBook.

It is really annoying. I am hoping that 10.4.3 fixes it, but if it doesn't I think I'll have to somehow report the issue to Apple.

 

[Jomoma]

Here's a thread at MR about it too.
Thread here

 

[ibidiem]

Taking a cue from arstechnia, I tried running my airport without the AC adapter plugged in. Booted up llamawire and garageband and help and itunes and photoshop and , after about 5 - 10 minutes, noticed my cursor jumping around. However, airport connection still worked -- though v. sluggishly, now.

From what I've gathered this only occurs with the newest G4 ibooks, and for all we know it can be the result of anything from having the airport now connected to the logic board, to having the ibook able to swallow 1.5 g's of memory for the first time to who the heck knows.

I might try the terminal 'fix' -- but for now will try to keep my ibook focused narrowly.

now I must restart, so's I don't have to type a line then take a couple sips of coffee, then tackle another ... SO SLOW...

Anybody considering a new ibook should be alerted to this issue.

 

[ibidiem]

the airport 10.4.3 update seems to fix this problem

case closed?

 

[tangerineyum]

not for me, it has happend once since the update. I started a thread about this problem too but i thought it was bad ram. So can some one tell me, if this warrants an ibook replacement from apple or is there gonna be a software fix ?