iBook not getting good wifi signal

[tech4all]

Just installed an Airport Extreme card in an iBook G4 (running Panther). Signal strength within a few feet of the wireless router (Netgear) is usually high to medium. But when I leave the room it's in the signal drops all the sudden. I haven't had much experience with wireless networking, so I'm not that familiar with this. We do have a lot of cables and wires related to the computers in the main room where the router is, could that be "blocking" the signal from outside that room?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[cwedl]

I suggest deleting the wireless connection on your mac and reconnecting, this may improve the wireless signal, if you need a good signal why not get a wireless access point?/repeater.

 

[mad jew]

Is it just the iBook that gets bad reception in these places? Wireless networks are strange things. There can be good spots and bad spots depending on the interference. If the problem is interference-related, then changing the broadcast channel of the router (in the admin control panels of the router) can often help.

 

[2nyRiggz]

Do have a lot of walls between you and the router when you go away from it?
Like MJ stated, any other devices you have getting the same treatment?
Try resetting the airport to get a stronger signal.


Bless

 

[mick4394]

The age of your house may have an effect the signal quality as well. When my wife and I moved from our new apartment (with dry wall) to our sixty year old house (with thick plaster walls) our wireless signal took a severe hit.

In our case it helped to move the router to the basement. The floors are thinner than the walls and don't have the metal mesh that the plaster is applied to.

 

[tech4all]

I suggest deleting the wireless connection on your mac and reconnecting, this may improve the wireless signal, if you need a good signal why not get a wireless access point?/repeater.

We got a signal booster today and we're going to try to see if that helps.

Is it just the iBook that gets bad reception in these places? Wireless networks are strange things. There can be good spots and bad spots depending on the interference. If the problem is interference-related, then changing the broadcast channel of the router (in the admin control panels of the router) can often help.

I'm also going to change the channel. Just went into the routers admin panel and saw it in there.

Do have a lot of walls between you and the router when you go away from it?
Like MJ stated, any other devices you have getting the same treatment?
Try resetting the airport to get a stronger signal.


Bless

It depends where I'm at with the iBook. At one point I went upstairs and lost the signal; the router is just below that spot below the floor. I also went into my room here where my computers are and lost the signal. There really isn't any walls between me and the router, just a little hallway, but it really isn't in the line of sight.

The age of your house may have an effect the signal quality as well. When my wife and I moved from our new apartment (with dry wall) to our sixty year old house (with thick plaster walls) our wireless signal took a severe hit.

In our case it helped to move the router to the basement. The floors are thinner than the walls and don't have the metal mesh that the plaster is applied to.

The house is about 12 years old. I don't think it's the walls because a couple years ago I got this loaner laptop (PC) with built in wireless and worked well then. Of course we didn't have as much stuff in that room where the router is (didn't even own a Mac then). I'm going to continue to try different areas of the house and see what happens and try different settings. Hopefully we can get this working, if not I'll just have to go hard wire, but it would be nice to have wireless with the iBook.




Thanks for all the help!

 

[mad jew]

I'm also going to change the channel. Just went into the routers admin panel and saw it in there.

Excellent. Choosing the right channel is really a case of trial-and-error. Most generic AirPort widgets will show you what channels are being used in the area but there are other factors on top of interfering wireless networks to consider. Just play around with it for a few days on different channels to see if it gets any better. Good luck.