Is MBP airport card replaceable? i get poor signal

[cRuNcHiE]

I have a 2.33Ghz Macbook pro and ive always had problems connecting to the wireless router downstairs but had always put this down to being thick walls in our old house.

Yet i have since found that my PS3 connects to it with 3/4 signal and last week i got a SR Macbook and that connects to it with full signal.

Are the MBP just bad at receiving due to the casing or something?
Can i replace the card with a newer card that has better reception or is it soldered onto the mainboard?


cheers

crunchie

 

[UltraNEO*]

I have a 2.33Ghz Macbook pro and ive always had problems connecting to the wireless router downstairs but had always put this down to being thick walls in our old house.

Yet i have since found that my PS3 connects to it with 3/4 signal and last week i got a SR Macbook and that connects to it with full signal.

Are the MBP just bad at receiving due to the casing or something?
Can i replace the card with a newer card that has better reception or is it soldered onto the mainboard?


cheers

crunchie

It's in a 'special' slot/socket, located on the left side of the keyboard.. You can replace it, with ease. If you know how to change the HD, then you can change the AirPort card too, it's pretty much next to it. Yours might look different...perhaps shield with metal.

 

[cRuNcHiE]

Ok thanks, so that brings me to the next question, is there a list of hardware ids or something to ensure i dont buy the exact same card?
I presume there are different cards used in the more modern macbook etc and thats why its better?

all i can see in profiler is
Wireless Card Type: AirPort Extreme
Wireless Card Locale: Worldwide
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 1.3.2

 

[UltraNEO*]

Ok thanks, so that brings me to the next question, is there a list of hardware ids or something to ensure i dont buy the exact same card?
I presume there are different cards used in the more modern macbook etc and thats why its better?

all i can see in profiler is
Wireless Card Type: AirPort Extreme
Wireless Card Locale: Worldwide
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 1.3.2

Those internal cards ain't available off the shelf, Apple doesn't sell them and if you return your machine to Apple, they will only replace it with a identical unit. However, if you hunt around on ebay or on this site's market place. Perhaps you'll find someone who's selling their MBP as spares.

Mine says:

Wireless Card Type: AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87)
Wireless Card Locale: Worldwide
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 1.3.2
Current Wireless Network: AirPort is currently turned off

 

[cRuNcHiE]

My Macbook pro doesnt show the address in the description.

but it has this kext loaded (atheros)
AirPortAtheros:

Version: 3.1.1
Last Modified: 10/10/2007 05:48
Get Info String: 3.1.1, Copyright © 2006–2007 Apple Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Location: /System/Library/Extensions/IO80211Family.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AirPortAtheros.kext
kext Version: 311.32.2
Load Address: 0x34edd000
Valid: Yes
Authentic: Yes
Dependencies: Satisfied
Integrity: Kext has no receipt





However my macbook says Airport extreme (0x14e4, 0x88)
with this extension loaded

AppleAirPortBrcm4311:

Version: 3.1.1
Last Modified: 19/10/2007 05:55
Get Info String: 3.1.1, Copyright © 2006–2008 Apple Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Location: /System/Library/Extensions/IO80211Family.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleAirPortBrcm4311.kext
kext Version: 311.46.32
Load Address: 0x66d9e000
Valid: Yes
Authentic: Yes
Dependencies: Satisfied
Integrity: Kext has no receipt


So, are the cards in the MBP a standard mini pci size or different? if its standard i should just be able to get any BCM43xx card?

 

[cRuNcHiE]

Bingo, solved my own problem i think!

A dell 1505 wireless card has a broadcom 4321 chipset and should work fine.

I'll report back once it turns up from the USA>UK

 

[rayjay]

Did you manage to sort this?

I've been suffering the same problem. A G4 iMac a couple of feet away from where I usually use my MBP never drops its connection: over recent weeks the MBP has been getting worse and worse. And it's all so erratic. One minute it's fine; the next the signal's gone. Sometimes I reconnect at once; sometimes it takes half an hour or more. Sometimes InternetConnect can see the base station even if it's not connected; sometimes it can't. One suggestion was a poor connection to the antenna, but the signal variation doesn't seem to relate in any way to movement of the MBP.

I'd be very interested to know if a new card solved your problem.