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Mac Pro 3.2 Quad --Weak wireless connection

B

butch10x

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 30, 2010
125
137
Hello,

I'm curious to see if people with the new Mac Pros are having issues with internet speeds via wireless connection. I have a MBP that registered 20MBits.

Mac Pro registers at 2MBits.

Do all of you connect via a hard cable? I have not seen any threads on this as of late with the new Mac Pros.

I've moved the router in a few locations with no improvements in speed. Is there any insight on this.

Thanks
 
I used to get fine speeds when these towers had external antennas. Now that they're internal, I feared that the reception would worsen. Looks like my fears have materialized.
 
typecase said:
I used to get fine speeds when these towers had external antennas. Now that they're internal, I feared that the reception would worsen. Looks like my fears have materialized.
Click to expand...


MPs reception have been ***** poor since 1.1. Apple have had 4 years to rectify the problem...without success...


It really is a disgrace. You get 1 bar when a Macbook gets 3 etc...
 
What kind of router? Dual band by chance?

I was having issues maintaining a signal on the 5 GHz frequency. I switched to my 2.4 GHz network and haven't had an issue since (passing through 4 walls, max signal).
 
The WiFi antenna on the Mac Pro is on the bottom of the chassis (where the rectangular piece of gray plastic is). So yeah it's a pretty poor location for an antenna seeing it is surround by metal.

And it's been like this for ages.
 
Also, are you sure it's your signal?

That doesn't seem right unless you were suffering some serious packet loss.

Wi-Fi connections are way faster than what your ISP can provide. Your signal doesn't usually doesn't impact your download speed that badly unless some significant interference is happening. You weren't downloading something else at the same time were you (either same machine or another on the network)? What did you use to test your speed? Vacuuming by chance?
 
Oh and another question: is your Pro on the floor or on a desk/table/stand?

I ask because the antenna is on the bottom of the tower. So if your router is physically elevated higher than the Pro, the signal has a weaker connection angle (has that extra metal to penetrate).
 
ok, to answer some questions.

I am using the Apple Airport Extreme. I switched to this thinking my Linksys was a problem. Airport Extreme works like a charm with the 3 laptops in house. All laptops are registering 20 mbits/s.

My Mac Pro sits on a carpet floor under my Ikea desk (Galant large).

The Apple Airport Extreme sits about 2 feet up off the floor. So yes, it is dual band.

Signal on Notebooks are are full INCLUDING the Mac Pro.


My Iphone 4 picks up the signal at full and works like a charm when using the internet.


Some things I'm gonna try today:

1) Going to hardwire an ethernet cable to see if it will give me the fast speed. Cable will run through hallway and into the room. (Hence why im trying to go the wireless route)

If that works, try to figure out wireless solutions:

2) Elevate the rig to sit on top on desk.

3) Maybe try an Airport Express to boost signal around rig when sitting on floor.

4) Cry


Recources I used:
Speedtest.net to measure DL and UL speeds including ping

Thanks for the insights.
 
OK!

So I positioned the Airport Extreme about 4 ft away from the Mac Pro and VIOLA! 20+ Mbits/s!

I used a long ethernet cable from modem to Airport Extreme to do run the test.

So I will be trying the Airport Express hooked up next to the rig today since having a long ethenet cable running thru home isnt the best solution. Will post to see if it works.

Inc dollars to Apple Inc again, sigh.
 
I use two AirPort Express with wireless N at 5 GHz. One is upstairs and it bridge the connection from the office downstairs. I get full bars this way, and a connection of 9.61Mb/s Down and 1.83Mb/s Up. Hopefully I get the same on my Mac Pro when it gets here, as I have no way to run a cable from downstairs to my bedroom.

I guess I could always run a cat6 from the bridge straight to the tower though.
 
I have an 09 model with WiFi and I always have five bars connected to a Time Capsule about 20 feet away.
 
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