Powerbook Terrible WiFi reception.

[bigevilalien]

My dad recently put in a new wireless router (a D-Link 802.11n model) at my house. My aluminum 12" powerbook with an airport extreme card suddenly gets much worse reception at home than ever before (previously with a 2Wire 802.11b model). The problem isn't so much speed or reliability when I'm connected, but the range. I used to be able to get a connection on the second floor (the router is in the basement, right where the old one always was) but now I can only connect at my kitchen table, one floor directly above the router. I can't even connect when I'm in the basement. What am I doing wrong? What can I do to fix this, if anything?

Please help! Thanks.

 

[steeler]

My experience with the Powerbook is that the reception was never stellar, but with the router in the right spot, I can get reception everywhere in the house.

You say that the Powerbook is suddenly having reception problems, but based on your post, the more likely scenario is a difference between the old and new routers. Even at the same physical location, the signal strength output could be different. I'm not familiar with those models, but the included antennas are probably different and if they aren't aimed properly, it could create dead spots.

Example: At one time, I had a wireless router at my on top of a PC that has a metal case (the PC was on the floor). My reception was very poor once I was more than about 10 feet from the router. I moved the PC to the other end of the desk and put the router on the desk. Now my reception is much better everywhere in the house.

So think about what appliances or metal objects might be between you and the router when you're unable to access it. They could be causing problems. I realize that the new router is in the same location as the old, but they are not the same model and could easily behave differently. I've also experienced horrible reception in homes where the walls/ceilings are lath and plaster (older homes) instead of drywall.