Why do two similar MB Pros have different AirPort characteristics?

[pandabearjohnso]

My wife's very early 15" MB Pro (originally shipped w/ Tiger, maybe 2006?) gets better WiFi reception than my March 2008 15' MB Pro. Any ideas why?

Here are the details: we have a lot of 2.4 GHz pollution in out little apartment; other apts' wifi, cordless phone, microwave, and (the worst offender) a video baby monitor. When the baby monitor is on my MB Pro cannot receive a good enough AirPort signal to go online, but my wife's older MB Pro works fine. Needless to say this annoys the s*&% out of me.

Even more so because our last set of computers had the same relationship. Her 15" PowerBook G4 could get a working signal, but my 12" PB G4 couldn't.

Both of our computers are running 10.6.5, although the situation was the same when her MB Pro was still running 10.4.11 (and Interference Robustness was checked).

By the way, what happened to Interference Robustness? I know many people didn't think it did anything, but it worked wonders in our apartment.

Also, is there a better AirPort card I can install in my MB Pro?

Thanks

 

[NickZac]

Electronic interference screws with a lot of things in a bizarre manner and can affect identical items differently. Let me ask you this. Do you keep your cell phone really close to your computer? Do you have speakers right next to your laptop?

Your signal is not going to get better with the changes to the computer but changes to the interference causes. Are your phones DECT6.0? Newer phones, baby monitors, walkies, intercoms, etc. cause far less interference than before.

 

[WardC]

You might try changing your AirPort router channel to Channel 11. Everything else normally communicates on Channel 5 or 6 by default. Changing to Channel 11 might help with your interference problems.

Good luck.

 

[pandabearjohnso]

No, I don't think the cell phones have anything to do with it as we both usually leave our phones on the same shelf away from the computers. Also, it doesn't matter where in the apt we are; her computer gets the signal, mine doesn't.

Unfortunately the baby monitor is only 18 months old and at about $300 I don't think we'll be getting another one. Oddly, even the camera transmitter (in the baby's bedroom) can interfere w/ my computer when I use it in the living room even though our WiFi router (located in the living room) isn't powerful enough to reach the baby's room. I wish I had run LAN cables to all the rooms in the house then I could use an IP video camera. DOH!

 

[NickZac]

As I said, electronic interference is weird and can affect the same products in a completely different manner making electronic interference as frustrating as golf.