[ManaLow]

Hi, all - I am on a home wireless network - qwest dsl, 2Wire modem with onboard wireless. My PowerBook running 10.4.11 accesses the network just fine. Across the table is a two month old MacBook 2.2 core duo 2 running 10.5.2 with all the recent Apple updates. The MB worked fine, no wireless/airport problems until this evening - no new software/updates for a week or so. Now it intermittently drops the wireless internet connection, will not auto reconnect, and seems slow when connected (PB stays connected and zippy). The connection is very brief, a minute at most. After relaunching airport the network scan often chooses one of the neighbors' networks instead of my default, top-of-list WEP net. Forcing it onto my WEP net with password does not make the connection last or fast.

I have tried the old faithfuls: Quit/relaunch airport. Restart computer. Repair permissions - but it would not finish the repair. The fans spun up and up. I stopped the repair at about 25% and shut down for the night.

Tomorrow I will try to make a backup and then see if the permission repair will proceed - for an hour if needed.

Any thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

[ManaLow]

OK, Got the permission repair to complete. There were a bunch of iChat ACL items in the correction list, and some private/var files. Nothing related to network, though. On the bright side, the network seems to stay connected. Just a fluke?
I don't know!

Now I am trying to backup the library (already did the user folder) and get pane which says there is not enough room (if the folder sizes are correct, then there is plenty of room on the external drive) and asks if I want to continue. I click yes, it asks for the password and copies on its merry way. Is that size pane a bug?

PS, the MacBook is more like 5 mos old. Not the 2 months I reported in the orig post. My bad. Time flys like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

ManaLow

[wgood]

As has been shared in other articles, repairing permissions does nothing for this sort of thing.

I see you're using a modem/router combination. Have you tried a different encryption method? WPA or even WPA2 is generally recommended over WEP, and often these new standards have a different method of sending an encryption key. TKIP and PSK (Preshared key, I believe). While I can't tell you difference between the two, they have made a difference on the networks I have fixed with problems.

Silly question when dealing with Wireless, but have you tried connecting directly to the network with Ethernet?

[ManaLow]

Thanks, wgood - Let's just say that the permissions needed repairing anyway, and that the network connection appears to have resolved itself for now. I am betting on the multuple restarts, but that's only a guess.

I just don't have the energy right now to change over the encryption on several cpu's on this net. But your advice is well taken and I will get to it when I get a minute.

The direct connection was going to be my next step. Although the modem is not easily accessible. But that would be a good test to see if the MB airport is properly working. I forgot to mention that I also rebooted the modem when the problems started. That did not help.

I will mark the question as answered and mark your reply with a helpful tag! Thanks again.

ManaLow

[ManaLow]

Not your fault, wgood. Thanks again for earlier responses.
I am bumping this to see if others will respond, or if you have more ideas.
How do I uncheck the "Answered" designation?

Original problem still exists:

PowerBook (10.4.11) and MacBook(10.5.2) are 15 feet from the Qwest/2Wire Modem with onboard wireless.
PB and MB are back to back on a table.
A PC is about 30 feet from the modem.
All connect via WEP 128 bit encryption.

PB and PC maintain steady connection.
MB drops the connection intermittently either during browser or mail operation.
MB drops the connection if moved away from table and closer to the modem.
Connection can be reestablished by toggling onboard AirPort off/on from Menu Bar.
MB connection was steady until last week.

I rebooted the modem and restarted the MB several times. Problem persists
The MacBook maintains steady connection with ethernet cable.
When the wireless connection drops, the signal bar in menu still shows strong signal, but the browser "no longer connected" error message appears
The connection sometimes restarts itself after 5 or 10 minutes.
A bunch of new wireless networks are appearing in the Airport scan list.

Could this be an antenna or airport problem in the MB?
I do not believe this is a WEP vs WAP or other encryption problem unless 10.5 has some sensitivity issue.

How can I test?

Thanks for any comments.

[ManaLow]

Wow! Go to the Apple.com discussions MacBook forum and see all the threads on MacBooks dropping the connection. This goes all the way back to 2006 and the first Intel portables. No definitive solutions, but it seems to be that the hardware is too sensitive so gets confused when there are lots of local networks to choose from. Configuring wireless router and MacBook to fixed channel instead of automatic helps some.

ManaLow

[rickcarl]

Any chance you are not in the U.S., say U.K., which has different wireless channels than U.S.? The auto wifi setting may be bumping you to a contrary channel or, if you're in the U.S., some new interference has developed around your auto channel. Set it to channel 1 and see if that helps.

[ManaLow]

Thank you rickcarl- I am in the USA, Seattle area. My 2Wire modem is set for channel 1. I thought there was anOS10.5.2 network pref where I can set the MacBook to accept only a particular channel, but I cannot find it. I will try changing the modem channel to other numbers. Maybe there is a channel "away" from the other networks.

The MacBook detects at least 7 different networks at most times, sometimes as many as 9. The PowerBook sees only 3 or 4. It could be that all these neighboring modems default to channel 1 and none is reset to another channel.

ManaLow

[rickcarl]

ManaLow wrote: I thought there was anOS10.5.2 network pref where I can set the MacBook to accept only a particular channel...


You change the channel in your wireless router - not in the MacBook. For instance, if you have a Linksys wifi, you use the browser address 192.161.1.1 (unless you changed it) to enter the configuration screen. Under wireless, you choose the channel. Google for info on your wifi router or, gasp, read the instruction pdf. :^0 :^0 :^0 If you have a Mac wifi setup, use the Airport Utility in the Applications/Utilities folder to access the configuration.







In the U.S. channels 1-11 are used. Unfortunately most channels ovelap with other common household devices and that causes interference. Your best bets are channels 1, 6, and 11 if your neighbors are not using them too. The 6-9 wifi setups that you see should also tell you which channel they are using. Of course, there are wifi setups that don't broadcast info so you can't know how many additional setups are around you. Set the router and check performance until you find something you like.







My MacBook and Touch receive wifi a lot better than does my PowerBook. I have two wifi setups in my house so I set them at different channels to avoid interference.

[ManaLow]

thanks again - I knew the router channel change process (I did read the manual), I just thought there was an OSX/Airport pref for fixed rather than auto channel config.
ManaLow

[rickcarl]

There is a choice about joining a network. You can select ask first. That keeps the wifi from automatically joining anything out there.



You can use iStumbler to locate all the wifi channels in the area around you to try avoiding them. HTH

[ManaLow]

Yes, I am on Ask First. I will check the 'hood with iStumbler.

Thanks