Strange Airport problem. Any idea?

Hello to everyone.
I got a little problem with wirless connection on a Macbook (2Ghz Core
2 duo and Leopard 10.5.1): this Mac it seems to see just 2 wireless
networks while 2 other macs can see 4 networks. Obviously my network
is one of those he can't see
I tried using both an Airport Extreme or Express network (i bought
both) but had no success. I have to say that one day for a few hours
he joined my network successfully but lost the signal without any
reason in a few minutes and never saw it again.
I tried to remove anypassword but the problem here is that he simply
can't find the network on his list. But i swear, the network works
good and the problem is on the mac side.

Just to clarify, i have no problem to join those Apple networks with
an older Macbook (Core duo with Leopard 10.5.1) or with a Powerbook
(Panther). Never had a problem with them.

The first Mac, the one that can't join my apple networks, as i wrote
can always see 2 other networks (but i can't try to join them as they
are protected).
I thought that maybe there's an hardware issue here, with a wireless
card that is not properly working.
Do you agree?

In article
<b3ee8f77-c881-4f9b-b2fe->,
Simone <> wrote:

> Hello to everyone.
> I got a little problem with wirless connection on a Macbook (2Ghz Core
> 2 duo and Leopard 10.5.1): this Mac it seems to see just 2 wireless
> networks while 2 other macs can see 4 networks. Obviously my network
> is one of those he can't see
> I tried using both an Airport Extreme or Express network (i bought
> both) but had no success. I have to say that one day for a few hours
> he joined my network successfully but lost the signal without any
> reason in a few minutes and never saw it again.
> I tried to remove anypassword but the problem here is that he simply
> can't find the network on his list. But i swear, the network works
> good and the problem is on the mac side.
>
> Just to clarify, i have no problem to join those Apple networks with
> an older Macbook (Core duo with Leopard 10.5.1) or with a Powerbook
> (Panther). Never had a problem with them.
>
> The first Mac, the one that can't join my apple networks, as i wrote
> can always see 2 other networks (but i can't try to join them as they
> are protected).
> I thought that maybe there's an hardware issue here, with a wireless
> card that is not properly working.
> Do you agree?

Perhaps.

You don't say if he was moving around at all when he found then lost the
signal. A few inches can be all it takes to move into a "dead zone".

You make no mention of the remote system's position and/or line of sight
to the base. This can be critical.

Obstacles (walls, trees, the furnace or washing machine in the hall
closet between the base and the remote system, even human or pet bodies)
can also cause problems. Aluminum siding on the house, or foil-backed
insulation in the walls can almost completely kill reception. While is
isn't "usual", even a wire or piece of plumbing in the wall between the
base and the remote machine CAN, and sometimes DOES make a "dead spot"
at the remote machine's location.

And of course, distance is a factor - Is the remote machine in the same
house? Across the street? Somewhere else?

As you can see, there are several possibilities that don't include "bad
card", and until you eliminate them, you might go through several new
(and perfectly good) wireless cards and still have the same trouble.

Another thing to look at is what channels the various networks are on -
They can interfere with each other in various ways.

--
Don Bruder - - If your "From:" address isn't on my whitelist,
or the subject of the message doesn't contain the exact text "PopperAndShadow"
somewhere, any message sent to this address will go in the garbage without my
ever knowing it arrived. Sorry... <http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd> for more info

Don Bruder wrote:
> You don't say if he was moving around at all when he found then lost the
> signal. A few inches can be all it takes to move into a "dead zone".
>
> You make no mention of the remote system's position and/or line of sight
> to the base. This can be critical.
>
> Obstacles (walls, trees, the furnace or washing machine in the hall
> closet between the base and the remote system, even human or pet bodies)
> can also cause problems. Aluminum siding on the house, or foil-backed
> insulation in the walls can almost completely kill reception. While is
> isn't "usual", even a wire or piece of plumbing in the wall between the
> base and the remote machine CAN, and sometimes DOES make a "dead spot"
> at the remote machine's location.

Two other points.

One is that wood is transparent to WiFi, but the glue
used with wood is not. So chipboard, particleboard and plywood block
WiFi signals along with paper.

The other is that polarization of the signals is important. Sometimes
by moving an antenna from horizontal to vertical will improve the
signal significantly. This assumes of course, you have antennas
to move. :-)

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

Well you're right i wrote less than I should.

1) Airport Express and Extreme are not working toghter. I have both
but use just one (the other one was just for testing the issue).

2) The Airport Express/extreme is in the same room of the 3 macs.
Sometimes the macbook having the issue stays closer than the other
two. I mean it is not a wall/distance problem i put the macbook close
to the base or far away but that didn't changed the results. I know he
should see the network but it doesn't. Even more: i had my macboot
(the one working) on my lap and I saw 4 networks my friend being sat
next to me with the faulty one he just saw 2 networks and we stayed
there for 30 minutes.

You're right i am risking to change the card and still not seeing the
network. but what else do I have to do to try to fix this?

On 16 Dic, 15:19, g...@mendelson.com (Geoffrey S. Mendelson) wrote:
> Don Bruder wrote:
> > You don't say if he was moving around at all when he found then lost the
> > signal. A few inches can be all it takes to move into a "dead zone".
>
> > You make no mention of the remote system's position and/or line of sight
> > to the base. This can be critical.
>
> > Obstacles (walls, trees, the furnace or washing machine in the hall
> > closet between the base and the remote system, even human or pet bodies)
> > can also cause problems. Aluminum siding on the house, or foil-backed
> > insulation in the walls can almost completely kill reception. While is
> > isn't "usual", even a wire or piece of plumbing in the wall between the
> > base and the remote machine CAN, and sometimes DOES make a "dead spot"
> > at the remote machine's location.
>
> Two other points.
>
> One is that wood is transparent to WiFi, but the glue
> used with wood is not. So chipboard, particleboard and plywood block
> WiFi signals along with paper.
>
> The other is that polarization of the signals is important. Sometimes
> by moving an antenna from horizontal to vertical will improve the
> signal significantly. This assumes of course, you have antennas
> to move. :-)
>
> Geoff.
>
> --
> Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel g...@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM
> IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
> Visit my 'blog athttp://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

In article
<00bc5958-3b73-4367-8191->
,
Simone <> wrote:

> Well you're right i wrote less than I should.
>
> 1) Airport Express and Extreme are not working toghter. I have both
> but use just one (the other one was just for testing the issue).
>
> 2) The Airport Express/extreme is in the same room of the 3 macs.
> Sometimes the macbook having the issue stays closer than the other
> two. I mean it is not a wall/distance problem i put the macbook close
> to the base or far away but that didn't changed the results. I know he
> should see the network but it doesn't. Even more: i had my macboot
> (the one working) on my lap and I saw 4 networks my friend being sat
> next to me with the faulty one he just saw 2 networks and we stayed
> there for 30 minutes.
>
> You're right i am risking to change the card and still not seeing the
> network. but what else do I have to do to try to fix this?
>
> On 16 Dic, 15:19, g...@mendelson.com (Geoffrey S. Mendelson) wrote:
> > Don Bruder wrote:
> > > You don't say if he was moving around at all when he found then lost the
> > > signal. A few inches can be all it takes to move into a "dead zone".
> >
> > > You make no mention of the remote system's position and/or line of sight
> > > to the base. This can be critical.
> >
> > > Obstacles (walls, trees, the furnace or washing machine in the hall
> > > closet between the base and the remote system, even human or pet bodies)
> > > can also cause problems. Aluminum siding on the house, or foil-backed
> > > insulation in the walls can almost completely kill reception. While is
> > > isn't "usual", even a wire or piece of plumbing in the wall between the
> > > base and the remote machine CAN, and sometimes DOES make a "dead spot"
> > > at the remote machine's location.
> >
> > Two other points.
> >
> > One is that wood is transparent to WiFi, but the glue
> > used with wood is not. So chipboard, particleboard and plywood block
> > WiFi signals along with paper.
> >
> > The other is that polarization of the signals is important. Sometimes
> > by moving an antenna from horizontal to vertical will improve the
> > signal significantly. This assumes of course, you have antennas
> > to move. :-)
> >
> > Geoff.
> >
> > --
> > Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel g...@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM
> > IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
> > Visit my 'blog athttp://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

Get a copy of "AP Grapher"
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/19621
and see if it sees your wifi base station(s).

You can also use "AP Grapher" on your other Airport equiped Macs
to see what they think of the wifi signal strength.

It sounds to me like an antenna not connected to the wifi inside
the MacBook.

Is this a relatively new MacBook which is still under warranty?
You may want to take it in for service.

Bob Harris