Airport card questions

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Roger - 29 Jun 2006 14:21 GMT

Hey all, I installed an Airport Extreme card into my iBook G4 about a
month ago, and I've noticed when I'm out and about very often I can pick
up stray signals; they're almost always very intermittent however, even
when I'm stationary--is that everyone's usual experience? Often my
little menu bar indicator will be full when my book awakes from sleep
and then disappear in a few seconds, or sometimes if I walk around with
the ibook the signal strength indicator will fill up completely and then
die to nothing or one or two bars. Is it normal for wireless signals to
be that intermittent, and if so why (or is there something wrong with my
card/ibook)?

Thanks!
Rog

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John Johnson - 29 Jun 2006 14:53 GMT

> Hey all, I installed an Airport Extreme card into my iBook G4 about a
> month ago, and I've noticed when I'm out and about very often I can pick
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> Thanks!
> Rog

dunno if it's normal, but that's exactly what my Albook does.

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Later,
John

johajohn@indianahoosiers.edu

'indiana' is a 'nolnn' and 'hoosier' is a 'solkk'. Indiana doesn't solkk.

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Phil Wheeler - 29 Jun 2006 14:58 GMT

> Hey all, I installed an Airport Extreme card into my iBook G4 about a
> month ago, and I've noticed when I'm out and about very often I can pick
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> be that intermittent, and if so why (or is there something wrong with my
> card/ibook)?

The only good way to test it is to go where you *know* there is a
reliable signal. Even in my home, where I have and control the
network, the signal can vary a bit when I do not move.

If you do not have a wireless network at home, go to a Starbucks
or Border's bookstore. They all have T-Mobile hot spots and you
should see a strong and continuous signal. You don't need an
account to see the signal, just to log on.

Many libraries also have wireless these days .. and generally you
can log on for free.

Phil

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Fred McKenzie - 29 Jun 2006 17:47 GMT

> Hey all, I installed an Airport Extreme card into my iBook G4 about a
> month ago, and I've noticed when I'm out and about very often I can pick
> up stray signals; they're almost always very intermittent however, even
> when I'm stationary--is that everyone's usual experience?

Rog-

Thas is my experience with an old PB G3, an iBook G3 and a PB G4. When
you are "out and about", some signals are coming from a distance and just
happen to come in strong when everything is aligned just right.

You might look for programs like MacStumbler (Classic Stumbler if
applicable) or iStumbler. If you had an Intel, you would need iStumbler.
These programs show all wireless stations in range that are advertising
their presence, and tells how strong they are.

If you consistently have erratic signal strength from several known nearby
base stations, you might have a problem. With a Stumbler program, you
should notice whether some signals are consistently strong while others
aren't.

Fred

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Mac Forum / General / Portable Macs / June 2006

Airport card questions