[Tfug] Wireless

[Jim Secan]

This appears to be a rather generic problem.  I'm running a Mac network at
home that uses Apple's base station for the wireless part of the network.
The "signal strength", and the ability to connect and download through the
wireless link, from a Mac located about 40' away from the base station
across a courtyard varies throughout the day with no discernable
correlation with ANYTHING else (air temperature, rain, wind,
dog-in-the-yard, sliding doors open or closed, etc).  Drives me crazy, but
I don't know that much can be done about it other than directional antennas
or other ways to effectively boost the signal strength on either end.  

The base station runs 802.11g and 802.11n, the Mac runs only 802.11g.  When
I put a Mac laptop that can "speak" 802.11n in the same room, I do get
better connections (and I should certainly hope so!).  However, when I was
working using my laptop in that room a few months ago I noticed that the
signal strength (or whatever Apple's wireless icon really means by its
bars) varied over time for no particular reason.

Fine wires and magic not to be understood by mere mortals.

Jim

At 11:35 AM 02/10/2008 -0700, you wrote:
>On Feb 9, 2008 10:33 AM, Bexley Hall <bexley401 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I'm having some "issues" with my wireless
>> connection   :<
>>
>> At times, performance seems "adequate";
>> at others, it's like a cable is unplugged!
>> (figuratively)
>
>Sounds exactly like the symptoms my wife has.   She is wireless and I
>am directly connected. At times she comes in and says I  can't get to
>the network.   I fire up my notebook and connect straight away.  But
>hers is still not seeing our network.  It does see  some weak networks
>in the neighborhood .
>
>Rebooting does not help, moving the notebook near the AP will get the
>connection reestablished.
>
>I am beginning to think. OK grasping at straws, that the problem is
>related ti the auto down-shift of speed.  Different vendors have
>slight differences in implementation of the speed shit protocol and
>does not play will with out of connections.
>
>I am searching out a new access point so that it is the same brand as
>in the notebook to see if the problems goes away.
>
>TR
>
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| Jim Secan           | Northwest Research Assoc, Inc |
| (jim at nwra.com)      | 2455 E. Speedway, Suite 204   |
| (520) 319-7773      | Tucson, Arizona 85719         |
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