Failing/ed imac crt antenna or failed airport card?

Question

Hardware Overview:
Machine Model: iMac
CPU Type: PowerPC 750 (33.11)
Number Of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 700 MHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 256 KB
Memory: 512 MB
Bus Speed: 100 MHz
Boot ROM Version: 4.1.9f1
Serial Number: YM1360GRLFD
running on dsl via airport. airport signal started to fail intermittently after a few minutes. this started after son got a power book after his crt with airport failed on an oldert crt model.
called mac asssistance and for a fee they could not help me other than the old move/turn off the portable phones. the thing always worked before with the portable phones nearby so they suggested "external" interference. I asked about airport extreme and they said yeah, try that, more robust at zeroing in on frequency. bought airport extreme after first consulting genius at genius bar in clarendon who assured me it is the built in antenna not the airport card. he had no airport card on hand to test my computer (does not do obsolete thank you). he was flip and certain and suggested i just junk the thing since the repair is very expensive or try an external antenna from quickertech which apparently does not exist (antenna not company). i can get signal using ethernet connection and can get the airport to work sometimes when the computer is cold. as the session contnues, the signal fades and stops. i am exasperated that mac has dropped support for this product so soon after it made them millions. anybody had the same problem and found a solution? otherwise my next step is the repair facility. this is a sweet machine not going to a dumpster in the name of conspicuous consumption.

Answer 1

This is a duplicate post. I replied to your other post last week and you didn't respond to that reply. Basically i said there that I have never heard of the antenna failing in an apple computer. A solution however may be an external ethernet wireless bridge since they have an external antenna. Perhaps others have more to add though.
Did you actually try turning off any nearby phones? You seem to dismiss the idea because it always worked before, but they could be contributing to interference, or someone elses phone could be. What about moving the computer? Does it help if the computer is closer to the base station?
Dropped support so soon? Airport hasn't been made in a couple of years now, and its not like its not supported at all, they just don't make them at all. Apple is glad to help you if you pay them for the privelege, same as for every other product they make. All the software they amke works with it just fine, which is kind fo the definition of supporting the technology.