G4 powerbook gets airport reception, g3 doesn't

hi everyone,
we have one G4 powerbook and one G3 powerbook, and an airport express. the G4 runs 10.4.2 and the G3 10.3.9. yesterday i set a password for the network, because i realized we could connect using two other networks in our building, and when i tried to change the settings on the G3 as well, it wouldn't find the network anymore. the G3 connects fine to our neighbour's network (thin walls...) but not to our own. i tried plugging and unplugging, renaming the network, putting the G3 right next to the ae, updating airport software, fixing permissions, but nothing works. it simply never recognizes the ae anymore. the light is green, and the G4 connects fine. i've removed the password option again, in case that was causing problems.
can anyone please help? we can't keep using the neighbour's network!
thanks so much
alexandra

Alexandra,
That is very interesting. I used to have a DSL modem that required connection of the Airport base station with PPPOE (which means Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet). It is what some ISP's use to emulate a dial-up connection (the PPP part) using a DSL line.
You should not be using PPPOE for your connection to the Airport Express with the Powerbooks, though. Once the Airport Express makes the connection with your DSL modem via PPPOE (over an Ethernet line), it should be set up to hand out normal TCP/IP addresses via DHCP to wireless clients. Use Airport Admin Utility to set that up. But since you got it working, I guess it is best not to mess with it until you again have a problem.
By the way, PPPOE often reduces the message size to 1492 bytes instead of 1500, which is the Ethernet standard. If you find you are having problems with certain web sites (they seem to lock up), you need to look into changing that. However, there is no easy way to do it for Airport. I have a utility that I used before I dumped the lousy PPPOE modem for a cable modem. You can download it from my iDisk public folder on .mac (sr_phillips) if you need it. There is a disk image there containing the Applescripts and a text document that explains how to use it and why it is needed with PPPOE. Use the "GO" menu to iDisk and select "Other user's public folder".
Thanks for reporting back.
Steve

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http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=3694890#3694890
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Me and this Mac Mini are not getting on at all.
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Open Terminal and type
ping -c 30 <your router IP address>
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PING 192.168.1.1 (192.168.1.1): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=0 ttl=64 time=167.164 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=120.104 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=73.494 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=26.472 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=4 ttl=64 time=1.452 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=5 ttl=64 time=1.475 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=6 ttl=64 time=4.092 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=7 ttl=64 time=2.442 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=8 ttl=64 time=1.459 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=9 ttl=64 time=1.532 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=10 ttl=64 time=250.869 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=11 ttl=64 time=221.416 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=12 ttl=64 time=175.034 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=13 ttl=64 time=128.510 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=14 ttl=64 time=1.439 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=15 ttl=64 time=1.466 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=16 ttl=64 time=1.472 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=17 ttl=64 time=1.538 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=18 ttl=64 time=1.496 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=19 ttl=64 time=1.502 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=20 ttl=64 time=249.518 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=21 ttl=64 time=202.338 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=22 ttl=64 time=155.823 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=23 ttl=64 time=112.687 ms
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Poor airport reception

I'm getting terrible airport reception. Yesterday I was in a room with two other powerbooks and they both got great reception and I couldn't stay connected for more than ten seconds. This is not the first time. Here in my office I can't use my powerbook wireless but other people can. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance. Oh, I have a powerbook 15 inch, 1.25 Ghz.
Rick Bursky
PowerBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.3)

I haven't any suggestions, but I seem to have exactly the same problem with my new powerbook. I can't achieve anything like the reception quality that I am getting from my 12 inch Powerbook. I virtually have to be in the same room as the base station to get decent reception, whereas I can use my 12 in ch powerbook anywhere in the house or garden.
I'm getting terrible airport reception. Yesterday I
was in a room with two other powerbooks and they both
got great reception and I couldn't stay connected for
more than ten seconds. This is not the first time.
Here in my office I can't use my powerbook wireless
but other people can. Anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks in advance. Oh, I have a powerbook 15 inch,
1.25 Ghz.
Rick Bursky
PowerBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.3)
1.67GHz Powerbook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.3)

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Has anyone found a way to truly improve the antenna function? It does improve for a short while if a press the sides of the battery cavitity, but this is not workable if I am unplugged.

Being line of sight does not necessarily mean good comms. If you're in the wrong spot with the wrong conditions you can get 'destructive interference' - the same signal traveling over multiple paths can be added together and cancel out the signal - That's how noise reducing headphones work!However if you can move the Powerbook around and still get the issue then the problem lies elsewhere....
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Hi,
I am having the same issue with my iBook G4, it has terrible airport reception, however I am using an airport extreme card which I installed about 2 years back when I got the iBook.
My boyfriend gets excellent reception on his (PC) laptop but using MacStumbler signal strength is only about 25-35 on my iBook.
Other factors:
The reception is just as bad for me on other networks (for example at my boyfriends house I have to virtually sit on top of the router to get reception and even then its dodgy and drops out all the time.
I have removed the Aiport Extreme card, cleaned it and put it back in and re-connected the ariel cable.
I have downloaded the latest software updates.
I have 2 routers (in a 1 bedroom flat!!!) I thought this might improve things, so I have a Belkin (I think) wireless modem/router in the hall AND an Airport Extreme base station in the living room acting as a bridge. Not a great deal of improvement was seen.
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Wreched airport reception: Resolution?

Ok, since the Wretched Airport Reception thread is now 435 posts long, it's getting hard to waid through. Bottom line, what is the resolution at this point?
Link to thread: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=387407&tstart=0

Well, unlike those of us on the other side of the Atlantic, where consumer rights tend to be rather limited, you, in the UK, have the law to protect you and provide at least some route to have the problem resolved.
UK law requires that when something is sold by a retailer, it must be of merchantable quality, be fit for purpose and do what it is supposed to do. In this instance, since Airport is fitted to the mini by Apple as a standard component, the law requires that it work so that you, the consumer, can take advantage of the equipment you have paid for. Many people get told things like "it's just one of those things", but it is not.
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The Sale of Goods Act gives you redress, not against the manufacturer because otherwise they and the retailer would just bat you back and forth between them until you give up, but against the retailer who sold you the item. Your claim is therefore against them.
I would suggest that you contact the vendor again and state that the problem is not resolved and shows no sign of being resolved, and ask that they make a clear statement to you of their intentions regarding ensuring that you have a product which is fit for purpose. If they try and fob you off with claims that Apple are difficult to deal with in getting faults sorted out, tell them that even if true, that's their problem, not yours. If they don't offer a replacement or a refund (they can't require you to accept a store credit note or anything that ties you to repurchase from them), note down what they say, ask with whom you are speaking and note that. Tell them that you have no alternative than to refer the matter to Trading Standards since you are not satisfied with the outcome and have a system which has cost you the same as everyone else's but has a fundamental defect. If that threat doesn't work (and it often does) then contact the Trading Standards office in your area and discuss the case. They can and should take the matter up on your behalf with the vendor, and they will not be at all likely to accept excuses, nor give any credence to the supposition that 'difficult' manufacturer service has any part to play in resolving the matter for you. That's the vendors problem, not yours.... and is not particularly true in any event as far as Apple is concerned.
Customers DO deserve to get what they pay for, and the law in the UK is intended to ensure that it happens.

Can't get Airport Express to work with Windows

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Thanks for any help.

You don't necessarily need the AirPort Setup
Assistant, you should be able to set up the AirPort
Express Base Station (AX) with the AirPort Admin
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need to make sure that you are using the version for Windows. At this
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Windows 2000 or XP. A Vista-version has not been
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I suggest the following...
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it back to it's original "out-of-the-box" state.
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if you are using a Netgear B, the connection will be slower because you are serving up B speed, not G or N speed. Try getting a faster router...

Ibook G4 1ghz airport reception problems

hello,
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It is out of warranty. Goes to show you that you should test every poosible thing that could not work before your warranty expires, especially seeing as how 50% of Apple products lately seem to have a major defect.

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