Range/ Strength of Wireless Connection

Quick Question... How is the Range/Strength for the MBP? does it pick up signal fairly well? im guessing that pretty much depends on how far the signal goes?
Another quick one... If i was to go to a house, and lets say i didnt have wireless there, but a neighbor did (only...20-30ft away? What are the chances of picking up the signal? Does that have to do with the MacBook Pro Wireless or the Wireless Internet Transmitter?
Thanks

Interesting story for sure. Benjamin Smith III was definitely a little creepy hanging out front of the guys car hunched over his laptop and acting so wierd lol. I mean if he just had an emergency and his internet was down he probably could have explained it to the guy lol.
By the same token Richard Dinan is lucky that there is no law against stupidity because he is certainly guilty of it. First for not RTFM and securing his network in the first place, but also for not thinking "Gee maybe I should do that so that the wierd creepy dude outside my house in the car has nothing to hang out for."
I mean really the procedure to add at least some basic security to your wireless network takes minutes and could have prevented that kind of story. At least if the guy had hacked into his secured network he would have a more legitimate claim. Personally I hope he loses the case and learns an important lesson in being a little more careful about leaving the door open and the welcome sign up if he cares that strongly about someone jumping on.

Similar Messages

Strength of wireless connection

I am a long-time Windows user that recently converted to the iMac. I still use a Windows based PC (work related). I tried setting up both a Linksys router (didn't work so I returned) and a Belkin router (it worked but the connection strength from to laptop was pretty poor). So, I sunk the $200 into the Apple Extreme. It was easier to set up, but the connection strength is about the same as the Belkin, which is pretty hideous. I am only talking about 60 feet away, 2 rooms over. From what i understand, the signal should be pretty strong up to 50 feet, i just cant believe it drops off so dramtically. I should note that I used to use this same laptop with my PC (which I replaced with the iMac) and a Lynkys router and I was able to get a very strong signal, much, much stronger than what i get currently.
Are there any settings that i should look at, or is this just an issue between windows and apple?
thanks
Imac Mac OS X (10.4.7)
Imac Mac OS X (10.4.7)
Imac Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Interesting story for sure. Benjamin Smith III was definitely a little creepy hanging out front of the guys car hunched over his laptop and acting so wierd lol. I mean if he just had an emergency and his internet was down he probably could have explained it to the guy lol.
By the same token Richard Dinan is lucky that there is no law against stupidity because he is certainly guilty of it. First for not RTFM and securing his network in the first place, but also for not thinking "Gee maybe I should do that so that the wierd creepy dude outside my house in the car has nothing to hang out for."
I mean really the procedure to add at least some basic security to your wireless network takes minutes and could have prevented that kind of story. At least if the guy had hacked into his secured network he would have a more legitimate claim. Personally I hope he loses the case and learns an important lesson in being a little more careful about leaving the door open and the welcome sign up if he cares that strongly about someone jumping on.

Have a 802.11n time capsule, the range of the wireless network has shrunk down to nothing over last few days. Used to be able to use wireless network anywhere in house, but now can only use in my office. Will not connect to iphones, ipad, itouch, or noteb

Have a 802.11n time capsule, the range of the wireless network has shrunk down to nothing over last few days. Used to be able to use wireless network anywhere in house, but now can only use in my office. Will not connect to iphones, ipad, itouch, or notebook. Worked fine last week, but over weekend just started having issues.

It is very possible that you may have some form of Wi-Fi interference that has appeared recently that is preventing your Time Capsule (TC) from providing a clean RF signal.
I suggest you perform a simple site survey, using utilities like iStumbler, or AirRadar to determine potential areas of interference, and then, try to either eliminate or significantly reduce them where possible. Look for other Wi-Fis that may be operating nearby. Note those with the strongest signals and which channels they are operating on ... then change the channel used by the TC to be at least 3-5 channels away.

When connecting wired my router straight from my internet provider I get speeds in the 90mps range. Now when connecting wired through my airport extreme I get speeds near 10mps. Also when using wireless for my ipad3 I recieve download speeds of .63mps.

When connecting, wired, to my router from my ISP I get speeds in the 90mbps range. Then when connecting, wired, to my Airport Extreme I get speeds of 10mbps. Wirelessly I get download speeds of 6mbps on my laptops and only 1mbs with my Ipad3. I am making sure only one device is sharing the network to make sure to get accurate results. Why are things so slow?

Hi Ty,
First, check with you ISP to see what speed they've promised. In my case, they indicated that the speed should be greater than 50 Mbps. If they say that it should be significantly higher than what your getting, then try the following if you're using Airport Utility v.6.:
1. Open the Airport Utility (Desktop: Command+Shift+U to open Utility Folder, select Airport Utility)
2. Click on the visual representation of the Airport Extreme and then select "Edit" (bottom right corner)
3. When the window opens (to a tab "Base Station"), click on the "Wireless" tab,
-it should have the following options: Network Mode, Wireless Network Name, Wireless Security, Wireless Password, Verify Password, a checkbox with "Enable Guest Network", and a button "Wireless Options..."]
4. Select "Wireless Options", which should open another window with the following options:
5Ghz network name, Country, a checkbox with "Create hidden Network", Radio Mode, 2.4 GHz Channel, and 5 GHz Channel [both of which can stay on "Automatic"]
5. Clicking on "Radio Mode" will bring up a list in which the las option should read:
802.11n only (5Ghz) - 802.11n only (2.4 GHz)
Once you click "Save", your router will blink amber for a little while and then it should work.
Hope this helps. Let me know if it does/doesn't.
DFLovesBikes
p.s. I apologize if the directions were excessively explicit, but I was thinking about my 73 year-old mother trying to follow them, so I erred on the side of making them more understandable. Good luck.

Dear Steve, will anything be done about this wireless connectivity issue?

This is no fun whatsoever....
I am telling you - browsing interenet on iMac is no fun, seriously.
I prepared a quick research for you:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=830426
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=834613
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=831111
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=829204 (I like this one best)
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=827632
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=833593 (although marked as solved - doesn't seem to be true in my and many others' cases)
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=838501
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=822703
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=826128
People, help me in refining this list - did I leave something out?
P.S. I was thinking lately, why, after spending so much money, should I spend several days already, in agregate, trying to understand the issue and how it should be resolved? Have I not paid for not having such problems?

Here is a lot more:
http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/wirelessnetworking/topic4035.html
Highly interesting is the post of J.Exby which i reproduce here:
For months I've not been alone in holding to the notion that the airport client software on Mac OS X 10.4.x has been problematic and unstable in certain (noisy, crowded, channel overlapped) wireless environments. Issues littered around the Internet Mac forums include problems of networks appearing, then disappearing. This is a difficult problem to pin down, given the difficulty of reproducing the conditions that might cause wireless network dropouts.
A major symptom of the problem was seeing the constant messages of:
"An error occurred joining the AirPort network" (Try Again) (Cancel)
when attempting to connect to a wireless network, despite that network being seen, having correct security settings, etc.
Various temporary fixes/ideas floated around the mac community have included:
- reseting pram, nvram and PMU
- installing 10.4 from scratch, instead of 10.3 to 10.4 upgrade process
- Repairing permissions, run Combo updaters, etc
- putting system to sleep or reboot for temporary connection fix
- applying AirPort 2005-001 patch (or not)
- upgrading (or downgrading!) AirPort basestation firmware
- changing AirPort channels
- enabled (or disabling) Interference Robustness
- disabling Bluetooth and BT peripherals
- removing WEP/WPA passwords out of Keychain
- running Keychain First Aid on user/login keychains
- buying new AirPort extreme cards
- replacing AirPort base stations with other vendor hardware, etc.
With the stability of our Windows XP clients now (after driver updates) and the change from Apple base stations to Belkin Wireless Pre-N Router having no appreciable benefit for our Mac notebooks, the OS X AirPort client software suspicions only grew.
During troubleshooting I always have
Applications--->Utilities--->Console
and
iStumbler (96)
running, and I watch output as wireless scans are performed.
From the Terminal I also run:
/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Resources/airport -s
and usually see constant
AirPortScanner WirelessScan error -2013261821 airpInternalErr
messages.
After two days of testing (and fixing?) I am even more convinced there are bugs in the powerpc 10.4.x AirPort Extreme Framework!
This is what I found:
Environment at our office:
- wireless Network A (802.11g channel 1, WPA personal)
- wireless Network B (802.11b channel 6, WEP 40bit ascii)
- wireless Network C (802.11g channel 11, WPA personal)
(WAR-marching around our office exterior shows at least 12 outside wireless networks found at various signal strengths!)
Test systems used:
- iBook G4 (10.3.x and 10.4.5)
- Powerbook G4 (10.4.5)
- Intel iMac (10.4.5)
Primary symptom on iBook: networks not displaying long enough under the AirPort icon/menu (or Internet Connect) to connect to ANY network reliably! Perhaps connect to Network A intermittently, never even see Network C.
iStumbler showing some networks respond to poll, then immediately stagnate/disappear.
Primary symptom on Powerbook: stable connections to Network C most times, difficulty "switching" to Network B or A once moving closer to source. Usually stable "seeing" networks via AirPort menu icon, but still have occasional dropouts (due to fluctuating signal strength or interference?).
Primary symptom on Intel iMac: NO PROBLEMS! Can connect to (and steadily "see") all valid Networks A, B, C !
iStumbler constantly polls all available networks, with no dropouts.
Steps taken:
1. Wipe iBook hard drive, install 10.3 from dvd. AirPort signals unreliable.
1a. Perform all 10.3.x Software updates, Repair Permissions, reboot. AirPort still unreliable.
2. Reset PRAM, nvram, PMU. no improvements.
3. Reseat AirPort Extreme card, ensure antenna is firmly plugged in. AirPort still unreliable.
4. Wipe iBook, install 10.4.3 "fresh" from Full retail version DVD. AirPort still unreliable.
4a. Perform all 10.4.5 Software (combo) updates, Repair Permissions, reboot. AirPort still unreliable.
5. Hold down the Option key, and click on the AirPort icon in the menu bar.
select About AirPort...
pay particular attention to each system showing:
iBook: AirPort Framework 421.13.0
powerbook: AirPort Framework 421.13.0
intel iMac: AirPort Framework 426.1.0
Aha! A big difference with the AirPort Framework component version on the Intel iMac!
6. So, using the Terminal let's get this newer Apple80211.framework onto the iBook.
First on the intel iMac:
cd /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks
sudo tar cf ~/intelApple80211frame.tar Apple80211.framework
Copy this intelApple80211frame.tar file onto a USB thumb drive, CDR, iPod, scp, etc. to copy it onto the iBook (home directory).
7. With the tar file copied into the home area on the iBook, turn off iBook's AirPort via the menubar icon.
Now launch Terminal and:
mkdir backup-framework
cd /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks
sudo mv Apple80211.framework ~/backup-framework/
sudo tar xvpf ~/intelApple80211frame.tar
Launch Disk Utility, Repair Permissions on boot drive.
Reboot iBook.
8. Turn Airport on via the menubar icon.
iBook now has HUGE improvements in wireless connectivity! It can "see" all Networks A, B, C reliably and can connect to any of them when in range (having enough signal strength). Switching between networks is successful 90% of the time. Occasional message of:
"An error occurred joining the AirPort network (Try Again) (Cancel)"
usually works after clicking (Try Again), whereas before Try Again almost always failed.
I am unsure how this newer Apple80211.framework will affect future Software Updates on the iBook, but frankly I could care less now that it's able to access all of our wireless networks!
I am unsure if this is the magic-bullet solution for a majority of people, but I'm stunned that Apple appears to be providing new and improved Apple80211.framework software with the intel iMacs, but many of us have been fighting AirPort problems on PowerPC platforms for months!
Come on Apple, OS X 10.4.5 should contain the SAME software component versions for ALL CPU platforms!
Source: http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/wirelessnetworking/topic4035.html

WRT54GX2 Dropping Wireless Connections

I've got the WRT54GX2 with updated firmware and my built in intel adapter in my laptop with updated drivers. I keep losing my wireless connection and I have no idea why. I know it's not my laptop because I have another computer with a linksys wireless card installed an it losses the connection too whenever my laptop does. The strange thing is though I don't lose my network just my connection to it. I can open up the wireless controls and view my network (as well as my neighbors) but if I click connect it says "unable to connect". I know it's not my authentication because I'll be connected then lose my connection and then get it back without ever changing a setting. Does anybody have any ideas on this?
This happens more often when I've been connected or am connected to a p2p network. Is the p2p traffic overloading my router?
Thanks in advance for any help.

OK well I have stayed away from my file sharing programs and I'm still having the same problem. I live in a townhouse and I think the problem is interference from the neighbors routers. During the day (when I'm lucky enough to be home) it works fine then about the time schools start letting out more and more networks start to show up and I start to have problems. I've been able to view up to 8 networks at the same time. My network does have a unique SSID and broadcast is enabled. I have changed to default IP address too.
I don't know how to stay +/- 5 channels when there are that many networks though. Can someone explain to me how the "auto" setting for channel works? Is it any good? It doesn't seem to be working for me very well. The main reason I ask is apparently at least one of my strongest neighboring networks is using some type of auto channel since over the past for days they have shown 3 different channels. I have 2 strong networks near by one on channel 6 and the other changes channels. I have a medium strength network on channel 11 too. Several weaker networks too. I've tried channels 1,2,3,6,8,11 all with the same intermittent problem.
I did check my cordless phone and it does use both the 2.4 and 5Ghz ranges but it doesn't seem to cause a problem. I can be right next to my laptop or the router while talking on the phone and there are no problems.
I'll be trying the beacon interval next to see if that helps.
Obviously though the problem is with the router picking up all the other signals though not my laptop, I say this because my network is still visible but I can't connect. Leading me to believe that my router is too busy to respond to me. Would turning off DHCP and assigning everything by MAC address help? Why couldn't Linksys just put a setting in there to ignore other routers?
Well that was my book size response to keep everyone updated on my and what appears to be other peoples problems.

Dropping Wireless Connection & Speed Slowing Down

Hi,
Up until a week ago I had two BT lines, I will call them line 1 and line 2. Line 1 (front room) was used purely for phone calls, and line 2 (middle room) had Broadband activated on it. When it came time to renew the yearly line rental I checked and had it confirmed by BT that the available Broadband speed was faster on line 1, so I decided to cancel line 2, and move my Home Hub 4 into room 1 having arranged to activate Broadband on what in theory should be a line that gives a better speed.
My current problem is two-fold. Firstly I am not yet getting the line speed that I was expecting. I have spoken to the Technical Help Line, and understand that following the activation of Broadband on the line in Room 1 I should wait 10 days for the available speed to stabalise. Currently I am 7 days on from line activation.
A few days ago I was getting download speeds around 2.70 Mbps, with upload speeds around 0.38 Mbps. The IP profile for the download speed at that time was set at 2.77 Mbps. The IP profile for the upload speed was set at 0.45 Mbps. Over the past week I have done numerous speed checks and found that the speed did vary, as might be expected, but was generally always around these figures. Because of the line check speeds I was given by BT's own staff I was expecting the available speed to get better, not slow down! I was originally advised to expect line speeds of between 3.5 Mbps - 5.5 Mbps.
Over the last 24 - 36 hours the speed has slowed down, and a few minutes ago these are the figures I observed:
Download speed achieved during the test was - 1.3 Mbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 0.8 Mbps-2 Mbps.
IP Profile for your line is - 1.33 Mbps
Upload speed achieved during the test was - 0.34Mbps
Additional Information:
Upstream Rate IP profile on your line is - 0.45 Mbps
Line speed then is one issue, but there is another.
My second, presently very frustrating problem is that even though the Hub 4 is consistently powered, and maintains a steady Blue light showing that Broadband is available, my wireless connection that I receive from the Hub keeps dropping. I should add that the distance from the Hub 4 in Room 1 to where I work with my laptop in Room 2 is only about 15 - 20 feet. I used the old Hub 2 until a few weeks ago, and neither my daughter on her laptop, or myself, had any problems with 'dropping' the wireless signal, whichever room we were in, or even if we used our respective laptops elsewhere in the house. I was convinced enough by the publicity 'blurb' to believe that Hub 4 was more reliable, with fewer drop-outs. So far this has not proven to be the case.
I know that I need to wait a few days more till the 10 days are up, but would really appreciate some kind soul commenting on the above. I have looked at the Logs, but without knowing what segment would be helpful in aiding a diagnosis of my two issues I didn't want to provide unnecessary information. So if any particular element of the Logs would be useful, please let me know.
Yours in hope,
Alan
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Hello again,
With your help I was able to locate the place to change the channel manually, which I did, thanks for that. It only resulted in a marginal improvement, but any improvement is good I guess.
HH4 has now been showing a steady connection for three + days, so, as requested, here are the noise stats:
16:14:16, 26 Nov. ( 76.170000) DSL noise margin: 22.00 dB upstream, 12.20 dB downstream
16:14:16, 26 Nov. ( 76.080000) DSL line rate: 448 Kbps upstream, 3104 Kbps downstream
I have done several speed tests and they all show broadly similar results, namely that my download speed is usually around 2.67, whereas my IP Profile is set at 2.74.
I don't know whether this is worth mentioning but I only have an old style BT socket on my line, not one that has a test socket inside, so I can't do any of the tests using that facility.
Although my broadband connection has been stable and active on the HH4, as far as using wireless to connect my laptop in another room I do still get several dropped connections each day.
Even when I am connected to my HH4 by wireless, and my signal, as now, is only in the four bar bracket, by looking at the other Networks that are active in my street/area I can see, although it is rightly secured, that someone is using a HH3 and the signal on that is powerful enough to register a full five bar (excellent) strength on my laptop. How near or far away from me that user with a HH3 is I do not know, the point is however I can receive a more powerful and consistent signal from their Hub than my own. I must confess to being puzzled by that. What could be the reason?
Is there any further help or guidance that you can give that might assist in raising my IP profile, in the hope that my speed might increase? Or do you have any further suggestions as to how I might reduce the noise on my line to a more acceptable amount, so that my signal might give me a better wireless connection?
Thanks again for any advice or help you are able to give.
Regards,
Alan

WRE54G version 3 uses all available DHCP connections causing all wireless connectivity to fail

I couldn't find this problem via search so i've started a new thread. Here is my problem.
I have configured my WRE54G and everything seems to be working great, a Wireless connection that was LOW is not Excellent.
a. I can connect to my router: 192.168.0.1 (WRT54GC firmware 1.05.7)
b. I can connect to my range expander: 192.168.0.11 (I changed the IP, firmware 3.01.01)
c. The Range Expander has the same SSID as my router and has the same WEP key too.
It seems that the range expander will eventually use all of the DHCP connections that I have configured for my router to allow.
I have the DHCP lease set to 30 minutes but when i look in the DHCP client list I see clients with 2 day leases, these are all the MAC Address of the Range Expander. Currently 5 of 7 connections are the Range Expander. Eventually it will consume all connection and I won't be able to connect.
On my wireless router I have MAC address filtering set up and only 4 MAC addresses are added to the "allow" list.
Message Edited by 221385 on 12-21-2009 07:44 PM

DHCP lease time on the router is 30 minutes.
It appears that the clients, specifically the only wireless laptop on the network, drops the connection and when it reconnects it gets a new lease and IP address. This happens many times until all IPs are in use. I don't know why the lap top drops the connection when the signal strength is excellent.
I have seen the MAC address of the Client in some cases but the majority are the WRE.
I've linked to some pictures of the router set up, the DHCP client list, and the basic WRE setup. There are only 3 wireless devices in my home, 1 laptop, 2 iPhones. I guess a neighbour could be trying to connect but I do have MAC address filtering turned on so only included MAC Addresses can connect.
I guess I could always update the firmware but I only want to do that if it will fix this issue. I tried the live chat today but I didn't have access to my home network so there wasn't much that we could do.
Basic Router Setup
DHCP Client List
WRE Setup
Message Edited by 221385 on 12-22-2009 07:16 PM
Message Edited by 221385 on 12-22-2009 07:22 PM

Often lose wireless connection when using HDTV as monitor

I have an unusual wireless networking problem when using my Samsung HDTV in my living room as a monitor for my MacBook (when watching Internet TV shows, for example). Frequently when I switch URLs, networking freezes, even though the connection appears strong, with the Airport symbol at the top of my screen showing all bars. To re-establish the wireless connection, I have to go through the process of re-joining my network through the “Join Other Network" option. The signal holds as long as I don’t try to change it, as in selecting another URL.
I connect to my HDTV via HDMI cable, using a mini-DVI to HDMI adapter from my Macbook’s video-out port. The audio connection is a mini-plug from the Mac’s headphone out jack to stereo RCA plugs associated with the TV’s HDMI port.
The wireless connection is through a Lynksys Wireless-G 2.4 Ghz, 54 Mpbs Broadband router.
I’d appreciate any solutions the Apple user community has to offer.

I'd say this has nothing to do with your display. The problem will likely lie in either your router settings, network settings or a simple signal strength issue. Try first changing the broadcast channel on your router, and make sure all settings are correct for your desired network.

I get wireless connection but my internet does not work on my ipad 2

I get wireless connection but my internet does not work on my ipad 2

Some things to try first:
1. Turn Off your iPad. Then turn Off (disconnect power cord for 30 seconds or longer) the wireless router & then back On. Now boot your iPad. Hopefully it will see the WiFi.
2. Go to Settings>Wi-Fi and turn Off. Then while at Settings>Wi-Fi, turn back On and chose a Network.
3. Change the channel on your wireless router (Auto or Channel 6 is best). Instructions at http://macintoshhowto.com/advanced/how-to-get-a-good-range-on-your-wireless-netw ork.html
4. Go into your router security settings and change from WEP to WPA with AES.
5. Renew IP Address: (especially if you are droping internet connection)
    •    Launch Settings app
    •    Tap on Wi-Fi
    •    Tap on the blue arrow of the Wi-Fi network that you connect to from the list
    •    In the window that opens, tap on the Renew Lease button
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
iOS 6 Wifi Problems/Fixes
Fix For iOS 6 WiFi Problems?
http://tabletcrunch.com/2012/09/27/fix-ios-6-wifi-problems/
Did iOS 6 Screw Your Wi-Fi? Here’s How to Fix It
http://gizmodo.com/5944761/does-ios-6-have-a-wi+fi-bug
How To Fix Wi-Fi Connectivity Issue After Upgrading To iOS 6
http://www.iphonehacks.com/2012/09/fix-wi-fi-connectivity-issue-after-upgrading- to-ios-6.html
iOS 6 iPad 3 wi-fi "connection fix" for netgear router
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsWS4ha-dn0
Apple's iOS 6 Wi-Fi problems
http://www.zdnet.com/apples-ios-6-wi-fi-problems-linger-on-7000004799/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Look at iOS Troubleshooting Wi-Fi networks and connections http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1398
iPad: Issues connecting to Wi-Fi networks http://support.apple.com/kb/ts3304
WiFi Connecting/Troubleshooting http://www.apple.com/support/ipad/wifi/
How to Fix: My iPad Won't Connect to WiFi
http://ipad.about.com/od/iPad_Troubleshooting/ss/How-To-Fix-My-Ipad-Wont-Connect -To-Wi-Fi.htm
iOS: Connecting to the Internet http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1695
iOS: Recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4199
How to Quickly Fix iPad 3 Wi-Fi Reception Problems
http://osxdaily.com/2012/03/21/fix-new-ipad-3-wi-fi-reception-problems/
iPad Wi-Fi Problems: Comprehensive List of Fixes
http://appletoolbox.com/2010/04/ipad-wi-fi-problems-comprehensive-list-of-fixes/
Fix iPad Wifi Connection and Signal Issues http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwWtIG5jUxE
Fix Slow WiFi Issue https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2398063?start=60&tstart=0
How To Fix iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch Wi-Fi Connectivity Issue http://tinyurl.com/7nvxbmz
Unable to Connect After iOS Update - saw this solution on another post.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4010130
Note - When troubleshooting wifi connection problems, don't hold your iPad by hand. There have been a few reports that holding the iPad by hand, seems to attenuate the wifi signal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If any of the above solutions work, please post back what solved your problem. It will help others with the same problem.
 Cheers, Tom

HP Officejet Pro 8100 Wireless Connectivity Issue

Hi, I've just purchased the HP Officejet Pro 8100 and have not been able to connect via wireless to the home network. I've tried connecting to 3 different routers and no success. Steps I took were as follows.
Steps:
1. Insert Driver CD
2. Install HP Driver Software
3. Follow on screen prompt for wireless connectivity
4. Was prompted to connect USB cord temporarily
5. Prompted to select SSID
6. Prompted to enter WPA Security Key
7. Screen saying your printer failed to join the following Wireless network.
8. Humored myself and read all the troubleshoots. No good.
9. Downloaded and Flashed new firmware to Printer. New Firmware installed. Still did not help.
*One thing to note: On the Failure to connect to Wireless network Error on Step #7 it says something about MAC address filtering and to enable the above MAC address. The funny thing is there is no MAC address supplied above. The field is blank. All that aside, MAC address is disabled in the first place anyway. Just wondering why the printer software doesn't know the printers own MAC address.
Attempted to setup printer on the following routers...
Router #1
Router: e4200
Local IP: 10.0.0.1
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
DHCP Range: 10.0.0.10 to 10.0.0.59
SSID: "Kosmos 2.4" and "Kosmos 5.0" 2.4ghz and 5ghz bands respectively
Channel Width: 20mhz or 40mhz
Wirless Mode: a/b/g/n
Security Mode: WPA or WPA2 Mixed Mode
Router #2
Router: EA4500
Similiar Setup as Router #1
Router #3
Router: 2wire 3801HGV
Local IP: 192.168.1.254
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
DHCP Range: 192.168.1.64 to 192.168.1.253
SSID: "u2" *Eliminated Spaces in SSID
Wirless Mode: b/g
Security Mode: WPA2
If anyone could shed some light that would be great. Otherwise I guess ill be returning it very soon.

Now you know why you were unable to connect.
Absolutely. It should be broadcasting its own SSID.
This link goes to a factory reset document for your printer.
is your printer still in warranty?
Best regards,
erico
****Please click on Accept As Solution if a suggestion solves your problem. It helps others facing the same problem to find a solution easily****
2015 Microsoft MVP - Windows Experience Consumer

MacBook loses wireless connection when iPod touch connects to network

hi
ever since upgrading to 10.5.5. on my MacBook i've had the "intermittent network connection" problems that have been described and discussed (without any real solution from what i can see) in another thread.
PROBLEM: every couple of minutes my MacBook loses connectivity to the network - the AirPort icon still says that i'm connected, albeit with one less bar than before, but i can't connect to anywhere, not even to the wireless router - and to re-establish a connection i need to switch off AirPort, switch it back on, it will then reconnect, and after two minutes or so i have to do it all over again because the network connection drops again.
NOVEL OBSERVATION 1: reinstalling the 10.5.5. combo system updater helped somewhat. i used to get an error in system.log about there being too many state transitions on the wireless network and about network traffic reduction measures being taken to overcome this problem, but after reinstalling the 10.5.5. combo system updater this message never appears in the logs and I get kicked off only sometimes (see what i say in point 2 below)
NOVEL OBSERVATION 2: now my MacBook will only lose its connection to the net if i switch on my iPod Touch and switch its wireless interface on. in fact, the only way to avoid the MacBook getting constantly disconnected is to make sure that the wireless interface on the Touch is switched off in the Touch's system preferences; if I just sleep the Touch (top button) without switching off its wireless network interface first in its System Preferences, then the MacBook will keep disconnecting even while the Touch is in sleep mode (presumably the Touch keeps polling the network or something, even while it's in sleep mode).
DIAGNOSTIC NOTE 1: I have another wireless device (my Nokia E51, which has wifi capabilities) and if I connect it to the wireless interface then the MacBook's connection isn't dropped - i.e. the MacBook only loses its wireless connection when my iPod Touch connects to the wireless network.
DIAGNOSTIC NOTE 2: I have upgraded my wireless router (before I had a Linksys WRT-54GC, now I have a Netgear WGR614v9) but that has made no difference.
DIAGNOSTIC NOTE 3: I have also tried altering the router's settings (i have played around a_lot with this, trying every combination I could think of - e.g. staple down particular devices to particular ip addresses, use only 802.11g versus automatic b/g, etc) but that has made no difference either.
RANT:
The only thing that prevents these disconnections from occurring is to keep the iPod Touch's wireless switched off, which ***** because if I'm in the kitchen I can't have it switched on to monitor my email (yes, I've no life, i hang around waiting for emails), or if I go have a lie down and want to check out stuff on the net, or to browse the iTunes music store or whatever, then I know that my connecting my iPod Touch the computer will be disconnected.
This obviously *****, right? And a lot of people are having wireless problems with their MacBooks, right? And these problems seem to have been around for over a year, right?
So why hasn't Apple solved this problem yet? Or am I just being melodramatic?
Your thoughts on any or all of the above, or flames if that's your preferred method of communicating, are invited. =)
Cheers
dr.colekat

Having the same problem here. As a first time mac user, Apple has certainly made a bad first impression.
For me, the issue seems to occur when transferring files between computers that are connected to the same access point (when transferring files from wired computers on the network there is no issue). My vista laptop and every laptop I have tried has worked perfectly fine with this access point so I am 100% convinced it is the mac. Basically when I copy the files, after about 100mb, I am unable to access anything on the local network or internet until I restart Airport. The weird thing is that even though I am unable to access anything, the airport utility says it is connected. I might also note that the wireless signal strength is full.
If I can't get this figured out in a few days, this computer is going back to the store where it came from and I will officially label myself anti-mac. This type of issue is just unacceptable for something so main stream.

When I switch my time capsule to 5.0ghz mode the range of my wireless network drops significantly. Near the Time Capsule my Macbook Pro works fine, in my bedroom I have almost no signal. In mixed mode it works fine. Any ideas on how to get 5.0 working?

When I switch my time capsule to 5.0ghz mode the range of my wireless network drops significantly. Near the Time Capsule my Macbook Pro works fine, in my bedroom I have almost no signal. In mixed mode it works fine both placed. Any ideas on how to get 5.0 working? I thought 5.0Ghz was supposed to have a wider range. Do I need to change a setting on the Macbook Pro?
Thanks, W

I'm not sure if you understand that 5 GHz has some upsides, but also some very significant downsides.
The upside is that the 5 GHz signal will allow faster speeds.
The downside is that you must always give up something in order to gain something else.Unfortunately, the marketing hype about 5 GHz does not go into very many details about this.
In the case of 5 GHz, the 5 GHz signals are much weaker than 2.4 GHz signals, so they do not travel as far or penetrate any obstructions like walls or ceilings nearly as well as 2.4 GHz signals. In many cases, in order to get good 5 Ghz performance, you literally have to have almost a line-of-sight relationship between your computer and the wireless router.
If you have a new dual band router, which broadcasts both a 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signal simutaneously, your Mac will connect to the best signal quality automatically depending on its location in relation to the router. In the same room, without any obstructions, it will connec to 5 GHz. But, take the laptop down the hall a few rooms and around the corner and the Mac will connect to the 2.4 GHz signal because at that location, the 2.4 GHz signal is not only stronger, it is also faster.

Can I use an airport extreme to extend the range of my wireless modem

Can I use an Airport Extreme to extend the range of my wireless modem?
At one end of my house I have a dual band wireless ADSL modem which provides my internet connection and I want to extend (improve) the wireless coverage to the other of the hosue where my Apple TV (2nd gen) is located. I have being trying to extend my wireless network with an Airport Extreme but so far without success. I can get the Airport to join the wireless network, but I suspect that it is only acting as another client and not actually extending the wireless range. There is a setting in the Airport configuration to "extend and existing network", however when I choose this option the Airport no longer connects to my existing wireless network and I am beginning to suspect that this fuction only works with another Apple device (Airport Extreme or Express).
Has anyone been able to extend the range of a third party wireless router / modem with an AirPort Extreme? If so, any advice that you can offer wold be appreciated.
Regards
Michael

Thanks Tesserax,
Your answer has confirmed my suspicions.
Option 1 from your suggested solutions is not a goer because the modem and Airport Extreme are in different parts of the house making it impractical to run a cable between the two devices.
I did try option 2 and bought a Netgear range extender, which according to Netgear it would work with my D-Link modem - not.
However I have managed to work around the problem (sort of) by using the Airport Extreme to create a wireless network between my iMac 27 and my Apple TV. The idea is that the iMac will act as a router between ethernet connected ADSL modem and the wirelessly connected Apple TV.
The good news is that I am now able to play the content from my iTunes library on my Apple TV without interruptions due to a poor wireless connection . Although the connection from the Apple TV to the internet is not working I think this is most likely just a configuration issue and for me it is not really a show stopper.

How to set up WRT54GS so the wired and wireless connections both work?

I have a DSL line in to a Motorola modem.
The modem is connected to the WRT54GS with an ethernet cable.
When I connect my computers directly into the WRT54GS with an ethernet cable (there are four connection spots at the back of the box), I cannot go to the internet. I have 3 computers plugged in, but none of them connect via Ethernet..
Is there a setting on the router so that I can use the router for both wired and wireless connectivity?
Added info: I tried to connect directly from the computer to the modem, but again, got no connectivity. When I "chatted" with ATT, they told me the modem is set to "bridge", and that I could connect only one device. I don't want to change this setting because I want to use the router for the wireless capability. Besides which, I have more than one computer to connect to the internet.
How come I cannot just plug in and go?
My firmware version is v2.07.1.
I don't know how to find out what hardware version I have.
Other info is "DirectEthernet Connection, Speed: 100.0 Mbps, Signal Strength: Excellent, Status: Connected"
Also "1394 Connection 3, Speed: 400.0 Mbps, Status: Connected"
I don't know what that's for, but thought it might prove useful to those of you who are knowledgeable about such things.
Wireless is ok, but if I'm sitting right next to the router, I'd like to connect with Ethernet and take advantage of the better speed, etc.
Thanks in advance.

Just click this link.

Range/ Strength of Wireless Connection

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for