TC & MBP - complete loss of wireless connection and usage

Question

I apologise in advance if this is a very long winded post! I've been an Apple fan for some 20 years now and it's only in the last three months that my love affair is starting to wane due to (what seems to me) poor hardware releases.
My setup:
1 x PowerBook G4 1.25Ghz with Edimax 802.11n PC Card
1 x MBP 2.4Ghz (purchased April 2008) with AirPort 802.11n
1 x Time Capsule 500Gb
1 x Airport Extreme Base Station Gigabit Ethernet edition
1 x Netgear DG384 v2 (wired only) modem router
1 x standard ADSL connection (8Mbps) from a UK ISP (and yes, 8Mb is about the norm for the UK! Though in reality, it means closer to 4Mb...)
The Netgear router is connected to the ADSL line and is set up as the DHCP server for the network. I have a Fixed IP address from my ISP. The Time Capsule is connected via ethernet to the Netgear router. The TC is set up in Bridge mode as the router serves DHCP. The TC is wall mounted via the excellent AirMount from H-Squared.
The TC has been through a myriad of configurations in an attempt to create a stable wireless environment since its purchase in April. Prior to my recent holiday (two weeks in Greece - hurrah!), the current configuration was solid for both Macs.
The config is: Bridge mode; 2.4Ghz N Only wireless; WPA2 secured; no MAC address access control restrictions (so pretty straightforward). The TC is running firmware 7.3.1. It is setup as "Create a Wireless Network"
Both Macs are running OS X 10.5.3 with all of the latest updates including AirPort Utility 5.3.2.
It took me about six weeks to hit upon this config for the TC having had many wireless drop outs, stalled connections, lost internet connections (ie. I could access the TC HDD but could not access the internet using the same wireless connection). So much frustration in the early days - I tried many of the solutions on this forum but to no avail until I hit upon the 2.4Ghz N Only route which seemed to be the answer to all my problems.
Prior to leaving on holiday, I unplugged all of the equipment in the room including the TC and the router. When I returned, I restarted everything in a logical sequence - router first (and waited for a connection), then the TC and then the Macs.
From this point on the problems have started. The PB G4 with the wireless card has a more or less stable connection. The wireless card connects immediately to the TC but then it takes approximately 30-60 seconds for an internet connection to work (so I see a lot of the Not connected to the internet messages in Safari). It seems to immediately get an IP address from the router via the TC but then the internet connection itself takes a while to come up.
The MPB on the other hand is a nightmare. Since returning from holiday I have not been able to get a workable wireless connection at all. In no particular order, the problems that the MBP exhibits are as follows (these can occur at the same time or individually):
i) only returns a self-assigned IP address; renewing the DHCP lease does not fix the problem
ii) does not see the network at all (although it will see others in the vicinity)
iii) cannot connect to the network - returns the Connection Timeout error or very occasionally the Password Incorrect error; I have tried connecting the network via the AirPort menu bar item, via Join another network... from the menu bar, via the Network selection menu in System Preferences > Network and even via Internet Connect - all with no success
iv) sometimes I am able to connect to the network but no IP address is received. Having checked the TC logs, it shows the same error occurring over and over again:
Jun 26 22:06:04 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:1e:c2:ba:78:6c
Jun 26 22:06:07 Severity:5 Deauthenticating with station 00:1e:c2:ba:78:6c (reserved 2).
Jun 26 22:06:07 Severity:5 Disassociated with station 00:1e:c2:ba:78:6c
The MBP connects but is immediately thrown off the network.
So to all intents and purposes, the wireless aspect of the MBP and the TC are completely useless.
When I use a wired (ethernet) connection to the TC everything is joyful. Instant IP address assignment, excellent connection speeds, no drop outs and so on. So as far as I can ascertain, the TC is working fine with the exception of the wireless/wireless security.
The AEBSn that is connected to the same network no longer appears in Airport Utility.
Having read through many posts here, I have tried many solutions including:
- downgrading the FW to 7.3; no difference at all
- turning off wireless security; no difference at all
- changing channels; I've tried 1, 6, 9, 11 and 13 with no difference at all
- changing the wireless mode; B/G, G only, N only all make no difference (I can't use 5Ghz N only as the PB G4 does not support this and I need both Macs wirelessly connected)
- rebooting the TC (both via Airport Utility and 'power off'); makes no difference
- reinstalled OS X 10.5.1 (via the install disks that came with the MBP) using the Archive & Install feature; then used the Combo updater to upgrade directly to 10.5.3; once again, no difference.
I have not yet done a hard reset as this has made no difference in the past but obviously I will try it.
In other words, HELP!
I am stymied. I have tried so many solutions offered on here and on the likes of MacFixIt and other Mac forums none of which have brought back my wireless connection for the MBP.
The MBP works very well with other wireless connection. For example, at work, we have a Linksys WRT54G wireless router connected to a BT leased line. I have not had a single connection issue for three months with this setup. Similarly, whilst on holiday, I used many different hot spots and had no issues with the wireless connection. All of this evidence leads me to suspect that the MBP is not the issue.
From what I can tell, the problem seems to be in the wireless security on the TC. It seems to prevent access by MBP (though not the PB G4 using a wireless card) but disabling security did not change the error messages shown in the log or the lack of connectivity.
It is a real shame that I cannot get a satisfactory working environment with the TC as the concept is great. The reality is, however, that it is unusable in its current condition and loathe as I am to try and return it or replace it, I am rapidly coming the conclusion I will have to.
Before I do, however, I am hoping that the genii who exist on these forums may be able to proffer some ideas or solutions that I haven't yet tried.
My sincere thanks will go to anyone who provides a solution for me. There may even be beer involved as a mark of gratitude!!
Thanks for reading and fingers crossed someone knows something special...

Answer 1

Smokerz: thanks for the reply and the advice. Not really in a position to set up a dual network at the moment due to the positioning of the TC and the AEBS but if I get an opportunity to try it I will.
I have temporarily given up with the TC as the router for the wireless network. I've installed a Vigor 2820n modem router (it's the only one I could find that has a Gigabit port - only one though) as well being a modem (ADSL) router. Thus far, everything seems fine - although I have had a couple of drop outs due (I think) the AirPort connection on the MBP. And interestingly, I've set up the TC as a "test" wireless network using the Vigor's internet connection and it's way more stable than with the Netgear router. So perhaps it's a combination of many factors - the poor Netgear router, the TC and the MBP AirPort connection - that was causing the issues.
I'll give 10.5.4 a go as well and see if that helps at all.
Thanks to all who read the question - if anyone else has thoughts I'd be delighted to hear them.