Airport signal gone from iMac

[allisonv7]

I have a Rev. A g5 imac that I installed an airport card in a couple months ago. Everything was working fine at first....then the signal would get weak every now and then or completely drop out. As of Sunday it can't get a signal at all. I've opened up the iMac and checked the connection with the card and everything looks OK, so I'm not sure what the problem is.

I'm able to use my macbook and get a signal from our router with no problems. I'm getting a full signal downstairs and both the router and iMac are upstairs. A friend was also over last nite with her PC laptop and had no trouble getting a signal.

Any ideas on what the problem could be? It's pretty frustrating b/c I have no idea what's wrong!


Thanks for any help,

allison.

 

[rjphoto]

I have no real clue as to what the problem is, but you can trouble shoot the card by setting up your laptop to be a wireless router in the same room as the iMac and see if you can get a signal from it.

Click on your Airport Icon in the menu bar > select Create Network > click OK.

Now go to the iMac and see if you can connect to the new network.

If not you may need a new Airport card.

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

How old is the AirPort card? Under a year? Sounds like it's dead. I'd call Apple.

 

[Aniej]

you listed every possible explanation i could think of. did you do anything to it before this happened, download, anything at all?

 

[allisonv7]

Hmmm, I'll try the macbook thing, maybe that will work. Will I have to have my book directly connected to the router though?

I've had the airport card for two months - bought it brand new from the Apple store, I doubt I still have the receipt though. Would they just replace it or what? I purchased the extended applecare for my imac.




allison.

 

[rjphoto]

Will I have to have my book directly connected to the router though?

I've had the airport card for two months - bought it brand new from the Apple store, I doubt I still have the receipt though. Would they just replace it or what? I purchased the extended applecare for my imac.




allison.

No, the Laptop becomes a router itself, but with nothing to route (ie: unless you set up a web page on the laptop you will only be able to test the connection not actually load something in a brouser.)

If you've only had the Airport card a couple of months you may can take it back if it is dead.

 

[allisonv7]

If you've only had the Airport card a couple of months you may can take it back if it is dead.

I doubt I still have the recepit for it, is that a problem? Also, is there anywhere online where I could just request a replacement part?


allison.

 

[allisonv7]

Weird, all of the sudden I turned the computer on and it's working again....don't know what to make of that!



allison.

 

[rjphoto]

Weird, all of the sudden I turned the computer on and it's working again....don't know what to make of that!

allison.

Let's blame it on Sunspots...

 

[allisonv7]

I have no real clue as to what the problem is, but you can trouble shoot the card by setting up your laptop to be a wireless router in the same room as the iMac and see if you can get a signal from it.

Click on your Airport Icon in the menu bar > select Create Network > click OK.

Ok, now all of the sudden not working again it's picking up someone else's wireless network, but not ours. My macbook is sitting right next to the imac and is able to "see" 6 networks.

I tried creating a network from my Macbook, and it'll connect to that, but I can't out how to get the internet when it's in that state. Are there more instructions??

Thanks,

allison.

 

[allisonv7]

Update :: Changed the channel from 11 to 3 on my router and now it seems to work again - hopefully this solves it, though I would like to know what the problem is/was, I'm not too versed on wireless networks.



Update 2 :: Not working again, signals gone - this is really frustrating


allison.

 

[rjphoto]

Update :: Changed the channel from 11 to 3 on my router and now it seems to work again - hopefully this solves it, though I would like to know what the problem is/was, I'm not too versed on wireless networks.



Update 2 :: Not working again, signals gone - this is really frustrating


allison.

Keep trying different channels. You said there are several wireless networks visable in your area...they could be over riding your signal.

Also, these new portable home phones that use high Ghz bandwidth will block your signal.

I was at a friends house Monday using his hot new MacBook when his wife walked into the room we were in pick up the phone to make an call and the wireless networks (all of 6 that had been available) disappeared when she pressed the call button on the phone and came back when she hung up...

 

[Rantipole]

Also, these new portable home phones that use high Ghz bandwidth will block your signal.

I believe it is only the 2.4 Ghz phones specifically which cause a problem. Higher or lower Ghz phones should not interfere.

Other than that, I am experiencing a similar problem: signal strength is see-sawing up and down. Weird. Now it's working fine again.

Allison, I did a search for "airport signal" and got some interesting threads which may help you.