iMac wireless issues - which router?

[RobTuck]

Im having serious wireless connectivity issues with my new 24" iMac.

It happens in both Mac OS X and in Windows (Boot Camp), so im assuming its not driver/OS related. Windows reports a speed of around 24Mbps, with a 'Good' signal. Mac OS X shows one less bar in the little icon up the top.

However, its not just a speed/signal issue, I must be getting horrific packet loss, as transferring files is abysmal, as is web surfing.

Im now using a Belkin 54G USB adapter, and all is rosy in the garden. 54Mbps connection, excellent signal, excellent throughput. Im trying to work out if its a faulty aiport in my iMac, or an incompatibility with the router/firmware. I dont mind using the Belkin, but if the Mac is faulty, I want to resolve it now, not later.

My wireless ADSL router is a Netgear DG834G with firmware V3.01.25. The Mac is about 7 metres away from the router, with 2 dry/stud walls between. Roughly at the same height.

What routers are you guys using and what are your wireless experiences?

Please be sure to specify if you have a Mac with a newer Broadcom airport adapter installed. (e.g. a 24" iMac, etc)

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

I have never cared for Belkin, had a bad experience with them 1 time but I would try repositioning the router in another location. I have a D link wireless router that is about 20 ft away or about 7 meters no issues and the bars are full. Our Airport is a new device just installed in the Mini after lightning knocking out its ethernet port and destroying my motherboard on my Alienware. Have you tried removing that belkin device and see if it helps?

 

[RobTuck]

I think you misread my post. Im not having any issues with the Belkin, quite the opposite. The Belkin USB adapter is a kludge to get around the poor built-in airport issues. Ive disabled the built-in airport as its pretty much unusable.

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

I think you misread my post. Im not having any issues with the Belkin, quite the opposite. The Belkin USB adapter is a kludge to get around the poor built-in airport issues. Ive disabled the built-in airport as its pretty much unusable.

Still get the belkin off the equipment, then try repositioning your componets even try putting your iMac somewhere else. Your router should have a ethernet port out. Hook it up to your Mac if everything is good with the wired ethernet then start with the imac next to the device if you are still having issues its either your router or the airport. Also im sure you know the routine of firing up your modem, then the router then the Mac.

 

[RobTuck]

Anyone able to tell me what wireless router theyre using with their 24" iMac?

Ive tried two different routers now, a Netgear and a Fujitsu-Siemens, and the performance is poor with both.

Please help

I really dont want to have to send my 24" iMac back, especially as everything else has worked perfectly

 

[Eidorian]

iMac G5 Rev. B - Perfect wireless reception (Belkin/Apple routers)

iMac Core Duo - TERRIBLE wireless reception (Belkin/Apple routers)

See a pattern here?

 

[RobTuck]

Thanks Eidorian.

Anyone else using a Netgear DG834G with an intel iMac built-in wireless?

A friend of mine may bring his 24" iMac around to see if his shows the same problems.

 

[loikindahouse]

... now u r more experienced with this probleme maybe there is a chance u solve mine

I have an iMac since 1 week running windows XP, my routeur is a Wireless Belkin G routeur (802.11g) and i have the broadcom 802.11 Multiband Adapter on the Mac. Actually my signal is excellent my connection speed on Windows is very very slow compare to my laptop G4 runing Mac OS X 10.4. Do u have any idea about the reason why my connection speed on Windows is so slow ???

Thanks 4 ur help

 

[RobTuck]

I had exactly the same problem. Ive now had the iMac replaced twice (i.e. im on number 3!) and the issue is still there in Mac OS X. The 2nd replacement only arrived yesterday so ive not had chance to install XP yet.

I seriously think that the Broadcom chips are fussy about which router they are used with.

I took delivery of the 3rd iMac in my office. I started it up, and tried to share my PowerBook's internet connection wirelessly, thereby using the PowerBook as a router. The signal was below 50%, and I even tried placing the powerbook next to the iMac, a few feet away, etc. No difference. I then tried sharing the internet connection of my 20" CD iMac, same wireless signal. The 20" was also only a few feet away.
Then I enabled the wireless option on a broadband router we have in the office, which was about the same distance away as the 20". Signal was 100% constant.
Took the 24" home, and tried it with the netgear, signal is below 50%. My powerbook and 2 windows laptops all get 100% with the netgear.

 

[Paul S]

I've been using a Linksys wireless router and my signal strength show a very strong reception. 2 walls between my router and my computer. I have a 20" C2D, BTW.

 

[loikindahouse]

it s actually the 3rd routeur i change... i had first the Belkin pre-N.... didn t work at all, then the Belkin wireless G Routeur, and 2morrow i ll change it for the Linksys... !

I also sent an email to Broadcom to know if there is any "special" configuration i should tr to make my Broadcom 802.11 Multiband Adapter works properly on Windows... becoz my connection is still soooooo bad! it s driving me crazy! So once again, the signal is strong (excellent) but the speed is four times slower than on my G4 running Mac OS X!!!! what's wrong!!??? to be sure that it was the Broadcom device, i plugged my iMac directly with the modem via ethernet... the connection was great of course... so the problem is for sure about the Broadcom wireless device... but is it a driver problem or a routeur problem? any suggestions...?

I will let u know what happend with the Linksys routeur.... !

 

[astewart]

iMac G5 Rev. B - Perfect wireless reception (Belkin/Apple routers)

iMac Core Duo - TERRIBLE wireless reception (Belkin/Apple routers)

See a pattern here?

I have had no problems with the wireless Connection so far. I have a Belkin Wireless Router,
Model F5D7231-4.
The Router is about 25 feet away and on the Buttom floor, the iMac is on the 2nd Floor and has Full Wireless Signal.

I definitly recommend this Belkin Router.

Its odd how so many people are having problems with intermittent connections on the C2D iMac.

 

[dylan]

I'm going to hijack this thread a bit, I hope you don't mind...

I'd like to see what kind of readings people are getting with iStumbler. I am particularly interested in C2D iMacs. My original 20" iMac C2D and it's replacement both read arround 65492 Signal and 65444 Noise. Those numbers don't look right to me... My MacBook's readings are both two digits...

Now I suppose this could be a bug with the new wireless cards and iStumbler but I think it is a hardware issue. It would explain the crappy performance I have been getting. I am just wondering if anyone is getting normal readings with these computers. Thanks.

 

[loikindahouse]

I have had no problems with the wireless Connection so far. I have a Belkin Wireless Router,
Model F5D7231-4.
The Router is about 25 feet away and on the Buttom floor, the iMac is on the 2nd Floor and has Full Wireless Signal.

I definitly recommend this Belkin Router.

Its odd how so many people are having problems with intermittent connections on the C2D iMac.

Well, actually my problem is not about intermittent connections but more about a very slow download speed on the iMac running windows xp....!? maybe the configuration of my Broadcom 802.11 Multiband Adapter is wrong...? can u tell me ur config please? i have really no clue about how can i get the right download speed on my iMac running Windows...?

 

[RobTuck]

Ok, latest developments on this:

My Netgear router on the same floor about 15 feet away has less than 50% signal and very poor speed.

My Fujitsu-Siemens G access point in the same location, similar signal and speed. I even tried it about 5 feet away.

My PowerBook G4 configured with internet sharing over Airport, less than 50% signal and very poor speed. I even tried it right next to the iMac! No difference!

I had resigned myself to the fact that I had yet another broken wireless card in my 3rd 24" iMac.

Then I tried connecting it to a '2Wire' BT Home Gateway about 10 feet away from the iMac. Full signal and 54Mbps connection, full speed.

I tried a different model '2Wire' BT Home Gateway in the same location as the Netgear, and the signal was also full, with 54Mbps connection, full speed.

I have no idea what chip/antenna is in the 2Wire product, but it seems to work great with 24" iMac. I ordered one yesterday and it should arrive today, as the other 2 were both borrowed.

 

[RobTuck]

Ok, found some more info on ther 2wire routers. Sounds MIMO-ish.

http://www.2wire.com/?p=112

 

[ChickenSwartz]

Didn't read above, sorry if this is, at this point, off topic.

I would not recommend Linksys WRT54G. Did not work with my MBP, others report same problem.

 

[Eidorian]

I have had no problems with the wireless Connection so far. I have a Belkin Wireless Router,
Model F5D7231-4.
The Router is about 25 feet away and on the Buttom floor, the iMac is on the 2nd Floor and has Full Wireless Signal.

I definitly recommend this Belkin Router.

Its odd how so many people are having problems with intermittent connections on the C2D iMac.

My Belkin router IS the Model F5D7231-4.

I'm still having wireless issues in 10.4.8. I can't get any signal strength unless it's in the same room. I'm lucky to get 2 bars if it's in the one next door.

 

[mongoos150]

I've had terrible experience with Linksys routers (with Macs and PCs in general, they make a shoddy product) - but I've had terrific experience with Netgear. Particularly their 108mbps WPN824 router. Awesome throughput and great signal.

 

[RobTuck]

I've had terrible experience with Linksys routers (with Macs and PCs in general, they make a shoddy product) - but I've had terrific experience with Netgear. Particularly their 108mbps WPN824 router. Awesome throughput and great signal.

Can you report back on how the throughput and signal is when you get your 24"?

I also had no problems with various routers on the 20", but the 24" is a whole new story (as above).

 

[Allotriophagy]

I have had no problems with the wireless Connection so far. I have a Belkin Wireless Router,
Model F5D7231-4.
The Router is about 25 feet away and on the Buttom floor, the iMac is on the 2nd Floor and has Full Wireless Signal.

I definitly recommend this Belkin Router.

I have this router and it is terrible. It is connected to a 10mb cable line. Nobody in my house can get the full speed from this thing, wireless or wired. The only way to do so is to connect directly to the modem, which is not practical in a house of seven people.

Most I've ever had is around 300k. My 24" iMac, running in XP, only connects at 11mbps and sometimes 18mbps. Everyone in the house with "normal" XP machines connects at 54mbps but still get shoddy speeds.

As soon as I can find one I think can cope with the speed of my cable and the number of people using it, I will be throwing the Belkin crud in the bin.

Last year I had an old Netgear router which had wireless capabilities added by a plug-in PCMCIA card. It was faster than this rubbish.

 

[Greebazoid]

my core duo macmini gets shockingly bad speeds to the same Netgear router than my core duo MacBookPro runs just fine on - when they're parked right next to each other as well

Will check tonight and see which wifi chipset is in the mini

 

[loikindahouse]

I wonder who has the same problem as mine... ?

Material: iMac Intel Duo Core, 20', 2 GHrz last generation.

I m using a Belkin Routeur (G routeur Wireless, 802.11g), the signal is strong and never drops.

1. My connection speed running Mac OS X 10.4.8 is good (600KB/sec) what i m supposed to get... so no problems here,

2. Running Windows XP, the signal is still strong, but my connection speed is only 130 KB/sec !!! and i tried everything to solve this problem... !!!

Someone have a clue about this problem ???

 

[Jazzman25]

I'm going to hijack this thread a bit, I hope you don't mind...

I'd like to see what kind of readings people are getting with iStumbler. I am particularly interested in C2D iMacs. My original 20" iMac C2D and it's replacement both read arround 65492 Signal and 65444 Noise. Those numbers don't look right to me... My MacBook's readings are both two digits...

Now I suppose this could be a bug with the new wireless cards and iStumbler but I think it is a hardware issue. It would explain the crappy performance I have been getting. I am just wondering if anyone is getting normal readings with these computers. Thanks.

$

I had the same eesult struggling the whole weekend to understand why my brand new IMAC C2D 20'' was struggling to get to a download speed of 60KB while my Dell Laptop located downstairs much further away from the Belkin AP was easily getting 400KB. I am convinced there is an issue with the Wireless implementation and the forums are littered with similar messages!! Anyone knows if Apple is doing anything about it? Calling this morning to Apple support and tech support at my reseller I got no where....

 

[ascender]

$

I had the same eesult struggling the whole weekend to understand why my brand new IMAC C2D 20'' was struggling to get to a download speed of 60KB while my Dell Laptop located downstairs much further away from the Belkin AP was easily getting 400KB. I am convinced there is an issue with the Wireless implementation and the forums are littered with similar messages!! Anyone knows if Apple is doing anything about it? Calling this morning to Apple support and tech support at my reseller I got no where....

Apple are investigating it, but in order for them to take it more seriously, if you have a problem with wireless performance, please log a call with their tech support department.

There's lots more info on the Apple support forums about possible workarounds. Me, I've just bought a wireless bridge instead.