MBP Wi-Fi Antenna Really Impressive

[daneoni]

So i decided to go all wireless today and disconnect all the ethernet connections in the house. I then moved the Router (802.11B) from the corridor to the living room AV Centre on top of my Set-top box which provides the Cable/Broadband/Telephone.

I was worried the MBP would fail to pickup signals but to my surprise/delight, the notebook still picks up full bars of reception. My living room is 3 rooms away from me which is about 30 feet away and the house is built of concrete.

Im quite amazed as i tried this earlier whilst still using a PB but the PB struggled to even maintain 1 bar. Needless to say im glad they moved the antennas away from the sides to the hinge as this seem to have helped a whole lot.

Now im cable free....well almost. Still yet to find a capable/cheap Bluetooth mouse (Mighty Mouse sucks)

Just wanted to gush about this.

 

[Watermonkey]

I'm not impressed, but I get what I expect. My house has three floors including the basement and I work with the 'puter on the top floor while my Belkin Pre-N router is in the basement. I have the 17" MBP C2D, BTW. I see either full signal or all but the last bar lit up at any given time. I imagine I won't ever see anything but full when they release the "N" capabilities of the airport card. As a reference, I've got two windows machines that have external PCMCIA radios by Belkin and right now I'm looking at the card that came with the router and it's indicating 4 of 5 bars signal strength. The other one on the main floor goes back and forth between yellow and green strength status. I've got the Audio Energy WIFI radio I bought from ccrane.com some time ago that displays three or four bars intermittently as well from up here. So, the Mac is right in line with all the other wireless devices that link to that same router. I don't know what my wife sees on her C2D Sony Vaio but she never has trouble with it.

 

[TheBusDriver]

**** i get full bars in my house and I can even get it from people diagnally across the street from me, though only 1-2 bars it still works. thats prob 300 feet from here

 

[e12a]

Try an IBM thinkpad. They run their antenna through the outer frame of the screen. MUCH better reception than my MBP. I could sit at my kitchen table and use some unknown neighbor's internet. albeit slowly though..but from an entirely different house!

 

[hevaKmaI]

Try an IBM thinkpad. They run their antenna through the outer frame of the screen. MUCH better reception than my MBP. I could sit at my kitchen table and use some unknown neighbor's internet. albeit slowly though..but from an entirely different house!

Really, I have a thinkpad t43 sitting next to my MBP. I see about the same number of neighbors. I know Thinkpads have the best designed wifi antennas for laptops, and I think it gets a slight edge, but apple made a smart decision moving the wifi antenna to where it is.

 

[motoxpress]

I find the signal strength to be average on my MBP. I have the Airport Express downstairs and if I go upstairs I get 2-3 bars.

-mx

 

[e12a]

Really, I have a thinkpad t43 sitting next to my MBP. I see about the same number of neighbors. I know Thinkpads have the best designed wifi antennas for laptops, and I think it gets a slight edge, but apple made a smart decision moving the wifi antenna to where it is.

you're right when you say apple has it's antenna at the right place...the only major plastic part of the outside case.

But my friend's old Pentium M t40 can barely see my neighbor's (i dont even know who it is..the name for her computer is unfamiliar. It must be the neighbor behind me, past my backyard.) network, connect to it, access network resources including internet, printer, etc. I could even log onto their router (default pass). He let me borrow his computer until i sprang for the C2D MBP.

My MBP from the same position cannot detect this network. I'm not saying it's bad, just saying its not great.

 

[hevaKmaI]

you're right when you say apple has it's antenna at the right place...the only major plastic part of the outside case.

But my friend's old Pentium M t40 can barely see my neighbor's (i dont even know who it is..the name for her computer is unfamiliar. It must be the neighbor behind me, past my backyard.) network, connect to it, access network resources including internet, printer, etc. I could even log onto their router (default pass). He let me borrow his computer until i sprang for the C2D MBP.

My MBP from the same position cannot detect this network. I'm not saying it's bad, just saying its not great.

Yup, like I said, the thinkpad gets the edge on the MBP here, but it's a subtle difference.

 

[Sesshi]

That must mean the PB's really, really sucked - but it's more a case of age. Newer computers perform better in all respects. However my Dell Latitudes usually have much better pickup than the MBP.

 

[hevaKmaI]

That must mean the PB's really, really sucked - but it's more a case of age. Newer computers perform better in all respects. However my Dell Latitudes usually have much better pickup than the MBP.

Well...there's also the added fact that more recent wifi chipsets are more sensitive to wifi signals than older ones.

 

[Sesshi]

I thought that was pretty much what I said.

 

[Cybergypsy]

Waiting to get a new MB again.....love the range

 

[insomniac321123]

Im not trying to steal the thread, but is there anything you can do software wise to boost wifi performance from the laptop?

On the main topic, my mbp is ok. I have full bars thoughout my house, but at some other places i struggle to get service. I am impressed with it overall though.

 

[tylerboyo]

Im not trying to steal the thread, but is there anything you can do software wise to boost wifi performance from the laptop?

On the main topic, my mbp is ok. I have full bars thoughout my house, but at some other places i struggle to get service. I am impressed with it overall though.

Id also like to know, im quite diappointed with mine. Mines downstairs, and it ranges from 1-5 bars at any given time, any tips on imporving this would be much appreciated. Im using a bt 2095 router.

 

[whateverandever]

The Intel PRO chipset in Centrino systems gets a lot better reception than the Atheros chipset that Airport uses.

That and the MBP metal enclosure yields less than impressive results in most cases. It's reasonable, but Centrino chipsets almost always best it.

 

[iW00t]

The Intel PRO chipset in Centrino systems gets a lot better reception than the Atheros chipset that Airport uses.

That and the MBP metal enclosure yields less than impressive results in most cases. It's reasonable, but Centrino chipsets almost always best it.

I thought the chipset with the centrino systems comes free with the intel chipset (like the GMA 950)?

Why would anyone pay money for something that is worse than a free alternative?