Forums | MacLife
You are not logged in.
#1 2008-03-09 3:00 pm
- newguy2mac
- Member
- Registered: 2008-03-09
- Posts: 1
New to Mac and Wireless
I am new to the mac world just purchased a powerbook. I purchased a belkin N wireless router to use at home, however i have noticed that i loose signal in certain areas of the house. The router is positioned upstairs, the townhouse is only 1500 square feet. the direct distance between the router and the computer is about 25 feet.. I realize the more interferene( walls, cordless phones, etc) factor into the speed, however I have noticed using other routers I get better speed. I am using timewarners roadrunner cable modem. Is this belkin a decent router? or are bettter products available? i do not wish to spend a large amount of money so am looking for the best bang for my buck. only onterested in surfing the net and email...any help would be appreciated.
Offline
#2 2008-03-10 8:33 pm
- sturner
- Royal High Poobah
- Moderator
- From: Carrollton, TX USA
- Registered: 2000-01-31
- Posts: 9900
Re: New to Mac and Wireless
Linksys does farily well. Though if you go for the cheap solution, you will probably experience problems. Especially if your walls have something in them that interfere with transmissions.
Last edited by sturner (2008-03-10 8:34 pm)
"There were places in the world commemorating those times when wizards hadn't been quite as clever [as to refrain from doing magic when you knew how easy it was], and on many of them the grass would never grow again." Terry Prachett
There are 3 types of people, those who can count and those who can't.
Offline
#3 2008-03-11 1:32 am
- D'Eyncourt
- OMGDICTATOR
- Registered: 2001-12-27
- Posts: 8216
- Website
Re: New to Mac and Wireless
Welcome to the MacLife Forums!
We should let you know that the PowerBooks and the other laptops with metal cases (MacBook Pros) do have more limited range than other laptops partial because of those metal cases. This can mean that you will get a poorer signal in a given location where another wireless device gets a stronger signal. On the other hand, if it is very limited to within feet of the router, then you might check to see if the antenna cable is properly attached to the AirPort Extreme card inside your PowerBook. Take a look through the iFixIt guides to find your model of PowerBook and see if this might fix your problem.
One thing you might consider is getting a pair of WiFi routers from a given company where the second can wirelessly extend the range of the first. I know that the Apple routers can do this, but I do not know which of the other brands or models can do this as well. This way the second can boost the signal in the room where you plan to use your PowerBook.
BOYCOTT SONY
"I think the question now is not whether you went to Vietnam or whether you didn't, whether you fought in the war or fought against the war. I think the only question is whether we can find a president smart enough never to make a mistake like that again"--Molly Ivins, way back in 1992
Offline
