teacher Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 I was just next door at the neightbor's house. It is spring break and my neighbor brought her MAC laptop with her. I tried to go in and configure for her laptop to connect to my wireless laptop (about two walls and 25 feet between my wireless and her laptop) and was unable to tap into it. Do you use the Airport setting for connecting to a wireless or is there something else? I tried that and it could not find my network. When I tried to type in my network name it would tell me I had a bad password. I currently have my network set up as open and on Channel 8. I would like to get it set up so when she comes back for the summer to work she can use my network (it keeps her off my computers ). Any suggestions here? The kids that were up already inbdicated that it had to have a wireless connection because it was purchased through JMU and they require wireless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeber Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 Hmmm... It should be picking up your ESSID at that distance. Do you have WEP enabled on your router? The only other thing I can think of is that channel 8 overlaps channel 6 and may be getting interference. We usually recommend channels 1 or 11, at either end of the frequency range and neither overlaps 6 or each other. If they use an Airport, it may need to be configured to match the settings of your network. Is your mode set to infrastructure or ad-hoc. Ad-hoc will only allow computer to computer networking (but you probably knew that already ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted March 6, 2005 Author Share Posted March 6, 2005 That's what is confusing me Jeber. I am sitting at a further distance from the router than she is and it is an open network with no WEP at the time. I might add that in later but since it is fairly deserted around here I am not to worried about anyone breaking in. I am not set up as Ad-hoc. There are no other wireless connections in the neighborhood - in fact, there is only two houses that might possibly have computers and I know one is cable. I did not find anything that allowed me to set the channel. I wondered if that was the confusion but there has to be a setting somewhere. Since I have never tried to set up a MAC as wireless before I thought maybe I was looking in the wrong place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scot Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 Teacher, with my newfound "expertise" in this area, what I have found is that the AirPort just works with your average Wi-Fi access point or router. But the configuration is a tad finicky. Actually, what's finicky is the named, saved "connectoids" (in Windows parlance). The "Location" names that save networking connections don't really work all that well. They don't switch automatically. But the connection type does switch automatically -- especially if there's only one type of connection availbable.Bottom line, Make sure that "AirPort" and the SSID (name of wireless network) are visible in the Networking Systems Preferences. Click the TCP/IP button, and make sure that your router is properly assigning an IP address to the Mac -- and that it's seeing the router (gateway) address.I found that turning off IPv6, was a good idea, although this may be different on your network.Now, as to your specific problem. I've found that you sometimes need to get a new wireless computer "up close and personal" with the wireless router or access point for a moment or two to get them to recognize each other. Just a double check: You're sure the AirPort is on?-- Scot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted March 6, 2005 Author Share Posted March 6, 2005 I might have missed how you turn the airport on. When they are up and ready to go to the beach I will tackle it again. I guess I will bring it over and try it. I don't want to be in their space too much. I went and looked at the router history and it only shows two wireless MAC addresses, my USB connection and my internal connection for my laptop. I guess the next step is just to bring it over and play with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scot Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 That's what I would do next. That step has solved thorny wireless connection problems for me many times. About turning AirPort on, there are icons on the right side of the main title bar that goes across the top of the Mac screen. One of them looks something like a large piece of pie -- a pie that, perhaps, has a bull's eye painted on it. It's meant to represent "wireless." When you click it a menu drops down. If the AirPort is turned off the menu will have the option "Turn AirPort On."Hope this helps.-- Scot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 If he iBook has been configured for a specific school network you may need to create a new location and configure that for your network.Also... depending on the age of the iBook, it may have either AirPort or AirPort Extreme. AirPort is 802.11b and AirPort Extreme is 802.11b/gIf your network is just G then the iBook wont work, or if its configured just to be G then it wont work... but I know you know that...Continuing on.Apple > Location > Network PreferencesThis will show you if AirPort is on or off, as well if it sees something.Double click on the AirPort listing. This will take you to the first section of the AirPort CP, here it will let you select the "by default" option, and allow you to show the AirPort status in the menu bar (that is what Scot was talking about, the radar like pie slice).Just click on TCP/IP, if that is configured for the School then I would recommend creating a new Location. You will have to tell the owner that they need to manually change the location (Apple > Location > pick the location they are at).To create a new location, in that same window, pull down the Location drop down. Select New Location, name it and it will become active.Once you have the new location you can do a dry run with it automatically finding your network. You say its open with no WEP... it should automatically connect, if it doesn't you can select or type in your SSID. If it helps disable IPv6 in the AirPort TCP/IP pane... I've never had a problem with that with my iBook, that that is between AirPort Extreme and DLink and Linksys wireless networks (with and without security).If you do require a password (WEP) try tying it in with a $ in front of the password. I know that my iBook likes it much better if you just enter the Hex password equivalent instead of normal characters.You might also want to put the AirPort's Mac addy as a trusted computer into your router. To see that go to Apple > Location > Network Preferences > AirPort, it is listed in the AirPort pane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted March 6, 2005 Author Share Posted March 6, 2005 Thanks everyone. I am pretty sure that what I did wrong was go straight to what Arena2045 is talking about and set up a new "beach" configuration. I missed going where Scot mentioned and turning on the wireless. I was looking for a mechanical switch like on my laptop to turn it on and missed that menu option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted March 6, 2005 Author Share Posted March 6, 2005 Bingo! I need to see if there is a signal boost because she can sit in front of a window in the living room and connect but not behind a wall. She is just estatic that she can connect. Thanks for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 Click on the AirPort menu bar item, and select use interference robustness... See if that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 Or... if your base station has more than one antenna point one in her direction. That helped my two neighbors share one connection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted March 6, 2005 Author Share Posted March 6, 2005 only one antena but it is already angled her way. I could probably put my router up higher so she can have direct signal through my window to her window. Next trip over I will look for the boost. Her roommate and friends are already shaking their heads and going into shock from seeing her walk in our house without knocking and me walking in theirs. They have not caught on to the island lifestyle yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonicDragon Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 They have not caught on to the island lifestyle yet. Hahah! Glad it's working out for you! Best of luck with that signal boost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted March 8, 2005 Author Share Posted March 8, 2005 She seems happy with it so I will leave it as it is. I think she was just excited to not need dialup. Since she usually lives with us in the summer it is nice to see her being comfortable next door in her grandfather's house with her college friends. I was surprised to see that James Madison recommends Macs for their students. I sent my granddaughter with my old computer. She has not had any problems with it yet so I guess they are pretty flexible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.