Tech: Airport can't find wireless router

Subject: Tech: Airport can't find wireless router
From: M.Ted
Date: 25 Aug 08 - 02:53 PM

I have a fairly new MacBook Pro running OS 10.5.4, and a month or so ago, I started to have trouble getting the wireless to connect. Suddenly a page wouldn't come up, and I'd get the little turning gear--then it would tell me that it couldn't find the server, and it would go through the Airport Utility thing, and finally tell me the that it is unable to connect.

At the same time, in the tool bar, it would show that I was connected to the wireless router.

Nothing wrong with the router, because I've had a MacBook and a Powerbook on the desk next to mine, both connected, while mine says the server is unavailable. However, I can get my unit to connect by pinging the router.


Worth noting--neither of the other laptops is running OS 10.5.4.

Anyone have the same problem, and, especially, does anyone have a fix?

Subject: RE: Tech: Airport can't find wireless router
From: GUEST,DWR
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 08:14 AM

Sorry, no fix but I have a somewhat similar problem. I don't use my laptop a whole lot at home, but when I do use it, it connects to my system with ease. This summer when I took it to a motel it connected to their system, no problem.

When I take it to the local school where I spend a lot of time volunteering, no luck. It SAYS the Wireless Network Connection is connected at 100mbps, which it rates as excellent. But if I try to get on the internet, that's a different story. It just won't connect. Now at least one other laptop that I am aware of clicks right in. I should add that it worked just fine last year.

I have looked just about everywhere I know to look and the result is always the same. The aggravation is slight since I can use the school's computer in our office and what work I do on my computer doesn't necessarily need a connection to the internet

Subject: RE: Tech: Airport can't find wireless router
From: EBarnacle
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 11:00 AM

I've seen the same thing in our travels. The machine is not sure what is going on and gives us contradictory information. This usually preceded by AVG telling us that the link to their update is not working right.

Subject: RE: Tech: Airport can't find wireless router
From: Penny S.
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 05:34 PM

DWR, have you spoken to the school's IT techie? They might have changed the signing on protocol. (I would have assumed you had, but since you haven't mentioned it, thought I might as well do so.)

Penny

Subject: RE: Tech: Airport can't find wireless router
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 07:38 PM

Airports can lose just about anything...

Subject: RE: Tech: Airport can't find wireless router
From: Genie
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 06:37 PM

Have you tried re-installing your OS?   

Sometimes that fixes glitches for me when things like Disk Warrior or Mac's own Disk Utility don't do the trick.

Subject: RE: Tech: Airport can't find wireless router
From: GUEST,DWR
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 02:26 PM

Not sure how that empty post came up, but I'll take the responsibility.

Penny, that had crossed my mind, but so far as I know, procedures are exactly as they were last year.

Today I was able to connect, no problem. Now exactly WHAT I did to make it happen is a mystery. I fooled with several settings when I had time to do so at home, came to school, turned it on and PRESTO. Just like that. If this were a Vista machine, I would have blamed that.

Subject: RE: Tech: Airport can't find wireless router
From: M.Ted
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 03:17 PM

I haven't reinstalled the OS yet--though I will do that next--I know that others have had this problem and I am looking around to find out there is a fix, or failing that, if anyone knows has identified a program is the source of the problem before I do that.

Subject: RE: Tech: Airport can't find wireless router
From: GUEST,cStu
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 03:52 PM

I had a problem like this recently where I couldn't find google server or get images from flickr to the extent that I could load a website that was showing flickr images and the images wouldn't load even though the website that was using the images loaded perfectly well. Weird.

if this sounds like your problem then changing the DNS server addresses in the Airport >TCP/IP tab of my System Preferences solved it for me.

I changed them to 4.2.2.2 and 4.2.2.4

Subject: RE: Tech: Airport can't find wireless router
From: GUEST,Sawzaw
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 04:25 PM

Does it work when you use IP numbers instead of domain names?

Eg: type 72.14.207.99 in your browsers url box without any http stuff.

If Google comes up, you have a problem with your DNS server.

Subject: RE: Tech: Airport can't find wireless router
From: GUEST,DWR
Date: 29 Aug 08 - 12:53 PM

Short version. Didn't work today, though it said I was connected, just like before. Disconnected from the network, reconnected and it worked just fine. Why? I have no idea, but I am fairly certain that is how it happened yesterday, too.

Subject: RE: Tech: Airport can't find wireless router
From: M.Ted
Date: 29 Aug 08 - 03:38 PM

If the ping trick doesn't work, I've discovered that I just need to move to a different room and it reconnects. No idea why.

Subject: RE: Tech: Airport can't find wireless router
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 Aug 08 - 07:04 PM

"move to a different room and it reconnects. "

1) Low received signal level
2) External interference blocking signal
3) A bit of both - being digital, it tends to be an "all or nothing" thing - analogue will tend to get SOME understandable signal thru to human ears, but with (machine) digital links there is less margin in the 'signal to noise' ratio.
That's a 'lies to children' analogue argument - I'm sure JiK or someone far more technically experienced will come along and give you more! :-)