USB adapter on windows and airport-TROUBLESHOOTING, PLEASE HELP

[bigben2wardpitt]

Ok here is my setup. New PC in living room, apple airport adapter DIRECTLY connected to new pc.

In back of house, probably, 20 yards away or less, is an old pc, with a Macwireless.com USB adapter plugged into the back of it (http://www.macwireless.com/html/products/11g_11b_cards/11bUSB.php)

It says it works with Windows, but that Macwireless does not support it, and airport doesnt support windows to windows wireless connections so i really dont know where to turn when i have a problem, LIKE I DO NOW

(do not tell me to get a new router and all of that because my dad is cheap and does not want to have to buy all that stuff)

Now, so i have it all connected and it says "Limited or no connectivity." "this problem occured because the network did not assign a network address to the computer"

So then below that is says
"To restart the connecting and try to establish full connectivity, click Repair"

I clicked 'Repair', tried it, didn't do anything.

So now I am stuck with no tech support to go to, PLEASE HELP! If I can't get this in any way shape or form to work (even if that means to buy a new wireless adapter/usb stick/etc.) then i will convince dad to get a linksys router with wireless cards and wireless conections, that are reliable, easy to setup, and very good for every computer in the house.

 

[chcarnage]

Of course the Airport Base Station supports Windows to Windows connections! But first things first...

Get the Airport Administration Program on your PC that is connected to the Base Station by Ethernet, if you don't already have it.

Then set all PCs and the Airport Base Station on "DHCP" in the Network settings.

You may also need a Windows driver for the MacWireless USB stick, I don't know.

Anyway, is there still a PC connected directly to the modem? If yes, then later the other computers in your network won't connect to the internet except if the modem also is a router or your internet provider gives you more than one IP. But normally all computers should communicate with the modem through the router (Airport in this case), be it wirelessly or through Ethernet cables.

 

[bigben2wardpitt]

ok well the airport is supposedly a router and we also have a modem. The modem is connected to the airport thing i think and the airport goes to the computer. The airport serves as a router. I will download that program, and see what i can do.

Where can i find this "DHCP" setting? is it on the airport admin program?

 

[bigben2wardpitt]

ok well i put the admin program on the computer that is directly connected and to the computer in the back of the house that is wirelessly connected

Still same thing, i opened the program, it says base station chooser, and there was no base station for me to choose!

 

[bigben2wardpitt]

Ok well not im connected, BUT the connection is "Low" and "Very Low" right now, and that hasnty changed in the last 20 minutes. I would like it to be a little higer, because I think that would allow the internet to run a little bit more faster and more efficently. any tips?

 

[bigben2wardpitt]

And although airport kinda supports windows with that program, i meant to say APPLE does not support windows to windows airport connections, and i am having a lot of trouble and have reached my last nerve on this stuff. I have a low and very low connection. I AM PISSED. It is running like a dial up connection.

can ANYONE help me?

 

[Atheus]

To make your wireless faster - 1. Get nice hardware with nice radios for strong transmission power, I have no idea if these mac things qualify. 2. Buy or make some nice antennas, possibly directional - google 'cantenna' or 'tin can antenna' or somesuch. 3. It's possible with some devices to install 3rd party firmware which can boost transmit power beyond spec, but it can reduce the life of the radio.

 

[bigben2wardpitt]

ok well it is only 80 feet away from the airport, and the airport can go 150 feet so thats not the problem. I am thinking I should return this USB stick, and then do something...

I am wondering, could i just buy
a LINKSYS wireless USB stick or some other access point then use the MAC address to add it to the list of accepeted wireless connections and then it might work, and better?

Now if i can, they have 802.11G and B. the one i have now is a B, but somehow its getting connection, if the airport is a G then i dont think i would get any connection with a B access point, so i am guessing i need a B access point from linksys

but maybe im confused would i need an access point or an adapter?
i am looking at--

http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellit...name=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper

is that what I could use? or do i need something like this--http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellit...name=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper

 

[bigben2wardpitt]

or maybe this is as good as it gets and i need to tell pops to sell the airport, and get all linksys stuff!

 

[nweaver]

get a USB extension cable, so that you can move the USB wireless adapter to get optimal signal/noise ratio

 

[bigben2wardpitt]

well I dont think that is going to help, as i said earlier, its only 80 feet away, and the airport can g 150 feet.

do u guys know if i could get THIS--http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/W...v/1.SLID?mco=7D88DA55&nplm=M9470LL%2FA

would that work? the reviews on it are GREAT!

 

[bigben2wardpitt]

bumppp

 

[chcarnage]

Sorry to hear things aren't going great. Although my infos weren't that helpful yet I need some effort to reply here. Man I even have to look up how many centimeters a friggin' foot is. I really wouldn't mind if some native speakers dropped a few sentences at least about the less difficult questions here.

1.
I'm still not sure what you mean with "APPLE does not support windows to windows airport connections". Are you talking about file sharing between a Mac and a Windows PC in an Airport WLAN, or don't you succeed to transfer files from one of your PCs to the other (via the Airport base station)? There are solutions for both problems.

2.
On the low connection problems: The 150 feet spec only counts for connections that don't go through walls and other obstacles. Minimise the number of obstacles whereever possible. nweaver's idea of using a USB cable is pretty clever (for stationary hardware) and low budget in my opinion. Also, place the Airport base station near the ceiling if possible. I've experienced it by myself, a wall with a wooden wardrobe behind it can eat away the equivalent of 20 feet range if you're unlucky.

3.
Atheus is right also, but his solutions are a bit geekier, aren't they There are also commercial antennas for the Airport base station (also available in the Apple Store) to amplify the WLAN signal, but they're expensive.

4.
On the 802.11b and .11g standards: Virtually all g access points and client antennas are backward compatible to b. If a b component joins the WLAN, the traffic rate slows down but you won't encounter any other problems.

5.
The AppleStore session ended, don't know which product you had in mind. Anyway in my opinion you don't need more wireless hardware! I know you already invested much time in your network but I'd try the cheap suggestions first (to move the Airport base station near the ceiling; to buy a USB cable, connect the USB antenna stick with it to the PC and then to tape the stick on the wall above the desk).

6.
Only if this suggestions can't improve the connection, I'd consider invest some more money. It would be possible to amplify the signal with a second WLAN access point halfway between the Airport base station and the further-off PC but I wouldn't do this. If the suggestions don't work and you don't want to buy/build an external antenna for the Airport base station, I'd buy a long ethernet wire for the second PC and a 4 or 8 port Switch. That's not as elegant as a WLAN but bang, all bandwidth problems are gone.

 

[bigben2wardpitt]

ok thanks alot man!!!! Ok well here is the product i am interested in from apple-AirPort Express Base Station with AirTunes- tyhe link is right here---http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/W...0/1.SLID?mco=7D88DA55&nplm=M9470LL%2FA

and i am willing to spend the money to make this easier, i dont need to go cheap. If that item above works well thats what i want. What furstrates me is my mac never disconnected and was on high connection all the time, or maybe even very high. That was using the airport card so if i got the AIRPORT EXPRESS BASESTATION WITH AIRTUNES, and used that to wirelessly connect, i might not have as many problems. I want something, elegant, and extremely good.

now what i am talking about windos to windows is that there is no mac in the house, and apple doesnt exactly reccomend that sesne airport was first just for mac wireless,etc. there is no mac in the house using an apple product that recgonizes wireless conections on mac very easlikly but not so much windows.

sorry, had to type fast so some typos but thats because i have to go!!

thanks!

 

[chcarnage]

You're welcome. AppleStore sessions become invalid after some 15 minutes of inactivity but yes, Airport Express is capable to "bridge" (but only WLANs from Apple's Airport hardware). On the specs website Apple states a range of 150 feet for a 802.11b network. (The same tips apply for Airtunes Express or any bridging router: The higher/less obstacles, the better. You should be able to administrate Airport Express with the same program you use for the Airport base station).

Compared with a USB stick solution, Mac hardware with Airport cards benefits from internal antennas. Thanks for the reply to (1), so you meant a Windows-Windows connection but managed it.

 

[bigben2wardpitt]

ok so should i just buy that thing??

 

[chcarnage]

I'd say yes, just remember the other tips in case you're still not satisfied with the WLAN performance (but I don't think that will be the case).

(Your 802.11b WLAN theoretically has a maximum bandwidth of 11MBit = 1.37 MB per second, just a reminder. But because there's some protocol overhead, actual traffic rates won't go much over 1 MB/s.)

 

[bigben2wardpitt]

wait are u saying you dont think i will be satisfied with the WLAN performance or that i will be? haha, just a little confusing in your post.

thank you very much for helping, if there was away to give you rep of some kind i would but i dont know how to!

 

[bigben2wardpitt]

ok well i went to compusa today and after talking to some people there i got a linksys PCI card but i STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. This is obviosly not a hardware issue, i think i need to change something or maybe there is something lowering the connection like a phone or something, but i doubt it, its 80 feet away, using an airport base station with the best company for wireless networking (linksys) to connect wirelessly


http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=1523478#1523478

that is my other disccusion over at the apple forums, you can read what I said, etc

 

[bigben2wardpitt]

another thing i notices was the PCI card is a wirless G PCI card, does that effect anything? should i have gotten something that was wireless b?

 

[chcarnage]

I think that bridging would significantly improve the network performance and in all probability satisfy your need. Hope I made this clear with my edit.

I only added the bandwidth numbers for orientation and to say what you at most can expect from your WLAN.

So you replaced the USB antenna with the PCI card? How big is the antenna on the card or was there some internal antenna in the PC case already to connect the card to? Probably the transmitting power of the PCI card is similar to the USB antenna.

That is to say, the fact that the PCI card supports the g standard shouldn't have any influence on the performance. g is downwards compatible to your b network and the card should just slow down its traffic (think a USB 2.0 interface with an older USB 1.1 peripheral). Surely somewhere on the box of the PCI card you can see the words "802.11b/g compatible" or something similar. Ok take this with a grain of salt, I've just neither seen nor heard of any WLAN hardware that supported the g standard but not b.

Concluding I'd now say go for the bridging solution, be it with Airport Express or another access point.

 

[bigben2wardpitt]

how do i bridge the connections? bridge it with what? I need some step by step directions

 

[chcarnage]

Well the principle is that you put the Airport Express or an other WLAN router capable of bridging halfway between the Airport base station and the more distant computer*. The Airport Express then reinforces the signals going from the base station to the PC and vice versa. (The Airport base station you already have doesn't become obsolete with this solution.)

I've never done this, but on its website Apple clearly states that Airport Express is able to bridge and I'm sure instructions come with it and all other product that can bridge.


(*you might put it a bit nearer to the computer because the WLAN signal of the USB stick / PCI card likely is weaker than that of the Airport base station.)

 

[bigben2wardpitt]

yea well i can actually make a profit from buying a linksys router because i already have the pci card, so i will sell my airport card buy the router and make a profit

 

[chcarnage]

Now that was a brief and enigmatic reply Is the Airport card currently in use or where comes it into play?

Also, do you want to buy a Linksys router because the PCI card you have is a Linksys, too? Do you want to use the Linksys router for bridging or do you have something else in mind like replacing the Airport base station?