I use an AirPort and DSL line.
We have two Macs using the AirPort,
an iMac and an iBook,
so I can monitor the AirPort while one of them malfuncts.
The iMac sometimes, suddenly and with no apparent reason,
shows the AirPort as "out of range" or "unavailable?,
_no_ AirPort signal,
even tho I can see with AirPort Administrative Utility on the other
computer that the AirPort is working.
When it changes, it changes instantly from a "strong" signal to "out
of range", or v.v. It does not fade in and out.
I infer the lines are not vertical and horizontal because the graph
prepresents a running average.
I believe it sometimes connects to the AirPort even tho the AirPort
program (or AirPort Administrative Utility, I forget which) shows
"out of range" or "unavailable?.
Sometimes the AirPort program and the AirPort Administrative Utility
do not agree, one showing connected, the other showing not.
When I turn on the AirPort program, it first shows the box with a bar
showing signal strength, but no bar, then instantly switches to "out
of range" or "unavailable?. The numbers in the top right corners are
the time of day; all three within 1 minute. At no time in the minute
did a bar show a signal.
Administrative Utility on the "working" iBook has shown both the
AirPort and the intermittant iMac to be sending good AirPort signals,
while the intermittant iMac shows the AirPort as "out of range."
The intermittant iMac sometimes reported the AirPort signal "out of
range" or "strong" depending upon my cursor's location. When I change
programs, it sometimes changes, both ways.
Altho it changes in an instant, it sometimes does not change for many
hours. It usually fixes (temporarily) itself overnight.
I'm confident that software on the intermittant iMac somehow masks
the signal, but re-installing OS9 does not help, nor does copying the
settings from the working iBook.
Rebooting from a CD, then running Disk First Aid does not to help.
Turning the AiirPort card on and off does not help.
Rebuilding the desktoop has not kept it from happening again.
My wanderful adventure:
Start AirPort program, which shows usual strong signal for about 1/2
second, then ?No signal selected, Status not available.? Shut AirPort
program down. Soon, restart AirPort. It shows open bar while looks
for signal and finds it. Ah! working again, so...
Start Eudora (e-mail program).
AirPort program changes to show ?unavailable,?
but Eudora gets mail anyway (cannot identify which screen shot during).
After downloading e-mail, I look at the AirPort program (still on)
which showed the usual strong signal.
I finished typing this, and close this document.
Check AirPort program: Unavailable.
I reopened this document, made note above, closed document, and
checked Airport: strong signal.
Throughout, the intermittant iMac has been running
AirPort program,
AppleWorks,
DragThing,
Eudora
& SimpleText.
It?s been working just fine for over half an hour, during which I
scanned, edited, and mailed a picture.
- finis -
I have searched the Apple help data base
and posted to the Apple mutual help web site,
but heard nothing.
It's been doing this for more than a month,
and it's driving me nuts.
Nelson Helm
The next meeting of the Louisville Computer Society will be October 22
For more information, see <http://www.aye.net/~lcs>. A calendar of
activities is at <http://www.calsnet.net/macusers>.
