I am trying to set up a server in an outbuilding and I need to wirelessly do it. I have tried three different setups and they all start out working okay but within 24 hours, the wireless signal is dropped.

It does not seem to matter when it happens but more often, it happens overnight when I would expect less interference. It does not seem to matter if a cordless phone is used, microwave is running, or even the garage door openers are use...the connection remains fine. It seems to drop the connection and then it will not pick it up again.

On any machine, the network status will show green and the airport signal shows good, yet it will not connect to the internet and I can not view it on the network. I wanting to leave this on 24/7. I do not need to access it 24/7 but want to at least be able to access it when I want too.

My Base Station is a Time Capsule and is located in an upstairs office. I have WPA/WPA2 Personal turned on but tried without any security. I have tried different channels such as 11, 4, 3, etc. I looked at the log and they show they are still associated with the station. I was surprised that I can see a neighbors network that is pretty far way...I am guess they have a directional antenna for their barn.

Here is the Station's Signal:



The wireless clients are in an outbuilding about 100-125 feet away. I currently have them set up with a manual address but tried DHCP and Manually with DHCP without a change.

My preferred setup:
-G4 with 10.4.11
-Hawking Hi-Gain Wireless N Network USB Adapter HWUN2 with a 2.0 USB Card (I even installed a new card thinking it was underpowered and then plugged it into a powered USB hub...no change).
-This will work quite well with the wireless N but will still get dropped. I then I have to either restart or unplug and plug in the USB adapter to get it to work. I also tried a Hawking Technology's HWUG1A, 2.4Ghz Wireless-G USB 2.0 and it does the same thing. I am currently using the G with an old iMac elsewhere and for occasional surfing, it works okay for that.
-I tried with an original Airport card it did the same thing.


Another Setup:
-iMac 400mhz with 10.4.11
-Airport Card. It does the same thing as the G4...drops the connection and Network status will so green but no internet.



I was going to try an Airport Express as a repeater or WDS but I hate to spend more on something that might not work. I can also add two directional antennas for the Hawking Adapter but I hate to waste more money if it is not a signal problem.

I looked at the plug in Ethernet adapters but the outbuilding has a separate breaker box and I do not think it would work with the house's electrical circuits. So I am guess my two choices would be to either get a working wireless system or somehow hardwire in an ethernet port (would have to cost a lot).

I would think the directional antenna would probably work or the repeater set up. 100-125 feet seems a bit far for consistent signals. A place that I used to work had a combo of directional antennae and wireless access points over the entire property (about 200 yards to the farthest point).

Can I use an Airport Express to extend my Time Capsule's wireless range (this might help the iMacs in my fitness room and workshop...they connect fine but more signal strength can not hurt) ? Basically, I was thinking I would plug it in the closest outlet towards the outbuildings.

Or would it be better to set it up as a Wireless Distribution System for the server. I am guessing the signal strength would be the same as I have right now with the Hawking USB Adapter HWUN2?

From what I've read of your trials it seems not to be on the receiving end since you used different machines and wireless receivers. That leaves signal strength, interference, or the Time Capsule is flaky. Since it's leaving nothing in the logs I would also not suspect a problem with the receiving machines, they are still seeing a signal. If you say it happens reliably within 24 hours tracking it down may be easier.

The Time Capsule signals are really strong I've found. How many bars in Airport do you get in the out building from an Apple Airport card?

Will a machine drop the signal if it's set up in the house closer to the TimeCapsule, to rule out signal strength problems. If it does drop, try it again but don't have the machines in the out buildings connected.

Is it all machines dropping the connection or just one, to see if it's machine specific or router related.

As far as interference, from my experiences it's most times random and can be maddening to track down, it can curl your ponytail. What interferes once may not do it again, or be consistently repeatable. I had a 2.4 Ghz phone that would knock out the router. I could go weeks with no problem, then one day it would grab the right channel and kill the router, or stop the signal while the phone was off hook. Sometimes I had to restart the router, or even the computer once in a while. If you're using 2.4 Ghz phones unplug them and see if the problem goes away. The phone's proximity to the router isn't a factor either.

If you use the microwave, check before you use it and after. The router or wireless device generally has to be near the microwave to cause a problem. I personally have never seen one cause a problem but I guess it happens.

Do your garage door openers say 2.4 Ghz on them? If so don't use those for a bit and see if the problem goes away.

Maybe the Time Capsule needs a factory reset if none of the above pans out. Do you have an extra wireless router to swap for the Time Capsule temporarily?

That all should keep you busy for a while.

I just lost the connections with both. I was talking on my iPhone when it did it but nothing else. I checked both computers and they were both showing a good signal and the Network Status was showing green but it would not connect to the Internet and not show up on the LAN.

The iMac with an original Airport card came back on its own. It shows all but the top bar as far as connection strength. The G4, with the USB, does not come back unless I manually reset it.

Airport Utility still shows two wireless clients and they both show up in the log even though the G4 will not show up in the LAN.

When this happened earlier, I noticed that my iPhone's Wireless showed one bar but one other time it showed all bars.

I did try the before and after microwave this morning and no difference was made.

I do have 2.4Ghz phones with the base station in the same room as the Time Capsule. I just unplugged the phone.

I looked at the log and the only thing I noticed was that the TKIP key was rotated about time as the drop but I tried earlier running without any security and it did not make a difference.

One thing I did notice is after it drops, I have to set the G4 network settings to DHCP as the manual setting will not connect.

I set my PowerBook up in the kitchen the other day (about 3/4ths of the way to the others) and it showed all bars and never lost a connection.

I did catch this in the Airport Utility when the iMac dropped earier:


Thanks...I will watch with the phones and see.

I have had a little luck but at more expense.

I tired with my phones, garage door openers, etc. all unplugged and it did not make a difference. I think my problem was twofold...poor signal strength and the Hawking USB clients themselves.

I picked up an Airport Express to see if a bridge would help out. My first try was to set up to extend my network. It greatly increased my signal but both the Hawking HWUN2 and HWUG1A would drop out within 24 hours yet the old iMac with the original Airport card would keep on going.

With the signal strength at nearly 100, I have to think the Hawkings are failing due to loosing power via USB. Both units fail on multiple computers. I have plugged them in powered hubs, the original usb ports, and PCI USB card ports and even bought a new PCI card without luck. I tried with all security off, that is not the problem. I tried this with two iMacs, one with 10.3 another with 10.4 and two G4s running 10.4. These units work great out of the box but I guess they can not handle 24/7. I may be wrong but I gave up on the Hawking Network items.

I ended up setting the Airport Express up to the G4 via an ethernet cable and so far, the signal has not been lost and I get the data rate I need for streaming video. I am going to give it a few more days to see how it works out before I call it fixed.

I am going to have to get another Airport Express thought to boost my signal and extend my network for another outbuilding and so I can have my network for the patio this summer. I really like these Expresses...small, compact, and they seem to work well.

I'm glad you were able to isolate the problem and get it rectified. Thanks for the followup.

Okay, I think I finally have a reliable wireless network for my 24/7 security cameras. The side benefit is I now have a Wireless N network that covers a good part of my property too.

I ended up using my Time Capsule to create a dual network (I noticed the new ones do it internally now). I picked up an older Airport Express to create a 2.4GHz B/G network for my iPhone, old iMacs, and old PowerBook. I then added two more Airport Express to complete a Wireless N 5.0GHz network. I have the Time Capsule as the base, one Airport Express as a repeater and one as a hub in my garage.



In the garage, I had a problem with 2.4GHz interference as I had both wireless phones and a wireless security camera. The camera would completely wipe out the 2.4GHz signal for the phone and Airport. Now, with the 5.0, everything works okay. I did switch my garage phone with my 6.0GHz phone and that works now too.

The wireless N is fast enough that it streams the security video via the internet (for remote viewing) through the Security Spy web server.

Now I just need to update my Powerbook so I can take advantage of the strong Wireless N network I now have.

I did hear back from Hawking. They sent me a newer software patch but it gave me a kernel panic as soon as it was installed.