07-09-2008, 06:30 PM

My daughter needed a Mac for college so we purchased her a Macbook Pro. We have a Linksys WRT310N wireless network at home that works fine with both PC laptops and PC desktops with USB wireless connectors. Running with WPA Personal encryption.

The Macbook Pro sees the wireless network but refuses to connect. Even if I disable all security, the Macbook refuses to connect. I've placed the Macbook five feet from the WRT310N and still it won't connect.

The WRT310N is running the very latest firmware (just updated). The Macbook is also freshly updated.

Being a Mac novice, I am at a loss as to how to proceed. Looking for suggestions.

I am willing to purchase a different wireless router if there is one that works better with the Mac and still works with PCs, as long as it has a gigabit switch built in.

07-09-2008, 09:00 PM

Hate to respond to my own post, but ...

I can easily connect to a neighbor's open wireless, so the wireless in the laptop works (at least once). However, no setting in the router will allow the Macbook Pro to connect to my Linksys WRT310N.

Apple Care offers no help other than buy an Airport Extreme.

07-09-2008, 11:24 PM

If your MBP can connect wireless to a neighbor's network, the Airport circuit card in the MBP is OK. Have you tried to connect the MBP by ethernet cable to the Linksys?

Some things to check: (First remove security.) Open System Preferences, Network. Make sure the MBP "sees" the wireless broadcast. It should display the name of your wireless network. Click on Advanced and then click on the TCP/IP tab.

You should see "Using DHCP" in the "Configure IPv4 dialog box".

Check to see if the IP address and the Router address are correct. The Subnet Mask should be 255.255.255.0

Next compare the DNS address with that given by your ISP. Some ISPs automatically develop the DNS address and in that case yours will be 4 zeros.

If nothing works, try removing everything from the network except the MBP.

Regards.

07-10-2008, 10:41 AM

Found the answer ... RF interference from a remote video camera (2.4 GHz transmission). I guess the MBP is more sensitive to RF interference than the other devices.

07-10-2008, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by jeffh

Found the answer ... RF interference from a remote video camera (2.4 GHz transmission). I guess the MBP is more sensitive to RF interference than the other devices.

Great! Glad to hear that. Also be aware that some 2.4 Ghz remote phones can cause the same problem. The work around (besides eliminating the offending device) is to switch to another broadcast channel on the router.

Regards.