Cisco Access Points + Airport Card malfunctions

I have a G4 ibook 10.4.11 that will associate to our Cisco Access Points at work. The problem I am finding is that the Network Manager seems to "lose" the DNS servers that are served up by DHCP. This is an open 802.11 network, NO security enabled what-so-ever. It is our public internet for patrons to use.

When the laptop "looses" the connection, I can still ping local network IPs by name, and internet addresses by IP but not by names.

If I enter a new DNS entry into the Network Manager on my MAC it starts working again.

What would cause this? Interestingly enough I found another user of a new MacBook Pro (OS X 10.5.5) who's airport card won't even list the wifi networks, or connect. the DNS trick on mine does not work reliably on the MacBook Pro.

This leads to the last question: How do I find and upgrade the firmware on the Airport card? I cannot find it on Apple's website, that does not require OS 9.1??? and Firmwares dated 2001! I found this thread on Apple's website:

Apple - Support - Discussions - MacBook Pro will not connect to Cisco ...

There are apparently LOTS of Mac Users in a Cisco Infrastructure with connection problems.

Of course all Windows based clients work fine.

I am no expert in the Mac world, either. But I can troubleshoot.

Thanks in advance!

I know in our Network (All Cisco) our Mac laptops / Desktops can use the Cisco router without any problems at all. We are using Cisco 1130 Routers, powered by PoE.

We are also using MAC based access, as well as WEP encryption.

JGruber said:

I know in our Network (All Cisco) our Mac laptops / Desktops can use the Cisco router without any problems at all. We are using Cisco 1130 Routers, powered by PoE.

We are also using MAC based access, as well as WEP encryption.

Click to expand...

I am not sure what model the router is on the public internet, I'd have to look. But all our access points are Cisco Aironet 1200 series I believe. They look like gray square stones.

There is something wrong, either on the Cisco side or the Apple side, for sure, according to that Apple thread.

Do you know how to update the firmware for the Airport Cards?

usererror said:

I am not sure what model the router is on the public internet, I'd have to look. But all our access points are Cisco Aironet 1200 series I believe. They look like gray square stones.

There is something wrong, either on the Cisco side or the Apple side, for sure, according to that Apple thread.

Do you know how to update the firmware for the Airport Cards?

Click to expand...

Our Cisco routers are the White ones that look like stones... I would think it would be a problem with the Airport Cards, at one of our schools, we have about 15 or so routers, and 300 Mac computers, all connected via Wireless. No problems with any of our connections, other than the normal user errors.

As far as updating Airport firmware, Apple Downloads - Firmware & Hardware