cant connect with ipod

Im currently using my parents home network, no password
my laptop connects to it easily,
my ipod touch can't even find the wireless network
what gives
there is no password!

 

Most likely your dad made the SSID hidden, or you did.

 

there is no password
I can see/connect to the network on my laptop
I cant see it or connect to it via my ipod touch, unless the router gets rest and for a while is a strong signal
then it goes weak and the ipod touch can't see or connect to it, yet the weak signal is still visbile and connectable via my laptop

 

What is the router model, and where is it placed? Is it buried behind a desk, etc?

 

its a linksys and it is in the basement, but my laptop gets on fine, why doesnt my ipod even see the network all the time? sometimes it does just fine
rolleyes

 

Really can't tell you other than it could be distance, or the router needs to be rebooted. What happens if you manually enter the ssid into the iPod touch, clicking "other" in the wifi settings for the device?

 

it wont detect it
the tivo upstairs. the router is in the basment, the tivo will have a 100% signal and then it will drop to 0, if we unplug and replug the *something* the signal comes back from the basmement, and when the tivo has a signal, i can connect
Im not sure what is needed to keep the signal for the tivo at 100%? a booster?

 

If the router is in a basement, and there are signal issues elsewhere on upper floors, that means that either start hard wiring equipment to the router, and place a AP on the very upper floor, and the other if need be. Problem is, majority of the homeowners out there do not understand that there is limitations to computer equipment, specifically networking.

If you have a laptop that has wifi, download inSSIDer from metageek.net to find out the quality of the signal in the house. Worst case scenario, you may have to swap out that linksys and get something better.

 

You have the router in the basement, so in effect a 3 'story' home? Any chance you can run some Cat5 up from the basement to the ground floor and put the wireless router there? Or use a wired router in the basement and a wireless one on the ground floor? Multiple routers/switches may slow down your internet speeds, so just wiring your wireless in the ground floor would be better.

 

good advice
but why can I connect with my laptop and not my ipod?

 

Maybe the laptop has a better antenna? I don't know.

 

Hi,

I read through this thread, and nobody seems to have suggested the simplest thing that would help narrow down the problem: Take the iPod downstairs, into the same room as the WAP, and try to connect.

You don't mention that you've tried this, nor has anyone else suggested it, unless I missed something.

Go there, reset the router, test the connection. Verify that it works, and is stable. I suggest 15-30 minutes, as a test.

If the connection doesn't drop during that time, then the problem is most likely signal strength and/or quality.

If it *does* drop, then suspect an issue between the WAP and the iPod. If the WAP firmware isn't up-to-date, consider updating it. If the iPod firmware isn't current, consider updating it (if that's possible).

If it doesn't drop, move to the next floor above, and repeat.

And so on, until you get to where you were when the problem is most severe.

Some devices handle poor signal strength and/or quality better than others, and my experience with Apple devices in a corporate environment is that they tend to be more "touchy" than others (at least with Cisco access points, which are all that we use). We have a second-floor conference room that averages 2-3 bars in it due to WAP placement, walls, etc. The Dell laptops, Blackberries and Android phones in use at the company don't have a problem with it, whereas the Macbooks and iPhones tend to have connectivity issues which vanish when when they are moved closer to it.

Just anecdotal, I know, but, as my company is moving to new offices soon in our Syracuse, NY location, we in MIS have arranged to purchase more WAPs, for better coverage, to accommodate Apple products, based on our experience at our current location.

So, try my suggestions, and narrow it down for us, OK?

Regards,

dj

 

I appreciate all the help, but I screwed up
I learned the Wi-fi is no longer in the basement, it is indeed upstairs, next to the tivo
it's an old Netgear wireless router
the linksys that I am on now and have been on,, is an unsecured network from a neighbor...thats what I can connect to with my laptop and not with my IPOD
I can connect to the netgear, after it gets plugged in and out, and reset, it will "broadcast" about 5 mins or so,, than the signal goes to zerso

I stil dont know why I can connect to the unsecured linksys with my laptop and not my ipod which was the reason for this thread
but I think we need a new wireless internet router

 

I'm not quite sure why you'd want to connect to a neighbor's router in general. If your own router/WAP isn't working properly, then my original advice is still valid: Update the firmware in the Netgear router. Also, make sure that there are no other access points that have the same SSID (the default is Netgear, if I recall correctly). If there are, change the SSID to something unique. This will also require that you change all devices that connect to it.

Another thing to look for: When the signal drops, does the Netgear turn off? If it does, you could have a bad AC adapter. If that's the case, replacing the AC adapter is a lot less expensive than replacing the router.

If none of this works or doesn't apply, then I'd say that the router is bad, as you think.

It would be helpful to know the model of the Netgear, BTW.

Regards,

dj