Q: Macbook Airport Drops Connection

I think I might have a similar issue. I don't think I completely lose the connection, it just slows down to a ridiculously painful speed. The speed works great when it first boots, but within a few minutes becomes extremely slow. Also when at normal speed I have the full 4 bars on the airport icon at top right and when it slows down it generally goes down to about 2 bars. We have two other similar macbooks and a new unibody macbook pro and all run off the same airport extreme router very quickly. All are running at 80211 n speed and the airport extreme has the latest firmware/software updates.

I noticed this problem in 10.5.7 so first guessing it was software and seeing as I wanted to clean up the computer anyway I put in a new hard drive (saving the old with my old configuration) and put a completely clean new install of 10.5 and then upgraded to 10.6 ran all the updates and the problem was immediately back. I didn't even use my old settings while doing the install, it was completely clean.

Then thinking it might be the memory I switched with one of the other macbooks putting 2 x 2 Ghz kingston modules and still the same problem.

Also zapped the pram.

Finally I took it in (one month out of warranty) and did as the technician suggested and replaced the internal airport card and still the same problem.

If I use tethering to connect it to the internet using my iPhone and bluetooth it's fine, it's just the airport that's not working.

I also found this which I though might help:
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL878
I reverted back to my first hard drive in 10.5.7, updated to 10.5.8, ran the install. It seemed to work at first but then went back to the problem again.

Doesn't seem to make any difference if the computer is plugged in or running off the batteries.

One thing that seems to work occasionally but not every time is to flick the airport off in the upper right menu bar, and then flick it back on again. Once it's going properly it seems to stay connected pretty good, but it's getting it first connected properly that is the problem.

Decided to try one of the other recommendations and managed to get a network card from a 2006 MacBook Pro. Dropped it in to the 2.4 Ghz Black MacBook and it works perfectly, strong signal, and consistently fast even though it only goes up to "g" speeds. It's been good for 4 days now.

I'll hold onto the original network card with the hope that this problem can be resolved one day at which time I'll put it back in and get back up to "n" speeds.

This is obviously a big problem - and it seems there is many possible fixes.....

I have recently got a Macbook and started having this issue - it just stopped automatically detecting and connecting to wireless - and very rarely finds the Netgear modem even if its sitting right next door...

Im thinking should I just send it back? Seems that for some its not even a hardware issue...

Has anyone summarised all these problems and potential solutions?