Can I improve the wifi strength of the wifi card in the macpro?

Mac Pro or MacBook Pro?

Typically, if that signal is valid, the first thing to do is reduce other signals in the local environment.

That said, you can also buy a low cost dual antenna wireless router and add it to the mix 🙂

I was thinking a better router. 25 feet, direct line of site. Should be a great signal. However, what the signal looks like is not necessarily an indication of a good solid connection. Use:

http://www.speedtest.net/

My Wifi speed drops from 20M to 1.5M when I close the lid to use external monitor. Apple support says it be because of the position of the antenna in the lid, but it is an inconvenience. Any device to add to Mac Book as external antenna?

There was a post somewhere and wondering if the Mac Pro case blocked or interferred with signal and strength. Also, just left a long (one of the longest threads) about MacBook Air and wifi issues and dropping... on the newest models and 10.7.3 no less which a friend just bought.

I'd look into PCIe wifi or USB dongle.

Also, I wasn't satisfied and when I switched from ADSL to cable and I used that as an excuse to get a new and higher quality router that does a better stronger signal (but nowhere near 20 ft coverage, and Netgear Wifi Extended didn't help all that much). I would have liked to use wired connection to the Extender and see how that works (running cat6 through wall or across the basement).

Different vendors, different compatibility, which is why I have stuck with an all-one vendor setup (Netgear).

If you are 25 feet away, and line of sight, consider running an Ethernet cable. The speeds will be much better. Most Wireless Routers have an extra port or two for just this purpose.

dfocke-

Mac OS X is very flexible in its treatment of display options. There is no need to close the lid to use a second display. The antenna is in the display surround, so yes, that will kill your wireless performance.

Thanks. How do I kill my notebook display without shutting the lid?

An additonal Wireless base station can interfere with your existing Network -- or it can be a tremendous booster. It all depends on having then set up so that they have the same Network name and same broadcast channel. This is hard to set up without looking at what channel the main Router is using, and properly configuring the relay or remote base station to only bridge, not act as a full-blown Router. A "stumbler" program can be very helpful as well.

Wi-Fi base stations: Setting up and configuring a Wireless Distribution System (802.11b/g)

One other issue is the antenna wires inside your Mac Pro. They may not be securely attached to the wirelss card. Some users have reported that a different selection of two of the three provided wires gave better reception.

There are two options for using a second display. The first is called Mirroring. Its disadvantage is that the resolutions available for the second display must also be possible for the built-in display. The picture is replicated, which can be a distraction.

The second option is activated when Mirroring is unchecked. It is called "Extended Desktop". The pixels of the second display are used to extend the built-in display along an edge you can specify in the

| Arrange | pane that appears when this option is active. The external display can be specified anywhere (up down left right) from the built-in. The mouse moves freely across the boundary between the displays, and windows can be dragged and dropped on either display or split across them.

The tiny MenuBar can also be moved to the external display to designate it as Primary (when present). This would allow you to ignore the built-in whenever you choose. If the external is present the important stuff will be there, and the built-in will just show a copy of the desktop background.

My son used his in a slightly different way. He put the external up on about four-inch blocks, then opened his MacBook below it. He then used both screens at one to have lots of windows open.

It is absolutely a problem with the MacBook Pro's antenna. I also have a MacBook 6,1, an iPad 1st gen, iPhone 5 and an iMac 27" - all of which read the 30mb down wireless signal from the Airport Extreme no problem. It's ONLY my MacBook Pro 6,2 i7 that receives at 3mb down (all tested through www.speedtest.net).

I did more testing and found that the MacBook Pro by itself has poor reception (18 mb down, about half speed). What makes it really bad is when you connect an external monitor (3mb down), even when the top is open.

It's not what is the problem (it's the internal antenna), but what new internal or external antenna has anyone found to replace the stock internal antenna?

SOLUTION FOUND to MacBook Pro poor Wi-Fi wireless signal.

First, let's talk about the actual problem: too much signal noise. There is a hidden app in OSX called "Wi-Fi Diagnostics" This will tell you everything you need to know why your Wi-Fi is not working!

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5606

HINT: It is included in 10.7, just look for it.

The solution!

Turn off your wi-fi and run your internet through your home's electrical wires. Power-line adapters are devices that turn a home's electrical wiring into network cables for a computer network.
http://reviews.cnet.com/2733-3243_7-568-8.html

I purchased TP-LINK TL-PA511 and for the first time I'm downloading with ALL my internet speed (30mb down / 5mb up) tested via www.speedtest.net. I'M SOOOOO HAPPY!!!!

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA511-Powerline-Starter-Kit/dp/B0081FLFQE/ref=s r_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385395374&sr=8-1&keywords=TP-LINK+TL-PA511

They don't have a MacBook Pro, better to just post there.

> To answer the other post, it is a mac pro.

Had to really be looking to uncover year old thread.

Just trying to help.

And yes, I was looking for pretty hard, for several months for a solution. Thought it would be good to let others know, and since it is a Mac Pro, eithernet via home electrical wires is a perfect solution! 😉