Hello Gang:
I'm new to these here parts, but I have a question I thought I might post and see if anyone here might be able to help. If this is not the place to post this please delete with my apologizes.
I bought an ibook 1.25GHZ machine that did not have the bluetooth BTO option. I really wanted that functionality so I bought all the parts required to install bluetooth. After much time of taking it apart, installing and re-assembling, I discovered it works but I have zero range. I have to touch the ibook with the device in the spot where the bluetooth module lives in order to get a connection.
My thought is the antenna. I was quite careful about connecting the antenna but before I go back in there and try to re-seat that tiny-tiny antenna connector I was wondering if anyone has any other thoughts on this problem. I thought I did press it in fairly firmly but maybe not?
Thanks in advance-
Tom
You may have pressed TO firmly, lol. The antenne for AirPort and BlueTooth have very small connectors with a very small pin in the middle. This pin could have gotten bend or such. You may want to check it when you go back in.
Also, trace the antenna wire as far as you can. If the iBooks where anything like the powerbooks, the wire(not sure if it was for BlueTooth or AirPort though) had a connector in it so that you can take the machine apart without completely pulling the wire out. Make sure this didn't get pulled apart.
Thanks for the comments - the ibook has a board which I installed and has one data connector and one antenna connector. The data line I assume seems to be ok since the System profiler sees it and has all the data displayed.
I am wondering if anyone knows about anything special about plugging in that little tiny atnenna connector, does it maybe have to snap in or something?
Any help would be well... helpful.
Tom
Your problem sounds exactly like the poor Airport card reception problem I have diagnosed many times. It usually was the Airport card plug not plugged in all the way. I would check the connections again and make sure they are all seated.
OK So I re-opened up the machine checked the antenna and the data line that goes to the little bluetooth board. And re-seated eveything. Results are the some I have bluettoth only if I have the device touch the ibook's case near where the antenna is.
But I do have one thought, the antenna is right next to a little magnet. I guess the magnet is used to hold something in place. Either that or someone dropped it into my computer. Does anyone know if this is suppoed to be in there and if that could somehow block the bluetooth signal since it is right next to the green antenna.
Tom