Mackbook not picking up wifi signal using OSX

Hi I have a Black Macbook, It is set up with bootcamp OSX 10.5/XP sp2

When I'm in Windows I can pick up 5 or 6 different SSID's, but when I'm in OSX I cant pick up any.

The wifi is turned on,I have tried deleting the service and creating a new one, no luck with that.

I know the wireless card is working because when I boot into XP I can pick up and connect to multiple SSID's.

The card is listed in the system profiler.

Anyone got any ideas?

Intel core 2 duo 2.16 ghz Macbook (Black) Mac OS X (10.5.6) Boot camped with XP Pro sp2

Have you tried using iStumbler when booted up in OSX to scan for access points? May help to confirm whether it's an issue with the OS, or just a setting in wireless preferences.

Hi yes, I have just installed Istumbler and it has picked up all the surounding ssid's. The OS/airport scan still doesnt pick up any signal's.

If it works ok in windows then it must be an OS issue. Can you take the laptop somewhere with another wireless connection just in case it is an OS/router conflict?If it picks it up ok then either the proximity of other wireless connections nearby is upsetting it or it is the make of router you have which OS X doesn't like.

My macbook has had dreadful wireless. It has been marginally better when I switched my netgear from auto (channel 6) to just normal mode. I picked a channel way off from the others nearby. The other 3 wireless connected macs n pcs have been totally fine so it just seems to be a leopard or macbook issue.

When a boggo five quid wireless dongle works better on a pc than an expensive built in wireless device on mid range mac laptop you have to wonder what apple have been doing!

Ok, the environment where I am working has a Cisco managed wireless network which is functioning perfectly well for other wireless devices Macbooks/Mac Pro's/Pc's/netbooks etc. and the Mac pro sitting under my desk can scan and pick up all the different ssid's that are available. so i know the problem isnt with the router or light weight access points.

I have moved to another location in the building and the Macbook still isnt picking up any ssis's, however when I use Istumbler I can see all the different ssid's being broadcast. I can even connect to the "open" sevice using Istumbler so it has to be an OS problem.

One thing I have noticed is that when you click on the Airport icon in the menu bar, it drops open and scans for available networks. Well when it performs the scan it only lasts about one second, where as when I do the same using any other Mac it usually scans for 3-5 seconds?

I have tried deleting all the preferences I can find for the airport and network settings.

Does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this? Idealy I dont want to have to re-image this Mac as I have it set up nicely for bootcamp and bootpicker and a load of other little tweeks.

Cheers

Haven't got my Mac to hand, so excsue me for thinking aloud. Could there be anything within security settings that iStumbler ignores, but the O/S must obey?

If it weren't for the fact that the Windows side is picking up wireless I would be suspecting that one of the 2 connections on the Airport Card is not properly attached [ personal experience there ]

Are you near an Apple Store so you could take it in and intrigue the Genius guys with this oddity ?

No none that I can find, the fire wall looks ok, the energy settings look ok. I have nothing setup under parental controls either?

Hi ,
Yeah the fact that the windows side of the equation works, and the Mac Istumbler tool also works suggests that the card is connected. and that its the OS that is the problem.

No I'm unfortunately no where near an Apple store.

Ok, If I goto Networks > select the Airport connection >Click Assist Me > Diagnostics >Select Airport > It will display all the SSIS's and update them constantly. But if I go to the Apple Icon in the top right menu bar and click, again it scans for about 1 second and wont display any SSID's.

I think its just not scanning for long enough, does anyone know if it is possible to change a parameter somewhere to alter the scan time?