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why does my wireless stop transimitting and my mouse freeze up?

Sometime it happens only a few seconds after turning on the machine, other times, it happens after using the machine for several minutes or up to an hour. Eventually, the wireless icon goes blank, as if it has stopped transmitting. If it doesn't freeze up at the sometime, shortly thereafter, the mouse freezes up.

The machine is running on the original battery (which does not hold a charge any longer)and I replaced my broken charger with a "MacCharger" from MacWizzards.com. The machine has never had any other problems in the four and a half years I have owned it.

I have already swapped out the DC-in on the recommendation of a friend. Obviously, that didn't resolve the problem. Anyone have any other ideas?

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Hi! First I would remove all extraneous devices in order to rule those out -- extended RAM, battery. You've ruled out the charger and DC-in, which is good. Next, although unlikely to the be issue, it's worth wiping the HD and reinstalling the OS. I'd go into Disk Utility and do a check on the drive as well, just to see if it reports that drive failure is imminent.

It appears you have the model iBook with the integrated Airport. You can remove it...it's just more work because it's not a "user serviceable" part. Here's the replacement part:

[linked product missing or disabled: IF183-054]

I've never heard of Airport problems like you describe, but if what I mentioned above doesn't help, it may be worth opening the machine and swapping the Airport card. But before spending the money, I'd simply remove it, and verify that the laptop does not freeze when it is minus an Airport. If it behaves and does not freeze with the Airport removed, that's a pretty good indicator that the Airport is the issue. If it does freeze without the Airport, I think it's pretty safe to say at that point that you've got a logic board issue.

One more idea -- you might try booting off of another machine's hard drive using Target mode. If your machine still freezes while running off another machine's hard drive, that rules out your hard drive as the problem.

Yet another idea -- I wonder if it could be an overheating issue. Do you notice that the fan is on at all? You might want to download a utility that monitors the fan/heat situation (I don't recall the name of one at the moment unfortunately) in order to see if an overheating situation may be locking up the computer.

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I would first try hardwiring directly to the modem to see if the problem is with the airport-bluetooth cards or the modem. Turn the mouse off while doing this to isolate the problem and use the keypad or a hardwired mouse. If problem persists, replace the modem. If problem is gone, then test just the mouse. Make sure you have a good battery in the mouse. Now you can determine if the Airport-Bluetooth board is bad and replace it if needed.

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Low battery power

is known to cause these problems. Getting a new battery should cure it.

If this answer is acceptable please return and mark it.

Good Luck,

N.

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eugeneshuboy will be eternally grateful.
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