nickfxx

Q: Retina Macbook Pro WiFi and Bluetooth issue

Hey all,

i'd be really thankful for some info on the following issue :

i've got a Retina Macbook Pro and a Bluetooth Sound System from Logitech. The System connects to Macbook via Bluetooth which always works fine. Connecting to internet via WiFi works fine as well. The problem occurs when i use both WiFi and Bluetooth simultaneously : there seems to be some kind of interference, which makes my internet either go down completely or become very slow. This issue is not that nasty, but I'd expect a $2300 machine to work perfectly. So my question is : is this problem known for all of new Retina Macbooks or is it just my unit? In case it's just my unit, i'd still have a chance of exchanging it for a new one. But i'd like to know for sure where this problems comes from. I'd also be very thankful for every other solution you can think of.

 

 

Thanks in advance

MacBook Pro with Retina display, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Jul 17, 2012 3:19 AM

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Q: Retina Macbook Pro WiFi and Bluetooth issue

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  • by Evripidis90,

    Evripidis90 Evripidis90 Oct 14, 2012 2:21 AM in response to nickfxx
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 14, 2012 2:21 AM in response to nickfxx

    I asked from my provider to have my router changed and a new one came to me. Not in dual mode, only on 2.4GHz, and the problem solved immediately with the new router. So I think in many cases the router may has a role in the problem.

  • by AppNerds,

    AppNerds AppNerds Oct 14, 2012 12:10 PM in response to Evripidis90
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 14, 2012 12:10 PM in response to Evripidis90

    That's interesting, I wouldn't be suprised if this is the case. What kind of router was the old one? And is the new one the same brand/model?

  • by Evripidis90,

    Evripidis90 Evripidis90 Oct 15, 2012 12:26 PM in response to AppNerds
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 15, 2012 12:26 PM in response to AppNerds

    The two routers are made by the same manufacturer ( Intracom) but they are different models. My old router was an Intracom NetFaster WLAN and the new one is a NetFaster WLAN 3 . These two are given by my provider (Hellas On Line) in Greece.

  • by FiddlerSteve,

    FiddlerSteve FiddlerSteve Oct 17, 2012 11:37 AM in response to nickfxx
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 17, 2012 11:37 AM in response to nickfxx

    Same issue here, brand new rMBP with all updates (OSX 10.8.2).  I access a 2007-model AEBS (plugged directly into a 2Wire router for AT&T DSL), my signal is 2.4 GHz on 802.11N.  Abysmal WiFi performance with drops every few minutes until I switch off Bluetooth, then fast and stable.  I guess I'll return the Magic Mouse to the Apple Store and go back to using my old wired Mighty Mouse until I hear this is resolved.  Too bad; I really liked the new mouse...

  • by FiddlerSteve,

    FiddlerSteve FiddlerSteve Oct 17, 2012 4:36 PM in response to FiddlerSteve
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 17, 2012 4:36 PM in response to FiddlerSteve

    Duh, I figured out that I could set the AEBS to 5 Ghz!  That seems to have solved the issue for me!

  • by Timo_C130,

    Timo_C130 Timo_C130 Oct 18, 2012 11:45 AM in response to FiddlerSteve
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 18, 2012 11:45 AM in response to FiddlerSteve

    I recently got a new time capsule as a gift. Since then my problem seems to be 'solved' even on the 2.4 Ghz side of the router. Seems that the type of router used does really influence the signal. Anyway the laptop should be able to be paired with a bluetooth device on any type of router right...

  • by Applentice,

    Applentice Applentice Oct 18, 2012 8:50 PM in response to Timo_C130
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Oct 18, 2012 8:50 PM in response to Timo_C130

    Intersting. I happened to try 3 (three) MBPRs in the matter of a month (Sept - Oct 2012).

     

    1st and 3rd (current) bought - from Apple store, 2nd - from BestBuy.

    Used 1st for 4 weeks, 2nd for 1 week, and 3rd - one day.

     

    Didn't have any problems with the first 2 of them on exactly the same router (WRT54GL with Tomato v. 1.28), same home setup (same devices around me) and a Magic Mouse.

     

    Used all the three MBPRs within a distance from router antenna of 2 feet (yes, just under the desk with antennas streching on top of it).

     

    Now with the 3rd MBPR, serios problem with very slow WiFi. Sometimes dropps. Even with Magic Mouse *and* Bluetooth off, I get 8-9 Mbps max on the MBP.

     

    At the same time, measuring speed to the same server, on a Win Vista desktop, connected with to the same router, but via cable, I get up to 30+ Mbps - consistently.

     

    I am using speedtest.net (with Flash). I know, I know, you not gonna be happy hearing about the Flash "abomination" on Mac. But speedtest is very good tool for measuring speed.

     

    At the same time (again, to the same server!) on iPhone 4, iOS 5.1, I get 13 Mbps - consistently, again. Same distance from router - 2 feet.

     

    Did SMC reset - to no avail.

     

    Interestingly, the previous two MBPRs were installing the 1.0 EFI update from 19 Sept 2012 on top of Mac OS 10.8.2 update.

     

    This one (the 3rd one, current) doesn't show it in the App Store. Tried to install it manually - says "This software is not supported on your system".

     

    Judging from serial numbers, of all three I have used, only the middle 4 symbols change (increasing), so all they are from the same big batch. So maybe Apple has pre-fixed in the EFI in the 3rd (current).

     

    This is pretty bad especially that I know that an MBPR can actually work perfectly with my router

     

    We all should complain to Apple as much as we can, otherwise they won't do anything to fix it.

  • by bartlettpsj,

    bartlettpsj bartlettpsj Oct 18, 2012 11:59 PM in response to nickfxx
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 18, 2012 11:59 PM in response to nickfxx

    Today I'm going to the Apple store and they are replacing my Wifi/BT card.  I'll let you all know the outcome.

  • by AppNerds,

    AppNerds AppNerds Oct 19, 2012 6:25 AM in response to bartlettpsj
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 19, 2012 6:25 AM in response to bartlettpsj

    Great, please let us know. I am interested in hearing if that fixes the issue.

  • by bartlettpsj,

    bartlettpsj bartlettpsj Oct 19, 2012 6:43 AM in response to bartlettpsj
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    Oct 19, 2012 6:43 AM in response to bartlettpsj

    I went to the apple store, after they had ordered the new Wifi/BT card in, then they said there is no point in changing it as it will not fix it.  They said there probably going the need to be a firmware update for the card, which they have not yet released.  They aparently had a similar issue with the Macbook Air 11".

     

    So I am now stuck! Like many others with being unable to use BT at same time as Wifi.

  • by Adriano72,

    Adriano72 Adriano72 Oct 19, 2012 6:50 AM in response to bartlettpsj
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 19, 2012 6:50 AM in response to bartlettpsj

    I don't know if this will help. In the same situation (MBPR and BT Keyboard and Mouse) I changed the channel of the wifi router from 5 to 11 (still in the 2.4 Ghz) and the problem disappeared.

     

    Good luck

     

    Adriano

  • by FiddlerSteve,

    FiddlerSteve FiddlerSteve Oct 19, 2012 7:43 AM in response to Adriano72
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 19, 2012 7:43 AM in response to Adriano72

    As someone mentioned earlier in this thread it's probably a matter of trying various channels until you hopefully find one that works.  On mine, 11 is problematic but 8 seemed to solve the problem in my testing last night.  As also mentioned earlier, switching my AEBS to N band - 5GHz only eliminates the problem--but other devices on my network can no longer find the router, so I think I'm stuck with 2.4Ghz...

  • by Applentice,

    Applentice Applentice Oct 19, 2012 9:38 AM in response to FiddlerSteve
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Oct 19, 2012 9:38 AM in response to FiddlerSteve

    It is not only Mouse-WiFi interference problem.

     

    As I mentioned in my post above, I had *three* MBPRs at the same spot, same router, same surroundings. While I haven't measured the speed of the first two (sicne I didnt notice any problem), the 3rd one is way slower.

     

    * MBPR 2 feet from WRT54GL:

     

         * With Magic Mouse: 5-6 Mbps

         * Bluetooth off: 10-11 Mbps

     

    * Win Vista with cable to same router: 30-40 Mbps

     

    (speedtest.net, same target server)

     

    I tried different Wifi channels - no avail, even worse on some.

     

    I will get AirPort Extreme and will let you know what happens.

  • by AJSJ,

    AJSJ AJSJ Oct 19, 2012 9:19 PM in response to Applentice
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 19, 2012 9:19 PM in response to Applentice

    I am also having this issue, I think.  I'll do some more testing later, but my gripe is that I stream music from Mixcloud and play it over BT to my Bose Soundlink II.  I have intermittent cracking/popping while the music is playing.  I just tried to browse to my WRT54GS V2 to change wifi channels but I still have the spinning circle in Safari!  $4k for this beast and I can't even stream my music!

  • by Applentice,

    Applentice Applentice Oct 20, 2012 10:46 AM in response to AJSJ
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Oct 20, 2012 10:46 AM in response to AJSJ

    I would be interesting if someone with deep knowledge in WiFi engineering takes a look at this.

     

    I am the last person to suspect concpisracy, but is it possible Apple is puting WiFi chips in its new computers that work only on very narrow frequency (or some other trick), so they match best only with their AirPort wifi router series as well?

     

    A lot of people probably don't realize their speed gets twice lower compared to not using Magic Mouse. After all, if you are only browsing, you wont notice any difference b/w 10 Mbps and 40 Mbps.

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