Flippuccino

Q: New Airport Extreme (6th Gen) Dropping Connection from Time to Time.

Problem:

  • 6th Generation Airport Extreme drops connection intermittently at random times.

 

Set Up:

  • 6th Generation Airport Extreme (main router - no hard drive/not a time capsule) located center of house on the main floor. 2 Range extenders each approximately 30+ feet away from main router. First range extender (Airport Express - newest generation) located on the third floor parallel to main. Second range extender (Airport Express - new generation) is located at the end of the kitchen (main floor).

 

  • Main Router is connected straight from a Motorolla Surfboard modem on a foyer table at the center of the house.

 

  • Range extenders connected to Main Router wirelessly and at wall outlett height.


Previous Setup:

  • Same setup as above but, with the 5th Generation Airport Extreme instead of the 6th Generation.

 

Firmware:

  • All current versions.

 

Devices:

  • 1 SONY VAIO VGN-FW490J
  • HP Notebook G60
  • Several WEMO outlets
  • 1 iPad Mini
  • 1 iPad 2
  • 1 iPhone 5
  • 1 Motorolla RAZR MAXX
  • Macbook Pro
  • iMac (wired from main router on foyer table)

      
        Note: All of these routers/range extenders/modem/computers are plugged into surge protected outlets.

 

-----

 

Notes:

 

With the new Airport Extreme my family and I have been experiencing intermettent connection drops. The amber light on the main router turns on and within a few minutes turns green and connection resumes again. This has been happening for a few days now ever since I purchased the new router. This has not happened before with the 5th generation router, which I donated to our church.

 

I have not exchanged the product yet. I will be initiating a Complete Power Recycle after some suggested solutions in a bit. I have contacted my Internet Service Provider (Comcast) for a line check and found no problems.

 

Has anyone found any solutions to resolve the intermittent connection drops? Is reverting to the previous firmware going to solve this?

 

I would like some insights before trying to do all this. Thank you all for your time.

 

P.s.

I've done a detailed post since posts like these is frequently asked questions on set-up, devices, connections, etc:

Posted on Jun 27, 2013 6:45 PM

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Q: New Airport Extreme (6th Gen) Dropping Connection from Time to Time.

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  • by arsen32,

    arsen32 arsen32 Nov 25, 2013 9:59 PM in response to TechInput
    Level 1 (35 points)
    Nov 25, 2013 9:59 PM in response to TechInput

    My drops increased to the point of not being able to use wifi with the update now I am back on 7.7.1 and It still drops a couple times a day. Some days 6 or 7. When you work from home that's nowhere close to acceptable. What is happening with apple hardware?

  • by kahuna6969,

    kahuna6969 kahuna6969 Nov 27, 2013 7:55 AM in response to Flippuccino
    Level 1 (30 points)
    Nov 27, 2013 7:55 AM in response to Flippuccino

    For those who are running Windows and controlling the Airport Base Station with Airport for Windows.  Apple just came out with a firmware update for Airport Extreme (7.7.2).  It so happens that this Firmware version requires Airport Software version 6.3 or newer.  The Windows version only goes as high as Version 5.6 or so.  I was also told that Apple is unlikely to upgrade this software.  To make a long story short you need to control your Airport Base Station with an iMac, or an iPhone or iPad with the Airport app.  This solved my problems.  Good Luck :)

  • by arsen32,

    arsen32 arsen32 Dec 1, 2013 11:51 AM in response to Flippuccino
    Level 1 (35 points)
    Dec 1, 2013 11:51 AM in response to Flippuccino

    I took my airport to the genius bar. Based on how long I have had issues and my ping evidence they replaced my airport extreme. I am NOT upgrading the firmware as on my last unit it dramatically increased my issues. I am hoping the new unit will solve my issues.

  • by kbia,

    kbia kbia Dec 1, 2013 2:27 PM in response to arsen32
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 1, 2013 2:27 PM in response to arsen32

    I just bought an AE6 yesterday from Best Buy. Was getting 25-30s/4-5s earlier today with AE5. All devices now get 8-12/3-4 w/ the AE6. I'll reboot again later this evening and if that does not work I'll hook the AE5 back up and see.

  • by Tin Omen,

    Tin Omen Tin Omen Dec 16, 2013 1:50 PM in response to Flippuccino
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Dec 16, 2013 1:50 PM in response to Flippuccino

    7.7.2 fixed my issue with WiFi dropping out.

    Has anyone noticed bandwidth reduction on 2.4Ghz?

    5Ghz seems to not be affected.

  • by Forcefour,

    Forcefour Forcefour Dec 26, 2013 9:57 AM in response to Flippuccino
    Level 1 (35 points)
    Peripherals
    Dec 26, 2013 9:57 AM in response to Flippuccino

    well this thread is disappointing.  I have a 5th gen exhibiting these same issues.  Thought maybe an upgrade to 6th would rectify.  Looks like things are getting worse, not better.  May have to look at alternatives.

  • by Tin Omen,

    Tin Omen Tin Omen Dec 26, 2013 10:44 AM in response to Forcefour
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Dec 26, 2013 10:44 AM in response to Forcefour

    Disappointing?  By "similar problems" are you referring to the possible 2.4Ghz speed issue?  Or the  corrected BPDU issue (the topic of the thread)?

  • by Tin Omen,

    Tin Omen Tin Omen Dec 26, 2013 11:28 AM in response to kahuna6969
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Dec 26, 2013 11:28 AM in response to kahuna6969

    Weird.  I have no issue configuring my Airport running 7.7.2 with my Windows 7 box.  In fact, the Windows version of the Airport configuration software gives you more options (like setting a syslog server.)

  • by Forcefour,

    Forcefour Forcefour Dec 26, 2013 12:09 PM in response to Tin Omen
    Level 1 (35 points)
    Peripherals
    Dec 26, 2013 12:09 PM in response to Tin Omen

    I am referring to the dropoffs.  The are a few threads on this topic for 5th gen.  Thought I would investigate 6th but it appears to be more of the same.

  • by tomgoosmann,

    tomgoosmann tomgoosmann Jan 2, 2014 10:00 AM in response to Forcefour
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 2, 2014 10:00 AM in response to Forcefour

    Glad to finally see someone else here with 5th gen issues. Spent half my holiday trying to troubleshoot why my 5th gen AE with an extended 4th gen AE not only diminish my speed (my Optimum 101 when wired goes full tilt on my Powerbook, while at best gets to 30 through the AE router), but roller coasters between that 30 down and nothing, dropping off devices and wreaking havoc on my family's use. I've got the Powerbook, 3 iMacs, two iPhone 4s, two iPhone 5s, a third gen iPad, 2nd gen iPad, 1st gen iPad, three TiVos, AppleTV, a DropCam and a Nest. I'll run Speedtest from one minute to the next, and see downloads in the 1-5 range, or drop altogether. I spent an hour on the phone with Apple, who were satisfied I tried every possible test to determine cause. I live in the burbs, no baby monitors, I unplugged my wireless phones. I have a wood framed house.

     

    What did Apple suggest? Upgrade to 6th Gen AE! So I thought I'd better do a little research first and between CNet, here, and Amazon this is all I'm reading.

     

    My conclusion: Trendnet or ASUS?

     

    And before you think me some anti-Apple troll, I run an 55 person agency that is purely Apple since 1994. I am saddened by the length of time this string run without solid answers. 

  • by Tin Omen,

    Tin Omen Tin Omen Jan 2, 2014 11:03 AM in response to tomgoosmann
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Jan 2, 2014 11:03 AM in response to tomgoosmann

    Had I performed research before I bought my 6th Gen AE, I would have bought the Asus RT-AC68U instead.

  • by Tin Omen,

    Tin Omen Tin Omen Jan 2, 2014 1:28 PM in response to Tin Omen
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Jan 2, 2014 1:28 PM in response to Tin Omen

    However, the new 7.7.2 release has fixed the wireless drop off issue for me.

    ANYONE having the issue in the OP *AND* are on 7.7.2 please speak up!

    I suspect that most people with this issue have stopped looking at this thread since 7.7.2 came out.

  • by Tin Omen,

    Tin Omen Tin Omen Jan 2, 2014 1:46 PM in response to Tin Omen
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Jan 2, 2014 1:46 PM in response to Tin Omen

    Big long explanation that explains what I am seeing on the speed issues...  Ate by this website.

    I hate whatever software they use on this site.

  • by tomgoosmann,

    tomgoosmann tomgoosmann Jan 2, 2014 3:29 PM in response to Tin Omen
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 2, 2014 3:29 PM in response to Tin Omen

    I am going to run a head to head to test. I just dropped by the Apple Store and picked up a new AE gen 6 and am on my way to Best Buy to pick up a ASUS RT-AC66R ROUTER. May the best performer win. Stay tuned.

  • by arsen32,

    arsen32 arsen32 Jan 2, 2014 4:12 PM in response to Flippuccino
    Level 1 (35 points)
    Jan 2, 2014 4:12 PM in response to Flippuccino

    @Tim Omen  Appreciate the thought but no I tried 7.7.2 and that is what actually spiked my drop outs to an unusable state. Since Apple was kind enough to replace my AE with a new one, I remain on 7.7.1 waiting for the next version after 7.7.2 I have way better performance on 7.7.1 only 25% of the time it drops out compared to my 80-90% of the time on 7.7.2.

     

    @Tomgoosman I am very interested in your results. At this point whenever someone asks if they should buy an AE 6th gen, I reply no. Sadly this is the worst Apple router I have owned. And the Airport Utility is so stripped down it's a sad excuse for a "utility." I am betting the ASUS runs better and more consistent.

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