Azer1967 wrote:
...I even got new router, tried to disconnect all other devices from my network (4 Iphones, 2 Ipads, Apple tv, 1 PC, 2 mac b pro's, 2 mac books. So now my pro is the only thing running, and then it works (slightly better) ) however, this is not acceptable and I can't work from home...
Some times it says that there is a IP conflict? But not always...
Just to try, I connected a VPN software, and now it works perfect (with the VPN) but thats not what I want nor is that the purpose of VPN? I don't know what to do. When I was using PC I could always find a solution to all my problems, but MAC is user friendly when it works...
Are you really on Leopard 10.5, or are you just pigging backing on this thread? With all those Apple devices, I find it hard to believe you are really still using Leopard 10.5
First do you have a WiFi password setup? Or another way to put it, is it possible you have neighbors that are pigging backing on your home network? Conflicting IP address is generally only something that comes from other devices using the same router, but not letting the router assign the IP address. A device with a fixed IP address that happens to be in the same range as the DHCP addresses the router is assigning.
You could try assigning your troubled Mac a DHCP Client ID. Most routers will give a device with a DHCP Client ID the same IP address each time it connects. System Preferences -> Network -> Advanced -> TCP/IP -> DHCP Client ID. Make it unique but keep it simple with just letters and numbers.
Some routers allow you to configure them to always assign the same IP address to a given device as well. Hopefully this would prevent IP address conflicts.
I cannot image why using a VPN would keep your connection stable, except that once the VPN is established, your Mac will no longer talk to anything on the local network. It will stop using the router for DNS lookups, it will stop talking to your other devices, etc... Also various services that phone home or keep a connection to a server will most likely be blocked by the VPN service. For example a messaging client, Skype, the Mac checking for software updates, etc... Many of these activities are blocked by a VPN depending on how the remote VPN server is configured and the network you are joining via the VPN.
You could try giving your Mac its own DNS servers to use, that would at least eliminate one source of asking the router for assistants. System Preferences -> Network -> Advanced -> DNS -> [+]
OpenDNS.com:
208.67.222.222
208.67.220.220
Google:
8.8.8.8
8.8.4.4
The first one you choose it the one that will be used most of the time. The 2nd will be a fall back if the first does not respond in a timely manor.
Do you have USB3 devices? A poorly shielded USB3 cable or USB3 enclosure can generate interference at the same frequencies used by WiFi. A USB3 device located close to the router or close to your Mac can cause problems. NOTE: It is NOT all USB3, just ones that did not do a good job of shielding their electronics and cables.
Other things to try (this is just throwing things out)
Purge all Preferred WiFi networks, except the ones you really use
And then drag the home network to the top of the preferred list
System Preferences -> Network -> Advanced -> Wi-Fi -> Preferred networks -> [-]
Make sure your router's time is the same as your Mac (and the rest of your timezone as well). There have been reported issues of protocol problems when the router and the Mac think they are hours apart.
Have you tried creating a new Network Location?
System Preferences -> Network -> Location -> Edit Locations... -> [+]
Then populate the left side with networking interfaces via the [+] button
Have you tried deleting your networking preferences and starting from scratch?
Finder -> Go -> Go to Folder -> /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration
com.apple.airport.preferences.plist (or just rename it)
Are you connecting via 2.4GHz or 5GHz radios?
Hold Option key and click on the WiFi menu bar icon
It should show you more details about your WiFi connection. If the channel number is 1-11 (13 is some countries), then you are 2.4GHz. If channel 36 or higher, then 5GHz).
Can you switch to the other radio by configuring your home router to use different SSID names for the 2 radios? Then again, does your router have 5GHz radios?
It is possible that you have interference from your own home devices or neighbors. It could be from competing WiFi routers using the same channels, or it could be from baby monitors, cordless phones, microwave ovens.
You can check for competing wifi routers and interference if you have something newer than Leopard (maybe one of your other Macs). Hold the Option key -> Click on WiFi menu bar -> Open Wireless Diagnostics -> Window -> Utilities -> Wi-Fi Scan
You want to identify your network and see from your Macs location the RSSI. -30's would be great. -40's and -50 would be good too. -60's and higher not so wonderful.
Then you want to look at the competing WiFi signals from neighbors. If they are on the same channel or for 2.4GHz within 5 channels of you, then they can be interfering. But it is their signal strength that matters. If they have -60's -70's, -80's, and you have much stronger -30's, -40's, then chances are they are not a problem. But if they are stronger than you, that is a problem if they are sharing the same channels.
Also look at your Noise. It should be -90's. If you are getting -80's you can live, but it does indicate interference is happening. Get -70's, -60's or worse, and you have serious radio interference.