Q: Macbook Airport Drops Connection

I have a problem with the connection which kept dropping non stop. I have tried resetting the Airport card in my macbook but it worked until I shut the macbook down and switch it on after that. The problems all came back. I have just bought this Macbook in November and everything was fine with Mac OS X 10.5.1. Problems arose only after the updates. Is there any way I undo my updates, I really hate this.

My late 2007 Macbook has this issue, but my May 2007 Macbook does not.
I went to the Apple Store and a Genius suggested I update the firmware on my Airport Extreme Basestation.
I did, it didn't fix the issue. I e-mailed that store and they asked me to call Apple. I haven't yet because Apples phone support hours exactly match my own work hours.

Hey everyone,

Im also new to the Mac world... i just got my macbook last week and i also did the os x update that everyone is talking about... My wifi would disconnect every other minute while running on the battery... when it was running on the ac adapter it wouldn't do it as much... The only Solution i came up with is reinstalling OS X 10.5...(i didn't do the complete erase but kept my personal files intact) Now it works fine... ill just hang around till apple decides to fix this problem...

my wi-fi has been dropping connection for a good 6 months now. i managed to catch a video clip... is this is what's happening to other users as well?

<embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i40.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid40.photobucket.com/al bums/e226/schpilkas/macbookwifidrop.flv">

do you think we have faulty macbooks?

i'm using a linksys router... and the issue only seems to be with this machine.
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We're also having to suffer this. MBP is fine but original MB is constantly suffering from "You are not connected to the internet" Hitting appe+R to refresh loads the page. Its infuriating - Both macs are 10.5.2. Have tried setting the netgear router to b&g only in the vain attempt that this will help...Please apple - acknowledge this issue and fix it - PPPPPPPPLLLLLLEASE!!!

I am having the same problem. Everything used to be fine. Now my macbook connection to my airport extreme gets dropped consistently.

I'm probably going to take my Macbook by the Apple store sometime soon to verify that the antenna is still connected to the Airport card properly. I've had my Macbook since June, 2006, and I have AppleCare on my Macbook. I'm at my wit's end, but I'm sick of sitting in the same room as my friends who are picking up the wireless and my connection just shows weak or drops completely.

Ever since I ran the software update yesterday, I've been losing the connection every few minutes. Can you give us another update to fix this??

My girlfriends brand new MB has been having this disconnect issue as well. When she gets to my place, I'll ahve to try and fix some of these issues. Its only when shes on battery....

Genius Bar have been less than stellar in trying to trouble shoot this problem.

I want to confirm that I am having this issue as well now. Updated today - macbook started losing connection to my dlink d624, before update everything was perfect. Restart didn't help. Trying to tweak router settings now, but then I really shouldn't be doing this.

Hi, I have/had this problem as well for a while now. I use a Netgear access point, but this functioned correctly. Windows computers had no problems with the wireless network, even when they were almost out of range.
Also, booting Vista on my MacBook, I had no problems with my Wifi. It has to be software related.

Earlier in this thread I came accross a post:

Mark Johannes wrote:
I found a fix from another user....give this a try, it worked well for me...
I had the same issues on several wi-fi networks. Saw a thread about inconsistent ping responses which also was a part/indication of my problem on another place in the forum.

Recommendation was to remove the AirPort preferences file in /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration
(com.apple.airport.preferences.plist). Drag it to the trash. Reboot and the file will get re-generated. This got rid of my connection problem (for the moment anyway)

I tried it, and so far my network is stable and still connected to my Wifi.
I still need to test it on battery power alone, since it happened more on battery power then on net-power.

Are there any other pplwho can confirm this solution, or have other findings?????

Ok... it still disconnects when I unplug the power connector

Well, here's a quick report (from the 5th Ave Apple Store, no less!)

I brought my Macbook in to them Wednesday 3/12, and they checked it in after I told them of everything I did:

- Macbook dropped signal in places where everyone else, including my iPod Touch, had uninterrupted wireless service. This included my home Airport Express, hotel wifi, public wifi, etc.
- Wiped Leopard from drive with complete format, reinstalled Leopard on one partition and Tiger on another. Still unable to connect to websites or have any real connection to internet in either OS.

They accepted the Macbook. Called me back today, saying it was repaired. Apparently, they replaced the Airport card itself.

When I booted it up, the Mac Genius was telling me the usual spiel: "we tested it extensively, used speed tests, had no issues."

I clicked my link for Google. 10 minutes later and several re-clicks, it still refused to connect to Google, despite Airport (in the menu bar) saying it had a full signal.

I brought it to the Mac Genius' attention, and they were all immediately perplexed. I explained that I've worked in IT/computers for over 5 years, and described all my troubleshooting. They agreed the issue was recreated, and needed further attention and immediately checked it back in. 3-5 days for repair, and on my worksheet, it's a "priority", they're going to check the airport antenna, and it's going to level 2 repair (whatever that means).

The reason why I still dig Apple: I have Apple Care, so I don't have to pay for any of this. Also, my "top case" had a crack in it (that I was unaware of), so they replaced the entire top chassis of my Macbook, including the keyboard keys. Of course, they hadn't fully reseated the case, and there was a small opening on the left side about 1/4mm, but I was just happy my issue showed it's ugly face right in front of them.

Others with this issue, let's compare similar problems:

- Macbook purchased in very beginning of June, 2006 (right as soon as they were released).
- Intel Core Duo (not Core 2 Duo)
- I upgraded my own RAM and HD (twice), but never had any immediate correlation to the issue appearing.
- Problem started appearing BEFORE Leopard. Seems to be OS independent.

Specifics:
- Usually after reboot or coming out of sleep after extensive time (5+ hours), signal strength is good, immediately connects to network.
- After a short while of use, connection becomes unreliable. Safari has a lot of "Contacting www.google.com" or whatever site, as though it cannot reach a gateway.
- Signal sometimes visibly drops to 50% or lower. Sometimes I can shut off Airport and turn back on again, and it'll work very briefly.
- AP Grapher says no noise.
- Rebooting has no affect on the issue immediately. Seems to need "time out"
- Even sitting directly next to wireless router or access point, system shows a "full radar", but connection can turn unreliable.

I'm going to write up more of this in a lengthier article and send it to TUAW and MacRumors to see if anyone else is having similar issues.

I have a MacBook, bought in late August 2007, and it's a Core 2 Duo.
Never did a hardware upgrade, and I have 10.5 installed.
I don't know if this issue was also with 10.4 since I didn't had wireless back then.
I don't have the issue when I boot Vista on my Mac.

Here is my observation--I'm hoping this helps someone at Apple (or elsewhere) to figure out the problem.

I have a MacBook and a G5 iMac, both connected to an Airport Express Base Station. Both are running 10.4.11.

iMac G5 runs flawlessly always.
MacBook drops connection intermittently, depending on the day. Here seem to be the rules as to when for me:

- Happens more often when running from battery, but will drop with both power adapter and battery.

- After downloading iStumbler, have noticed that when it starts dropping, I see another router on the same channel as my Airport (channel 11). My MacBook "sees" this other router and my iMac doesn't. Changing the channel on the Airport Base Station does help--usually fixes. But I have to retreat to my iMac to change the channel.

- When no other routers are on the same channel as the Airport Express, it (the Airport Express) shows as 65% power on both the MacBook and iMac. When there is another router on the same channel, it shows as 25% on the MacBook on battery power, 39% when on adapter power and remains constant at 65% on the iMac. (The other router in my area on the same channel shows up at 25% on the MacBook and does not appear on my iMac--even in the same room.)

My conclusion being that the MacBook is having a hard time distinguishing between two routers on the same channel within its reception area. It's more sensitive to this when on battery power. This may be in connection to the increased range of reception for the MacBook. If you could decrease the reception for the MacBook itself, perhaps it would help? Haven't found a way to do this to test.

I pray that this helps. Taking my MacBook when I travel is no longer even functional, since when in the average hotel area of a town, there are many routers on the same channel--no reception is to be had anywhere. Never had the same problem with my PowerBook. I could connect anywhere with no problems.