MacBook Pro constantly losing wireless connectivity

I wasn't having any problem with my MBP and current-model Airport Extreme base until a couple weeks ago when it became almost impossible. Removing RealPlayer and its related files helped a lot. However, my Airport connection always fails as soon as I connect an external display and doesn't return until I disconnect the display from the MBP. I don't have any difficulty with Airport on my G5 iMac. All are running 10.5.4.

DIR-655 was working fine wirelessly with MPB Pro 2.33 and Macbook 2.4 both running 10.5.2. My fiance updated her Macbook to 10.5.3. And I skipped 10.5.3 and went from 10.5.2 to 10.5.4. I used the boot into safe mode, install the combo updater, reboot, reboot into safe mode and reboot mode of installs recommended by most folks around here. The computer also checked out fine prior with DW 4.1 and had a fresh dose of the newest C$#%tail in pilot mode.

Since then both of us have had horrid wireless. With the old settings of shared wifi G and N so we could use old ibook and iphone on the same router, N version connections die in 15 seconds to 5 minutes or less. It would completely lock up the wireless part of the router. Gigabit still worked fine.

I tried too many variances to count on the router to get it back up and working to no avail. With it now backed off to G only it is seemingly holding it together. At least for the last 10 minutes.

My MBP and my iphone are connected now. I'll have to wait and see if G mode only works for an extended period of time. I did however pay for and have working versions of WIFI N connections and do not at present.

I don't want to revert to 10.5.2 as I am excited of the Adobe CS3 save to server and linking fixes. Please just get this Leopard OS working correctly. I hope Apple has learned something here... Get it right or don't release it. No one appreciates the hassle. And for those who say to not be a first adopter!?!? 10.5 Leopard was release Oct. 26th, 2007. It is now July 7th 2008. do the math.

With G only it died after about 15 minutes. Can't wait until this one is fixed.

Try 'N' (5GHz) only and get another wireless router to broadcast 'b/g'. This setup has worked for me for the last couple of months - obviously it is a crap solution, but it is working.....

I have the same problem (another user more for the long list...), my mac model is a: MacBookPro 2.16Ghz, with Mac OS 10.5.4, and Airport Extreme Base (with cable conexion).

My airport connection stops working after 1 or 2 minutes after turn on the powerbook, the airport base continues working normaly and my other macs (porwermacsG5. ..) continues working well and they used the airport and 10.5.4 too.

My only solution was to bring as much as possible the airport base to the powerbookpro (1.5 meters away >_< ) and put iworking the fans of the powerbook with the application smcfancontrol, and I get down the screen brightness, it appears that if the powerbook don't have much hot it continues working (bad working, only 1 line of airport conexion -!¡-)

Incredible Apple bug!, we need a solution, or maybe I must buy a PC for have a normaly internet conexion!?!

(Sorry my poor English). Greetings, and hope friends, this bug suks.

With the new 10.5.4 at least you're not completely locked up. If you wait long enough it will connect again. After Safari gives up. Your mail will sit stuck and clear up on its own. You can always click the little Airport radar for a few seconds and release. Connection starts up again after that. Yeah its a stupid workaround, but what else can we do? Apple is unable to fix the problem.

SuperSizeIt wrote:
With the new 10.5.4 at least you're not completely locked up. If you wait long enough it will connect again. After Safari gives up. Your mail will sit stuck and clear up on its own. You can always click the little Airport radar for a few seconds and release. Connection starts up again after that. Yeah its a stupid workaround, but what else can we do? Apple is unable to fix the problem.

Hello SuperSizeIt, yes is true what you say, but in my case only if I just keep to 1.5 metres of the base, once I exceeded that perimeter I lost the airport connection and I only can shutdown the mac and wait a few minutes to turn it on again :_(

And with this Mac OS bug in my MacbookPro the airport speed is too low (my conexion is cable>30mb, and with this bug is like a 56k modem 😟

Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Apple), you're my only hope 😟
http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/images/r2-d2-princess-leia-hologram.jpg

Message was edited by: Maxmalus

I have Leopard and I have the same problem. I weird thing is, I've had Leopard all along, and used to be problem free. Sometime in the last few weeks, I started experiencing the same problem everyone else is talking about. I have the DIR-655. Everyone else on my network has a PC, and they aren't having any problems.

seattle9, if you updated RealPlayer a few weeks ago deleting all of its files should restore your Airport connections. I mention this because your situation sounds like what happened to me.

I know this sounds crazy, I had net access from my nmbp. My win pcs were hardwired to dlink615. I could see Macbook from desktop pcs, but the windows pcs were "invisble to the mac. Now I could "send" files from the desktops(ethernet) to the wireless mac, but not vice versa(confused?) The mac had a connection but no file sharing. I was using 10.53 and new firmware whatever it is. I also ordered a new iworks and installed(that will become clear in a minute)
I reinstalled everything! Instantly my desktop has icons of my desktops!! All is well, Im dancing in the streets. I install, my Iworks disk. Fix a sandwich...come back..ITS GONE! Now when I go to airport prefs sometimes I see two networks, with same name. I think this is caused because I tried to sync my old keys back. Bad idea. WHat caused the grief? The iworks nstall(HOW COULD IT?) The sync hmmmm

N only didn't do anything either. I've removed the cache files, the com.apple.internetconfig.x.plist files... This is getting me steamed. Have removed the keychain data as well. Going to try the SMC reset when I get home from work.

Hi guys!
I might have found a possible work around which doesn't involve using a long twisted pair cable. It works pretty well in my case but it is not thoroughly tested yet by other users. Have a look at my other post here:

http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=7530571#7530571

and give me some feedback if it works in your case or not.

Like many before me, I just purchased a brand new iMac last week. I updated my software and everything and have been having no difficulties until... Last night. Everything was working fine and I was just about to praise how great and simple Apple things were until this permanent scanning issue occurred.

I have tried EVERYTHING to fix it. I have even done the hex-coding trick the poster above suggested in his thread. Nothing. Reset routers (standard Linksys wireless 2.4 ghz router, works fine on all my PC computers, and this mac until last night. I didn't do anything different, I didn't change networks, I didn't add a new network and I didn't install anything I shouldn't have. In fact, the last thing I installed was an update for iTunes.

Now this is frustrating, I can get online despite the constant scanning, but it drops out every half an hour or so. I can't login to play online games like Battle.net, not that I really care so much, but other programs are affected that don't involve MSN Messenger or Safari. I can't use Battle.net (as mentioned), Vuze, iTunes CD database download, and well even the movie trailers from Front Row load ridiculously slow.

I'm not even sure why this problem started! My Mac was working perfectly until less than 24 hours ago and it is frustrating the **** out of me. It must be even worse for some of you that have had this issue for weeks or months.

Anything could help!

Hey guys. I'm the only happy with my MBP here ? i'm using MacbookPro 4.1 in N mode with Belkin N-Wireless router without any gltches. Th espeeds are 3x times faster than in G mode. (copying a 4 gb ISO file to my home destop(windows xp) in N mode produces 6-8MegaBytes/sec speed) no connection dropouts and any glitches. =) I'm not a belkin fan but this is the only router that is working ok. Tested recent D-link, Linksys, Trendnet routers, interested in N mode only as i need to transfer large files but cannot use wired connection. http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=372043
If you have latest MacBookPro Penryn CPU/LED screen i think this is the way to go. I have not tested Apple Airports, too costly for me sorry =) Hope this helps someone.

Hi Everbody

Im just adding my 2 cents. Im new to mac's after saving over the xmas holidays and first semester to upgrade from a 6yr old toshiba 10A to a MBP with wireless a month ago, and I'm embarrassingly very computer illiterate. though I'm constantly timing out and connection is very slow painfully struggling to download a 56 MB file without timing out, Very frustrating for lectures etc. In contrast to this the Misses Macbook never times out and has a faster connection speed, (not to mention the inability To play starcraft). Im really gutted as alot of hard hours and substandard student meals were eaten to purchase this $3000 laptop where a $2000 macbook seems to excell in proformance

I have contacted Apple with the complimentary 90 day calling and they said its probably due to interference yet they failed to remember the Misses has no problems and the router is situated directly outside the bedroom door. I've read the forums and i have no idea how to do the passphase and hex code thingy.

Please a few dummy instructions for a solution would be greatly appreciated

Cheers