Q: MacBook Pro constantly losing wireless connectivity

let me know how it works out!

I have the same issue. I tried everything and it won't fix the problem. The newest update from Apple is not the savior either...

I have had ongoing wifi connectivity problems wih my aging macbook pro for a very long time now. So much so that I had stopped using it altogether. But tonight I noticed that my work laptop (linux) keeps getting connectivity problems relating to the dodgy DNS servers from my ISP. My solution to that problem was to update my router's DNS settings to use google's public DNS server: see http://code.google.com/speed/public-dns/

Out of curiosity, I thought I'd get out my macbook and see if I could connect again. And it does! Woo hoo, I can now use it in any room in the house again :-D

Does anyone with these connectivity problems also have an ISP with a flakey DNS server? If so, try to change your router to point to google's instead.

p.s. apologies if this has been mentioned in this thread before. I couldn't scan 87 pages of comments to find out! How long has this issue been going on?

I changed my channel to 10 and it is still dropping the internet.  Thanks for the shot at fixing it, I guess I have to wait for MAC to come out with some kind of fix!!

I have been having this issue since Lion update and my router change.  Not sure what caused what. Anyway, here is what fixed my problem and hope it's helpful for some of you.

I use a router with tomato firmware (your router might not have all the settings I listed), in setting:

1. I used a tool to scan my area for strongest signals
2. Change your router's WIFI channel and make sure to avoid those channels
3. Change WIFI's channel width to '20Mhz'.

If this change fixes your problem, let us know.

I am going to add another MBP owner and user to the thread, as the more the merrier and the more likely Apple will sit up and take notice, as my machine is displaying the same problems, internet connectivity is pants and crashes locking the whole machine no quit processes will cure except turn off and lose all work not saved, not good enough !

But as to talk of router makes and types, well my MBP travels and has exactly the same problems on all routers it routes through, so I am thinking it is not a router problem, but the MBP itself, Internet connectivity has some serious issues and is somewhat flakey.

Now, I am not a techie, I am just a user, so nothing has been changed in this machine, it is as it was shipped to me, as everything it did was good enough for my usage which was mostly online forums and a bit of photo work, where when trying to upload photos to the web, small images suitable for the web, the MBP struggles and fails, making me think it is the website, which I now know it is not, it is the MBP. A machine which although should be more than capable, is proving not to be.

The history of my fault was slowing internet which I found turning Airport of and on again sometimes cured, but now I don't even get that far the machine just locks up unexpectedly, but if it helps writing messages on forums to include hot links always crashes the computer, also addresses typed into any browser and I have tried it on Safari, Chrome and Firefox lately results in pages that fail to completely load, which might be why hot linking crashes the MBP, but why is Airport failing ? It's not my connection, it's not my router and it is not my broadband provider, as all that has been checked and anyway, my HP530 Vista PC connects no problem and has no issues on the internet, so I know it is not my connection, it is the Apple product, the MacBookPro, product identifier; 7,1. but to confirm, as my MBP travels, I have the very same problems on different networks, so that kind of isolates where the problem lies doesn't it.

So come on Apple, respond and offer a solution or at least an aknowledgement that you are aware of customers concerns and are working on it, if you are, for your credibility is at stake with many and credibility translates as potential future custom, the great motivator normally.

I am also having this problem.  I have had two macbook pros.  My first I purchased in early 2007 and had no problems, and absolutely fell in love with the macbook.  Because of the positive experience, I purchased my current macbook pro about 8 months ago and have had nothing but problems with the internet connection.  This happens constantly.  I always must turn my airport on and off again in order to regain internet connectivity.

I lose internet connection when I walk away from the computer for a couple minutes.  It also happens when I am reading something online and not actively using the internet for more than a couple minutes, then I must reload pages, etc.  I am so incredibly tired of this.  I absolutely love apple, but this is really getting ridiculous and this problem is beyond frustrating.  I have to turn airport on and off multiple times/day - probably close to 20-30 times depending upon how long I am on the computer and I'm getting tired of it!

This post has been going on for over 4 years now it seems and still apple has not fixed this problem?!?!  I am incredibly disappointed in this.  The least Apple could do is fix this issue or officially issue some sort of response as to how we can prevent it from losing internet connectivity so often!  I for one will not be purchasing anything else from apple unless this issue gets fixed sometime soon.

This MacBook pro is garbage when it comes to the Internet connectivity.  If you dare let the computer sleep, good luck trying to reconnect.  I just reinstalled Lion for the third time and now it is working fine. Do not update airport utility, firmware or operating system.   Mac does not care about the problem because they have not responded.  Let's all call in with the same problem and maybe they will listen

BeautifulJrzyGrl wrote:

 

This post has been going on for over 4 years now it seems and still apple has not fixed this problem?!?!  I am incredibly disappointed in this.  The least Apple could do is fix this issue or officially issue some sort of response as to how we can prevent it from losing internet connectivity so often!  I for one will not be purchasing anything else from apple unless this issue gets fixed sometime soon.

Have you ever taken your machine in to your local Apple Store's Genius Bar to be checked?  Have you contacted Apple Care?

Ydna67 wrote:

 

The history of my fault was slowing internet which I found turning Airport of and on again sometimes cured, but now I don't even get that far the machine just locks up unexpectedly, but if it helps writing messages on forums to include hot links always crashes the computer, also addresses typed into any browser and I have tried it on Safari, Chrome and Firefox lately results in pages that fail to completely load, which might be why hot linking crashes the MBP, but why is Airport failing ?

Sounds like a hardware issue to me; have you had your machine checked?

It sounds like a hardware issue to me as well, it is why I came on here, signed up two days ago to find out what to do about it only to find I am not the only one with this problem.

I have tried to input my machine serial number into the fault support request only to find my serial number is termed an invalid number, like what the **** does that mean. Only to find a few minutes ago my machine apparently has two serial numbers the one lazer etched into the bottom case is not the same as the '' About this Mac'' displays.

As to having the machine checked, there is no Genius Bar in my locale, an Apple shop but no bar.

This is an outrage.  The people here should get together take outside action.

It's probably already mentioned somewhere amongst the 1301 replies (pay attention Apple!) of people having difficulties with their AirPort Extreme  (0x168C, 0x87) in one of Apple's 'quality' products, but I seem to have found two possible workarounds. I won't be calling them solutions since they both accepting lower performance status then the hardware should be capable of. Here my situation:

Router = Sitecom WL-351 gigabit 2.4 GHz B+G+N with WPA2 personal

connected are:

1 WINXP pc (wired gigabit)

1 Tiger Imac (wired gigabit)

1 WINVISTA laptop (wireless N mode)

1 very old WINXP laptop (wireless B mode)

2 Android phones (wireles)

All work fine, the only device that doesn't work is a Leopard MacBook with an AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87) in it. It seemed to connecting only to lose its DHCP assigned IP adress after a couple of minutes.

1st workaround: lower the security to WPA (TKIP) and the connection is stable. Personally I was reluctant to leave it like this because I think security level should never be compromised, so I experimented on.

2nd workaround: lower the maximum wireless speed at the router's side to B+G. This is inconvenient because none of the other devices can make use of the maximum capabilities of the wireless network, but at least it's no more than inconvenient.

The solution has to come from the geniuses at Apple and, let's be fair, bugs are inevitable but to leave them unsolved for over four years is unacceptable!

Good luck!

Bugs are indeed inevitable, but it does make me question whether the design was thoroughly tested and proved to be worthy of apple's reputation, or was it what microsoft did with it's Vista ?

But although your work around might make this thing become more reliable, what do I do when I go mobile, tell my friends to downgrade their connectivity just so a Macbook pro can work ?

Hardly.

Anyway severely frustrated with the whole Macbook pro issue, I was forced to seek my own answers and happened upon a website called ifixit where others had reported this issue and people had actually managed to repair it but with possible suggestions being the hard drive or more likely the logic board, so I now know out of warranty the MacBookPro is fit for the bin as I cannot afford to repair what I believe was probably never properly tested.

Ifixit Macbook Pro Problems at; www.ifixit.com/Answers/Device/MacBook+Pro

(You see I am not hot linking because I know it will crash this Mac, but if it interests, just cut and paste)

And so with that,that is the end of my plan to upgrade my other electronics to integrate fully with the MacBookPro as my business plan communications desired, which translates as loss of business for Apple Inc. and that because they dishonoured their customers some new and others loyal with what is to all intents and purposes is a pretty packaged shoddy product.

I totaly agree! I think it's high time Apple takes responsibility and not leave us consumers out there as problem owners. Even with Vista, as problematic as it started it's life, at least over time the problems got fixed!

The workarounds do work in my case but I also consider them to be unacceptble in priciple.