ffredburger

Q: MacBook Pro constantly losing wireless connectivity

Hi folks,

Well, I read a ton of posts regarding MacBook Pro wireless networking issues before buying a wireless router last month, and now it's "me too."

Our iBook has no problems whatsoever with dropped connections, but the MBP loses access every few minutes or so. I usually follow a sequence of "Turn AirPort Off"/"Turn Airport On" to cycle the connection, and sometimes this works. It's an almost constant problem. This is a standard configuration MBP.

The router happens to be a D-Link DIR-615, but I've seen enough posts about problems with the Airport Express and MacBook Pros to know it's not the router that's the problem--it's the MacBook Pro (I notice a few similar posts even on the first page of this forum).

Dear Apple: what are you doing about this issue?

Has anyone else somehow resolved this problem? If there was only a couple of posts about this issue, then it might be written off as problems with a specific router, or specific users. But when there's a ton of messages all complaining about the same problem, then it's more likely a significant defect that needs to be fixed by the manufacturer, and won't be fixed by standard troubleshooting procedures of the mundane kind (Tech Support Theater: "Is your router turned on?").

Dear Apple: where are you?

MBP, Mac OS X (10.4.11), non

Posted on Jan 20, 2008 8:45 AM

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Q: MacBook Pro constantly losing wireless connectivity

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  • by Tony Miknenas,

    Tony Miknenas Tony Miknenas Oct 8, 2013 10:51 AM in response to laurenmay1
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 8, 2013 10:51 AM in response to laurenmay1

    I tried your method and it didn't work for me. It's discraceful that apple haven't even acknowledged this. Maybe if everyone who was having this problem left a negative product review on the store, they'd be incentivised to fix it.

  • by Darrenraymond,

    Darrenraymond Darrenraymond Oct 13, 2013 3:13 AM in response to Tony Miknenas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 13, 2013 3:13 AM in response to Tony Miknenas

    I am now experiencing this issue. I am using a mid 2012 macbook pro and up until yesterday I havent had a problem.

    I did all the basic checks on my router, Skys piece of crap SR101, and im still getting intermittent wifi issues.  After seeing my son stream seamlessly on his tablet and xbox, as well as trying wifi on my desktop, i can definitely rule out any issues with the router. i also jacked into the router via ethernet and it worked flawlessly.

     

    At this moment in time, web pages (via safari) are loading ok but like i say, the problem seems to be intermittent and VERY annoying.  I did suspect last night it has somthing to do with my mbp hence why i have started looking through threads like this.

  • by nechronics,

    nechronics nechronics Oct 15, 2013 6:12 PM in response to Darrenraymond
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 15, 2013 6:12 PM in response to Darrenraymond

    I run a retina MBP from June 2012 and have had this problem very intermittently for the past few months or so.  I shrugged it off since it was so random and because the wifi would usually spring back relatively quickly.  In the past week it's escalated to the point that I lose my wifi within 5 minutes of logging on, almost guaranteed.  Pinging a website will not keep it up.  The only way to get wifi working again is to log out and log back in or reboot...at which point it will last a few minutes then crap out again.

     

    The only reason I'm NOT completely sure it's a problem with my airport card is the fact that internet works FINE when I log in as "Guest" instead of my main account on the laptop.  I've literally been logging in and out b/w my account and the Guest account in order to use internet and it is one of THE most frustrating issues I've ever dealt with on a computer of any kind.  This is ridiculous.

     

    I've reset my SMC, PRAM, deleted everything in my networks preferences, cleared my keychain, and wiped the SystemPreferences folder, and none of those have fixed this issue.  I'm quite ticked at this point.

  • by RiverRunner44,

    RiverRunner44 RiverRunner44 Oct 15, 2013 10:14 PM in response to nechronics
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 15, 2013 10:14 PM in response to nechronics

    I just started looking here today because my MBP (about 5 yrs old) running 10.8.5 just lost all wireless connectivity yesterday.  I've actually been having problems for several months now where my or my wife's MBP (hers is 2 yrs old, same OS) just lost internet access though the wireless appeared to be connected.  I found that if I went to her MBP, which was often asleep, and asked it to check email, it would first complain of no internet then be successful on the second try.  Mine would then work just fine.  Over the last several months this has become more frequent, often several times an hour.  We've actually had issues (maybe every week or so) before this of losing internet and found that resetting the WAP/router fixed it.  Then we started getting this apparent interference issue where waking up one computer seemed to fis it.

     

    Yesterday, though, my MBP lost wireles completely.  The wireless icon at the top was just the open triangle with no bars at all.  When I asked to search for networks I couldn't find any, even though I usually see 6-8 of my neighbor's networks.  And, I could see them on my wife's MBP.  I rebooted several times, tried turning the wifi on and off, but to no avail.  Wired ethernet worked fine.

     

    Today I found this article and laurenmay1's suggestion about deleting the files.  I did that and upon rebooting it came back up (after I turned the wifi on).  I could see the neighbor's networks and was able to connect up to mine (it's hidden).  So, we'll see how long this works, but it looks promising!

  • by William Kucharski,

    William Kucharski William Kucharski Oct 16, 2013 1:14 AM in response to nechronics
    Level 6 (15,152 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 16, 2013 1:14 AM in response to nechronics

    If you create a brand new user, do things still work just fine as that new user?

     

    If so, it's something to do with your existing user, perhaps a forgotten extension or app somewhere that loads when you login as you.

  • by JICHS,

    JICHS JICHS Oct 16, 2013 8:24 AM in response to 2dutch
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 16, 2013 8:24 AM in response to 2dutch

    I tried this. We are missing the com.apple.network.identification.plist file, though. Could that be part of the problem? Didin't work when we rebooted.

  • by RiverRunner44,

    RiverRunner44 RiverRunner44 Oct 20, 2013 10:36 PM in response to RiverRunner44
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 20, 2013 10:36 PM in response to RiverRunner44

    Well, this didn't really work.  I did get my wireless turned back on but then it started dropping out again after a couple of days.  I replaced my WAP/router today and everything seemed to be working.  Until I rebooted my MBP.  Back to not being able to see ANY wireless networks anywhere.  Tried deleting the files again and that didn't work!

    Wired Ethernet wtill works but I haven't been able to get my wireless turned back on.  The WAP/router is still working fine for my wife.

  • by TheGuyintheProjectionBooth,

    TheGuyintheProjectionBooth TheGuyintheProjectionBooth Oct 21, 2013 12:11 AM in response to ffredburger
    Level 2 (208 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 21, 2013 12:11 AM in response to ffredburger

    OK. I have been holding my breath wanting to say something, but did not want to jinx anything. For about a week my WiFi worked as it use to, just fine in many environments jumping on and off networks as it should and use to. I just pretended that all was well and perish the thought that there was a problems. All I did was one day got fed up and dumped all network connections and started from scratch with one WiFi. No joy. Then added Ethernet, because I needed to connect. Still no WiFi. Then for the heck of it I added a VPN, not set up, and waddya know I got WiFi and as I said it lasted for about a week. Then as quick as it came, it went away. I tried the same exercise and no joy. But I had it and it was just fine for about a week. So . . . this, adding to the echo, is a real Cluster Frack.

  • by jamesaberdeen73,

    jamesaberdeen73 jamesaberdeen73 Oct 26, 2013 11:05 AM in response to TheGuyintheProjectionBooth
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 26, 2013 11:05 AM in response to TheGuyintheProjectionBooth

    Got a brand new macbook pro about a month ago and the wi-fi is a complete pain, seems to randomly disconnect frequently.....

     

    I wouldnt mind knowing what my consumer rights are regarding this

     

    Theres clearly a massive problem and apple appear to be doing nothing

  • by 1GIJosie,

    1GIJosie 1GIJosie Oct 27, 2013 6:39 PM in response to draper3000
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 27, 2013 6:39 PM in response to draper3000

    I searched for a few hours and went to the genius bar and my problem was not going away. I couldn't let it go before I took a second trip to the genius bar and I came accross your post. I did both the deleting the passwords for Airport in Keychain and repaired disk files. I thought it didn't work but I only restarted instead of turning off and turning on again. This morning I woke up and wala my internet is back. I think it was the deleting of the passwords in Keychain because the disk repair list had nothing about airport in there. So, thanks a super bunch for posting that. Previous attemps to fix included clearing cache, resetting Safari, messing with network settings (IP, DHN or whatever those things are), deleting and re-creating Airport, deleting system pref files, and lastly holding commmand, option, P, and R on startup. I was going to take two more trips to the genius bar and then call Apple Corporate Customer Relations. I am so happy this is fixed!!!!! Thanks again!

  • by laurenmay1,

    laurenmay1 laurenmay1 Oct 27, 2013 8:14 PM in response to ffredburger
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 27, 2013 8:14 PM in response to ffredburger

    Going to post this again - since I HAVE NOT LOST THE CONNECTION IN WEEKS AND WEEKS.

     

    After reading some of the recent posts, there may be an additional file to delete, but here is what worked for me and others - again thanks to 2dutch):

     

     

    Here it is:

     

     

    Open Finder and navigate to this directory:

    /Library/Preferences/System Configuration

     

    Delete these files:

    com.apple.airport.preferences.plist

    com.apple.network.identification.plist

    com.apple.smb.server.plist

    NetworkInterfaces.plist

    preferences.plist

     

    Restart machine.

  • by penfifteen,

    penfifteen penfifteen Oct 27, 2013 10:44 PM in response to ffredburger
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 27, 2013 10:44 PM in response to ffredburger

    Another me too, but my experience seems a little different. I started getting sporatic internet connections on my iMac about a week ago but the solution was to turn off airport then turn it back on. (All the while, my old MBPro is working fine.) That worked for a while but I'd get less and less internet time each time I rebooted airport. Skip ahead to today where now airport doesn't even find my network and in fact, it doesn't find any of the roughly 15 networks in my apartment complex. Now it finds 1-2, always the same ones. Anyone else out there like me?

     

    I've tried deleting the keychain passwords, changing channels, renaming my network, repairing disk files, and most of the other solves in this thread. So far, no luck.

  • by Darrenraymond,

    Darrenraymond Darrenraymond Oct 28, 2013 3:07 AM in response to 1GIJosie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 28, 2013 3:07 AM in response to 1GIJosie

    What did the guys at the genius bar say the first time you went in?

  • by 1GIJosie,

    1GIJosie 1GIJosie Oct 28, 2013 4:58 AM in response to Darrenraymond
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 28, 2013 4:58 AM in response to Darrenraymond

    The guy did not know what the problem was so he gave me some things to do until I could come back. He said it may take more than one appointment. He created a test user to see if that would work, had me try Google Chrome to see if was Safari, and he had me logging Pings while on the Internet so to see what the messages are when I am disconnected.

  • by laurenmay1,

    laurenmay1 laurenmay1 Oct 28, 2013 9:52 AM in response to 1GIJosie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 28, 2013 9:52 AM in response to 1GIJosie

    Dear Josie:

     

    I did all of the above and more.  Changed the router multiple times, changed the chanel, changed the keychains passwords, had my house rewired inside and out.  Went to genius bar multiple times, created new user, erased EVERYTHING and reinstalled, got Google Chrome. NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING.

     

    Until I implemented the big fix -  the recommendations of 2Dutch which I posted above.  No problems since.

     

    Before the big fix, I noticed when I stayed connected to Netflix, I didn't lose the connection for about 12 hours.

     

    I believe MOST of the problems we are experiencing can be allieviated by deleting files - but you may need to find if additional ones are necessary for you.

     

    Note my troubles started after installing a new operating system in 2010/2011.  All 3 laptops had the same problem.  I suffered for well over a year before getting the big fix.  If it doesn't work for you, please focus your efforts in this area.  Good luck.  Lauren

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