Q: Dropping Wi FI Signal

As suggested in the earlier posts I switched my wireless router to 802.11b/g rather than b/g/n a few days ago. Since then stability is much better - an occasional slow page refresh, but no complete drop-out of signal. I know some earlier posts have suggested its not a definite fix, but I suggest it's worth a try.

A few days ago I reported that after working for a while with an Apple engineer, we decided that the Internet connection delay on waking my SL MBP from sleep was most likely due to a problem with the 802.11n wireless mode. Well, I switched my router to exclude 802.11n, and after several days faultless behavior, today I got that familiar minute long connection delay. Based on my personal experience (one case, albeit with two cloned MBPs), the critical issue is not 802.11n. Back to the drawing board.

So still no real fix for this problem eh? When are we going to see a Software/Firmware update to fix it? Mine did a drop the other day. The Airport thing in the Menu was searching for the signal. It finally picked up after a couple of minutes but man I was right in the middle of something on the web and the thing got knocked out and I lost my place. Very annoying.

And this is on my computer with all the latest updates. Oh well.

After reading "blewis7's" post, I remember that before Xmas my router had been upgraded (same model as blewis7 - a Netgear WNR2000 v1) and this was around the same time that I updated via Software Update and also around the same time that my disconnections started.

It took me a little while to find the old firmware on the Netgear site, but since downgrading my wireless dropouts seem to have stopped.

I still feel that there is something inherently wrong with the 10.6.2 networking drivers/software as I had ABSOLUTELY NO problems staying connected on an older 17" Macbook Pro and laptops running Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Hope that this gets resolved soon, as the firmware introduced a few features on my Router that I would like to take advantage again.

So my advice for anyone experiencing these problems on a WNR2000 v1 Wireless router (this is the router normally distributed by Virgin Media 50Meg) is to downgrade to the older firmware (V1.2.0.8) as I haven't experienced a single drop in the last 72 hours.

Good luck!

i am using a unibody macbook (late 2009) and have been having problems with the wifi signal. changing the channel of my router from the default of 11 to 1 has improved my situation tremendously. however when i brought my macbook to my sis' place, i could not get onto her wifi network at all. once i got home, it picked up my network right away. so a partial resolution for the rest of my fellow sufferers.

A new phenomenon:

I use it, then put the machine to sleep by closing the lid. I come back after a little bit and open the lid to turn it on. The Airport will not pick up the signal that is clearly there. So I Log Off and Log On, and voila! The bars are there and my signal is picked up.

Weird.

I'm having the same problems with AirPort. Last week i've came back to Leopard since SL show me issues. Sadly, same problem on Leopard. Came back to Snow Leopard, same problem again.

I'm watching the apple support everyday for a new firmware, but nothing!

Really thinking in throw this notebook on the wall.

(Sorry by my english)

Please don't trash the physical notebook - that's laptop abuse...

I have a MB with other wireless issues (not related to Snow Leopard) where I purchased an external USB wireless unit. I was having weak reception and thus slow speeds. The unit I bought is a Bear Extender (but there are others). They provide a stronger signal and ability to receive (higher power and outside the computer). This one costs $50 and was cheaper and easier (for me) than replacing the Airport with a new one. Also there was a chance the issue could have been a bad antenna. So this might be an option for you until Apple finds a fix for the Snow Leopard upgrade issue. And since downgrading did not help you maybe you have a true hardware issue.

I also was having problems with signal strength connections etc. My router connection was set to 270MPS I have capped this to 130MPS in the router (Netgear) wireless settings and have not had a problem since been fine for 2 weeks now.

Today I called to support and i will send my MBP to repair.

If all those people have faulty hardware, Apple will never repair this (i guess).

(I wont throw my mac away, but sometimes is my only thought).

An update on my status. I have a new imac since this past summer. When I upgraded it to snow lepoard I started losing my wireless connection in the middle of surfing. I have 3 computers on my network, including a windows machine. I have a 2wire modem with AT&T. I have talked to them a lot, along with apple care and an Apple engineer.

My router is in another room so it's hard to see when I have issues. Today when I lost my connection I was able to access my router settings page. It said it couldn't find a DSL line, and sure enough when I checked my router, the dsl and internet lights were flashing red.

AT&T is coming out here to service my lines.

I know it's a dumb basic move, but check your lights and your line status. I still think Snow Leopard is part of the problem, since my old imac running leopard, and my windows xp laptop is fine.

Re: Greg Friedman.

The problem you describe is an issue between your router and your ISP. If the router itself is reporting that there is no connection then the other computers that connect through your router will not be able to connect to the internet either. The router sets up the connection by itself so that problem is nothing to do with snow leopard.

This is a completely different issue to the problem that the rest of us are having.

To all of you folks who have been facing these 'dropped connections', read this article and check if you have your DNS configured correctly.

http://www.macworld.com/article/146064/2010/02/troubleshootdns.html?lsrc=rss_mai n

Wifiguru: DNS settings can not cause the airport connection itself to lose the association to the local access point, which is the issue that I, and many others on this thread, are experiencing.

For others, who's network connection may seem to hang for no reason, this may be a valid issue.

This might be help some people who only have one computer on their LAN, but I don't think it's going to matter for those who have reported one Mac not working while other machines on the same net are fine. DNS can certainly ruin your whole day, but I don't think it has much to do with the problems most people have described in this thread.