Q: Dropping Wi FI Signal

Having been working with an engineer at Apple on this for some weeks now, the "cannot access the Net on wakeup from sleep" problem most of us face is not a DNS issue, rather the problem seems to be caused by the way the SL MBP requests and accepts an IP address from the router. Diagnostic software I've run on my MBP on behalf of the engineer shows repeated failed attempts to get an IP address before it succeeds. Exactly what the issue is remains open as far as I know. My problems are sufficiently rare (roughly once a week on average) that I can get data for the engineer only occasionally (and I have to have the diagnostic running at the time). The two factors in my case are Snow Leopard and the DLink 615 router hardware/software.

Hi
I have had the same problem and it is very frustrating you go to very different forums and try ever thing as they say things like reset PRAM, SMC, flush system preferences and so on. Long history sort yesterday I think I found the final solution for my problem and it was.
1. Go to router preferences and see what IP it gave for the machine you try to connect if it 168... will not work. Try give it a number like 192.168.1.57 or some thing like that
2. Go to system preferences and check it number you have available.
3. Go to advanced DNS tipe a google DNS server number it is 8.8.8.8 then add 8.8.4.4 as well and then restart the machine.
I dont know what really happen after I have done it, but my connection has been solid since. It looks like this google DNS server made my machine finally recognise where Im and reset my settings with a local IP address.
Good look.
Ps I got also a macbook pro each I have the same problem but this is under the warranty so I left it for the mac genius to repair it so if they got different solution for it I will post soon as get it.

I found after an upgrade of router that had WPA standard that the wifi locked out randomly on 1 of my laptops (have 2 macbook pros), the other one would still be ok at time.

So I have now downgraded router to connect via WEP only, problems stopped.

My son who was with us a few weeks back had a windows laptop and that did not experience any dropouts with WPA.


Also noticed when using WPA the signal strength on the airport was considerably weaker even at close range.

Conclusion is there is a problem in WPA connection but not sure what.

How are other people connecting WPA or WEP ?

Were you using WPA with TKIP or AES encryption, sometimes referred to as WPA or WPA2?

I dont use any security and my WIFI signal just drops when it feels like it. I dont really know why people are posting all these back door fix it issues, its just confusing people and in the end really doesn't help. We shouldn't have to do anything with this, it should just work out of the box.

Hello! Im using WPA2 personal... My router is a netgear renge Max 300 it give the option of using both so that is my set up on the router.
Good luck.
Marcio

ranger2339 wrote:
I dont use any security and my WIFI signal just drops when it feels like it. I dont really know why people are posting all these back door fix it issues, its just confusing people and in the end really doesn't help. We shouldn't have to do anything with this, it should just work out of the box.

Because for many the "back door fixes" do fix the issue for them.

Add me to the list. Since Snow Lepard, my MacBook Pro drops consitently after 20 minutes. I have an exhaustive check-list of fixes (via forums/boards) to try. My wife's new MacBook with SL works fine. It's just my MBP. Did a complete SL re-istall clean. Did not help. Deleted various config files and plist per Apple support and did not help. Now I have a new checklist to perform of about 15 items. I am currently trying turning OFF IPv6. So far, 2 days and NO DROPS. I will continue to test and report back. Try TURNING OFF IPv6. Below is my list of other things to try. Try each independently in order to ISOLATE a single particular fix.

The following list comprises tests I plan to perform to isolate the issue. These are various forum sourced ideas.
1) Turn-off IPv6 in Network Preferences
2) Identify other Wi-Fi networks and interference sources and relocate
3) Change Airport channel number
4) Delete and re-create the Airport Service in System Preferences/Network
5) Change security to WPA
6) Change security to none (unsecure)
7) Create ping via terminal to “keep-alive” session (ping router 10.10.10.1)
8) Use only B band on Airport and remove G
9) Confirm/change router encryption from 64bit to 128bit
10) Downgrade Airport firmware down to 7.4.1
11) Check/change security setting in Time Capsule from WPA/WPA2 to WPA
12) Install a USB Wi-fi device to eliminate MBP Airport card
13) Swap out Airport Extreme as ISP router and install Airport Express

Just for the record.

I still have dropouts about once a week and when they happen the wifi shows only 1-2 signal strength instead of the usual 4 on the menu bar but the OS says the connection has gone completely. I switch off the wifi then switch on. I have to select my router from the list. I get asked for the 'key'. I enter it. Connection 'times out' immediately. I try again 'times out' after about 5 seconds. Connect to one of my other networks - Usually works, though I have to enter the network 'key' again. Change back to my gateway router (Linksys WAG160N) and it works again for several days.

I originally had all the problems that are being reported here. Problem started on completion of SL upgrade.

What I have done is:
1. Set all IP addresses manually across my whole network (1 MBP late '08, 1 iMac late '09, 3 windows laptops (XP & Vista), 1PC connected via ethernet to the router, 3 PC's connected by wifi, 1 PS2, 1 PocketPC and several other devices that connect via wifi and ethernet (printers, set-top boxes etc.).
2. Change from WPA2 to WPA.
3. Turn off IPv6.
4. Set wifi to channel 11. Other routers around here are on 1 and 6.

Having done the above I can now live with the problem until apple finally get a fix for this. Thankfully I deal with networking for a living but for most people this would be beyond what should be expected of them.

I have stopped recommending Mac's to my customers until this issue is fixed. I am now recommending either Windows 7 or linux. Apple have lost out on at least 30 sales so far. I hope that they will soon wake up to the damage that this issue is causing to their sales figures.

An update on my imac status. I hooked up my airport express to my 2wire modem using an ethernet cable and set up my wireless through the airport express(the original g version, not the new N) I have noticed the airport express has WEP security, while the 2wire router has WPA2. I have not lost my signal in 24 hours.

A dumb question, but why would I lose my dsl and internet signal when using the 2 wire wireless, but when I run the stream through the Airport, I no longer lose it?

Hope this helps someone...

{quote:title=William Kucharski wrote:}Because for many the "back door fixes" do fix the issue for them.
{quote}

Show me were there is a permanent fix? Not some changing of this setting and that setting, to make some magic potion on your home net work? What happens when you want to take your beloved mac outside the home and try to connect to a different WIFI network that doesn't have the super secret settings that your home network has?

BOTTOM LINE is we shouldn't have to do any thing crazy to make it work, this is why I paid more for a MAC, because its supposed to be easy.

Maybe Apple should get there head out of there butt and stop wasting there time making stupid stuff, like the i-pad and a hundred different versions of the i-pod.

Message was edited by: ranger2339

You might serve your clients better by noting that there's a REMOTE POSSIBILITY that they'll have this problem, which so far has got Apple's engineers stumped.

My feeling at this point is that there's something in certain routers' firmware that SL is not playing well with. A router firmware revision has triggered this issue for at least one user, so updating (or down-dating) the router's firmware could be a solution for some people.

Frankly, if I bought a new MBP tomorrow and this problem were to hit me, I'd buy another brand of router, and unload the "SL-incompatible" one on eBay. Barring hideously bad luck, that should do the trick -- with minimal elegance, but also with minimal effort.

I am getting the same problem now . I updated the firmware still no luck . the worst thing is that I have to stay in my living room with the router . any help please !!!!

Try looking the google DNS! I did it and my wireless is solid since.

Have a look in this link http://code.google.com/speed/public-dns/docs/using.html