Q: Dropping Wi FI Signal

Just as a quick follow up, since changing my router's security to WPA instead of WPA2 two days ago, I've had zero drops in connectivity. This seems to have fixed my problem.

I've spent hours on the phone with Applecare regarding this issue. First they blamed me, then the DNS servers, then the microwave, florescent lights, someone else's wifi, the router manufactures, their software writers, and the list goes on and on. I just want a Macbook that works.

I think at least some people are misdiagnosing their issues as "Wi-Fi drops."

To clarify:

• If your AirPort bars go grey and stay grey, you have had a genuine Wi-Fi "drop."

• If your AirPort bars remain black, you are connected to your router, and the cause is most likely either a failure to renew your DHCP lease, or your DNS server has gone off-line and can no longer be reached.

To confirm if it's the latter, try the following in a Terminal window:

ping 8.8.8.8

After a few lines of output, press the "C" key while holding down the "Control" key.

You will see output something like this if your DNS server is at fault but your actual connection is fine:

PING 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=0 ttl=242 time=81.948 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=1 ttl=242 time=79.630 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=2 ttl=242 time=75.639 ms

If your connection is down due to DHCP or for other reasons but you retain a connection to your AirPort network, you will see something like:

ping 8.8.8.8
PING 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8): 56 data bytes
ping: sendto: No route to host
ping: sendto: No route to host
Request timeout for icmp_seq 0
ping: sendto: No route to host
Request timeout for icmp_seq 1
ping: sendto: No route to host
Request timeout for icmp_seq 2


Alternatively, bring up your Network preferences pane, select "AirPort", click the "Advanced" button in the lower right, and choose the "TCP/IP" tab.

If your IP address is of the form "169.254.x.x", where the last two sets of digits may vary, you've likely had an issue renewing your DHCP address.

Hang on a second.

I get wifi dropout.

Symptoms, still full black signal strength but NO connectivity to router.

Other computer in same room will still be connected.

Restarting connection can take several minutes, sometimes by restarting, sometimes by deleting connection and starting again, sometimes by just switching airport on an off.

To me that is the dropout of wifi.

So far the best cure I have found is to change channel number to 7 on router (mid band) and all is okish.

My bars all go Grey?

+William K writes: "As I've also said time and time again, if it all works for you in Leopard, by all means go back to Leopard. It's simply not worth the brain damage to hope that Apple fixes the issue "this time" only to have your Wi-Fi drop out time and time again for you.+

+However, more than one person has found that going back has not fixed their problem as the root cause in their scenario ....+"

Here's me saying that my downgrade (to my carbon copy backup) from 10.6.2 to 10.4.11 DID fix my wireless issue, which would pretty much prove it's
1- not a Macbook hardware issue
2- not a router issue
3- not a cable modem issue
4- not a DNS issue

The only thing that changed was the version of OS X.

Yes William, we understand you like (and defend) SL and Apple. I have no issues with your preferences. Unfortunately, all your comments don't provide us with any more insights in how to fix the wireless dropping issue in SL.

I'm not trying to stir anything here, I just wish someone had some comments that were helpful in RESOLVING the issue.

Wireless dropping...and then started crashing the whole &%#$#!!! computer

I started with the same issue so many others are reporting...after upgrading to SL, something would go nutso with wifi and DNS every once in awhile. I could still connect to my router...and other computers had no issues connecting to the internet, but my lovely mac couldn't see the Internet. My solution was to cycle power to the wifi antenna off/on and everything would work again. This was annoying, to be sure, but bearable.

That was until the upgraded to 10.6.1.

Now, not only does airport lose the ability to find the internet...but after I've cycled wifi off/on once or twice, I get the spinning wheel of death whenever I move the cursor over the menu bar at the top right. The computer isn't fully locked, per se, but I can't do anything with Airport and I CANNOT RESTART OR SHUTDOWN. So...about once per day, I have to hold down the power key to kill my computer (I'm sure in more ways than one).

Looking at console, it seems that the error message that kicks off the festivities is the following:

"com.apple.launchd[1] (com.apple.netauth.sysagent[301]) Exited with exit code: 255"

I haven't been able to identify a different error message that causes the full system shutdown.

I have to say...every time I see any of the Mac "It Just Works" commercials...I scream at the television screen.

wifiguru posted a link to his new utility to put a GUI on a network analysis tool. I got a notice via email since I am tracking this thread. But I can't seem to see his post. I wanted to thank him. Also I would like to ask for a quick description of the functions to help me use the tool better.

--------------------------------------------------------------
Well,I have put up an application that provides GUI access to ping's and throughput tests etc. Go here : www.jaalak.com and download WNC.
--------------------------------------------------------------

smickd wrote:
Here's me saying that my downgrade (to my carbon copy backup) from 10.6.2 to 10.4.11 DID fix my wireless issue, which would pretty much prove it's
1- not a Macbook hardware issue
2- not a router issue
3- not a cable modem issue
4- not a DNS issue

The only thing that changed was the version of OS X.

Yes William, we understand you like (and defend) SL and Apple. I have no issues with your preferences. Unfortunately, all your comments don't provide us with any more insights in how to fix the wireless dropping issue in SL.

My comments have been helpful to several in resolving their issue; I can't help everyone because every person's problem is slightly different. (This is also why Apple hasn't.)

Note I also have stated several times why your observations do not in any way mean your issues are Snow Leopard's "fault."

But if going back to 10.4.11 allows you to get work done, that's great, said without any malice or sarcasm whatsoever.

Do note however that Apple no longer issues software updates, security or otherwise, for Mac OS X Tiger.

ranger2339 wrote:
My bars all go Grey?

If your bars go grey, that means you are no longer connected to your router's network, for whatever reason.

There may be a log message in /var/log/system.log (viewable using Applications->Utilities->Console) that describes why the connection was dropped.

sounds like a time machine issue.

with that netauth.sysagent301 error.

there is a discussion about this in the past on this site.

Do you know what wording I may want to look for? There is a lot of stuff in the log?

Thanks for your help,
Josh

ranger2339 wrote:
Do you know what wording I may want to look for? There is a lot of stuff in the log?

Look for messages that reference airportd or configd that were logged around the time you lost your connection.

HERE IS A NEW SUGGESTION FROM AN APPLE NETWORK ENGINEER

Regular readers of this thread (surely now one of the longest in Apple's history) will know I have been working with an Apple networking engineer to try to get to the bottom of the issue. In my case (which will be relevant to some of you but definitely not all), he narrowed the problem down a delay in my Wireless Router (DLink 615) handing out an IP address. I never experienced the problem prior to upgrading to SL, nor with my iPhone, but the engineer set up an identical configuration to mine and said he did get occasional problems with Leopard and the iPhone, as well as with my configuration of a MBP running SL. After I upgraded to SL, the problem was crippling, but largely solved by selecting a Wireless Channel relatively free of interference. Not completely solved, however. Roughly once a week I had a delay of a minute of two getting onto the Internet (I never had poor wireless connection to the router, only getting onto the Internet), and sometimes had to reboot the router to get an IP address.

The engineer has continued to work on the issue and found what he thinks resolves my issue. I have tried it for a couple of days, and everything seems fine, so this may help others. I do not believe it has been suggested before on this thread. The issue is a default setting on the wireless router. Here is the Apple engineer's suggested fix:

On your wireless router, go to:
Network Settings -> Always Broadcast ( compatibility for some DHCP clients)
Uncheck this option.
Save Settings.

Easy to try. Doubtless will work for some, unlikely to work for all. Good luck.

FYI, I'm having both of the Airport issues you described. Wi-Fi dropping and remaining connected to the router but not connecting to the DNS servers. I've had these issues before and after Snow Leopard.
I can connect to and switch networks without having to reset or restart anything with my iPhone, Mac-Mini, and PCs, but with my Macbook it's hit or miss. My friends can connect to and switch between the same networks with no problems on their MacBooks, PCs, and smart phones. They don't have to do anything special to get and stay connected. I want my Macbook to "just work" like all the other devices my friends, co-workers, and I use.