Q: 27" imac wifi problems (intermittant)

As simple as it is...this was my problem.  I moved my office around, and sure enough my iMac was facing away from my Airport - and the screen was shielding the wifi signal.

This week Lion's update (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4764 ) addressed a Wi-fi fix, which seemed to solve my issue. No problems so far.

I just updated my Lion OS on my iMac yesterday.  The intermittent wifi is still a problem.  At least I've learned by now that I don't have to restart the computer each time. Instead I click on the wifi icon in top left....disconnect...then reconnect...then I refresh my safari and we're good to go.  Very annoying.  Usually if I stay logged in, then it's ok...usually. But if I log out and/or leave the computer for about 30 minutes, I don't have connection anymore....then I have to repeat.  I have called Applecare 3 times on this issue, but to no avail. Stinks and it sounds like even if I bring the iMac to a store to replace it....I'll probably still have the problem with another iMac.  Come on Apple.

Even after the new update,that should fix the wifi problem,my iMac still doesn't work the way it should.

Actually, now it's even worse.

The connection keeps dropping every 5 to 10 min.

Bought this fantastic iMac 28th of July but after almost 1 month I'm realy getting sick and tired of this machine.

Thinking about returning it and never buy an Apple product again unless there is more support and I don't mean this expensive and useless AppleCare because thats realy money for nothing.

Thought it would be a relieve to work with  OS X but it's just the same as windows, only problems.

I spent a lot of money for my iMac 27",3.4 GHz i7 but it wasn't worth the money.

Realy regret buying it.

Oh, btw during this little note I lost my Wifi internet connection 4 times.  Grrrrrrrrreat..

For the second time, my iMAC is at the reparation center due to wifi disconnection....since August 8th...no news....no emails, no phone call...they used 3rd, 4th level company to fix it....my god NO SERVICE at all !!!

Last time I buy apple for me, too expensive for non working items.

Alright, I just have my iMAC back to home. They said they changed the Airport card....but it doesn't fix anything. Still the same issue to loose connection randomly, or slow down for unknow reasons while my poor HP laptop work very well ! I'm furious now and sorry but I don't want to be involve anymore in any Apple stuff. This is the end for me. 2000 euros trash !

In total I spent 2500 Euro's for an iMac  and  regret every Euro of it.

I wanted to buy only Apple products but now ,after this dissapointment,I will never buy an other Apple product again.

Apple(OS X) isn't any better or worse than an ordinairy Windows PC but you pay double for it.

OK - so I have read the entire thread, see all the issues, tried all the solutions on offer and am in the same boat as pretty much everyone else. FWIW I have posted a story about this on ZDNet along with a very short, quick and dirty video which shows the problem in action.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/howlett/apple-is-not-enterprise-class/3419

What I believe everyone wants but which is not happening is a resolution. Apple needs to deal with this but seems content to let it slide.

For those interested in the vid, here's the link: http://youtu.be/H7NpvWyVwrs - it only runs 54 secs

Of all the posts on this thread, this is the one...  I had the same problem as all of you.  Had an old iMac, White plastic case, Power PC, in my kitchen, about 8 meters (20 ft) or so from my old dome-shaped White 802.11g airport base station, and had no connection issues whatsoever.

Bought a brand-spanking new 27" new iMac a month ago.  Put it in the same location and move my old one in the office.  Constant con ection problems, cutting in and out, can't seem to even find the base station, nothing that could reliably fix it.  Funny thing, though:  I could pick up the wifi signal of the neighbour across the street, who is more than 50 meters (150 ft) away, behind a layer of cinderblock, insulation and brick wall... 

Reading kitplummer's post, I just went to my mac and simply turned it away from the wall (naturally the silver back of the computer was against the wall and the glass screen was facing me, it's more practical that way...) --  BINGO!  Four bars on the wifi network status icon...

So this is definitely a design problem.  The airport card must be in the smack middle behind the glass.  With the new design, the glass goes all the way to the edges of the machine and it might be too thick or something...  it definitely blocks the wifi from going through to the airport card...  BIG TIME design problem!  The airport card should be moved down to the bottom part of the computer, not behind the screen.

When Apple does this it should give all of us a new iMac of course.

OK, I think I've found a way around the problem...  I can confirm that I've done many tests and that each time my iMac 27" was facing away from the wall behind it, with the wifi station at the other end of the room beaming towards the glass screen, the wifi signal intermittence problems were happening.  And each time I moved the computer well away from the wall, or at a 30-degree or 90-degree angle from the wall, the signal regained stability.

Since it's not so convenient for me to move my office set up altogether or work at an angle, I simply stuck a sheet of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil to the wall, behind the unit...  Call it wifi voodoo, but it works!

Personnally, I found the best way to fix it. I gave back my Apple to the store and fore the same price I had a brand new desktop station, a 24" flat sceen, a laptop and still have 200 euros cash to spend in electronics stuff. Apple support was definitively not helping at all. Richard, ex Apple customer, back to windows life and happy.

Holy cow. I can't believe that this would be an issue. I'm having the same issue. Just set her up yesterday and already having issues. They really should have fixed this by now. Although, pulling it away from the wall definitely helped! This is my first time owning a mac product, please don't fail me!!

And yes I did just use the word "issue " three times....

I've got a late `09 27"iMac with internet issues.

I've read through this entire string and tried most everything.

Things I know: my wifi connectivity seems just fine. Changing the DNS numbers seems to work...for awhile. Changing the wifi router channel seems to work... for awhile. By awhile, I mean a couple of hours of usage.

I've eliminated extraneaus bandwidth issues like "baby monitor", competeing wifi signals/channels, cordless phones, cell phones, and external hard-drive back ups (USB).

The WiFi seems fine. Every other device works fine with my WiFi router & has great response, even when using many at the same time.

My issues did not show up until I advanced to Lion and bought/used an external HD for back up.

Going back in Time Machine worked...for awhile.

The issues are strictly with internet usage: iTunes, AppStore, Google Earth and web browsers (all of them). Speed with all other applications is superb and as expected (All Adobe products, Strata, Anime).

Theories

1 - It's some kind of memory issue.

     It seems to compile over time and usage. It just "locks up" after a couple of hours or minutes depending on what I'm doing. The issue HATES YouTube and Downloading iTunes Podcasts while doing ANYTHING else on the internet. Which leads me to think it's...

2 - Malware/Virus. But nothing shows up on any (many) scans.

     or

3 - An Overheating issue. Some component just hates this much activity. I don't know what Lion does but I'm pretty certain it doesn't cut down on processes. From what I've read, it doesn't seem to be the WiFi unit in the iMac itself (cuz folks have replaced it), but something it's attached to. This leads me to think its a motherboard problem. The unit runs pretty hot. Apple's lack of attention on this (I'm now realizing) prevalent  issue would mean a lot of (expensive) recalls. I just want to surf when I want to.

I am going to try aiming an external fan at the back of my iMac. Without input from Apple, I am at a loss as to what else to do.

Please pardon my ignorance...I've been looking for the answer to my question but can't seem to locate it.

I have a newer (april 2011) 27" iMac.  I am wondering, does it TRANSMIT a WiFi signal?  I understand it can receive one, but does it transmit one?

Thanks,

Erik