Airport Extreme dropping connection

Question

Level 1

1 points

Airport Extreme dropping connection

Issue with client's Airport Extreme (one month old) needing to be rebooted 4-5 times daily. Clients lose internet connectivity - both wired and wireless - green light on router. Static IP assigned to router and manually entered. Installed in small office - less than 10 users - all Macintosh. Port forwarding on three ports for Daylite CRM. Firmware at 7.5.1, No guest network enabled.
Troubleshooting included:
Switched ISP from ADSL to Cable (completely different technology and modems)
Switched router out and replaced with identical router - reconfigured manually
Turned on interference robustness
Changed both wireless channels
Changed out power supply and put both modem and router on UPS

Log since last reboot:
Jul 16 13:15:34 Severity:5 Initialized (firmware 7.5.1).
Jul 16 13:15:46 Severity:5 Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 3).
Jul 16 13:15:46 Severity:5 Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 2).
Jul 16 13:15:46 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jul 16 13:15:47 Severity:5 Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 3).
Jul 16 13:15:47 Severity:5 Deauthenticating with station ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff (reserved 2).
Jul 16 13:15:47 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jul 16 13:15:48 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 68.151.32.151:32768 to 192.168.1.3:4500 with lifetime 7200
Jul 16 13:15:48 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 68.151.32.151:32769 to 192.168.1.3:5353 with lifetime 7200
Jul 16 13:15:49 Severity:5 (WAN) link state is Up.
Jul 16 13:15:52 Severity:5 Associated with station d4:9a:20:61:a0:f6
Jul 16 13:15:52 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant d4:9a:20:61:a0:f6
Jul 16 13:15:57 Severity:5 Associated with station 00:25:4b:96:9d:bc
Jul 16 13:15:57 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 00:25:4b:96:9d:bc
Jul 16 13:16:18 Severity:5 Binding added for tcp, 68.151.32.151:6116 to 192.168.1.3:6116 with lifetime 3600
Jul 16 13:16:18 Severity:5 Binding added for tcp, 68.151.32.151:6113 to 192.168.1.3:6113 with lifetime 3600
Jul 16 13:16:18 Severity:5 Binding added for tcp, 68.151.32.151:6117 to 192.168.1.3:6117 with lifetime 3600
Jul 16 13:18:22 Severity:5 Associated with station 7c:6d:62:a4:ff:a7
Jul 16 13:18:25 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 7c:6d:62:a4:ff:a7
Jul 16 13:19:04 Severity:5 Disassociated with station 7c:6d:62:a4:ff:a7
Jul 16 13:19:04 Severity:5 Associated with station 7c:6d:62:a4:ff:a7
Jul 16 13:19:04 Severity:5 Installed unicast CCMP key for supplicant 7c:6d:62:a4:ff:a7
Jul 16 13:19:04 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jul 16 13:19:18 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [fe80::7e6d:62ff:fea4:ffa7%bridge0]:49233.
Jul 16 13:19:20 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [fe80::7e6d:62ff:fea4:ffa7%bridge0]:49248.
Jul 16 13:19:20 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [fe80::7e6d:62ff:fea4:ffa7%bridge0]:49249.
Jul 16 13:31:18 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 68.151.32.151:32768 to 192.168.1.3:4500 with lifetime 7200
Jul 16 13:31:18 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 68.151.32.151:32769 to 192.168.1.3:5353 with lifetime 7200
Jul 16 13:46:18 Severity:5 Binding added for tcp, 68.151.32.151:6116 to 192.168.1.3:6116 with lifetime 3600
Jul 16 13:46:18 Severity:5 Binding added for tcp, 68.151.32.151:6113 to 192.168.1.3:6113 with lifetime 3600
Jul 16 13:46:18 Severity:5 Binding added for tcp, 68.151.32.151:6117 to 192.168.1.3:6117 with lifetime 3600
Jul 16 14:11:50 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [::ffff:66.225.146.171]:56264.
Jul 16 14:11:51 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [::ffff:66.225.146.171]:56265.
Jul 16 14:11:51 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [::ffff:66.225.146.171]:56266.
Jul 16 14:15:47 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jul 16 14:16:18 Severity:5 Binding added for tcp, 68.151.32.151:6116 to 192.168.1.3:6116 with lifetime 3600
Jul 16 14:16:18 Severity:5 Binding added for tcp, 68.151.32.151:6113 to 192.168.1.3:6113 with lifetime 3600
Jul 16 14:16:18 Severity:5 Binding added for tcp, 68.151.32.151:6117 to 192.168.1.3:6117 with lifetime 3600
Jul 16 14:19:04 Severity:5 Rotated CCMP group key.
Jul 16 14:31:18 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 68.151.32.151:32768 to 192.168.1.3:4500 with lifetime 7200
Jul 16 14:31:18 Severity:5 Binding added for udp, 68.151.32.151:32769 to 192.168.1.3:5353 with lifetime 7200
Jul 16 14:32:58 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [::ffff:66.225.146.171]:56358.
Jul 16 14:32:59 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [::ffff:66.225.146.171]:56359.
Jul 16 14:32:59 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [::ffff:66.225.146.171]:56360.
Jul 16 14:43:17 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [::ffff:66.225.146.171]:56652.
Jul 16 14:43:19 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [::ffff:66.225.146.171]:56653.
Jul 16 14:43:19 Severity:5 Connection accepted from [::ffff:66.225.146.171]:56654.
Jul 16 14:46:18 Severity:5 Binding added for tcp, 68.151.32.151:6116 to 192.168.1.3:6116 with lifetime 3600
Jul 16 14:46:18 Severity:5 Binding added for tcp, 68.151.32.151:6113 to 192.168.1.3:6113 with lifetime 3600
Jul 16 14:46:18 Severity:5 Binding added for tcp, 68.151.32.151:6117 to 192.168.1.3:6117 with lifetime 3600

Help - I am out of ideas. . .

AirPort Extreme N, Mac OS X (10.6.1)

Posted on Jul 16, 2010 2:04 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

problemwithalias

Level 1

5 points

Sep 4, 2010 3:55 AM in response to pyromichael

I have the same problem with AirPort Extreme dropping internet connection requiring restarts.

Anyone?

Reply

Answer 2

Sep 25, 2010 1:54 PM in response to problemwithalias

Same thing happens to me, but it only affects wireless connections - if I plug in it works fine. I see the same message about the CCMP key in the logs. Since that is the part of the WPA2 encryption protocol, I'm guessing the key exchange is failing and the wireless connection stops working because you no longer have the correct key. However, even if I've correctly identified the problem, I have no idea how to fix it.

Reply

Answer 3

Sep 28, 2010 11:29 AM in response to pyromichael

Dear Forum Readers-

PROBLEM DOCUMENTATION
I am posting this Sept 28, 2010 following a call to AppleCare Support yesterday. The call was eventually escalated to an Advanced Support Tech and after an lengthy session with them the reason/cause of the problem was still not fully identified ... much less resolved. Therefore, my case was being further referred to Apple Engineering for consultation. I am to receive a call-back from the Advanced Tech in about 5 days following his consultation with Engineering.
.
If you have researched this issue online (thru Apple site as well as as other online forums & postings) you will see that this problem has been reported as far back as 2007 or earlier _ and _ have plagued older versions of Airport Extreme as well as the newest to date (A1354 - Dual Simultaneous 2.4/5Ghz).
.
Various Users have encountered the problem in different configs & usage conditions; from repeated spontaneous dropped connections, when attempting a mobile call, during torrent downloads, when watching movies, etc. The problem does NOT seem to be ISP carrier specific, nor modem specific. The only commonality seems to be that it is a sudden spontaneous loss of *PPPoE Connection* & an IP address. The loss is sometimes brief (a few seconds) with the connection re-established. For some users, sometimes the dropped connection is NOT automatically re-established. However, even when the drop is brief, data flow is disrupted.
.
For me, I notice the problem mainly (and almost exclusively) during streaming content. YouTube is almost unusable to me. Occasionally I will get thru a whole video, but most often it will start and I can see the data loading but then I see the streaming-buffer progress bar stop, the play progress bar catches up to it, and that's it !! When the streaming stops, the Airport icon in Menu-bar usually reports attempt to establish PPPoE connection. Occasionally, Airport Utility will even launch to report the problem to me. Even if/when it does re-connect... streaming content will not resume again.
.
MY DETAILS:
• I am in Baltimore/Washington area.
• My ISP is Earthlink :: COVAD provides the backbone.
• Modem: Speedstream 5260.
• Airport Extreme A1354 (2009) which I bought to replace
earlier 2007 Airport Extreme A1143 in unsuccessful attempt
to resolve this very problem.
• Firmware: 7.5.1
• Airport Express-n A1264 to extend network
• MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo 2.16Ghz :: but problem occurs on other devices too
• System :: OS X 10.5.8
.
STEPS ATTEMPTED
Replaced Airport hardware
Rebuilt entire LAN
Changed various settings (channels, wireless options, etc)
Connect via wifi with all other devices turned-off, except BaseStation & laptop
Connect via ethernet to Airport Extreme
Connect via ethernet directly to Speedstream modem :: using new PPPoE connection in Network in Sys Pref's
.
PLEASE NOTE
1.
Problem did NOT occur when connected directly to DSL modem.
Thus problem is not with Service Provider _ nor _ with the modem !!!
Problem appears to be clearly related to the Airport Extreme.
.
2.
Problem DID occur when connected using Airport Extreme...
... even when connected directly using ethernet rather than wifi !!!
So it is not exclusively a wireless or radio problem.
.
Some past postings have questioned problems with WMM (wireless multi-media) functionality, with QoS (quality of service) issues, with need to have to Ports 500 & 4500 open, with needing IP SEC pass-thru.
.
I still have no answers or solutions to share but wanted to post some detailed info to help document the problem for others (and for Apple) that the problem DOES exist, seems to be longstanding & still unaddressed, and some of the attempts or steps taken to identify or resolve the problem... thus far unsuccessfully ... _even with Escalated Apple Support_.
.
Any & all comments or contributions regarding this issue will be greatly appreciated. And quite a few other Apple Airport customers, not just by me.
.
s. strippoli
.

Reply

Answer 4

brain213

Level 1

14 points

Sep 28, 2010 3:32 PM in response to pyromichael

I just started having this problem yesterday. Up until then my internet connection and router were rock solid 24/7. The only thing I have been doing new is using logmein.com hamachi for screen sharing with my home computer. I am wondering if this (or something like it) is a common denominator for anyone else having this issue.

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread. Thanks.

Reply

Answer 5

wHumen

Level 1

0 points

Sep 29, 2010 8:31 PM in response to Sabino Strippoli

This is exactly the same problem I am having. I am not sure if I will waste my time time talking to Apple Support. There seems to be no solution to the problem. It is hard to believe that Apple Engineering cannot recreate the problem and then fix it (did I hear you say this was an outstanding issue for 3 years?) . Since it has been around through various hardware releases it has to be in the software.

Why did my Airport Extreme (Dual Band) work fine for over a month and then decay to where it has to restarted ay least once a day?

Has Apple ever responded on this discussion board about this problem? There are literally hundreds of entries about it.

Message was edited by: wHumen

Reply

Answer 6

Sep 30, 2010 8:00 AM in response to pyromichael

I'm also having lots of problems with my AEBS, model #A1143 (two years old). It worked fine up until the last couple of months, and now I have to unplug the power and reboot about once every couple of days. All my wireless devices can "see" the AEBS, and get 2 or 3 bars signal, but cannot connect (timeout), unless I unplug power, wait for a couple minutes, then reboot. I started a separate message about my AEBS dying, but haven't gotten a solution yet. I'm thinking the only solution is to buy a new one at this point. Very disappointed.

Reply

Answer 7

Oct 1, 2010 1:04 AM in response to pyromichael

Add me to the list. My Airport Extreme, also two years old, just started to have issues in the last month. I am constantly loosing connection. Rebooting the router fixes the issue, but only temporarily. A few minutes later it will drop, then pick back up on it's own. It's does this all day. I had a first gen TimeCapsule that did exactly the same thing.

Reply

Answer 8

Oct 1, 2010 8:25 AM in response to Stephen Sweeney

I think I found a solution: I downloaded iStumbler http://www.istumbler.net/ and checked what was going on in my neighborhood. I found that there were lots of users on channels 1, 6, and 7. I also found out that there was a lot of noise on channel 11 (which is what my airport was using when it was set to "automatic" -- possibly, one of my neighbors got a new electronic device that was flooding this frequency with noise). Then I tried specifying specific channels, like 3, 4, 5, 8, etc. I found out that my HP printer was also showing up as "Xerox" on some channels, even though it isn't wireless! When I chose a specific channel that didn't have a bad signal-to-noise ratio and which didn't have a lot of users on it, my disconnect problem seems to have gone away! I'm very happy that my AEBS hasn't died. Thank you to Bob Timmons, who suggested this fix in a different thread, and also "Val" at Apple, who also suggested specifying a specific channel.

Reply

Answer 9

Shockee

Level 1

8 points

Oct 1, 2010 10:19 AM in response to Dance Fam

I have had the same problem others have been referring to with dropped connections using my Airport Extreme Base Station. These problems only started happening about a month ago. I found the suggestion to change the channel on the AEBS and that seemed to work for a couple of weeks and then the drops started all over again. I just switched it back to "automatic" to see if that fixes the problem. I also "re-channeled" my wireless phone, thinking that may be causing interference. I agree that this is not a hardware issue, but one of interference. I'll just keep working on it (by changing channels) until I find the "sweet spot." If it doesn't resolve the issue, I guess I will have to buy a new router.

Reply

Answer 10

wHumen

Level 1

0 points

Oct 2, 2010 4:47 PM in response to wHumen

I have been closely watching when the Airport loses its WAN connection. It happens in the following minute after the Airpot renews its DHCP lease on the WAN side. The Internet lags and then completely drops out as DNS lookups fail. Looking at the Airport logs my ISP is forcing renewals every hour. My WAN is a Telus ADSL.

Related to port

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r22369952-BC-DHCP-Renew-Issues

I am thinking of putting a FreeBSD Nat gateway in front of the Airport. I assume it will be more fault tolerant than the Airport. Seems like overkill though.

Message was edited by: wHumen

Message was edited by: wHumen

Reply

Answer 11

Oct 2, 2010 4:56 PM in response to wHumen

After spending another 2 hours on the phone with Applecare yesterday (in addition to another 2 hour call and a visit to the Genius Bar when the AC guy couldn't figure it out), I finally threw up my hands and had AT&T run a hard line to the room where I was trying to receive an AirPort signal. Believe it or not, this was the recommendation of the guy at Apple as a solution to my wireless problem: use a hard line. In other words, we can't figure out how to get your AirPort base station to work, so stop using a wireless network. Seriously. I've been an Apple disciple for 20 years, and I'm seriously considering switching to Windows.

The Apple guy was convinced it was an interference issue, but said that there was nothing you could do about it. I told him that there were probably thousands of people with this same problem, that some had been having this problem for years, and asked him why Apple hasn't come up with a fix to address it. He replied that they can't control what wireless devices other people are using. That's when he said I should abandon my AirPort network and use a hard line.

Hey Apple: These days everybody is doing something wireless everywhere all of the time. You better figure out how to deal with this before you lose at least one loyal customer.

Apple sure seems to have a hard time dealing with the whole wireless thing between this and my iPhone 4 antenna.

Reply

Answer 12

Oct 6, 2010 9:11 PM in response to pyromichael

Another guy, same problem. I've had my Airport Extreme for a little over a year and it has worked flawlessly until now. All of a sudden it's dropping the connection like crazy on all of my wireless devices (4 laptops and 2 xboxes). So i guess my question now is, did anyone replace their router because of this problem? If so, did it solve the problem? What kind of router did you replace it with?

Reply

Answer 13

Oct 12, 2010 4:14 PM in response to booyadan16

To FELLOW Sufferers & other readers of this thread
.
In trying to address this issue, I'd like to remind Forum posters to read other's submissions AND to be more specific or detailed in submitting our replies so we can try to better identify the factors or conditions related to the stated problem.
.
Regarding the *Airport Extreme Dropping Connection* topic, there are two types of problems people are writing about, that may be quite different.

-----
_Type 1 - problems with computers establishing or maintaining connection to the LAN or the AEBS
- this is a network problem & mostly a wireless problem
-----
_Type 2 - problems with AEBS establishing or maintaining connection to the ISP service
- this is an internet connection problem
-----

We each need to be clear with ourselves and then in our postings just exactly what types of connectivity problem we are actually experiencing and reporting.

For example, in pyromichael 's initial posting for this thread he clearly identifies that his identified problem is with the internet connections ( +Type 2 problem+ ) NOT a problem connecting devices to his network.

He also noted that it occurs _both wireless AND wired_ !! So....
...this clearly suggests that THIS stated problem is a function of something _*other than*_ antenna range, channel overload, radio interference.
.
.
Myself and others have posted info confirming some of his observations while also noting some differences in how the problem ( +*lost IP Address & internet connection*+ ) occurs with them.
For example, for SOME the connection eventually RESETS by itself -yet- for SOME the must restart & cycle the AEBS.
Another example, for SOME dropped internet seems to occur periodically & repeatedly regardless of ongoing activity or inactivity, -while- for SOME (like me) it is specific & predictable... occurring only during streaming of media such as YouTube.

For me, the problem does NOT occur if I connect to my ISP by connecting directly to the DSL modem using the laptop and SYSTEM PREF's --> NETWORK to manage the PPPoE connection, only when the AEBS handles the PPPoE connection.
So the problem is clearly a function of the Airport Extreme Base Station.
It occurs both wireless and wired - AND - it occurs with models A1354 (Oct 2009), A1301 (Mar 2009), A1143 (Jan 2007).

So far, it is unclear if this AEBS problem relates just to DSL connections only -or- just to PPPoE connections -or- or just to certain ISP's.
Can anyone refute or confirm ?

Any other postings _regarding dropped internet connections_ which included *very specific* descriptions of your config, setup & usage during the dropped connection MAY be helpful in building a data set we can report to AppleCare.
I still have an open ongoing case with them and it is now escalated to Engineering Dept.
I will offer to pass along any other relevant info from forum posters as I speak with Apple.
.
.

+If you too are having the dropped internet connection type problem+,
*YOU CAN WATCH IT HAPPENING IN THIS MANNER*

Set Airport in Menubar to "SHOW TIME CONNECTED"
- and -
Open Airport Utility --> AIRPORT --> SUMMARY window and leave it showing somewhere on your screen while you web browse.

Once the connection drops or is lost ...
... in the Airport Utility Summary window - you will see the loss of the assigned IP Address
- AND -
... in the Menubar - the time connected resets to 00:00:00
.
Hope the above is informative or helpful to others.
.
.

Reply

Answer 14

bransom

Level 1

10 points

Oct 28, 2010 5:38 PM in response to Sabino Strippoli

Just to add another layer of complexity: Connection drops happen when hard-wired to the Airport Extreme. I've connected via ethernet to the unit on two different computers plus have two additional computers attached via wireless. When a connection drop happens, it effects ALL computers, wired or wireless. I also have a hard drive attached to the unit and access to it drops at the same time.

So it seems like the unit goes briefly nuts every so often and just flat stops working. Restarting it and all the machines attached to it eventually clears the problem.

#FAIL

Reply

Answer 15

Oct 29, 2010 4:42 AM in response to bransom

I have the same problem: AirPort Extreme dropping connection and requiring restarts.

when I use wireless security (WPA/WPA2) the connection drops. when I do not use, works perfectly.

Anyone?

Reply