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Level 1

0 points

MacBook Pro will not remember my wireless network after sleep

Sorry if this is a repeat question; I'm not all that proficient in all the terms and language everyone uses here, so I may have seen the answer in my search, but just not known what I was reading.

My MBP won't remember my wireless AirPort Extreme Router after coming out of sleep mode. My wife's PC connects to it with no problem every time, but my MBP will not.

I always have to click on "Join Other Network" and fill in the network name and password. Once I do that I connect and operate without any trouble. But it won't reconnect after waking up from sleep mode. It seems to connect to it without any problem when I first start the computer or do a restart, just not when waking up.

It used to remember it without any problem, but sometime back after an update it stopped.

If anyone can assist I would be greatly appreciative.

Thank You.

17" MacBook Pro (Original), Mac OS X (10.6.4), iPhone 3GS w/ iOS4

Posted on Oct 19, 2010 11:06 AM

54 replies

Feb 9, 2011 7:41 AM in response to BobRocks

I was having similar issues with my MacBook Pro. What worked for me was to uninstall Parallels. Parallels kept messing with the NAT settings and network routing. Unfortunately I am not knowledgeable enough with network routing to configure Parallels or other virtual machines' network routes to work around this. So I simply chose to remove Parallels. Since uninstalling Parallels, my MBP is now able to remember my hidden wireless network. If you have some type of vmware, virtualbox, parallels, etc... I'd make sure they are not taking over your network configs.

heyjohne

Level 1

0 points

Feb 12, 2011 6:34 AM in response to BobRocks

I have same problem... close the lid put the computer to sleep open it back up wont see or connect to network. Have to restart computer and yes my pref is set to remember network. This is fricin annoying.

Feb 15, 2011 10:46 PM in response to heyjohne

Just finished reorder my network location to have my default be the first one in the list.
Started to wake from sleep with the network fully active. Just finished the big system update last week... then noticed the problem of network appearing to be intact, but not functional after opening the list / wake from sleep. macbook 13" dual processor 10.6.6

drfrot

Level 1

22 points

Feb 26, 2011 12:44 PM in response to BobRocks

I have just been suffering this same problem out of the blue: whenever I opened my MacBook Air, it would say that none of my preferred networks were available, and then offer me a list of available networks to join... of which the only one was my preferred network. I never had to re-enter my password; all that was required was to click on it and it would connect... it just wouldn't do it automatically.

Anyway, I tried all the things listed - deleting .plists, deleting all WPA2 remembered networks, Permissions repair, restart... and none of it worked.

It was the simplest thing that got it working - using the "Set Service Order..." option from the little gear icon underneath the list of my connections. I thought that Airport was at the top of the list, because when nothing else is connected, it automatically moves itself up to the top of that list. But when I went in to "Set Service Order...", it was actually at the bottom, underneath (disconnected) Ethernet + Bluetooth + FireWire.

A simple thing to overlook, in case you have... and as I say: it's working fine again now.

G

drfrot

Level 1

22 points

Feb 26, 2011 3:07 PM in response to drfrot

Ha! Ignore that post. I spoke too soon. It worked for me once and now I'm back to square one each time I open the laptop from sleep.

Problem still exactly as described, with no obvious (or unobvious) solution, grrrr...

drfrot

Level 1

22 points

Feb 27, 2011 7:04 AM in response to drfrot

Ok, I got it working.

I read this: http://macosx.com/forums/networking-compatibility/307423-airport-now-working-sho uld.html and tried that sequence in the bottom post... but it didn't help.

I then read this: http://osxdaily.com/2009/09/01/how-i-fixed-my-dropping-wireless-airport-connecti on-problem-in-snow-leopard/ and tried a few things that didn't work, until...

...turning all security off my (admittedly newish) router fixed the problem. It was previously on WPA2 security, which connected ok, but gave the annoying error where it wouldn't find my preferred network (incidentally, if I had network prefs open and watched what happened as I opened the laptop from sleep, it could find the network, it just couldn't assign an IP address quick enough, and so decided that none were available).

Since moving/downgrading to WEP security, it all works fine now. I don't know why, but it does. Straight away. Every time. I guess it's quicker than WPA2??

Still doesn't get to the root of the problem (i.e. how come the other two Macs in the household would connect straight away to WPA2 secured connection, but the laptop wouldn't?)... and I shall watch this thread to see if anyone can in fact come up with a more definitive solution!

Good luck people.

G

satcomer

Level 4

1,539 points

Feb 27, 2011 7:47 PM in response to drfrot

drfrot wrote:
Ok, I got it working.

I read this: http://macosx.com/forums/networking-compatibility/307423-airport-now-working-sho uld.html and tried that sequence in the bottom post... but it didn't help.

That last post was mine. I also urge people to log into their router and go through the settings and make sure the router's clock is on the right time and hopefully you can sync the clock to the same time server your Mac uses. Over time i have a lot of people's routers were on the wrong time and causing many wireless connection problem on Macs & PCs.

S.K-L

Level 1

0 points

Feb 28, 2011 6:40 PM in response to BobRocks

Hi-
I have been living with this problem for the last 9months, and there is a less painful work-around that I have found. If you turn airport off, then back on, it will find your prefered network and connect. I tried reordering the different networks, putting my preferred later in the list from 1st place, but that did not help.

BobRocks Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 4, 2011 1:22 PM in response to ctmurray

Nice to see this thread got some people's attention. Last time I had looked at it there wasn't but 2 or 3 of us talking. I had pretty much given up thinking I was going to just have to live with it.

It looks like there are quite a few suggestions for me to try, I'll give them a whirl and see which one (if any)work for me.

Interesting enough, I have a brand new Mid-2010 MBP that I bought for Christmas and I am not experiencing this problem on that machine at all. Right out of the box I entered my network name and password and have never needed to do it since.

Really the only difference between the two machines pertaining to anything discussed in this thread is that my new MBP does not have Parallel's on it. If none of the other suggestions work for me, I may just remove Parallel's as a last resort. I don't like it and have wanted to switch up to Mac Fusion anyway.

Thanks to everyone who's chimed in with all the idea's and suggestions...this is why I love these forums; it may take a while, but I believe we will ultimately find a solution.

Message was edited by: BobRocks

BobRocks Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 4, 2011 1:24 PM in response to BobRocks

I spoke too soon. It only worked once and then reverted back to the same problem.

mgk42

Level 1

0 points

Mar 8, 2011 7:51 AM in response to RC-Mac

I was having the same problem: on wake my shiny 2011 MBP was not reconnecting to my preferred network. My older MBP does connect to same network. Both are running 10.6.6.

In my case it affected mulple networks: 2 Airport Extremes and one other. None of the
following helped:

+ removing all preferred networks and re-adding just one
+ turning the AirPort off and on
+ rebooting
+ muttering curses and scowling

Combinations of the above did not help either.

Resetting the PRAM solved the problem for me: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379

Hopefully it will help others as well.

</mgk>

Adios

Level 1

0 points

Mar 27, 2011 12:52 PM in response to mgk42

It seems that the issue could be solved by resetting the PRAM.

I had also encountered this issue on my 2010 MBA. My AP cannot be found after MBA's waking up. (AP: WHR-G125, 802.11g, WPA2 PSK AES, hidden).

It is OK now after I reset the PRAM from the @mgk42's suggestion.

Mar 27, 2011 4:05 PM in response to RC-Mac

Try deleting the keychains that are associated with that connection. You may have two and its picking and older one.

Jul 3, 2011 1:36 PM in response to BobRocks

This is a part of the larger MacBook Pro connectivity issue. There are several related threads dealing with the MBP's networking problems. If your unit is suffering from this type of difficulty, good luck ... (or a long ethernet cable)

(PS Everybody please make noise on this one so apple comes up with a solution.)

RTen1

Level 1

16 points

Nov 22, 2011 9:06 PM in response to drfrot

thanks to drfrot -

I had the same problem and it is a simple solution, at least for me: go to Sys. Preferences, Network, and open the small gear icon under the Network list and go to Set Service Order, then drag your current / primary wifi network to the top of the list.

Since the MBAir does not have ethernet built in, and it typically will use wifi networks, I assumed it would default to the wifi networks to which I've connected, BUT if one of the bluetooth networks is set above the wifi network in the service order, it seems it will not usually connect automatically to one of your preferred networks.

When I set my network to the top in Set Servie Order, it worked perfectly for connecting to preferred networks after coming out of sleep.

drfrot: "It was the simplest thing that got it working - using the "Set Service Order..." option from the little gear icon underneath the list of my connections. I thought that Airport was at the top of the list, because when nothing else is connected, it automatically moves itself up to the top of that list. But when I went in to "Set Service Order...", it was actually at the bottom, underneath (disconnected) Ethernet + Bluetooth + FireWire."

MacBook Pro will not remember my wireless network after sleep