10.6.5 and wifi issues

Just thought I would add my frustration to the thread. From my experience, it is most definitely a software issue. Specifically, 10.6.x. Previously, I had a MBP 1,1 that until the upgrade to 10.6 worked perfectly on wireless. Post upgrade, wireless would only connect if the machine was plugged in. ***, for a laptop that is pointless.

I had been troubleshooting with Apple support for MONTHS, trying different combinations of software, hardware, router, blah, blah blah. I got so fed up with their asinine excuses, I just gave up and resigned myself to using my PORTABLE laptop tethered to the wall.

Now I have a MBP 6,2 on 10.6.3, wireless is working wonderfully so far and I am not updating anything until the next update comes out as apparently, Apple doesn't test for wireless anymore. And also not without checking here first as I usually do.

There used to be a time where I did not question Apple's updates as anything less than solid, but now it's caveat emptor.

hagenhagen wrote:
Because different solutions seem to have worked for different people, it isn't clear the issues reported in the thread are all the same. But I have two different D-Link routers. Tried all the suggested actions with each. Nothing really worked. So I am sure my problem wasn't the router setting. Furthermore, my airport connection was working consistently just fine before, so something in the system update must have messed it up.


The symptoms of my airport problems were simple: I could connect fine. Airport successfully negotiated DHCP connection with the router. But in the middle of network activities (browsing, ssh, etc.) the connection would randomly and unpredictable drop out. The wifi icon indicated it's connected. Network Preferences showed the correction IP. But no connection, couldn't even ping the router. Renewing the DHCP license didn't help. To reconnect, I had to turn off and turn on airport. This happened enough times that it was very noticeable, though intermittently and unpredictably.


Then I found this link:

http://www.silvermac.com/2008/airport-connection-dropping-off-how-to-fix-it/

Simply removing ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.internetconfig.plist seems to have fixed my problem. Now I have a persistent airport connection, just as I had before the system update without altering any of the router's settings.


If anyone tries this, please report back to share your experience.

I added your solution to my running list. Thanks for posting.

I had the same problem after snow leopard upgrade;before that on the core duo macbookpro with tiger,internet was flawless ; also I was using linksys router then; now I have the dlink dir 615 router which is an b,g,n ; the problem is related to mac process, the n protocol ,the atheros card that only supports upto gmode and the dlink interaction; the best solution seems to be a reinstall without updating the snow leopard

Apple is demonstrating abject irresponsibility by not addressing this ongoing problem. This problem is over one month old now. Forget about trying to fix it. Just look at all the unsuccessful voodoo fixes in this post. Perhaps in Apple's estimation users with this problem are statistically insignificant. Therefore you are left with 2 choices:
1. Buy a new machine.
2. Roll your system back to the last stable version.
That's the only thing that worked for me. And when I do upgrade it might be to Android.
Thanks for the memories Steve. BTW, can I get return my upgrade disc for a refund?

This could be true in the case where there is an update to the standards, and one of your components are not up to the task.

I was in the beginning of one of these wifi threads, and for me changing chanel helped temporaly. After renewing setting by deleting setting files in connection to AirPort and deleting all cache files i have no problem left what so ever.

If you done all this and also made sure your router firmware is up todate I guess you got two options left. Rollback to earlier OS version or get a new router that works.

Interestingly 10.6 should have been more robust when it comes to manageing plist files resulting in less corrupted files. But in reality 10.6 has been my worst experience since 10.0 in this regard. And it started from my very first migration from 10.5. Which I had to throw out because of all these problems, and make a clean installation. OSX has become complicated like windows lite. In windows you get corrupted registry entries in osx you get corrupted plist files. Though in osx the cache layer in between also can be a trouble. But these you always safely can delete. Not so with all plist files.

Message was edited by: JuanSkom

Not just for statistics: I got to add my MacBook pro (2009) to this list.

I have no problems at my network at home, but from time to time I’m working in the office of a friend of mine, just like the last two days. That’s why it took me some time. No way to connect to his recently bought fritz.box using the g-standard.

Needles to say, that all the Windows-stuff works seamless and – when I still used 10.6.4 – usually with twice the speed.

Cause I’m there for working, I can’t waste my time with messing up his network and stoping the other guys from doing there job. So far, I’ve only tried to repair permissions and restarting my computer which both didn’t help.

What I can tell: There is a connection with the network but its strength is going up and down all the time within split-seconds. So the connection with the network isn’t long enough to send the password (to put my impression in basic words). It starts to connect, drops to "0" and tells me: "timeout-failure" All the other networks in that house (all on different channels) show the same effect.

Note: I’m not already through this long thread. I’m going to try some of your "tricks" the next week, when I’ll be back there, but I’m not very confident. At least it gives me a good feeling, that it wasn’t me who messed this up but really gives me a bad feeling, when I see length and age of this thread.

Message was edited by: pepe

MacFixIt recommends trying these two fixes:

(1) put password in quotation marks, eg "password"

(2) put dollar sign before password, eg $password

Hopefully, one will work. This problem occurs with the old WEP security system.

More at http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20025542-263.html#ixzz188k0GbY9

I finally solved my 10.6.5 wifi issue, but it cost money.

I was on the road a couple of weeks ago and noticed my 10.6.4 wifi worked the way it used to in 10.5. I had an SMC Barricade router at home with the latest firmware (from 2003). I thought the problem might be my router.

I ordered a brand new Airport Extreme from Apple. If it didn't work, I was planning to make an appointment at the local Genius Bar, get them to admit it was 10.6.5 and return the Airport.

I set up the Airport last weekend, and I was back to operating great on 10.6.4. I used my MacBook all week with no problems, including the problems I saw since 10.6.

Today, I repaired permissions, rebooted, shut down every application and upgraded to 10.6.5 the second time. Wifi works great!

Anyone want a used SMC Barricade?

I also want to say how ****** off I am about this issue -- thought my network was completely borked but after exhausting everything its this **** 10.6.5 update. All the solutions in this thread have not helped at all. Apple needs to get it s--t together.

Mine has just started doing this.... sorry this is a long poset

Have a wireless network that 2 IBM laptops, an iMac, ipad, ipod touch and apple TV happily share.
The wireless WEP network is provided a NetGear DG834G wireless ADSL router

Everything has worked for years....

So did my 1.66Ghz Core Duo MacMini.... Until last week.

Now trying to connect to the wireless router, I get timeout issues - nothing I do will fix it. Reboot - mini, router; Renaming the network etc. I thought it was interference so changed the channel.

Found this thread .... this is a post from other forums

The mini also connects fine to a Airport Express I have installed.
I cannot work it out. The router has not changed - and all my other devices work fine. The MacMini sees lots of local wireless networks, and will connect to my Airport express. And I have wired internet access

I have changed channels, and deleted password entries from key chain

When connecting it continually askes for my WEP key - which I happily provide.
But it does not remember it - and times out.

All software is up-to-date including the recent MacOS update (could it be this?)
Netowkr diagnostics suggest wrong key, or network type.

But am pretty sure all is ok. And have tried 26 char WEP keys with $ or non $ infront of them

And I have tried the 5 or 6 different ways you can set this up - icon, network preferences, etc...
Any expert thoughts would be helpful at this point.

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There is this worrying entry in the console logs - about when all the problems started

rocess: airportd 388
Path: /usr/libexec/airportd
Identifier: airportd
Version: ??? (???)
Code Type: X86 (Native)
Parent Process: launchd [1]

Date/Time: 2010-12-13 20:59:03.061 +1100
OS Version: Mac OS X 10.6.5 (10H574)
Report Version: 6

Anonymous UUID: C4AC0617-1F23-41DC-87D4-5BF136797AF5

Exception Type: EXC BADACCESS (SIGBUS)
Exception Codes: KERN PROTECTIONFAILURE at 0x0000000000000000
Crashed Thread: 2 Dispatch queue: airportd cmd q

Thread 0: Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x916720fa mach msgtrap + 10
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x91672867 mach_msg + 68
2 libSystem.B.dylib 0x916de138 mach msgserver + 696
3 airportd 0x00006ee7 0x1000 + 24295
4 airportd 0x00002235 0x1000 + 4661

Thread 1: Dispatch queue: com.apple.libdispatch-manager
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x91698982 kevent + 10
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9169909c dispatch_mgrinvoke + 215
2 libSystem.B.dylib 0x91698559 dispatch_queueinvoke + 163
3 libSystem.B.dylib 0x916982fe dispatch_workerthread2 + 240
4 libSystem.B.dylib 0x91697d81 pthreadwqthread + 390
5 libSystem.B.dylib 0x91697bc6 start_wqthread + 30

Thread 2 Crashed: Dispatch queue: airportd cmd q
0 airportd 0x00018c1c 0x1000 + 97308
1 airportd 0x00020f8f 0x1000 + 130959
2 airportd 0x00013bee 0x1000 + 76782
3 airportd 0x00003192 0x1000 + 8594
4 airportd 0x00005a09 0x1000 + 18953
5 airportd 0x00006ac2 0x1000 + 23234
6 libSystem.B.dylib 0x916a6024 dispatch_call_block_andrelease + 16
7 libSystem.B.dylib 0x91698a8c dispatch_queuedrain + 249
8 libSystem.B.dylib 0x916984e8 dispatch_queueinvoke + 50
9 libSystem.B.dylib 0x916982fe dispatch_workerthread2 + 240
10 libSystem.B.dylib 0x91697d81 pthreadwqthread + 390
11 libSystem.B.dylib 0x91697bc6 start_wqthread + 30

Thread 2 crashed with X86 Thread State (32-bit):
eax: 0x00000000 ebx: 0x00000000 ecx: 0x0003693f edx: 0x00000000
edi: 0x00000000 esi: 0xa01814c0 ebp: 0xb01029c8 esp: 0xb0102990
ss: 0x0000001f efl: 0x00010213 eip: 0x00018c1c cs: 0x00000017
ds: 0x0000001f es: 0x0000001f fs: 0x0000001f gs: 0x00000037
cr2: 0x00000000

System Profile:
Model: Macmini1,1, BootROM MM11.0055.B08, 2 processors, Intel Core Duo, 1.66 GHz, 2 GB, SMC 1.3f4
Graphics: Intel GMA 950, GMA 950, Built-In, spdisplays integratedvram
Memory Module: global_name
AirPort: spairport wireless_card_type_airportextreme (0x168C, 0x86), Atheros 5424: 2.1.14.5
Bluetooth: Version 2.3.8f7, 2 service, 12 devices, 1 incoming serial ports
Network Service: AirPort, AirPort, en1
Network Service: Built-in Ethernet, Ethernet, en0
Serial ATA Device: ST98823AS, 74.53 GB
Parallel ATA Device: MATSHITADVD-R UJ-846
USB Device: Keyboard Hub, 0x05ac (Apple Inc.), 0x1006, 0xfd600000
USB Device: Microsoft® 2.4GHz Transceiver v5.0, 0x045e (Microsoft Corporation), 0x074f, 0xfd630000
USB Device: Apple Keyboard, 0x05ac (Apple Inc.), 0x0220, 0xfd620000
USB Device: USB2.0 Hub, 0x05e3 (Genesys Logic, Inc.), 0x0606, 0xfd500000
USB Device: UM-1, 0x0582 (Roland Corporation), 0x009d, 0xfd510000
USB Device: My Book 1110, 0x1058 (Western Digital Technologies, Inc.), 0x1110, 0xfd300000
USB Device: LaCie HD Drive, 0x059f (LaCie), 0x0621, 0xfd100000
USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller, 0x05ac (Apple Inc.), 0x8205, 0x7d100000
USB Device: IR Receiver, 0x05ac (Apple Inc.), 0x8240, 0x7d200000

And from the recent Airport Utility Update this error

Process: AirPort Base Station Agent 930
Path: /System/Library/CoreServices/AirPort Base Station Agent.app/Contents/MacOS/AirPort Base Station Agent
Identifier: AirPort Base Station Agent
Version: ??? (???)
Code Type: X86 (Native)
Parent Process: launchd 160

Date/Time: 2010-12-17 22:28:49.479 +1100
OS Version: Mac OS X 10.6.5 (10H574)
Report Version: 6

Exception Type: EXC BADACCESS (SIGSEGV)
Exception Codes: KERN INVALIDADDRESS at 0x00000000916720fa
Crashed Thread: Unknown

Backtrace not available

Unknown thread crashed with X86 Thread State (32-bit):
eax: 0x00000000 ebx: 0x00000003 ecx: 0xbfffe15c edx: 0x916720fa
edi: 0x00000000 esi: 0x00000000 ebp: 0xbfffe198 esp: 0xbfffe15c
ss: 0x0000001f efl: 0x00010206 eip: 0x916720fa cs: 0x00000017
ds: 0x0000001f es: 0x0000001f fs: 0x00000000 gs: 0x00000037
cr2: 0x916720fa

Binary images description not available
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And this from my system log

17/12/10 10:28:46 PM com.apple.launchctl.Aqua967 com.apple.AirPortBaseStationAgent: Already loaded
17/12/10 10:28:49 PM com.apple.ReportCrash.Root988 2010-12-17 22:28:49.483 ReportCrash988:2603 Failed to create CSSymbolicatorRef for AirPort Base Station Agent
17/12/10 10:28:49 PM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501160 (com.apple.AirPortBaseStationAgent930) Job appears to have crashed: Segmentation fault
17/12/10 10:28:49 PM com.apple.ReportCrash.Root988 2010-12-17 22:28:49.511 ReportCrash988:2603 Saved crash report for AirPort Base Station Agent930 version ??? (???) to /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/AirPort Base Station Agent 2010-12-17-222849localhost.crash
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And this from about trying to make Connections - XXXXX is my wireless network name

17/12/10 10:35:46 PM airportd1073 Apple80211Associate() failed -3905 (Timeout)
17/12/10 10:35:46 PM Apple80211 framework970 airportd MIG failed (Associate Event) = -3905 (Timeout) (port = 44395)
17/12/10 10:35:46 PM SystemUIServer970 Error joining XXXXX: Connection timeout (-3905 timeout connecting)

A follow-up to previous post on my MacMini
I have just tried all the above - to no avail.

How is that every other device I have in the house - including 5 apple devices work fine.
Except the mac mini. Apple clearly knows how to do this.
But not in this case for some of their hardware combinations.

Have to agree ... I have 2 iPhones, iPad, iMac Intel and MacBook Pro Intel that all work fine with the Airport Extreme -- it's only the Mac Mini Intel that's the problem and only since 10.6.5.

I also have the same problem. I've tried almost every solution from this thread, but without success. I've even hard reset my router and recreated my wireless network, but again no joy. My iPad continues to connect without any hiccups.

I think a pattern is beginning to emerge as I also have an Intel Mac Mini. Clearly Apple's 10.6.5 update is causing major wifi issues with the Mini. Pity they haven't been bothered to at least acknowledge my bug report from almost a month ago.

What data rates do you have enabled on your AP? Just curious.

MrAHR - can you switch to WPA security? There have been several examples of WEP being incompatible with latest updates. This will also have the advantage of giving you a new network environment, so new preference files.