10.6.5 and wifi issues

I tried to change the wireless channel and it connected immediately. Seems like it's working now!

Did anyone find a solution? My AirPort has been working fine since yesterday after I changed the wireless channel in my Linksys router settings.

pookeyblow wrote:
Did anyone find a solution? My AirPort has been working fine since yesterday after I changed the wireless channel in my Linksys router settings.

Changing the router channel is a known solution to these problems. It is one of the first suggested to new people with problems. Easy to try and it has worked for several.

Not sure why an OS upgrade would affect which channel works best. Could be a coincidence. Glad this works for you.

When the 10.6.5 update was released, I upgraded and was disappointed to find that I could no longer connect wirelessly to my router. I performed all the typical solutions to no avail, and ended up downgrading back to 10.6.4. After the 10.6.6 release, I hesitated to upgrade, but finally gave in because I wanted to experience the App Store and thought Apple might have fixed the issue. But it's the same story. I am again experiencing connection timeouts for no apparent reason.

Since reading chromatic8's post, I investigated to see what chip is in my 2006 white MacBook.

It's the Atheros 5416 chip.

I am currently typing this on my iPad as I again downgrade... Apple - please fix this! I want to use the App Store.

c8: Thanks for your efforts and the most knowledgeable and logical post on this issue since I started following the 10.6.5. wifi problem about 3 months ago. I hope Apple starts paying some attention to this and gets a fix out.
After upgrading and developing this problem on my MacBook, the only solution was to downgrade to 10.6.3.

Specs on my Airport card are:
Card Type: AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87)
Firmware Version: Atheros 5416: 2.0.19.10

So, how did you downgrade your OS X to 10.6.4 from 10.6.6 ? I didn't think it was possible without reinstalling ? Or is there a plist you can edit to trick OS X into thinking it needs updating ?

OK, my wife just went through this ordeal (2007 MBP, Atheros 5424 chipset).
Thanks to the work of others diagnosing this, I found a solution that doesn't require a full downgrade, although a little bravery might be needed.

As has already been stated, the version of the firmware for the Atheros cards changed in 10.6.5. This seems to be the culprit. Did anybody bother testing this fully? The new firmware is unable to maintain a connection under conditions that the older firmware handles with aplomb. Anyway, we clearly need the older driver/firmware, but downgrading to 10.6.4 seems rather draconian, so I set about finding a solution that just fixed that problem.

To cut to the chase, you can run the 10.6.4 drivers on 10.6.6. To do so,
1) Download the 10.6.4 Combo update and the Pacifist program that allows one to extract files from, amongst others, ".pkg" files.
2) Mount the update .dmg, open the package in pacifist, extract the subtree "/System/Library/Extensions/IO80211Family.kext" to a convenient location.
3) As root, cd to /System/Library/Extensions, rename IO80211Family.kext to IO8021Family.10 66 (or anything else to back it up), and copy in the replacement IO80211Family.kext that we extracted from 10.6.4.
4) Download, install and run "Kext Utility" (Google it, it's at Insanely Mac). It should ask for your password, run, and fix up the kext permissions and caches.
5) Reboot. You should now be on the new (old) driver/firmware. Verify by running "About this Mac" -> "More Info" -> "Network" -> "Airport". As stated, the newer firmware is 2.1.14.5, the working firmware is 2.0.19.10.

After doing this, my wife's MBP is back to full functionality and domestic harmony is restored. Apple, please revert this driver and inform Atheros that it does not work correctly.

Message was edited by: tenortim (fix typos)

tenortim, you rock! I tried doing something like this based on a little googling shortly after 10.6.5 broke my macbook but ended up messing things up to where I had to reinstall the macbook from a 10.6.4 backup. I don't know what I did wrong so your step-by-step recipe is a real timesaver. Now if I can just make this an automator script to survive future "updates" 🙂 Thanks again.

I just put in my Snow Leopard disc and ran the Installer ... it went for about 45 minutes and when it was finished I was running 10.6 and Wifi works with no issues at all. I didn't delete any settings or have to setup my network again or put in the WPA password or anything. This proves it's an issue with 10.6.5 and above.

tenortim.

From my testing, I absolutely agree with your diagnosis. Just hope Apple is reading this. I have Atheros 9280: 2.1.14.5 and had same issues and concluded that it's the Atheros firmare that is the issue. I overcame it by changing a setting on my router rather than trying for a firmware update. I'd rather the firmware as my security is a bit loose until then.

It's simpler to do with Applescript than with automator.

Open Applescript editor: /Applications/Utilities/AppleScript Editor

Paste this code into an empty file:
------
set sourcefile to "/folder/folder/file" --replace path with what it needs to be
set destination to "/folder/folder" --replace path with what it needs to be

set shellcommand to "cp " & sourcefile & " " & destination

do shell script shellcommand with administrator privileges
------

set the file paths to what ever you need them to be.

Save as with file format "Application" and give it a nice name.
You have the script application done. Run it as any application, place where ever you want. That's it.



NOTE! The script will overwrite any file with same name without warning!

Message was edited by: JuanSkom
dummy path names made more clear

I can confirm that the mini I'm having the problem with also has the Atheros 5424 chipset. I don't have time to do a reinstall again on the chance of failure right now, but thank you for giving what looks to be the first non-voodoo, reasonable solution!

tenortim,

Rock Star! It has made a huge difference with old driver from 10.6.4. Thanks for your info.

Interfaces:
en1:
Card Type: AirPort Extreme
Firmware Version: Atheros 5416: 2.0.19.10
Locale: ETSI
Country Code: GB

Harmony here as well!

I've singed up for an account purely to add my support to tenortim's fix!
All smooth at the moment on my imac i7, fingers crossed over the next few days then.

Card Type: AirPort Extreme
Firmware Version: Atheros 9280: 2.1.9.8.1

Thanks!

Yup tenortim hit it out of the park... the 10.6.4 driver seems to work and gives me back the wireless range (more than 15 feet) so I get wireless throughout my condo again. The connection seems to be stable. I also see networks that are from my surrounding neighbours again.

There is another thread on this site posted by a guy who was having wireless issues after the 10.6.5 update and many of the experienced users came down on him in a very condescending way and pointedly argued that he did not have any idea what he was talking about and that the entire issue was a user or router problem. Shame on them. Tenortim's fix proves that there is a problem with some Airport Card/Mac configurations and the 10.6.5 update and later.

An aside: I got a call from the Apple Store recently because I filled out their customer service survey after I went there in Nov 2010 to try and work out a wireless fix. They have now agreed to replace my wireless card for $106 CND (not charging me labour). While chatting up the genius, he told me while they have no official information on 10.6.5 and Atheros cards, he said he has heard of issues. I am not sure I will replace the card, after all, this does seem to be Apple's boondoggle and they should offer a fix. But at the same time, I use my Mac as my primary business computer and I am tired of wasting time on this wireless problem and I am tired or waiting for a patch to be released by Apple. Further, while tenortim's fix works for now, how do we know the older driver will work with subsequent updates to OSX?

So I am considering my options.