WiFi Issues With MacBook Air

Same problems -- spent hours and hours at the store and with Apple Care. Finally swapped less-than-2-week-old Macbook air and had the 10.7.1 update added (the same day it came out) and now, less than a week later, it will not connect. Exact same problem as before. This computer should work like all the other Apple devices we have from the start -- how complicated can it be???

Tony, I followed Christian's advice (cschubert) in this thread as I had the exact problem as you, him and others in this thread. I disabled BT and now it works flawless. It's reconnecting just fine after waking from sleep. Tried it several times now and it always works. I had all along the feeling that it was not related to DNS settings. It's a conflict between BT and WIFI moduls apparently. In case Apple care calls back I'll let them know so they might find a fix sometime. For now this solution is fine for me as I don't need BT, I'm using my Air primarly for travel and don't need to connect a wireless keyboard or mouse. Otherwise it would be a real pain.

I tried to disable BT and now the wifi reconnecting issue is gone! Have you tried that yet? Would be interesting if it's also for you a possible "fix".

I can confirm! I'm encountering the same problem as you. Now I have BT diabled and the wifi reconnecting issue (connection time out issue) is gone! For now that's fine for me as I don't need BT using my Air just for travels and I don't carry a wireless mouse and keyboard with me.

However, this is a bug in the new Air for quite some people it looks. Apparently a conflict between Airport and the BT moduls.

Thanks for your helpful post having at least a good interim solution on this issue!

🙂

I have a 2011 MBA 11inch. I posted a few weeks ago on this issue and have been following the threads. My problems resolved after I enabled n configuration on the 802.11 network. However, I do also think that there is something happening between the BT and the WIFI management on the MBA. I have a BT keyboard and magic trackpad, as well as a belkin BT reciever for my Media Centre. As I say, originally when my router was on on b/g setting the connecton was rubbish - but since changing to n it has resolved. The bigger picture is that all these clashes should be managed by the operating system. It shoudl be capable of assigning channels, ports, so that we don't get these connectivity issues. For me the issues seem to have resolved - but the wider issue is things shouldn't cause 10 pages of comments for cash paying customers!

I agree with you! Also for me it's been resolved by disabling BT. However, Apple should take actions on these issues. I was on the phone with Apple care twice and all they had were some standard procedures which apparently weren't related at all to what people in this thread are experiencing.

I'll try to file a ticket with Apple in the hopes they can fix the connectivity interference between BT and Wifi in the new Air. It must be just the air because all my other devices as iMac, MacBook Pro and iPhone do not have these issues and running also 10.7.1.

I found the solution thanks to this thread and forum which I think is really great. Apple though should also acknowledge the problem finally....

Anyways, I love my MBA and I'm a happy camper now 😉

I can confirm this appears to work!

I hope apple confirms this issue soon so we can expect a patch soon.

Hello. What is BT and how do I disable it? Thank you

By BT I intended Bluetooth. Try to turn off Bluetooth and see if this works also for you...I bet it will!

Hello,

BT is BlueTooth. You can de-active it by selecting Apple Menu->System Preferences ->BlueTooth.

Hi All,

It seems we're having slightly different issues. Some are mentioning issues after waking from sleep which turning BT off seems to fix. I've had BT off since I got my Air and haven't seen the wake from sleep wifi issue - so that makes sense. However, I'm still DEFINITELY seeing the random "you're not connected to the internet" disconnects that are driving me absolutely crazy. Again, renewing DHCP lease and/or turning wifi off/on ALWAYS fixes it... temporarily. But man is this getting annoying!

Thanks,

mbezzo

I had that happening before as well but on mine it seems 10.7.1 fixed it. I assume you updated to 10.7.1, right?!

Sorry, but 10.7.1. does NOT fix the networking problems that this thread is actually about. It's possible that some conflict between Bluetooth and WiFi networking is to blame, I suppose; I experience problems when I am at home and have a BT keyboard and trackpad nearby. But I really doubt it, as this problem occurred with my first 2011 Air at the end of July, before I had the keyboard and trackpad peripherals. So, to recap:

- 10.7.1 does NOT solve MBA's networking problems.

- Bluetooth is likely NOT the culprit in the networking problems described as the primary focus of this thread.

I wish it were that simple, although "turning off Bluetooth" is actually an unacceptible outcome, as I and others actually need to use it, and use the full functionality of our machines, as expected and as sold.

As I have said many times before, I believe this problem to be particularly associated with secured networks. I have tried to ask several times if those who are experiencing network problems are, in fact, experiencing them while on secured networks (vs., for example, open public WiFi hotspots), but I cannot seem to get any feedback. Sure wish I could.

sorry but I disagree. First of all I know that 10.7.1 did not fix this issue yet it did fix that I actually lost the internet connection randomly. However, the networking problem in this thread that everybody is experiencing may be "fixed" by turning BT off. Of course this should only be a temporary solution for those who do not necessarily need BT to connect keyboard or mouse.

Also, it makes no difference if you have actually connected anything like keyboard or mouse, the issue is having BT enabled caused the interference between wifi and BT causing the connection time out issue.

Therefore I doubt that the secured vs non secured network theory is making a difference but I agree it would sure be worth a try. I can definitely confirm that the connection time out issue is gone when having BT turned off. Needless to say this is not acceptable and a fix from Apple must come out. Would be a shame having such a sophisticated machine and yet see this issue.

just for the fun, I just enabled BT again, put the Air in sleep and bang, connection time out, just as before. So my BT will remain OFF. Of course I'm lucky as I don't need it because I use the Air just while traveling.

So, how do you explain the volume of documented reports that describe these network problems if BT is the problem, again? How come, for example in my case, the Air works divinely on one network, and abysmally on another, and how do you relate that to BT?

Does not compute. Glad you don't "need" your Air to have full functionality, btw, but I do.