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gcrump Author

Level 1

14 points

WiFi Issues With MacBook Air

I am about two weeks in to my new Macbook Air and love it except for the wifi. I have had five or six other Mac laptops in the past five years including the original air. I can confirm that there are some wifi issues with the Macbook Air. Based on the messages posted here and my experience here is where I am. I think if it is a "N" network it seems to work fine. I have never had an issue with my Airport Extreme at my house or my Dad's Linksys at his house which is also an N. This also I think resolves the "is it an ISP" issue, since they are distinctly different ISP's and these both work perfectly.

My problems are on non-N's it seems. I travel a lot so I hit a lot of guest networks which are almost always "g". These networks I can generally find and attach to them but not get a consistent internet connection. With these networks I have found that turning the airport on/off and refreshing the IP address does not work. Again I can connect to the browser, in most cases get what appears to be a valid IP but not gain any internet access. I have found that a power down and reboot AFTER attaching to the network (but not getting the internet connection) will then give me a steady and consistent connection.

I need to do some more testing and I guess traveling to pin down some of these things but I wanted to share what I have found thus far, but I definitely think there is a problem with the wifi on the new MacBook Air's.

Thanks,

Macbook Pro and iMac 27" and iPad and iPhone and MacBook Air 2010, Mac OS X (10.6.5)

Posted on Nov 28, 2010 6:10 AM

948 replies

spsauk

Level 1

0 points

Mar 27, 2011 9:26 AM in response to dankohn

this was an instant fix, but worked event without reboot. Just went into network, added new location, select the wireless network I wanted to connect to and worked instantly. This after Airport searched and searched, and gave up on many previous occasions. Thanks for the tip.

Mar 29, 2011 11:44 PM in response to gcrump

I compared my MBA rev3.2 with other macbook pro and the wifi seems "weaker", it often disconnect from my home network. it also has hard times connecting to new network when i'm around.
Maybe the WIFI antennas are too small on this one!

mint77

Level 1

0 points

Mar 30, 2011 6:15 PM in response to gcrump

Just thought I would chime in..

Having all sorts of weird WiFi (among other things) issues with my MBA.

I also have a MBP (on WiFi) and a Mac Mini (Wired connection to LAN)

I have the Mac Mini setup as a HTPC - without a keyboard or mouse attached to it. I use the inbuilt screen sharing to connect to the Mini.
From my MBA I am regularly unable to connect to the screen sharing of the Mini. I can still browse the internet, and do other things on the network. The only thing I notice not working is the screen sharing connection to the Mini. Never happens from the MBP (tested at the same time).

My WiFi is 802.1a/b/g - not N.

Anyone noticed this behaviour?

Unfortunately I am quite new to Mac.. and I am starting to realise the allure is more the pretty aluminium cases and windowing, rather than the stability of the OS (this is just the latest in a LONG list of issues....)

mint77

Level 1

0 points

Mar 30, 2011 6:16 PM in response to mint77

And to add - turning the WiFi on my MBA off then back on brings back the ability to screen share.. for a couple of hours anyway..

Grimfool

Level 1

4 points

Apr 6, 2011 6:26 AM in response to gcrump

I am on vacation in Williamsburg using the free AT&T wifi in the hotel. Although it is patchy at times my macbook pro has no problems in connecting. My wife's macbook air however is a different situation. At first I could get the connection back by restarting it. Now even after creating a new network location it does not connect. The network status in the diagnostics screen shows all green

Apr 25, 2011 4:33 AM in response to gcrump

Having all the same wireless issues.

Sitting outside Apple Store in Glasgow - got an appointment with their technician in 10 mins.

I'll post the results.

May 1, 2011 12:39 PM in response to gcrump

I have the same problem.My wireless connection lost randomly. Somtimes i restart my router then it starts to work again. Sometimes it insists on not working. In that case i just click another wireless ap on the wireless list then i click my own wireless router. Hola wireless comes back again. it is ridiculous issue, isnt it? Apart from it, itunes has several issues. When i listen itunes online radio, it randomly beeps when i clicked on the favorite radio. It makes worse my tinnitus issue ! I scare to click radio with the headset on my ears.

jd2020

Level 1

67 points

May 2, 2011 12:45 PM in response to kadirfromistanbul

I have the same symptom kadirfromistanbul describes on my MBP w/ 10.6.7, so this is most likley software-related. I only experince this problem while traveling--no problem connecting to home or many other open and secure wifi nets. But at two coffee shops I frequent, one with WPA Personal and another with open wifi, I get dropped connections, "Self Assigned IP" or false reports of drops. I'm at the WPA location and sometimes the wifi "!" appears within 30 sec of connecting, but I can still use the Internet. In fact I'm posting this while mac reports "No Internet Connection". Earlier I got "!" but couldn't reach the Internet at all.

May 23, 2011 12:22 AM in response to gcrump

It seems the problem is gone since i deactivated support for IPv6 on both my wifirouter/FreeboxV5 and my MBA 13" Rev3.2

Jun 20, 2011 6:37 AM in response to gcrump

I have MacBook Air 2010 (both 11" and 13") with the above described intermittent WiFi drop issues.

After perusing for many months these issues, I believe that the problem lies with

1. Type of wireless router you connect to

2. Amount of nearby traffic

I had a Linksys W160N router which was dropping both of my MacBook Airs intermittently with a router reboot fixing the problem for a while until it came back.

I then switched to Linksys E4200 and the problems resolved. Not only that but the connection is much faster now.

I live in a building in Manhattan that has its own zipcode (about 1000 apartments) and at any time I have over 10 networks that my Airs "see".

I think that if I were to go to a cafe with an old router, then the problem will continue. All people with the problem should post the make of their router. Please note, as of late, W160N is getting terrible reviews.

Jun 20, 2011 10:49 AM in response to xdreduardx

You are right. I have changed my access point and the problem resolved. Airties 5452 modem works like a charm however my previous modem zoom x6 *****. They have a connection drop problems for years and they could not fix it.

fbolocan

Level 1

0 points

Jun 24, 2011 5:26 AM in response to ipearx

Similar issue here with my MBA, works fine for one month with my old router (Netgear). In one day the router didn't work anymore and I replace it with Levelone router WBR-6601.

http://global.level1.com/Home-Products/ADSL-Modem-Routers/Wireless/WBR-6601/946. html

From this moment my internet connection drops after each 20 min, even if the MBA shows wireless connection is still on. Toshiba laptop and another wired desktop works without any problem.

I did several changes but no success so far:

1. Changed connection name to “internet”

2. Removed IPV6 from router

3. Router switched to G instead Auto (a,b,g,n)

4. Software update up to date

My wife decides already to use Toshiba instead MBA. This is really pity.

Apple is going to fix this issue? So far I can’t see any reaction.

Jun 29, 2011 5:34 PM in response to gcrump

Having the same problem here, tried contactingsupport but first thing they wanted was payment for support even though my MacBookair is only 5 months old! It's almost as if they new of the problem and justwere trying to get ride of me.

Tried all the solutions both on apple formsand through googling but still getting the same problem no matter what i try.Please let me know if anyone has a fix! Apple support i wish were more helpful!

What i have noticed is once re-enteringpassword and continually clicking on the join button even though there is theinvalid password message it eventually connects.

Jul 5, 2011 3:18 AM in response to gcrump

Same problem here. Connections seems to drop, especially at more traffic e.g. when someone else is doing a skype call.

Jul 6, 2011 8:05 AM in response to thomas witt

Having same issues here today in UK. Macbook air 11" using airport. Worked last nght then this morning dropped and could not connect and still will not connect to BT voyager wifi modem/router. Spent 90 mins on to apple support and after many attemps at various stuff , zap pram etc it can only connect via my mac laptop having switching on internet sharing. Tried new connection etc but still nothing. Its not wifi cos MBA can see it but just will not connect, even tho macbook, ipad, iphone 4 all connect with no probs. Advised by support that it may be wep facility rather than using more updated WPA ??. Dont have a clue but it is a pain. All comments would be welcome. Cheers. Robbie

WiFi Issues With MacBook Air