new macbook pro 2011 weak and dropping wireless connection

This is whats amazing to me. I only heard from single person on here who doesnt have this issue. All others seem to have same issue, I dont see how any other cards with diffrent firmware were put in this machines since this card was released with this refresh. So Im not understanding how are people not complaining more ? How is every laptop in Apple Store have this issue, but yet we have only so many people on tbis forum, and no fix from apple.

The reason you don't see more people complaining is because they probably don't notice it.
Unfortunately, unless you are using a real time application you probably won't notice it.
Until I attempted to use remote desktop I thought everything was fine.
Would you really notice if a website took 200ms more to load?

In short since this affects only power users, Apple may not see it as a high priority problem.

Agree, on the surface it's not serious as freezing issue that people would realize but I gotta tell you guys ping issue do SLOW down your internet link A LOT by resending signals, furthermore in some cases, connection will be dropped out totally. Don't underestimate it.

Im having this issue too, had the new 15" for 3 days and if it continues like this I cant keep it, bad ping to my own router and connection dropping every 5 minutes, this network worked flawlessly for years with my previous 2007 macbook and 2010 macbook pro's

Interfaces:
en1:
Card Type: AirPort Extreme (0x14E4, 0xD6)
Firmware Version: Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 5.100.198.10.2)

SO I saw some one post that older firmware doesnt do it on the same card. Who has a card with different firmware ?

Add me to the me too list. I was able to verify the same ping performance that everyone else is having. I double check using my daughters 13" 2009 MBP (my old one) and it does not display the same behavior. I run multiple Airport Extremes so I am not seeing the higher incidents of drops, but I suspect that is because I am running a very strong signal in the house.

Jim

My big problem with the wireless is not strength anymore, but the fact that I cannot do file transfer between any other computer or network-attached drive on my LAN over wireless. To transfer an 8 MB file from my iMac, which is connected to my Time Capsule via Gb ethernet, it took 15 minutes. That is with my MBP in the same room as the router and iMac.

If I hook my MBP up to the wired LAN, that transfer is instantaneous. Same goes for copying to or from a NAS drive via SMB. And, like others have said, this problem exists running Win7 under BootCamp as well. Which tells me that it's more likely firmware than drivers.

This is my second 2011 MBP I have had with this issue. The first one had a truly defective wireless controller - I couldn't get more than about 0.5 Mb across it even if in the room with the Time Capsule.

I have an Express Lane appointment tonight (as I am about 110 miles from the nearest Apple Store) and hopefully, if nothing else, we can get added to the list of people who have this problem.

Answering for me...

I have massive latency problems connecting to current version TimeCapsules with all firmware updates applied and a 2011 17" MBP completely up to date. I have the exact problem with a TimeCapsule at work and another identical TimeCapsule at home. Resetting SMC and PRAM on the MBP did not help.

At home, my latency is dramatically reduced when I connect to a generic SMC access point provided by my cable company. At work, the same is true when I connect to a very old 802.11g Linksys access point.

At home, ping times to my network router while connected to the TimeCapsule are min/avg/max = 1.429/138.557/288.585 with 4.5% packet loss. Obviously a HUGE variation. While connected to the SMC AP, the numbers are 1.497/32.824/104.087 with 0% packet loss. Still a pretty wide range, but much better performance than when connected to the TC.

I haven't gotten numbers for the TC at work, but the noticeable affect is the same and that access point lives about 4 feet away from my computer.

I have a 2009 15" MBP sitting on the desk next to the new computer at home, and its numbers while connected to the TC are 1.417/3.790/9.466 with 0% packet loss. That's a normal range.

When I connect the new MBP to either TC through ethernet, it is blazingly fast.

1. This is NOT a hardware problem with my access point setup -- I have the same result with multiple access points in varying environments. Plus I have four older MacBooks and MacBook Pros (not to mention iPad, iPhone and several PCs) that work without these issues.
2. This is NOT a problem with interference -- I live way out in the country and I have the only access points that could possibly be in range.
3. This is NOT a problem with the computers SMC or PRAM -- I have reset those.
4. This is NOT a problem with being out of range or having a weak signal -- it happens with my typical use of 4 - 10 feet, as well as through walls and floors (and all points in between). All of my other devices have worked without issue in the same locations before and since.

*There is a bug in either the wireless hardware, firmware or drivers supplied in the 17" 2011 MacBook Pro. That is the only possibility.*

I am a certified and experienced hardware technician, and I don't make claims with such certainty unless I have done the work to know that what I am saying is true.

That last comment got me thinking - so I went into my Time Capsule and shut off the wireless. I then enabled the wireless on my 2Wire router that I got from AT&T (my ISP).

All my latency issues disappeared. Connecting to my iMac and my NAS drive were instantaneous and flawless. The only real issue is the fact that it is 802.11g versus n.

I will definitely bring this to Apple's attention tonight when we talk. But again, what could cause this?

On my second macbook pro 17' 2011, and it still has airport issues (disconnects from internet every 15 mins while on wireless). Was hoping it was only a batch of laptops that had these hardware issues but looks like its more widespread.

I too am having issues with the wireless dropping out constantly on my 2011 13 inch MBP. It's infuriating. Posting this from my 3 1/2 year old dell 😟

Hey Guys,

Same, having numerous of problem getting internet, well it does connect to the access point, but after awhile about 10-15mins it disconnected by itself, den come back after awhile, when it come into bootcamp is even worst, i cant even get connected to the internet on the Windows 7 (64bit), its either low signal strength, connect (no network access), unable to scan for access point.

Well, talking about this issues... some might think the access point is faulty, but i tried in on another MacBook (white), it is able to get full strength signal and without disconnecting, even after the software update to 10.6.7, the same issue came back...

Anyone so far know how to resolve the issues? I need it urgently to work for my college.

Did anyone got any reply from Apple so far, because im thinking to give Apple SG, a call and see what they say... this is definitely not we want for the price we paid for....

What a shame, this is the fastes card on the market. We can get up to 450Mbits on this thing, when it starts ramping up its the fastest I seen wireless go, but then the drops come 😟 It almost seems like the firmware crashes or something 😟

I have a big trouble trying to connect to any wifi network with my new MBP 2011 model. Especially, I get a very weak signal with my home wifi router when every other device in my house has no problem at all. At the same place in my office where I get a 5/5 signal with my windows 7 laptop and connect without a problem, my MBP gets half the signal or less and drops the connection almost every 30-60 seconds. Also the connection is very slow. I have updated the router, set it only in g-mode, used wpa2 or no encryption at all, flashed the PRAM etc etc. No solution till now. I have also pinged my router and the packages where dropping one after the other.

And to be honest even if I ever manage to fix the problem for my router, how I'm supposed to connect anywhere else where I don't have access to the router settings ? Such us my college wifi or other public stations.

Please Apple, find a solution soon or I'll have to return the laptop immediately.