Q: iMac 12,2 (mid 2011) airport (wireless) problem

Add me to the list: replaced 2007 iMac with 2011 21.5" model, and have experienced frequent connection / speed issues.  MacBook Pro (mid-2009), iPad, and iPhones work fine, as did previous iMac.  Airport Time Capsule in use.  Finally I've given up and placed the Time Capsule right next to the iMac and wired it in.  Given the layout of the office this is not a long term solution.  Here's to hoping for a quick fix from Apple.

I can not ping the router when the connection drops.  I know there is nothing wrong with my router as my Ipad, Iphone and PC happily stay connected and I've never suffered any problems with any of them.

I am not using Time Machine and am using a brand new mac.

Have tried adding a new location, changing wireless channel, fixing IP address etc. to no avail.

Interestingly today I had internet radio streaming and didn't lose the connection.  Other times I've lost in when I'm busy reading one web page but not actively using the connection -  am wondering if there is some sort of bug making airport drop connection if its not actively used for a short while. 

The problem is so sporadic though its difficult to pinpoint any particular set of circumstances causing it - i can happily go for hours without losing it and will then repeatedly lose it within the same hour despite not doing anything different.    Sometimes it reconnects itself fine but other times the only solution is to turn airport off and back on.

Just to bring you up to date with my iMac:

1. Wireless stopped detecting any networks.
2. Carried out all of the tests here and with Applecare rep.
3. Dropped iMac off at store for repair and collected a week later (apparently replaced wireless card)
4. Touch wood - I've had my iMac for almost a week now without any problems.

So, either my situation is completely unrelated to you all, or by replacing the card it's resolved the issue.  I would say the latter, but some posters are reporting it happening on older models.

I wish you all luck in getting this resolved, and hope that these aren't famous last words.....

slopter,

What wireless router are you using ? What channel's are you using ? Have you tried switching to the 5 Ghz band and using channel 36 ? What wireless security are you using ?

Please provide more information if you need help here.

aschro,

I am assuming you have the latest software updates, right ? Did you try switching channel's on the TC ? What security method are you using ?  Did you try clearing out all the AirPort preferences (Preferred Network's etc.) and then connecting ?

Try using No Security in a 5 Ghz channel and see if you have any issue's. If not then upgrade security to WPA2-PSK. It will help root cause the issues seen if you isolate one config. at a time and test.

What wireless router are you using ? Which channel ? What's the security mode ?

Yep, latest updates installed to both computer and the Time Capsule.  Sec method = WPA2 Personal.  Will try diff channels and clearing AirPort preferences.  Thanks.

I am using Netgear DG934G router.  I've switched channels to 4 as there are no other nearby networks showing up on that channel and have also set router to g mode only after reading elsewhere that might help.  Security is WPA

The firmware on the router is updated and controlled automatically by my ISP (sky), and I can't choose any other security method.    I've never lost connection once on this router on any of my other devices.   The imac usually displays a full signal but then chrome will display "sending request" which is how I first know the wireless has dropped each time.

I've read other forums where seem confident that OS 10.6.8 will fix these issues with airport?   I've also read people who have windows installed and bootcamp that they never have any issues when running windows suggesting its a problem with the mac drivers?

I'm willing to try anything at this point to avoid h aving to return my imac to an apple store especially if there it is something that can be fixed via a software update or other workaround.

Thanks for your help!

Don't you need n compatible equipment for 5GHZ ? I think I read somewhere in the Airport settings that 5GHZ is 801n only so does that mean if you have older Macs that don't have n ( only g etc ) they won't work with that setting ?

Without wading through 9 pages, has there been a solution to this issue or are we waiting for an Apple related solution/software update ?

no solution known. Some are waiting for 10.6.8, others are trying various steps described above

Many thanks.

I changed the channel, but sometimes the wi-fi connection freezes and internet doesn't work

Does it happen in a new user account?

- Load from the Apple Install Disk then go to Network Utility - Check Connection Status there what does it say?

Wifiguru,

While you may think that you are helping, you are not.  Your questions are constantly ignoring the overwhelming evidence here.

This is not a router or an ISP issue but a software problem on the iMac.

Please save us all some time and take note of that.  Some of us are trying to work through this frustrating problem with Apple and it is pointless for you to keep asking people about their pings, ISPs, router configs, etc.