Wifi Constantly Dropping in Lion

I am adding my frustration to the list here so Apple knows this is a prevalent issue.

My AppleTV is dropping the connection to my computer ever 5 minutes or so since my upgrade to Lion. I can still see anything over the network using the Apple TV (iTunes store, Netflix, YouTube, etc.) but not my own library.

I've used some of the easier fixes and my wifi is more stable,although I'm still getting occasional drops. Re-booting my router and iMac fixes that.

How does one ping a router?

Sheila2, it's the same for me, more stable but still occasional drops unless I use ping. So, to ping the router, you have to open a console window (Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal.app) and then type

ping 192.168.1.1

or whatever the IP address of your router is. Obviously you have to leave the terminal window open (and hide it unless you have very unusual entertainment preferences)

To find the IP address of your router, go to System Preferences -> Network -> select wifi on the left -> Advanced -> TCP/IP

wifi guru

i thought about that but just find it odd that i started having problems only after i installed LION. All other symptoms very similar to others posted here. my wifi status shows full connectivity also. i'm going to check with FIOS regardless.

thanks

I've been having a similar problem on my 2009 MacBook since upgrading to Lion.

Every so often when browsing the internet via WiFi, pages will start to fail to load, and on closer inspecition my entire internet connection will have dropped out. It sometimes takes as long as 10 or 15 minutes to come back. I know this is a WiFi issue, and not anything to do with my hardware or settings, as the internet works perfectly via Ethernet, and my WiFi connection worked without any problems in Snow Leopard.

Are there any known fixes, or am I going to have to wait for Apple to fix this via a patch?

There are multiple wifi issues with Lion WiFi. For my mac air wifi G works fine, wifi N is broken, and many other people have this issue: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3192476?start=0&tstart=0

All of this "try this, try that" guessing is probably not going to get to a solution, just some hacky workaround. Some of these suggestions don't make any sense at all -- and then by concidence networking works (since it is an intermittent problem) and then you get false "Try this, it worked for me!" posts. Blech.

Everyone with an issue should voice their concern by submitting a bug report at bugreport.apple.com. It only takes a few minutes. Apple has definitely introduced wifi bugs in Lion.

Well, I got an email from Apple, they want to help on why its not working, but the questions and what I have to do, think its going to take me a few hours. Screen grabs, IP addresses. How do I know its genuine and not some scammer. 😕

The fix proposed by xjx (pinging the router in terminal - thank you xjx) a few posts ago has worked for me. Clearly not a long term fix but has worked for now.

Ultimately we look to Apple (to whom we have all paid a decent amount of money, and, I hope will, continue to do so - this is my first gripe with them) to firstly acknowledge there is a problem and then to supply a long term solution via a software update.

Once again, thanks to xjx.

I got one of their emails also. Looks like a lot of work for us.

Since it's so widespread and easily reproducible, seems like all Apple needs to do is equip a bunch of their engineers with MacBooks and Lion and venture outside the glass walls of their offices into the real world and figure it out on their own.

I might have taken the time to respond but my troubles happened while out of town and staying with family. I'm no longer there, so I don't have access to the data they need.

But really, how along would it take apple techs to venture outside and collect their own data?

I'd like to help the guy at Apple (and me of course) but looking at what he wants ....... well, can I charge him my hourly rate? 😁

I've some problems with the Wifi in Lion on my iMac Late 2009 27" Core i5 too. I loose connection and now, my Mac is crashing with Kernel Panics... Logs sais Airport is the source of these Kernel Panics.

It was imposible to use the WiFi with all the interruptions, so now I have also turned off the router and install a wired connection to the ethernet port. I'll stik to it until the problem is fixed. Yesterday I received a support call from Apple, they insisted that it might be cause by interferience of other devices or routers, but the day befoare the Lion update, WiFi worked perfect. My airport Extreme, is a G router attached to the cable modem is a model from 2007 or 2008, they don't give more support to those products. Is still usefull and I dont need to upgrade, they were sugesting me to test an N router.

Like this...Network Utility is in Applications => Utilities

wifi guru,

as a test, to eliminate the wireless router as a problem, i shut down my imac (with lion installed) and only ran my mbp and iphone 3gs. i haven't lost connectivity at all since doing so at around 5:30pm. i'm going to continue to run with the imac off for the rest of the night to eliminate router as the culprit.