Q: Wifi Constantly Dropping in Lion

maurofromparma wrote:

 

I have an Imat with Lion 10.7.1, I have only a modem (no router) and I cannot find any solution that would solve my problem.

Buon giorno to Parma,

Are you sure? I guess, that your "Modem" is a Modem/Router combination if it provides a wireless for you.

Any more information about your Modem and your settings either in router and Mac, would be very useful.

Lupunus

For your information (to whom it may concern)

If your WiFi Router have a "energy save" option in the wireless section (maybe only visible in Expert Mode) you should disable this.

Known affected Router's: All newer models of FritzBox! from AVM

This boxes get also distributed under other barnd names (e.g. ISP Name) in Europe and USA.

Lupunus

Ciao,

thanks a lot for your reply.

I found this info on the IMac

Model Name:    iMac

  Model Identifier:    iMac10,1

  Processor Name:    Intel Core 2 Duo

  Processor Speed:    3.06 GHz

  Number of Processors:    1

  Total Number of Cores:    2

  L2 Cache:    3 MB

  Memory:    4 GB

  Bus Speed:    1.07 GHz

  Boot ROM Version:    IM101.00CC.B00

  SMC Version (system):    1.52f9

  Serial Number (system):    W89465JZ5PK

  Hardware UUID:    FA099F42-9AF6-5BBC-856A-FFEA3FB51AD4

Does it help?

Otherwise for the modem/router I managed to get this info, can you read?

Configurazione Wi-Fi

Impostazioni Wi-Fi Rete Wi-Fi (SSID) Alice-60053214 Interfaccia radio Accesa Canale radio 13 Modalità cifratura WPA-PSK 256 bit Chiave cifratura WEP ASCII Hex WPA-PSK Passphrase ASCII Controllo accesso Disabilitato

Collegamenti Wi-Fi Tipo Nome Indirizzo MAC Indirizzo IP Velocità Segnale Stato 11g host841 D4:9A:20:56:BD:A8 192.168.1.47 11 Mbps Connesso 11g host936 C8:BC:C8:86:C9:0D 192.168.1.3 54 Mbps Connesso

Servizio Alice Voce Wi-Fi Numero telefonico Identificativo terminale

Identificativi opzione Wi-Fi Nome Hardware Software Alice Gate 2 plus Wi-Fi L1 AGA_3.2.6

many thanks in advance

maurofromparma wrote:

 

Model Name:    iMac

Model Identifier:    iMac10,1

O.K.

Canale Radio: 13

Modalità cifratura:    WPA-PSK 256 bit

O.K.

Collegamenti Wi-Fi

Tipo    Nome    Indirizzo IP    Velocità

11g    host841  192.168.1.47  11 Mbps   

11g    host936  192.168.1.3    54 Mbps             

Which of the two is the iMac? I guess it's the 192.168.1.47. The 192.168.11.3 have a better line of sight to the Alice, right?

You may eventually change the placing of the Alice Router to a better location, fiddle a bit around with the antenna directions or change the location of the iMac a bit.

The WiFi Router should not get placed directly at the wall, in a corner, close to metal plates or behind a furniture.

There should be no (as less as possible) obstacles in the line of the radio beam; e.g. metal frames, high voltage lines, life antenna cables and so on.

There should also no cordless phones or phone bases directly around the router!

In case of interferences from neighbor networks or other 2.4GHz equipment (Bluetooth, cordless headphones, cordless mouse/keyboard ...) you should eventually try to change the Channel at the Alice to 1,5 or 9. If this does not help, go back to 13.

Also take a look at this --> http://assistenzatecnica.telecomitalia.it/at/portals/assistenzatecnica.portal?_n fpb=true&_pageLabel=GuideBook&nodeId=/AT_REPOSITORY/20005

Lupunus

First the good news, as far as I am concerned, the Wi-Fi is not dropping out now.

I have spent most of the last two days trying everything in the book, plus some.

To recap, my situation, a clean install of Lion was undertaken although this was as a direct result of another issue and not the continual Wi-Fi issue. Most of the other suggestions offered here were also tried without success.

I had temporarily run out of time to spend on this issue and opted for Ethernet connection over the house Mains Power Supply, to gain a stable connection to the internet.

It is also noted that no other changes to equipment and locations [computing or otherwise] have taken place, except for the installation of Lion.

My iPhone, Time Capsule and Printer over this period were continuously able to connect faultlessly whilst the Mac failed repeatedly to maintain the connection.

I can only report what has been observed as the results do not mean very much to me other than if they vary from those seen previously.

Pressing the Option [⌥] Key and clicking on the Menu Bar Wi-Fi Symbol it was seen that the Channel Setting did not match that in Router Setup.

I moved to Channel 11 a long time ago because my neighbours and I were sharing Channel 6.

Changing Channels is easy, or it used to be. Try as I might  the Wi-Fi refused to ‘find’ the SSID when it was set to Channel 11, it was a similar situation with most other Channel Numbers. After 5 or so consecutive attempts it could be shifted to Channel 5 or 7 which was better than it remaining on 6 but still too close for comfort.

The resultant performance was abysmal, the Transfer Rate was down to 5 and often lower. I cannot remember exact figures but prior to Lion the figure was around 134. At a Transfer Rate of 5 web pages simply did not load so something had to be done.

It took 12 to 15 attempts and finally it was encouraged to accept Channel 1.

With this done things returned to normal, and that has been the case for the last few hours, if this changes I will report here again.

Prior to this change I would have had to turn off the Wi-Fi and turn it back on again about 15 to 20 times minimum.

The best Transfer Rate seen since setting to Channel 1 is 130 and currently it stands at 104.

Lion Wi-Fi Diagnostics:

I have run this encouraged by one article that suggested that even those with little knowledge of the subject may be able to glean some pointers toward achieving a resolution to Wi-Fi issues.

The first thing noticed was the ‘Country Code’.

I am in the UK and so expected something like EN.

What is seen is FR and DE and never anything else.

The SSID is shown to be the same throughout, I believe there is only one in the system.

The BSSID is also the same throughout.

Tx Power = 1496 (stable)

Tx Rate = 78 to 117 (varies slow swing 104 to 117 typical)

Signal = −61 to −62 (stable)

Noise −96 to −97 (stable)

Any input on the above will be gratefully received.

Is there anyone here able to make use of reports from Lion Wi-Fi Diagnostics?

That about sums up my present workaround.

IMO this is not a very ‘Mac like’ situation. It may be that most users are unaffected by this Wi-Fi plague, but there are considerable numbers of us that are. There are several other discussions in progress, including those on Non Apple Forums, one of which is already bigger than this Thread.

Doing nothing is not an option, please visit:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/

Please provide as much information as you can with a view to getting this issue resolved.

Thank you.

I've tried almost every solution on this thread, and only one solution worked, but it worked for only for a couple of days:

Resetting my time capsule router to factory settings.

The problem I was experiencing is my MacBook Pro taking awhile to connect to wi-fi upon waking from sleep.  The problem started after I upgraded to Lion.  Resetting the time capsule to factory settings (via Airport Utility->Base Station drop-down menu->Restore Default Settings) solved this problem for a couple of days, but then the problem came back.

If anyone finds a solution to this problem, please post it here.

Finally, I have a couple of requests/suggestions for everyone participating in this discussion:

1. Please don't post a solution unless you've tested it for at least a couple of days.  Otherwise, you may be giving false hope and inspiring people to waste time trying things that don't actually work. 

2. Please specify how many days you have been problem-free since implementing a solution.

3. And if you post a solution and then later discover that the problem came back, please post that as well.  Thanks.

I was experiencing constantly drops in WiFi connection since upgrading to Lion (my wifi connection didn't last more then few minutes then I had to turn it off/on again to be able to work for another 1 or 2 min). Since I have reset my AirPort Express to the factory settings and reinstalled it I have not experienced this issue again. It is a week now without any drop in wifi connection.

Mugar,

What do you msan when you say you "reinstalled it?"  What is the "it" to which you refer? Did you do something beyond restoring the Airport Express to factory settings?

Thanks.

Froggy Grodkin wrote:

 

First the good news, as far as I am concerned, the Wi-Fi is not dropping out now.

Froggy Grodkin wrote:

Pressing the Option [⌥] Key and clicking on the Menu Bar Wi-Fi Symbol it was seen that the Channel Setting did not match that in Router Setup.

I moved to Channel 11 a long time ago because my neighbours and I were sharing Channel 6.

Go back to Channel 11, better to 13 in the router settings to prevent interferences with neighbours..

Delete all known networks (yours) from the list in the system setup.

Delete all remaining keys pointing to these networks from the keychain access.

Uncheck "Ask to join new networks"

Reboot

Rejoin your wireless

Froggy Grodkin wrote:

 

The first thing noticed was the ‘Country Code’.

I am in the UK and so expected something like EN.

What is seen is FR and DE and never anything else.

The SSID is shown to be the same throughout, I believe there is only one in the system.

The BSSID is also the same throughout.

Tx Power = 1496 (stable)

Tx Rate = 78 to 117 (varies slow swing 104 to 117 typical)

Signal = −61 to −62 (stable)

Noise −96 to −97 (stable)

The country code is of no matter, as throughout (most of) Europe the same regulations and settings for wireless are valid.

Looks like you are using a 802.11n wireless on the 2.4GHz band. Max speed on this is 150 Mbit/s.

Signal / Noise ratio is not the very best.

The base station should not be placed: Directly flat at the wall, on the floor, in a corner, behind a furniture.

There should be as less as possible obstacles in the radio beam; e.g. high voltage lines, metal frames (dry-walling), metal items.

Imagine the radio field of the base roughly as a flat lying Mentos with the base in the centre.

Cheers - Lupunus

Maybe I should say "reconfigured" my AirPort Express (set the network to the old name, reset password, set radio mode to "g" only...). Basically give AirPort Express the same settigs as before. But looking now at the settings I just noticed that I didn't change the AirPort Express Name in AirPort Utility (it is listed now as "Base Station 0e86f1" - which is factory setting. Previously it was AirPort... But I don't think this is why it works now...

moskovit wrote:

 

The problem I was experiencing is my MacBook Pro taking awhile to connect to wi-fi upon waking from sleep.  The problem started after I upgraded to Lion.  Resetting the time capsule to factory settings (via Airport Utility->Base Station drop-down menu->Restore Default Settings) solved this problem for a couple of days, but then the problem came back.

Looks like the "2 BSSID" problem. See other posts here.

• On TimeCapsule set a dedicated name (SSID) for the 5GHz wireless.

• If no iPone or iPod nano is connected to the TC, eventually set: 802.11n only (5GHz) - 802.11n only (2.4GHz).
• If iPhone or older wireless system should get connected use: 802.11n only (5GHz) - 802.11b/g. You will reach that settings with holding option key (alt) while clicking on the dropdown menu.
• Force the Mac to use the 5GHz SSID
• Delete the other SSID's of your home wireless from the list of "known networks"
• Eventually delete the keys pointing to them from keychain access
• Uncheck "Ask to join new networks"
• Reboot
• Rejoin your wireless.

moskovit wrote:

1. Please don't post a solution unless you've tested it for at least a couple of days.  Otherwise, you may be giving false hope and inspiring people to waste time trying things that don't actually work. 

 

2. Please specify how many days you have been problem-free since implementing a solution.

Tested on own wireless with Airport Extreme (same as TC but no hard disk) on 7.5.2, 2011 MBPro on 10.6.8, 2008 MacBook 10.6.8, WindowsXPPro SP3, 4 AP-Express (7.5.2), 2010 MBook (customer) on 10.7.1.

Extreme up without problems now for 48D 1h 43m, MBPro uptime 23D 14h 23m, WinXP ocasionally online, Expresses uptime same as Router, Uptime customers MBook 11 days.

Lupunus

Hi lupunus, thank you for your input.

lupunus wrote:

 

Go back to Channel 11, better to 13 in the router settings to prevent interferences with neighbours..

Delete all known networks (yours) from the list in the system setup.

Delete all remaining keys pointing to these networks from the keychain access.

Uncheck "Ask to join new networks"

Reboot

Rejoin your wireless

Followed the above directions to the letter.

lupunus wrote:

 

Looks like you are using a 802.11n wireless on the 2.4GHz band. Max speed on this is 150 Mbit/s.

Signal / Noise ratio is not the very best.

 

The base station should not be placed: Directly flat at the wall, on the floor, in a corner, behind a furniture.

There should be as less as possible obstacles in the radio beam; e.g. high voltage lines, metal frames (dry-walling), metal items.

Imagine the radio field of the base roughly as a flat lying Mentos with the base in the centre.

 

 

Cheers - Lupunus

You are absolutely correct regarding the Router.

Regarding the Signal to Noise Ratio:

I have no record of earlier levels.

However previously apart from the occasional drop out under Snow Leopard there were nil issues. These small ‘irritations’ initiated my interest in effectively monitoring the Internet Connection, because I suspected issues with Telephone Lines and/or my ISP.

Regarding the Location of the Router:

It sits, and it always has done, on a Window Sill, this location was found to provide the best results when it was first installed. It is adjacent to the Main Telephone Point and it has a dedicated Power Supply point to enable it to be powered up at all times.

During the process of dealing with the current issue moving the Router has seemingly degraded the signal and transfer rate and so it was returned to it’s usual position.

Regarding Channel Settings:

These range from Auto; 1; ....to......13: inclusive.

Auto = Invariably sets the Channel to 11.

1 = Transfer Rate of 130 Max, but usually operates at 104. It takes 5+ Wi-Fi On/Off cycles to establish the connection.

There is a gradual decline in Transfer Rate and increase in number of Wi-Fi On/Off cycles to establish a connection the further away the selected Channel is from Channel 1.

6 = Transfer Rate of 45 to 54 (not stable) and it takes 10+ Wi-Fi On/Off cycles to establish the connection.

8 = Transfer Rate of 5 to 9 (not stable) and it takes 20+ Wi-Fi On/Off cycles to establish the connection.

9 = This is not able to reliably make a connection, on the one occasion when it was made the Transfer Rate was only 5 and it took countless [read I lost count] Wi-Fi On/Off cycles to establish the connection.

10 to 13 inclusive are absolutely unable to establish a connection at any time, this of course precluded the Auto Channel selection from being connected.

Regarding other Wi-Fi connected Equipment:

As stated previously this all continues to function satisfactorily, indicating that there is little wrong with the Router.

At this time I am running a SamKnows Test, this involves the Internet Connection being monitored via a separate Modem.

The feedback from this monitoring shows that the Internet connection has minimal imperfections and performs to it’s stated specification.

Unless anyone can tell me otherwise I conclude that there is nothing wrong with my Router or it’s location, the only major changes made have been the ‘upgrade’ to Lion and the introduction of DropBox into my MO? Nil experience with DropBox but it seems unlikely that this is part of this particular equation? Personally I very much like Lion and think this issue will be overcome in due course.

Clearly the greater majority of Lion Users do not experience these issues and this leads me to think that the issue is probably about the range of Routers that Apple have catered for to date. Apple obviously think that ‘silence is golden’ but in this case it is extremely aggravating.

Currently I remain Wi-Fi Connected via Channel 1 for the simple reason it presently provides the best available connection. This has remained a stable and solid connection for the almost the last two days.

I would prefer to connect by Channel 11 or 13 and may elect to do this via Ethernet over the house Mains Power Supply during the next day or so.

I feel an Apple Feedback coming on.

Froggy Grodkin wrote:

However previously apart from the occasional drop out under Snow Leopard there were nil issues.

Attention! Don't mix up the Internet connection and the connection in your own wireless. These are two different things, especially as the Internet speed is the slowest in your network.

The previous "occasional drop out" where the first indicators that there is something going wrong in your wireless, even if the previous OS X version eventually are not so sensitive about that and ignores it.

Anyway, from now on, you have to deal with or to fix it as in "love it, change it or leave it".

Froggy Grodkin wrote:

 

Regarding the Location of the Router:

It sits, and it always has done, on a Window Sill, this location was found to provide the best results when it was first installed. It is adjacent to the Main Telephone Point and it has a dedicated Power Supply point to enable it to be powered up at all times.

During the process of dealing with the current issue moving the Router has seemingly degraded the signal and transfer rate and so it was returned to it’s usual position.

Well done!

Froggy Grodkin wrote:

 

Regarding Channel Settings:

These range from Auto; 1; ....to......13: inclusive.

Auto = Invariably sets the Channel to 11.

1 = Transfer Rate of 130 Max, but usually operates at 104.

This indicates that you are using 802.11n on 2.4GHz Band, where the max speed is (normally) 150 Mbit/s

For that a rate between 104 and 130, depending on location of the equipement is ok, also as it is depending on obstacles (Humans too as water is a big bar for radio) in the radio beam.

As you are Europe based, the only channels are able to provide you max speed are the overlapping free ones, as described before.

You may clearly see that on the speed of 130 at channel 1 you discovered. you should stay on 1.

Froggy Grodkin wrote:

 

It takes 5+ Wi-Fi On/Off cycles to establish the connection.

There is a gradual decline in Transfer Rate and increase in number of Wi-Fi On/Off cycles to establish a connection the further away the selected Channel is from Channel 1.

6 = Transfer Rate of 45 to 54 (not stable) and it takes 10+ Wi-Fi On/Off cycles to establish the connection.

8 = Transfer Rate of 5 to 9 (not stable) and it takes 20+ Wi-Fi On/Off cycles to establish the connection.

9 = This is not able to reliably make a connection, on the one occasion when it was made the Transfer Rate was only 5 and it took countless [read I lost count] Wi-Fi On/Off cycles to establish the connection.

10 to 13 inclusive are absolutely unable to establish a connection at any time, this of course precluded the Auto Channel selection from being connected.

If you can't establish a connection on a channel or at least after several attempts with a low speed rate or with (as described) 5+ attempts and a 104 - 130 Mbit/s rate you will clearly have interferences or another hustle in the wireless.

For that, eventually there must be other 2.4GHz radio transmitter(s) in your surroundings.

Cordless phone near the router? Neighbour wireless networks around? Any Bluetooth active?

or .... hmmmmmm ....

Automatic invariably sets channel to 11

Sounds a bit like Netgear ...

Hey! *little_red_led_start_blinking_in_rotten_brain* ... UK-based ... did you eventually use a Orange or BT DSL/wireless box?

If yes, which model?

Cheers - Lupunus

I thank you and I really appreciate your efforts to help the LION users who got this WiFi dropping issue. But we cannot ask the customers of Apple to be WiFi network specialists.. And upto know I don't see a permanent solution emerging.

So I have sent this message to Apple Feedback:`

Quote

Since I have updated to LION from SL, my WiFi connection is constantly dropping and I need to select again my wireless network from the upper bar menu.

This NEVER happened before with SL since I have my iMac.

On an other hand my McBook Pro (Lion OS), my iPad (iOS), my iPhone (iSO) are perfectly connecting thru my WiFi network. So I assume this is not a router problem.

In addition the most active topic by far, on the Apple Support Communities is related to this issue face by thousands of users.

When Apple will take care of this issue???

For your information, my iMac is a late 2009 21.5'' with a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (SN W8011AL95PC)

and use both my IP (FreeBox) and Airport Express to establish the WiFi network.

Unquote

I hope my answer will not be delete, as usual. I don't understand this censorship...

aberges wrote:

 

Since I have updated to LION from SL, my WiFi connection is constantly dropping and I need to select again my wireless network from the upper bar menu.

This NEVER happened before with SL

I did not want to put you down, but (repeated a 100 times) this discussion is revolving and show up with every major upgrade of OS X.

I work with Apple systems since 1989 and I've read such postings as yours in several communities for several thousand times since, regardeless of Apple, Windows or Linux.

Even the wordings in the title or the body of the postings remain every time the same...

• Since XY-Animal my wireless is constantly dropping...
• Loosing wireless connection on zz-Animal ...
• Slow wireless connection after zy-Animal...
• It seems that is XY-Animal problem ..
• Apple should send a fix and update...
• Wireless problems with B-Animal but not with A-Animal...
• This NEVER happened before with f-Animal

Take a look for yourself to belief. Copy the lines below to google's search bar and get amazed:

10.4. Tiger wireless problem site:discussions.apple.com

10.5. Leopard wireless problem site:discussions.apple.com

10.6. Snow Leopard wireless problem site:discussions.apple.com

Hey, and try the same with: After Windows 2000 wireless problem, after Windows XP wireless problem, after Windows Vista wireless problem and after Windows 7 wireless problem.

Guess what? The same rant on any ocasion.

O.K. I understand that it is easier to rant and blame Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard or Lion for the problems as to fix them.

Even if a problem sounds similar, it is by all means unique as every wireless environment and computer setup is unique.

Instead of the common "me too" rant, open your own question, give usefull information and solve the problem in your wireless environment.

At least: Do you want to be a part of the problem or a part of the solution?

Lupunus