Lion WiFi Connection Problem

Since installing Lion on both my IMac and MacBook Pro, the WiFi cycles (wifi icon on the menu bar) - looking for network - network on - looking for network. iMac with OS 10.6 doesn't have this problem so it's not the AirPort and there was no problem prior to installing Lion. The AirPort Utility log shows lots of connection activity but I don't know if that means anything. The network troubleshooter says theres no problem but it's causing big problems with connection speed and applications that need a constant connection are giving me network errors constantly. Please give me some advise....

Posted on Jul 20, 2011 5:19 PM

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2,673 replies

Jul 29, 2011 11:01 AM in response to Emstec

Emstec,


Only at day after of upgrade (I did it at midnight and I went sleep after first boot and Java´s update) my wife call me to tell me about wifi issue.
Curiously at day after no one of my devices could connect with Internet (iPhone and Windows PC). Mac was the first device turned on in that day. I tell to my wife turn off the router/dsl modem for 30 minutes. All devices remained turned on.
After that time when router/dsl modem was turned on, all devices were able to get connection to internet but on the Mac continues lost connection.

Now all devices are working fine. The Mac only if the ping is running.


---


More one thing ... I know many people who does not search on web for a solution yet. They simple call to support.


rodrigoab.

EmstecEmstec

Jul 29, 2011 11:27 AM in response to rodrigoab

There seem to be a lot of posts that suggests that installation of Lion either will not connect wirelessly (as in my case) or if it does that it mucks things up elsewhere on the network. Rather like having a real wild Lion loose in your house thrashing about!


If the answer to all this is just to call Apple for support, how come no one has posted the definitive answer yet? Can't be that simple, my friend.

Jul 29, 2011 12:02 PM in response to lrogersinlv

Okay, perhaps this helps a bit in determining what the problem could be as well.


Straight forward wifi connection to my Airport, with default DHCP settings. Always performed really well under SL, but since Lion installation it's very slow setting up the connection. Mine doesn't drop to often (knocks on wood).


But sometimes I have to wait for ages to allow it to "see" the Airport and get my wifi up.


Gerard

Jul 29, 2011 12:23 PM in response to GerardFromUlrum

I have read through the whole thread and many others as I was experiencing the drop out of connection, click a link and 5 to 10 seconds of spinning beach ball before the page came up, being a very front end user all the suggestions were confusing me so I tried moving my wireless connection to the top of the available network list, having omitted to press the apply button I obviously saw no difference, as a last chance I thought I would follow the SMC reset operation, as I closed my machine down I got a reminder to either cancel or apply the change to the network setting, I clicked apply, did the SMC reset and then rebooted the machine and for the last 24 hours the connection has been constant, now I have a working connection but I do not know which one if any has solved my problem, i always promised myself I would only change one thing at a time but I think after a long trying evening I was a bit fed up and just clicked OK and shut the machine down. The machine has been off during the day but with fingers crossed I booted up this evening and everything still seems to be working OK.

Jul 29, 2011 1:40 PM in response to Emstec

Now I am stumped. I went back to the same site with Buffalo AirStation BSTs where I could not connect with Lion GM on a MB 4,1 last week.


The OS on this MB had been though a clean 10.6.8 install upgraded over the last few months with DP versions of Lion (I am a developer). DP1 and DP2 never had a problem at this site, DP4 developed problems and could not connect in 9 of 10 attempts (reported to Apple Bug Reporter and followed up by data captures for Apple). GM had the same problem at this site and at two others but NOT at a site using an Apple Extreme Base Station. I ran wireshark and could see DHCP problems in the protocol handshaking. I also tried EVERY suggested solution here and none seemed to work 100%.


As a final step before going again, I partitioned and erased the HDD and did a completely clean install of GM. I also ran all the Java upgrades, etc., and did not install anything other than Office 2011. I went back and the MB found the two nearest BSTs (WEP encryption) and logged-in immediately and held a solid connection for 4 hours with fast streaming video, mail, web browsing, etc. I switched wifi on and off 5 or 6 times while running wireshark and watching the handshaking—all completely normal. (I’ll be sending the wireshark saves to Apple.)


On the way back, I tried logging on to 4 or 5 public access points—only one was successful and wireshark was showing failed DHCP handshakes.


Conclusion, this is a complex bug that shows under different conditions.


The first thing I would try if it is driving you crazy and you can’t wait for 10.7.1 is a completely clean install and Java updates, etc., after a disk partition and erase. I know it has not worked for some people but it does seem to have fixed the problem I had at my main site. I do know that the firmware in these routers has not been upgraded between my visits.


Even it does not work, at least you will know that your problem is not related to some crud hanging around from SL when AppleCare asks you.

Jul 29, 2011 4:00 PM in response to lrogersinlv

I'm having the same problem with my 2010 MBP. I did a clean install on a new partition and after a couple days my wifi began to drop almost constantly after a few mins. I have since deleted my Snow Leopard partition (which dropped off once in a while but not anywhere near as often as Lion) and am stuck with Lion and an ethernet cable now.


I've tried resetting the PRAM, SMC, deleting a network plist, changing router settings, updating router firmware, trying a different router entirely, so it's not the router. I have 2 PS3's, an iPhone 4, an Android phone, a slightly newer 2011 MBP on the same network and all of them recognize the connection just fine. When I try to connect with this MBP I get a "connection timeout" error. It's gotten to the point where it will only connect to the Personal Hotspot on my iPhone, but only about half the time. It's fine with an ethernet cable. I'm installing a Windows 7 partition now to see if it's the same issue because my roommate is convinced it's a hardware issue. I really hope it isn't because my MBP is about a week out of warranty and although I just bought Lion I doubt I'd be able to get an exception if it turned out to be hardware. My roommate's MBP that he just upgraded to Lion has no problems whatsoever, so again, I highly doubt it's the router.


For a while it would connect only if I changed the network settings to 5GHz an to 802.11n. Soon enough it refused to connect at all, and like I said, only works sometimes with my iPhone's personal hotspot now.

Jul 29, 2011 6:24 PM in response to stokd

This is now starting to get *beep* annoying.

Left my MAC online and loaded with MSN, came back after 2hrs to find MSN had logged out - no internet access. Checked my wifi icon on the top bar, full bar strength and connected to router fine.

Checked 2 PCs on Wifi - full internet access all 100%

Checked MAC Safari, Firefox, Outlook - fails... no internet.

Disabled MAC Wifi, removed settings, switched on WiFi, rejoined. .. No internet.

Checked Router again - All fine.

Rebooted Router (not needed as fine but did anyway).

PCs all fine.

MAC no internet.

Rebooted MAC - Mac now fine!!


Excuse me .. this is Lion!! Never ever happend under Snow Leopard!

Please Apple - Do something!

Jul 30, 2011 12:12 AM in response to Chris-King

Excuse me for saying this, but exactly this was happening to me for the last three years, with Windows 7, Leopard and Snow Leopard. Last year, with two MBP's in the house, one black 2009 vintage and the other aluminium 2010. The newer one was fine but the old one just would not behave itself.


Now, these two computers had all the same software and updates, except the newer one synched to MobileMe iDisk, which by all accounts should have made matters worse, by introducing a delay after being woken up.



No solution seemed permanent, but some tried included:


Clearing out keychain entries (both under "login" and "system"), pulling the root>library>preferences>system configuration folder on to the desktop and rebooting, (a couple of other plist files too, for the network settings.)



Increasing the default comm timeout?


Adding a new "location" in the network setup.


Switching off IPv6.


Changing wifi channel to avoid the neighbours. Check in About This Mac>More Info>System Report>Network.


Using Google DNS addresses (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4)


Disabling wireless "N" on the router



I'm as fed up with this voodoo as everybody else😠

Jul 30, 2011 12:43 AM in response to gokhanki

From reading your previous post, I see you installed SL first and then a load of other stuff.

Try this instead:

1. Burn a Lion USB boot stick/installer—Google if you don't know how.

2. Boot from Lion USB boot stick.

3. Select Disk Utility and partition hard disk (make sure you have backups of all important data BEFORE doing this).

4. Erase hard disk.

5. Install Lion from USB stick onto cleaned hard disk.

5a. Run disk utility and fix all disk permissions.

6. Try wifi connections WITHOUT any other software installed. Try multiple times for different base stations.

6a. If can connect, run Apple Software Updater and get any available updates.

7. If works OK, try adding new non-Apple software applications one a time with testing between. Go slowly and allow time for wifi testing multiple times.

8. Let us know what happens.

Jul 30, 2011 1:58 AM in response to nbooradley23

Surely the whole point of a laptop is that you can move it from place to place without being tethered to an ethernet cable. In my view, if you can't, it's 'not fit for purpose'.


In the UK you can go to the Office of Fair Trading if you don't get a square deal and complain officially about the supplier. If they won't replace the faulty merchandise with something that works, or offer a full refund - you can take them to the Small Claims Court (an easy process), and air your grievances in public. This often generates adverse publicity for the supplier.


I'm very surprised that an outfit as publicity-concious as Apple are prepared to risk this by apparently ignoring a widespread problem with their product. If it were Toyota they'd have to do a recall!

Jul 30, 2011 2:09 AM in response to nipper123

Are you kidding me? Of course this is a well structured way to narrow the root of the problem - BUT: This is going to take hours and this is exactly (for different reasons) what I had to do again and again when using Windows. I changed to the Mac-World and willingly paid some extra bucks because I didnt`want to experience things like this any more!


I don`t use any exotic third-party-software, I`m using a standard-router (FritzBox 7220) which is widespread in Germany and after going back to Snow Leopard (which I did after hours of unsuccessful troubleshooting - including help of the Apple-Hotline and trying almost all the solutions described in this post) the wi-fi-problems dissapeared.


Problems like this have to be excluded by comprehensive and serious tests BEFORE releasing a new OS! Especially when it`s distributed via the internet only...


But I`m sure Apple is working on the solution: It`s BUMPERS - you can order them soon via the Apple-Store (within the 30 seconds to 5 minutes your wi-fi-connection works under Lion)!


But why worry any more? If Apple doesn`t release an update to fix this issue pretty soon they (like others before) will experience the real power off social media...

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