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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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Posted on Jul 20, 2011 7:07 PM

Welcome to my nightmare...Been going on for a year now. Nice to see the didn't bother addressing this issue with the new OS.

2,673 replies

Feb 4, 2012 7:09 AM in response to Tom Dignam

@Harshedeep Singh



I have to agree with Tom,

Tom Dignam wrote:


Please, Go to safe mode and reinstall 10.7.3 Combo


I also have to agree with gphonei


gphonei wrote:

Harshdeep Singh wrote:


Let me make all things clear!

This wifi issue has nothing to do with the 5Ghz/2.4 or channel issues or with speeds 150Mbps/54Mbps or with B/G/N standards.

The reason for that is everything works fine if we just change the OS either back to Leapard or Windows. It is a confirmed bug in Lion.

I beleive that Lion has got some compatablity issues with all routers, like some said we have changed the router with Airport one, all starts working! The thing is why hardware need to be changed if the bug is in software! silly

This type of thought process, and the associated reaction, demonstrates why Apple has been unable to identify the problem and fix it. Let me use an example. You say you are an IT kind of person, so let's say that I come into your office, and say my computer isn't working, what do I need to do to fix it.


What would be your first response? You'd prehaps ask some questions about what I mean by "isn't working", and then based on my answers, you'd perhaps ask some other questions to focus the information gather to what you could sense was the issue.


This is what the Apple Care and Genius bar people do when you bring your problems to them. If you can't provide informative answers, then they might not be able to focus any further with resolving your problem.


Everyone can't be an expert, but you must understand that you need to help them solve the problem if you want it solved. All of the things that people are doing to "try" and fix the problem themselves is not helping. Everytime that the tweak a setting, replace a piece of equipment or change anything, doubles the opportunity for something else to be introduced, which can hide or remove the original stimuation that was creating the problem.


Things llike this, which involve such a wide range of external equipment and conditions (RF interference), are nothing short of impossible to "solve" without some real focus using real tools that tell you "everything" about that part of the problem space.


We all don't have "Service Monitors" and "Networking Expertise". You paid a price for the equipment involved, and if you bought Apple Care, that's what entitles you to have Apple actually solve your problem. If you didn't think Apple Care was important enough to you, to purchase it, then when your warrenty runs out, that's it, your support contract is over, plain and simple.


If your computer is valuable to you, and the service you get from Apple to make sure it stays usable, is not valuable to you, then there seems to be a disconnect in the logic of that situation. There is nothing in the world that is perfectly manufactured, and there is no software written which can be enhanced over time, without changing something about how it operates. Those changes may or may not be compatibile with what is now, or was before.


Apple does in fact, understand it's obligation to fix problems in their software, when only their products are involved. When someone else's product is involved, then you are back in the "PC realm", where everyone is entitled to point fingers at the other parties, because they've demonstrated that it works fine with their own products.


I think there is a bug or software misfeature. I know that it will not be fixed unless everyone who is suffering, stops messing around, in ignorance, trying to fix it by just "changing stuff around". There has to be a much more focused effort on each persons part to be a part of the solution.



I would also suggest reinstalling the firmware which I gave the link before:


Carlo TD wrote:


Do you have the "world wide driver" installed or the "US driver"?


http://support.netgear.com/app/products/model/a_id/12208



I also looked back at the previous posts... cause I was feeling like It was dejavu talking with you and I suggested the following link:



(from another thread:) https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3510433?answerId=17160974022#17160974022


Carlo TD wrote:

Carlo TD



read this article, and the update on the bottom:

http://osxdaily.com/2011/07/22/wifi-dropping-in-os-x-lion-fixes/


and


http://osxdaily.com/2011/11/06/lion-wi-fi-problems-solution-mac/






and you told me that you had it working (even though it was a third party router that you were using:

(from another thread:) https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3510433?answerId=17160974022#17160974022


Harshedeep Singh wrote:


yes carlo TD ...

that was the solution I did and its seems to be working....

Thanks for help!!



I still stand by my original statement:


Carlo TD wrote:




I dont mean to come across as being harsh and I should not have said your logic was ignoramus. I help peopl too with their networks. (I am not a network engineer but the amount of ridiculious things i see is mostly because of either hardware failure or people not using the latest standards on their equipment to match standards that have been upgraded or are new.)



I think it is about time you are be more sincere and less passing the buck. Take ownership, and get your self a new router, cause it really seems it is not so much an issue with wifi, or your laptop, or os x lion but the tinkering or possibly your ISP or even your country regulating the internet. I don't know. But you like to be quick to judge, and complain, and there are many just like you, I have noticed, and personally, I help people cause I want to, but don't have to. And you dont make it easy for people trying to help other people. I hope you get your situation working.

Feb 8, 2012 8:08 PM in response to lclcv

Since your mac is prior to 2010 you will need to use the recovery disk assistant in the utility folder. There is a video above. If you do not have it in the utility folder you can get it from here. http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1433?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US


you can also try...


If you go to System Prefences and Network, choose your network; put a check mark in the box that says "Show Wifi status in menu bar," next click the advanced buton, Under Preferred Networks, minus out of all the networks, and put a check mark where it says "remember networks this computer has joined."




Message was edited by: Carlo TD

Feb 21, 2012 8:17 AM in response to Carlo TD

Listen everyone... logic has it that if this was a software (OS Lion) issue, then everyone would be having an issuse. If this is a hardware issue, it would be symtematic of machines using the same hardware or machines using hardware that has not been updated or configured properly in the first place. If it is a permissions error or a user error or a network configuation error on your part, then it could be fixed by resetting the network. If it is a hard ware issue then try changing your router. If you still think this is a software issue, then use Lion Internet Recover or Disk Assistant Recovery (explained here). If your not sure call your internet provider or send your computer to Apple for servincing or just for them to look at. Also just because something was working before, and does not work afterwords the way you want or like now, does not mean it was set up correctly previously.

Mar 8, 2012 6:49 PM in response to torndownunit

I am thinking... this might..be the pattern (emphasis on "might be"). I have found this: {In my iMac} The AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x8F) (wifi) card firmware version is a Atheros 9280: 4.0.61.5-P2P. {In my MacBook Pro} The AirPort Extreme (0x14E4, 0x8D) (wifi) card firmware is aBroadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.100.98.75.19). Both of these work well. But @Sentrix_ your firmware version is this: AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x9A) (wifi) card firmware version Atheros 9380: 4.0.61.5-P2P.


I went to the Qualcom web site and looked at the difference between my chipset and your chipset...

my chip looks like: http://www.qca.qualcomm.com/technology/technology.php?nav1=47&product=85


Your chip looks like: http://www.qca.qualcomm.com/technology/technology.php?nav1=47&product=88


I do not think a down grade of the firmware is the correct solution even though it might work... but it looks like the firmwares (or chipsets - not sure) are utimately different.


Ok, if this is a software issue, then a firmware upgrade or downgrade will be needed. If this is a hardware issue, because it looks like the 9380 uses RF switches, and the 9280 does not, and it turns out something is wrong with the RF switches, then it is possible a replacement chip will be needed.


(Although it seems the Atheros 9380 appears only in iMacs) I searched around quickly and found at least 2 other people (including @Sentrix_) having problmes with the Atheros 9380 firmware. The other sites I found with something with a similar firmware as @Sentrix_ were these sites. (there might be other similarities, or differences but this is what I saw only cause I was looking at the Atheros 9380 firmware).


http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1329406&page=2

and

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3767053?start=0&tstart=0

and

http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/3429907301

Mar 13, 2012 8:19 PM in response to kyp@stsci.edu

In my case a new (2 week old ) MacBook Air.

Works at Starbucks and McD with maybe micro-second drops but not at home for more than a few minutes. I have had it working a bit but it's totally off again.

Also a new (6 months or so) Netgear Router.


I won't repeat what I added to this thread:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3192476?start=75&tstart=0


I am ready to try a different router as I am sick of trying to get this to work.

I am not a network manager and don't want to be, that's why we started going to Apple.


I will end with a fable:


Decades ago I worked for a computer firm that no longer exists. At the time we would get reports of a software problem. Our engineers always responded that yes this was true but in reality our systems were "right" and the competition was "wrong"


Then one day the software problem was reported as "yes we understand this is 'wrong' but we loose a lot of sales to our competition...


end of fable:


I was so ready to replace this Dell with Windows XP. Cancel that sale!


Bill

Mar 29, 2012 10:41 AM in response to lrogersinlv

After reading this post, what makes me really angry and unsatisfied with Apple, is that the Apple web site http://www.apple.com/why-mac/better-os/ says the following: "Since the software on every Mac is created by the same company that makes the Mac, you get a fully integrated system in which everything works together perfectly." Apple claims it makes the best computers. But for what I see "Apple also makes the best jokes." Shame on you Apple. I have already sold my MacBook pro because the wifi problem. Now, I am seriously thinking in selling my iPhone 4s, just because I don´t trust Apple anymore.

Mar 31, 2012 10:42 AM in response to lrogersinlv

...also struggling with this for a while. Like others have posted elsewhere and I have now confirmed there is a workaround which saves rebooting the hub


The lease expires and renewal requires pings sent to the hub

- to (re)establish wifi connection


Open Network Utility/Ping Tab

enter your router's IP address (192.168....)

send unlimited number of pings (these will be shown in the window) and keep this running


(alternatively you can also run

the Terminal application, if you don't know the router Ip for example)

(copy/paste the command)

ping `route get default | awk '(/gateway/){print $2}'`


your pings will then be running


Then

In network preferences/advanced/(TCP/IP)

IPv4 tab choose: Using DHCP

then click on RENEW DHCP lease.


An IP should then be allocated and your wifi connect fine.


Not a solution, but a work around.

More importantly a very clear pointer to the cause of the wifi bug in OS X Lion.


Apr 7, 2012 3:24 PM in response to creativekitty

Just did the procedure recommended on apple support (link below)

I have tried a lot of suggested solutions on this and other threads, this is the first one to work for me.


This is the article:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4628?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US


Go to bottom of page where it says:

Symptom: After restarting or waking from sleep, my computer might not connect to the Internet


Good Luck

Apr 23, 2012 9:06 PM in response to Eric491

Note that Lion update 10.7.2 (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4767) mentions this:


"Address an issue that may cause a delay in accessing the network after waking from sleep."


And Lion update 10.7.3 (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5048) mentions this:


"Resolve a Wi-Fi connection issue when waking from sleep"


So just in case you are not already updated, you should probably do so. The evidence that a continuous ping works to keep the wifi network up (at school, not home) makes me wonder whether the two updates above have been applied yet, since they both are involved with power/sleep issues.


Lastly, the fact that this wifi+sleep issue has been mentioned in two successive OSX updates is somewhat unsettling. Personally, I never saw any wifi+sleep issues, but then my system was already updated to 10.7.3.

Lion WiFi Connection Problem

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