Q: Lion WiFi Connection Problem

Dear William,

no Bluetooth device!

Also - why did the problem comes with Lion??

I had never problems with Panther/Leopard/Snow Leopard!!

THIS MUST BE AN APPLE PROBLEM!

If you search on Google this problem you can see how many people have this!

Greets,

Ralf

syncongreen wrote:

 

If you search on Google this problem you can see how many people have this!

 

The problem is you'll find just as many people who had problems in Leopard, or Snow Leopard, or whose problems were fixed by Leopard, or Snow Leopard, or Lion for that matter.

That's one reason why Apple developed and included the WiFi Diagnostics tool in Lion.

Here's another article on it as well.

As always, I don't claim it isn't a software issue, but rather there are usually several factors involved, most frequently either interference or buggy router firmware.

I note the article you are linking has an illustration of the dropdown box from the wifi icon, showing the WiFi Diagnostic tool.  Holding down the Option key does not give me this.   I needed to go to HD>System>Library>Core Services>WiFi Diagnostics to find it (these utilities are well hidden).  So I have made an alias for it and put it into my Applications folder.

The Signal to Noise ratio (SNR)  is actually the difference between the two figures shown. They say that an SNR of more than 25 is ok.

I found most people on my block using channel 1, so I changed to 11.

Why the router thinks I am in Holland, beats me.

Nevermind. Started dropping again. The issue remain UNSOLVED!

I made a switch from PC to iMac just to get rid of PC-windows problems...to find out that Apple isn't that much better. I have a 21" iMac with the newest Lion OS: wifi keeps dropping out! I also have the 'Apple Care protection plan' which entitles me to make use of 'expert' assistance for a period of three years! Whow... here's the story of my first experience with that:0

I just had a telephone call with 'Roy' from Apple Care (he was not allowed to state his last name ?!): he told me that they were aware of this problem and he added that he could take me through some settings trying to resolve it ... but chances of solving the problem were very low. So he advised me not to bother going through these... Roy also said that Apple will only communicate about this when they have found a solution... so far they haven't.

The one suggestion Roy gave me was to set the channel on my wireless router to 13. I did that and it didn't make any difference... wifi keeps dropping out. (My pc, sitting next to my iMac doesn't register any wifi drop-outs at all).

That's all Roy and my expensive Apple Care protection can do for me now = nothing. Thank you Apple !

It's a shame Apple doesn't succeed in solving this (and in admitting the problem openly).

I also hope this keeps people on this forum from minimising the problem: it is definitely an Apple-problem ...

@swastass - believe me - Apple is the better way ;-)

But indeed it is a shame on Apple because they know the problem since the 10.7.0!

There are to updates now and nothing better in the Wi-Fi problem...

putnik wrote:

 

The Signal to Noise ratio (SNR)  is actually the difference between the two figures shown. They say that an SNR of more than 25 is ok.

The SNR >25 is ok if the signal strength is sufficient. In your case the signal (-39) is pretty good and the SNR indicates a rocket fast connection.

It was also a very good idea to switch the channel as you easily may see on your second screenshot.

putnik wrote:

 

Why the router thinks I am in Holland, beats me.

Make's no difference, as over Europe the rules and regulations are the same for wireless.

What I notice on your screenshot is, that you use a BT-Box.On that I remember one of your posts.

A couple of weeks ago you wrote -> https://discussions.apple.com/message/16214639#16214639

Did you change the settings on your Mac to "home" instead of "local" or to "local" instead of "home" on the BT Hub??

Did you switch off the "on the fly" channel hopping of the BT Hub??

If not, do so and end your problems.

Lupunus

Thanks for reminding me. Well, I did switch channels because of my neighbours, and I have not had the problem since.  (This was of losing the wifi connection during page transitions on Safari, usually in the evenings and after much surfing around here).

So yes, the router is set to channel 11 only. The other thing about different names, still remains and I note the system log still shows regular re-assignments going on

eg, just now:

25/10/2011 13:51:48.000 kernel: Wake reason: EC LID0

25/10/2011 13:51:48.000 kernel: HID tickle 62 ms

25/10/2011 13:51:48.000 kernel: Previous Sleep Cause: 5

25/10/2011 13:51:48.000 kernel: wlEvent: en1 en1 Link DOWN

25/10/2011 13:51:48.000 kernel: AirPort: Link Down on en1. Reason 4 (Disassociated due to inactivity).

25/10/2011 13:51:48.000 kernel: en1: 802.11d country code set to 'X3'.

25/10/2011 13:51:48.000 kernel: en1: Supported channels 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 100 104 108 112 116 120 124 128 132 136 140

25/10/2011 13:51:48.000 kernel: 00000000  00000020  NVEthernet::setLinkStatus - not Active

25/10/2011 13:51:49.227 UserEventAgent: CaptiveNetworkSupport:CaptivePublishState:1211 en1 - PreProbe

25/10/2011 13:51:49.243 configd: network configuration changed.

25/10/2011 13:51:49.253 applepushserviced: <APSCourier: 0x10142fbb0>: Stream error occurred for <APSTCPStream: 0x1014a61c0>: The operation couldn’t be completed. Socket is not connected

25/10/2011 13:51:49.000 kernel: MacAuthEvent en1   Auth result for: 00:fe:f4:12:c1:d8  MAC AUTH succeeded

25/10/2011 13:51:49.000 kernel: wlEvent: en1 en1 Link UP

25/10/2011 13:51:49.000 kernel: AirPort: Link Up on en1

25/10/2011 13:51:49.000 kernel: en1: BSSID changed to 00:fe:f4:12:c1:d8

25/10/2011 13:51:49.000 kernel: AirPort: RSN handshake complete on en1

25/10/2011 13:51:50.399 ClamXavSentry: Wakey wakey!

25/10/2011 13:51:50.423 Firewall: Skype is listening from 0.0.0.0:62798 proto=6

25/10/2011 13:51:50.000 kernel: en1: BSSID changed to 00:fe:f4:12:c1:d8

25/10/2011 13:51:50.472 configd: network configuration changed.

25/10/2011 13:51:50.476 ClamXavSentry: scan email files

25/10/2011 13:51:50.476 ClamXavSentry: I will quarantine infected files

25/10/2011 13:51:50.552 UserEventAgent: CaptiveNetworkSupport:CaptivePublishState:1211 en1 - Probe

25/10/2011 13:51:50.552 UserEventAgent: CaptiveNetworkSupport:CaptiveStartDetect:2343 Bypassing probe on BTHub3-ZZGH because it is protected and not on the exception list

25/10/2011 13:51:50.556 configd: network configuration changed.

25/10/2011 13:51:50.558 UserEventAgent: CaptiveNetworkSupport:CaptivePublishState:1211 en1 - Unknown

25/10/2011 13:51:50.589 airportd: _doAutoJoin: Already associated to “BTHub3-ZZGH”. Bailing on auto-join.

25/10/2011 13:51:54.000 kernel: utun_ctl_connect: creating interface utun0

25/10/2011 13:51:54.000 kernel: utun0: attached with 0 suspended link-layer multicast membership(s)

25/10/2011 13:52:51.000 kernel: en1: 802.11d country code set to 'NL'.

25/10/2011 13:52:51.000 kernel: en1: Supported channels 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 100 104 108 112 116 120 124 128 132 136 140

25/10/2011 13:54:58.782 [0x0-0x9009].com.apple.mail: Tue Oct 25 13:54:58 2011 Mail[145] (FileSync.framework) _SFSendMessage: gServerMessagePortName = 'com.apple.FileSyncAgent.iDisk'

25/10/2011 13:55:20.000 kernel: IOSurface: buffer allocation size is zero

25/10/2011 13:56:07.000 kernel: IOSurface: buffer allocation size is zero

25/10/2011 13:56:24.000 kernel: IOSurface: buffer allocation size is zero

etc

putnik wrote:

25/10/2011 13:51:49.253 applepushserviced: <APSCourier: 0x10142fbb0>: Stream error occurred for <APSTCPStream: 0x1014a61c0>: The operation couldn’t be completed. Socket is not connected

Apple Push Service ... Eventually disable wake up on network (System Settings - Energy Save)

putnik wrote:

 

25/10/2011 13:51:48.000 kernel: en1: 802.11d country code set to 'X3'.

25/10/2011 13:52:51.000 kernel: en1: 802.11d country code set to 'NL'.

Match the country on the BT Hub and the Mac to the same by fixing the BT settings to your region as well as the settings on the Mac.

putnik wrote:

 

25/10/2011 13:51:49.000 kernel: en1: BSSID changed to 00:fe:f4:12:c1:d8

 

25/10/2011 13:51:50.000 kernel: en1: BSSID changed to 00:fe:f4:12:c1:d8

Seems like the Mac (or the BT-Box) jumps between protocols.

The BT-Manual state:

BT Power Save

Your Hub 3 comes with Power Save, which means it goes into sleep mode if there’s been no activity for over five minutes. All lights will be dimmed and your Hub will wake up as soon as you need it.

This sleep mode also decrease the radio power and may lead the Mac to disassociate. Eventually switch OFF the "sleep mode" on the Hub.

putnik wrote:

 

25/10/2011 13:51:50.589 airportd: _doAutoJoin: Already associated to “BTHub3-ZZGH”. Bailing on auto-join.

Disable (uncheck) "Ask to join new networks" in the system settings of your Mac to prevent the protocol hopping between 802.11g and 802.11n using the same SSID.

Also change the "local" to the BT-Box "home" (or vice versa) for better name resolution in your local network.

putnik wrote:

 

25/10/2011 13:51:54.000 kernel: utun_ctl_connect: creating interface utun0

25/10/2011 13:51:54.000 kernel: utun0: attached with 0 suspended link-layer multicast membership(s)

Thats "back to my mac", iCloud or VPN (if installed) ... nothing to do with the wireless.

Lupunus

Thanks

Brand new Macbook Air today with Lion 10.7 -

Instable wifi-connection via Dlink Dual Band Router and no or extremely slow internet connection.

iMac with Snow Leopard working fine, PC working fine, Samsung Galaxy S2 working fine.

Simple solution for me: switch from the 2,4 band to the 5,0 band on MBA. Heureka!

(All other devices remain on the 2,4 band.)

Hope this works for you too!

I checked my router and power saving is unchecked. I'm not sure I believe all that the BT Hub 3 manager tells me.

I want "Ask to join new networks", to avoid unsecured access by mistake.

The country code issue is a complete can of worms. It is not set on the router. The wifi gets this from the first signal it receives, from anybody in the locality.  There was a long thread about it while I was in Spain a couple of years ago.  The legality of what is going on is very dubious.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2183102?start=0&tstart=1

putnik wrote:

 

I want "Ask to join new networks", to avoid unsecured access by mistake.

The secret of this option is in the small printed text beneath the option.

Watch the slight changes when uncheck it.

Lupunus

putnik wrote:

 

The country code issue is a complete can of worms.

Around Europe it does not matter which country is set, as all European country's have the same rules and regulations about frequencies and channels.

For that the NL settings have no influence to the wireless behavior.

Lupunus

I tried E-V-E-R-Y fix on these threads. I just went back to Snow Leopard and it completely fixed the problem. Wi-fi working perfectly now.