Q: Lion WiFi Connection Problem

The problem isn't that it's unique. The problem is that lion thinks it's changed when it hasn't. If you look back in the log files, it will likely show what you just pasted in, each chunk (the RSN handshake bit, the BSSID mention, etc.) will be repetitions of the same basic pattern. Each instance will be for a new disconnect/reconnect cycle.

I just sent the following BR to Apple:

Hello,

I am so **** frustrated:

>>> after updating to lion my internet-connection dropped permanently

>>> then I tried almost ALL the different solutions described in this post https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3191630?start=0&tstart=0 and elsewhere (except working with a permanent ping via terminal > hey guys - this can`t be it...) without any durable success

>>> then I did a clean installation of lion and didn`t have any problems any more for almost six weeks

>>> AND NOW the problems have come back!!!

>>> same ISP and router/firmware as under Snow Leopard where I never had theses problems

Having a look at the kernel.log it looks like this when the connection drops:

Sep 24 08:14:44 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: 54187.555270: performCountryCodeOperation: Disconnecting from AP

Sep 24 08:14:44 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: 54187.555274: setDISASSOC from disconnectVap

Sep 24 08:14:44 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: en1: 802.11d country code set to 'DE '.

Sep 24 08:14:44 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: 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

Sep 24 08:14:45 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: en1: BSSID changed to bc:05:43:52:2f:b6

Sep 24 08:14:45 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: AirPort: Link Up on en1

Sep 24 08:14:45 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: en1: BSSID changed to bc:05:43:52:2f:b6

Sep 24 08:14:45 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: AirPort: RSN handshake complete on en1 >>> having a working connection again after deactivating/activating wifi <<<

Sep 24 08:52:30 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: en1: BSSID changed to bc:05:43:52:2f:b6 >>> here the connection went away again <<<

Some facts on my ISP and router:

>>> ISP: 1&1

>>> FritzBox 7270

>>> actual firmware

>>> WPA+WPA2

>>> unique SSID (I changed the standard-SSID to an individual one)

>>> WLAN-Standard: 802.11n+b+g

>>> the WLAN works on a channel where it`s on it`s own

Please help!

Best regards

XXX

Let`s see if there`s gonna be an answer...

I'm posting this while not sure what's going on. but I guess I'm not alone in that.

I've had the same wifi instablility with Lion that most of the other posts are describing, I've tried many of the fixes described but to no permanent benefit.

So I bought an ethernet cable and went down that path, easier with a desktop machine than with one I want to move around. Instant bliss.

But I left wifi on and  moved it to the top of the service list in network preferences. I hope I'm right in thinking that this means that if wifi is available will be the active connection?

And I now seem to have a stable wifi connection provided I leave the ethernet cable connected. I hope that this will mean something to someone, apart from the fact that I might be an idiot.

I haven't let it run for days yet but I have my fingers crossed.

So - jetzt abwechslungshalber auch nochmal auf deutsch

Ist unter den deutschen Lesern dieses Posts jemand, der A) seit dem Update auf Lion auch Probleme mit dem Wi-Fi und regelmäßig wegbrechenden Verbindungen zum Router hat und hierbei B) in seinem Kernel-Log (> Dienstprogramme > Konsole) Ähnliches sehen kann:

ep 24 08:14:44 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: 54187.555270: performCountryCodeOperation: Disconnecting from AP

Sep 24 08:14:44 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: 54187.555274: setDISASSOC from disconnectVap

Sep 24 08:14:44 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: en1: 802.11d country code set to 'DE '.

Sep 24 08:14:44 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: 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

Sep 24 08:14:45 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: en1: BSSID changed to bc:05:43:52:2f:b6

Sep 24 08:14:45 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: AirPort: Link Up on en1

Sep 24 08:14:45 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: en1: BSSID changed to bc:05:43:52:2f:b6

Sep 24 08:14:45 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: AirPort: RSN handshake complete on en1 >>> ab hier nach manuellem Deaktivieren und erneutem Aktivieren des Wi-Fi wieder eine Verbindung <<<

Sep 24 08:52:30 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: en1: BSSID changed to bc:05:43:52:2f:b6 >>> ab hier wieder keine Verbindung <<<

Sieht tatsächlich so aus, dass der Mac denkt, die BSSID habe sich geändert obwohl dies nicht geschehen ist und dann irgendetwas schief geht...

Hatte eigentlich gedacht, die Probleme mit einer sauberen Neuinstallation von Lion in den Griff zu bekommen > dies hat aber nur für knapp sechs Wochen für Abhilfe gesorgt und jetzt sind die Probleme wieder da...

Habe einen entsprechenden Bug-Report an Apple gegeben...

laechleviel wrote:

 

So - jetzt abwechslungshalber auch nochmal auf deutsch

 

Ist unter den deutschen Lesern dieses Posts jemand, der A) seit dem Update auf Lion auch Probleme mit dem Wi-Fi und regelmäßig wegbrechenden Verbindungen zum Router hat

Lesen bildet und was Du beschreibst wurde im laufe des Threads mehrfach angesprochen.

Stichwort: BSSID

laechleviel wrote:

Sep 24 08:14:45 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: en1: BSSID changed to bc:05:43:52:2f:b6

Sep 24 08:14:45 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: AirPort: Link Up on en1

Sep 24 08:14:45 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: en1: BSSID changed to bc:05:43:52:2f:b6

Sep 24 08:14:45 Olafs-iMac kernel[0]: AirPort: RSN handshake complete on en1

Nur so als Tip. Es ist keine so wahnsinnig gute Idee die (einmalige) MAC-Adresse deines Routers in einem öffentlichen Forum zu posten. Nicht alle die hier mitlesen sind zwangsläufig nette Menschen.

FritzBox 7270

WLAN-Standard: 802.11n+b+g

 

Die aktuelle (Lion) WLAN-Chipsatz und Firmware (Treiber) Kombination in Mac's hat offensichtlich Probleme mit gemischten b/g/n WLAN's (besser gesagt dem Kompatibilitäts Modus für solche gemsichten WLAN's) und auch wenn mehrere SSID's (2.4 GHz und 5GHz WLAN) aus dem gleichen WLAN in der Liste der bekannten WLAN's in der Systemsteuerung stehen.

Dein Mac bucht daher, wenn das Signal mal ein bisschen schwächelt zwischen dem 2.4 GHz Band und dem 5GHz Band hin und her, da ja beide die gleiche SSID nutzen. Da jedoch 2 BSSID existieren (1x2.4GHz u. 1x5Ghz) gibt es dann Probleme wenn zB Schlüssel (CCMP) neu ausgetauscht werden sollen da die Anfrage evtl. für das eine Netz kommt, der Mac aber gerde im anderen Netz ist. Ergebnis --> WLAN weg am Mac.

Ein Klick mit gedrückter alt-Taste auf das Airport Symbol in der Menüleiste zeigt dir, welches WLAN dein Mac aktuell tatsächlich nutzt. (PHY Modus)

Du solltest:

• Den Gastzugang (Gästenetz) in der FritzBox nach möglichkeit deaktivieren, falls der nicht unbedingt gebraucht wird.
• Sofern keine 802.11b/g Geräte im WLAN benutzt werden sollen, in der FritzBox die b/g Unterstützung deaktivieren. (Handbuch ab Seite 85)
• Falls die baulichen Gegebenheiten der Wohnung das zulassen, die Fritz auf 5GHz N only setzen (Modus: 802.11n+a) das vermeidet Interferenzen von benachbarten Netzen im 2.4GHz Band und Bluetooth Geräten.
• Die bisher zuhause genutzten SSID's (WLAN's) aus der Liste der bekannten Netzwerke in der Systemsteuerung vom Mac löschen.
• Da das nicht immer sauber automatisch funktioniert in der Schlüsselbundverwaltung (Dienstprogramme) alle Schlüssel für die gelöschten WLAN's ggf. von Hand löschen.
• Das eigene WLAN in der Liste (Systemsteuerung - Airport -Erweitert) an die erste Stelle schieben oder für daheim einen neuen Standort in der Airport Konfiguration erzeugen mit nur einem (deinem) eingetragenen WLAN.
• Die Option "Ask to join new Networks" deaktivieren.
• Den Mac mit der gewünschten SSID neu verbinden.

Wird 802.11g benötigt zB wg. iPhone oder iPod-Touch, den Mac dazu zwingen, ausschließlich das 802.11n zu benutzen.

Dazu am besten für daheim einen neuen Standort in der Airport Konfiguration erzeugen mit nur einer (802.11n) eingetragenen SSID und die Option "Ask to join new Networks" deaktivieren.

laechleviel wrote:

 

Hatte eigentlich gedacht, die Probleme mit einer sauberen Neuinstallation von Lion in den Griff zu bekommen > dies hat aber nur für knapp sechs Wochen für Abhilfe gesorgt und jetzt sind die Probleme wieder da...

Neuinstallation war eine Nette Idee aber sinnfrei, denn es werden ja wieder die gleichen Treiber installiert. Zudem stehen nach einer Weile wieder die gleichen Netzwerke in der Liste der "bekannten Netzwerke" und das Spiel beginnt von vorne.

Ach ja, weitere Infos zum Thema Mac und WLAN finden sich auch in dem Thread hier --> https://discussions.apple.com/message/16219036#16219036

mfg - Lupunus

hormelmeatcompany wrote:

 

The problem isn't that it's unique. The problem is that lion thinks it's changed when it hasn't.

Yes Sir!

But, not Lion think!

Lion (the OS) itself have, roughly said, not much to do with the wireless or networking processes except to provide settings (configuration files) and handle the user to system interaction and the inner system communication.

Refer to:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSI_model
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TCP/IP_model
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11#Frames

The information there may give you an idea how networking and wireless works.

Lupunus

The network stack is part of the OS. The BSSID thing could also becaused by the drivers. Since OS X includes all of the drivers for Mac hardware, bad drivers could be the issue instead of something in the network stack. Either way, in my case, it's caused by Lion. Snow Leopard on this machine didn't do it at all.

In my case, I don't think it's the drivers. I took my Snow Leopard restore disc (I bought the machine before Apple stopped including them, thank god), found the 802.11 kext and used a utility to replace the Lion one with it. No luck at all, same problem.

hormelmeatcompany wrote:

 

In my case, I don't think it's the drivers. I took my Snow Leopard restore disc (I bought the machine before Apple stopped including them, thank god), found the 802.11 kext and used a utility to replace the Lion one with it. No luck at all, same problem.

Than, it's clearly not Lion at all in your case.

The problem resides in your network or network configuration.

How so? The "network configuration" is included in the OS.

If you're referring to the setup of the wifi network at school, none of my other devices (a white Macbook, 2 iPod touches and an Android phone) have the same problem. This laptop didn't have the problem until I installed Lion.

How could it not be Lion?

hormelmeatcompany wrote:

 

How so? The "network configuration" is included in the OS.

"network configuration" should be understand as "the configuration of the whole network"

hormelmeatcompany wrote:

 

none of my other devices (a white Macbook, 2 iPod touches and an Android phone) have the same problem.

Android is, as read on Android forums, known to cause network trouble under some circumstances, especially in 802.11n networks.

hormelmeatcompany wrote:

 

This laptop didn't have the problem until I installed Lion.

 

How could it not be Lion?

Unlucky coincidence ... *shrug*

As described before, the OS itself have not much to do with the handling of wireless connections although the wireless stack is a part of the OS.

The portable is a 2011 model, right?

I had a lot of network trouble with my own 2011 model with 10.6.8 and I think, that maybe the WiFi Chipset in the 2011 models is a bit to sensitive with the 3 Antenna handling.

And, as you wrote, you have changed the driver back to SL version without success. This had worked for some and for some not.

For that, the remaining reason must be in the network configuration.

Read this thread carefully, it will give you hints where to search for the reasons.

Don't poke around here and there like most people do. Do it step by step with consequence and always change only one setting at the time.

Do it in the Sherlock Holmes way...

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

Cheers - Lupunus

Of topic ... nice nick from the inventors of Spam

Big advise go back to snow leopard cuz this new lion guy hates hardware earlier than 2010 I've read so many forums like this from other sites cuz I had the same problem.

I'm not using my phone and the Lion MBP at the same. If I was, how could the phone cause the computer to think that the BSSID of the AP is changing?

I get what your saying about eliminating possible causes, but I've done that. It's the OS, plain and simple. Nothing about my school's network could cause it if I didn't have any issues at all on the same hardware with older software. It isn't even a WPA2 enterprise thing. The BSSID problem happens whether I connect to the encrypted one or the unencrypted one.

It happened after installing Lion and only on the device that has Lion on it.

hormelmeatcompany wrote:

 

I'm not using my phone and the Lion MBP at the same.

It's only when the Droid uses wireless.

hormelmeatcompany wrote:

The BSSID problem happens whether I connect to the encrypted one or the unencrypted one.

I'ts not a question of encrypted or unencrypted.

hormelmeatcompany wrote:

 

It's the OS, plain and simple.

You are pleased to think whatever you want to think.

So go on it in a solution focused way: "Love it, change it or leave it."

• Love it and stay with the evil Lion, accept the problems and wait for the miracle update.
• Change it by learning as much as possible about how wireless works and fix the problem.
• Leave it and roll back to Snow Leopard.

Lupunus

I can't fix how Lion scans for SSIDs/BSSIDs. Probably no one except the OS developers at Apple can.

I was at school yesterday. My phone didn't have wifi, 3G or 4G on. It still happens. Saying that it isn't the OS is completely wrong.

I realize that it isn't an encryption issue. That's why I mentioned it happening with and without it turned on. The BSSID problem doesn't happen at home, where the SSID I am connected to only has one BSSID associated with it.