Lion:WiFi not autoconnecting after sleep mode

In fact I did put have it quite correct in my previous post: I have noticed that when my macbook does not not re-connect after waking from sleep, that neither of my wireless N networks (Guests and Personal) appear in the wireless list dialog pop up - but my B/G networks both show up. Even when the list refreshes several times, the wireless N networks do not show up - I have to turn the wireless off and on a couple of times using the icon and then it connects and they appear in the wireless network list at this time.

Do you pair your laptop to any Bluetooth devices ? Try turning off Bluetooth and check if autojoin works with the 11n network ? Also which channel is your network on ? If on 5 Ghz, try using channels 36,48,44.

I was recently introduced to disconnecting WiFi problems after upgrading to Mac OS 10.7.3 on my iMac. WiFi would disconnect every 10 minutes or as soon as I would let my computer idle. I never had this problem before.

I visited this forum and UNSUCCESSFULLY applied the following fixes described in the thread:

1. Turning off WiFi and then back on again would bring my internet connection back to life. But I had to do this every 10 minutes or so. Not a long term option.

2. Changed my network location and created a new network location. I was already using WPA2 - Personal...

3. Deleted the ‘com.apple.airport.preferences.plist’ file.

4. Ran Onyx and performing a thorough cleanup.

5. Deleted all access passwords from the keychain.

6. Removed all my preferred network, including the Home network.

7. Reset my Netgear router, tried different signal channels and settings, checked for Bluetooth interference.

8. Turned off my firewall.

Finally, I started paying attention to what anders102 explained and realized that having FT.com active in a Safari window would trigger the WiFi crash. Changing my homepage to Google.com immediately fixed the problem. How weird if that?

I guess the auto-update code on the website did trigger the WiFi disconnect. Thanks, anders102.

Etienne.

I have exactly te same issue with imac and a netgear router. I have just changed my location in preferences as suggested. time will tell if this fixes it for me. I never had a problem with snow leopard. My ipad and iphone work with no problems on ios5.

A suggestion on another forum is to wake from sleep mode by pressing the power button (instead of hitting a key or the mouse). It works on my iMac and the wifi re-starts correctly. Don't ask me why, I have no idea why there is any difference in how the computer wakes up.

One problem is that Time Machine wakes the iMac to do backups and that wake-up does NOT lead to a successful wifi connection, so no backups are being performed.

This is happening with an iMac mid-2010, Lion 10.7.3, connecting by wifi to an Apple Time Capsule, which has an Apple wifi router.

It would really help if someone in Apple acknowledged this very common problem, and said that they are working on it, so that we don't feel like we have to solve this on our own.

I am having the same problem with my WiFi after the recent Lion update on my iMac (21" mid 2011) My other iMac with Leopard doesn't have this problem.

I tried it using the suggestion with pressing the power button and it works for me also?

My router is not an Apple.

Thought I'd add my name to this long list of folks having this issue. If I use the bluetooth keyboard to wake from sleep, my wifi will often not automatically reconnect. I have disabled wake using bluetooth devices and used only the power button to wake from sleep, and the issue never occurs. I am using an Airport Extreme router.

Honestly, the solution I suggested in my first post worked for me and several friends, I just deleted the old location in the internet system preferences and deleted my wifi's settings, and then created a new one and readded my wifi. It worked for me all this time until last week, it started disconnecting again. But, I've noticed that if I try to browse the internet it will give me that there's no internet connection and it takes safari 10 to 15 seconds tops for it to "wake the wifi up" and it just reconnects on its own! I'm fine with waiting 15 seconds 😝 I don't know if anyone tried this yet!

Reconnecting my network automatically after sleep mode is a problem I've had for years, across two iMacs, so it is not a Lion problem per se, as I had this problem with Leopard and Snow Leopard, and probably earlier than those. I think it has more to do with upgrades than with the specific version you are using. Incidentally I used Airports years ago, then Airport Extreme, and currently a Time Capsule. Also this problem ONLY happens with my iMacs (I've had two since 2005, my most recent being a 3.4 Ghz Intel Core i7 (27-inch 2011) with OS 10.7.3.)

I NEVER had this problem on my MacBook Pro using the same operating systems. After sleep it always logged back into the wireless network (or else it never logged off).

My new iMac worked fine for the first couple of months, but now once again it's returning to the habit of not logging back into my preferred network after waking from sleep. If I restart it, no problem.

I shall try the plist deletion procedure. Maybe something gets corrupted during an upgrade.

LegendMaker.com wrote:

Reconnecting my network automatically after sleep mode is a problem I've had for years, across two iMacs, so it is not a Lion problem per se, as I had this problem with Leopard and Snow Leopard, and probably earlier than those. I think it has more to do with upgrades than with the specific version you are using. Incidentally I used Airports years ago, then Airport Extreme, and currently a Time Capsule. Also this problem ONLY happens with my iMacs (I've had two since 2005, my most recent being a 3.4 Ghz Intel Core i7 (27-inch 2011) with OS 10.7.3.)

I NEVER had this problem on my MacBook Pro using the same operating systems. After sleep it always logged back into the wireless network (or else it never logged off).

My new iMac worked fine for the first couple of months, but now once again it's returning to the habit of not logging back into my preferred network after waking from sleep. If I restart it, no problem.

Same here, the issue seems to be associated with my iMac, but not with our MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, or any of our iPads or iPhones.

My fix was simple: I went back to using an Ethernet cable and turned the Wifi off. My iMac sits on my desk near my AirPort Extreme, so using an Ethernet cable is easy and convenient for me. Sure, Wifi is cool, but given the recent problems with it in Lion I'm happy to use the Ethernet until Apple fixes it.

Tgara - yes that was my solution in the past too, as every room in my house has structured wiring (two ethernet, one for phone + cat5e coax + two fiberoptic). However I use my ethernet for other things too, and would like to free up my ports without adding secondary hub. So if I can solve this Wi-Fi problem I'd be happier.

Incidentally I think it's only when the drive sleeps that it has this problem. When the screen sleeps I can wake it and the network seems still connected.

LegendMaker.com wrote:

Tgara - yes that was my solution in the past too, as every room in my house has structured wiring (two ethernet, one for phone + cat5e coax + two fiberoptic). However I use my ethernet for other things too, and would like to free up my ports without adding secondary hub. So if I can solve this Wi-Fi problem I'd be happier.

Incidentally I think it's only when the drive sleeps that it has this problem. When the screen sleeps I can wake it and the network seems still connected.

Yeah, I hear ya. I'd much rather have the Wifi working properly too. Hopefully Apple will get a fix in place soon.

I've observed the same thing about the sleep problem: Wifi disconnects after the drive wakes from sleep. If the screen sleeps and then wakes, Wifi is still connected.

Confirming problem.

After wakeup from sleep I need to manually reconnect to my WIFI network.

Late 2011 iMac, Lion OS X 10.7.3

I wish there was some kind of file that lets you specify what to execute after wakeing up from sleep. Something like a shell script to reconnect wifi. It would be an ugly hack but I could live with it until they fix the problem. I'm not familiar with inside of OSX yet but this was an easy hack on linux.

Cmon Apple. I believe it's time you fix this.

If you want to try a shell script, here you go: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57347274-263/wi-fi-network-not-connecting-a fter-sleep/ I have no idea if it will work or even make things worse for you.

However, it's insane that users might need to resort to that level or programing to fix a wifi problem that seems to have plagued Lion since last summer. What the **** is going on in Apple that this problem still hasn't been solved and a permanent fix issued? For me, the-not-connecting-on-wake-up is a recent problem, quite possibly something that used to work fine until 10.7.3 came along, which ironically, was supposed to fix a problem I didn't have until recently.

We pay a premium to buy Apple computer systems that we expect to work flawlessly, without any of this crap. My iPod Touch does a better job of wifi stability than my iMac. And still not a word about this from Apple, even to acknowledge a problem exists. I'm very very frustated by this. This is not what Steve Jobs would have tolerated.

I agree with you 100%! This problem is just ridiculous! But I'm sure that it has to do with Bluetooth peripherals. When I wake my iMac with the power buttom WiFi works perfectly. It connects to my network every time all the time!