Retina Macbook Pro WiFi and Bluetooth issue

Confirming the interference issue - slightly different effect though - with Apple's own AirPort Extreme router (latest model as of Nov 2012)

If I connect the MabBook Pro Retina to the 2.4 GHz interface of the AirPort Extreme, I immediatelly notice Magic mouse is getting some "inertia", kind of " delay" compared to hand movement.

Switching to 5 GHz removes the effect.

In both cases, no WiFi degradation actually.

AirPort Extreme is 7-8 meters from the router, direct line of visibility.

I have seen the same effect. I need to connect to my 5ghz network on my Airport Extreme, otherwise I have the same issues.

You can easily see the difference by doing a test on http://speedtest.net

I just bought a 15" Retina MBP (NOV/30/2012). Wish i'd read this discussion before buying it. I have the same issues with wifi as others wrote here. Did all updates available and tried different routers too.

I'm able to connect to my brand new time cabsule but networking and internet is really slow. Sometimes it helps when I restart wifi and it will be OK for a few minutes. As suggested here I installed the 5GHz band on my time capsule. Connected to the 5GHz network its super fast as I would expect it from $3000 computer.

This is not a solution for me though, since most other wifi networks I use are 2.4GHz. Going to return it without a replacement and will stick to my old MBP. Really disappointed with Apple.

have you ever heard back from apple about bluetooth interfering with wifi. i have 2 mbpr and they both have issue one is much worse than the other. i have been calling everyday for a week to apple and been to the genius bar 3 times- i got a call yesterday 11/5/12 and they said look for an update or and article- and article will not solve the problem!

sorry 12/5/12

FYI apple called me on this issue on 12/5/12 and said look for a software update. i recently bought 2 mbpr one is worse than the other- the good one while bluetooth is on cuts my wifi signal in half. I think its a hardware(design issue) like the iphone 4 antenna.

I have an appointment at the Genius Bar today for this very issue, among others. I have to say, I've never been disappointed in an Apple purchase before, but I definitely am very unhappy with my nearly $3K investment in this rMBP. I bought the 13" with the belief that I'd just connect it to an external monitor, connect a bluetooth keyboard and everything else I need (mouse, DVD drive and external hard drive) would plug into a USB splitter, then into one of my only two USB ports. So, I connected it up as envisioned only to discover that when you connect a retina display to external display, you get god-awful resolution. Fuzzy, fuzzy type. I looked, and this, too, is a very well known problem (with no solution, mind you) in the Apple community but the Apple Store acted like they'd never heard of the problem before. They tried hooking it up to my monitor (which I lugged in twice, at their request) and to theirs. Same thing. So, I'd sort of made peace with the fact that I was going to have fuzzy type when I realized that I cannot connect my wireless keyboard to Bluetooth and search the Internet at the same time. I can't even download email messages with images. It's absolutely infuriating! I'd return the computer (and I may just have to), but I only have a desktop if I do that. I think it's time for a class action lawsuit if Apple doesn't work to resolve these issues. I'm out $3K and no one ever warned me that you can't connect this thing to external displays or run Bluetooth and WiFi at the same time.

No it's time you return that Mac and said Good Bye to Apple Mac computers. When on earth are people going to stop allowing Apple to pull the wool over their eyes. "Mac's They Just Work" is not the case. It is all hype and marketing.

i agree too bad other than the bluetooth wifi- its a nice machine still too expensive for whats inside but i really find it hard to believe no one from apple tried to use a magic mouse with a 15" retina before they went into production- the crazy thing is that they are so secretive about the launch of new product they cant do the proper testing

My update is that I took my rMBP back to Apple yesterday. Though it was just past 30 days, they went ahead and replaced it with a regular MacBook Pro. On one hand, I'm bummed because the design of the cooling vents and the sound is way better on the rMBP, but this one works with the display and I can run Bluetooth and WiFi simultaneously. I got the top of the line model and still got a hefty refund. All in all, I guess I'm happy. I think if I'd known about these problems, I'd have waited for the next generation of MacBook Pros to come out, as I'm sure they'll have the same cooling design and better speakers that the retina had. It is very disappointing that they hadn't adequately worked out the issues before selling them.

AllyMcReal,

What wireless router do you have ? You could have tried with an Apple Base Station to check if your bluetooth issues go away. ( unless you already have on ofcourse )

Why should anyone have to buy Apple Router to get a very expensive notebook to connect to it when the WiFi router they now have works with all other devices whether they are from Apple or any other manufacturer.

wifiguru wrote:

AllyMcReal,

What wireless router do you have ? You could have tried with an Apple Base Station to check if your bluetooth issues go away. ( unless you already have on ofcourse )

They shouldn't. I was merely suggesting it as a way to troublshoot the issue, especially since he mentioned he took it back to the Apple Store.

Everyone knows that connecting the MBBr to an apple router through 5ghz will solve the issue, the main issue we have is we all bought a laptop so our main interest is to be able to work anywhere not only by an apple router. For me the issue is 100% solved at home, but the rest of the time ...😠 ... I'm encountering disconnection, slow wifi... What is disappointing me is that all my other laptop are catching properly the wifi and so as I prefer to work on the MBPr I'm tranfering document, severall times a day, through a usb key from my dell/hp laptop 😮

I'm surprised that the last update didn't fix this for more people. I don't know if it was intended to, but since that update last month, my bluetooth/wifi problem is completely gone on a 2Wire router. It hasn't cut out once.