Wifi Connection Timeout - Macbook Pro?? Help!

Sorry if this is long winded. I feel like I've spent years here and there trying to figure this out and I want to share the specifics because no two MBP problems are alike. After all this hassle, I now have a 2010 MBP running Mavericks that is up to date, connects to WiFi like a charm and doesn't disconnect intermittently (also, no more black screen since I deleted the Windows partition anyway).

I have a 2010 MBP. I had it bootcamped with Windows 7 Ultimate because the mac HD wouldn't connect to WiFi. Then over the past year or two, I was experiencing a black screen issue whenever I used a browser in Windows 7. Doing a little research, I noticed that the black screen was due to a "graphics switching setting" in the Power settings on the mac side. Unfortunately, the mac HD OS X must've gotten corrupted (probably due to lack of updating and use, etc.) so I couldn't boot into mac to change the setting. Low and behold, I was left with a 3.5 year old machine that I paid $2k for and couldn't connect to the Internet or use a browser without having the restart the machine every 15-20 minutes.

Problem Summary:

#1 Mac couldn't connect to WiFi (connection timeouts, dropped signals)

#2 Couldn't boot into Lion OS X (probably a personal problem since I never used the Mac side without Internet)

#3 Couldn't use browser in Windows 7 (graphics switching setting in OS X)

Here are the steps I took to resolve each problem. A lot of these steps utilized some tips and suggestions I found on the Apple forum, Verizon FIOS forums (I have a MI424WR-1 modem/router) and on general mac/tech forums.

Problem 1 fixes:

Changes to Router Settings - Following Apple and Verizon's suggestions (Diagnostic Tool - run it and read the WiFi settings info), I made the following changes to the Router and Mac Network settings:

• Router Resets - I did the whole router reset via admin panel and on local modem. WiFi would connect but would disconnect upon sleep or just intermittently for no reason. Not a permanent fix.
• IPv6 vs. IPv4 DHCP - I enabled IPv6 on my router to see if that would provide a more stable connection. After all the research and troubleshooting, I was starting to believe that the MBP needed a static connection of some sort but I'm too much of a novice to figure that out.
• Security Settings - I actually disabled password-protection on the router and still couldn't connect to WiFi
• MAC Address - I tried enabling my MBP's MAC address to have access to the router, but that didn't work either.
• WEP vs WPA vs WPA2 - I tried all of these. WEP is definitely out of the question. I settled on WPA2 but I still couldn't connect smoothly and would lose connectivity.

Changes to Mac Network Preferences

• Keychain - I tried deleting all the airport preference files. Did it multiple times. Restarted machine as instructed. Not a permanent fix.
• TCP/IP - I tried putting my MAC address as the DHCP Client ID and changed the IP settings (auto versus manually inputted). Also tried to Renew DHCP Lease, but that rarely worked since the MBP just wasn't able to communicate to the Verizon MI424WR-1 router. IPv6 didn't make much of a difference either. I tried adding a new Location, adding/deleting preferred network and trying new IPs but none of that made a difference.
• Hardware - I also tried to change the MTU to manual setting of 1453 because I read that in a forum. Didn't make a difference (also changed on the router settings).

At this point, I had probably restarted my machine 2 billion times. The more forums I read, the further down the rabbit hole I fell. Worst part of it all? In every single forum I read on Apple's site, there was not a single - NOT ONE - reply from anyone at Apple. So, if you're looking for help from your ISP or from Apple, you're out of luck on this one.

Problem 2 fixes: This is probably an isolated problem, but thought I'd share since all these fixes occurred on the same weekend. Also, I've read here and there to make sure your OS X is up to date because that can also cause communication problems with certain routers. That said, I made a bootable USB with Lion OS X. Since I did not have a functioning OS X to do this on, I made the bootable USB via the Recovery HD. I completely reformatted the MBP HD. Being connected to Ethernet, I updated the software all the way to Mavericks and then I deleted the bootcamp partition so all 500gb were allocated to MBP HD. So, at this point, I had a MBP with a fresh copy of Mavericks - completely up to date - that still couldn't connect to WiFi. So not sexy.

Problem 3 fixes: At the end of the day, this one doesn't matter to anyone who wants to run OS X without bootcamp. However, if you're getting the intermittent black screen and having to restart Windows all the time, you will need to boot your MBP HD and change the "graphics switching setting" in System Preferences > Power. Just uncheck the box and reboot back into Windows. Should be good to go.

****END RESULT****

I bought a dual band wireless N router (Linksys E2500, $80). Problem solved. I'm not even joking. Oh, by the way, if you do plan on buying a replacement router to get the broadband signal and speed your MBP needs to connect, make sure the router set-up disc can be read/opened in Mavericks. Thankfully, I had a Windows 8 HP I could use to install and set up the Linksys router; otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to get the new router to speak to the old modem.

Now I can close my MBP lid and reopen and the WiFi connects instantly without hesitation. I can restart my MBP and the WiFi magically connects as it should. I can even download large files over WiFi without any connectivity loss. I tried to fix my machine as cheaply as possible. Apple Care was expired and I didn't feel like paying someone for a temporary fix. Update your MBP to Mavericks for FREE today through the App Store and go out and buy yourself a 2.4ghz/5ghz dual band Wireless N Router.... perhaps Airport Express will work too?

RANT 2.0 - It really ticks me off that after being such a loyal Apple and Verizon customer all these years that one of these companies would give a hoot about this problem. Apple knows it's a router issue and perhaps even a greater issue with all OS X versions since Mountain Lion? Who knows, I don't work there. Also, it drives me crazy that an ISP won't give a legacy customer a newer router that handles dual band. Verizon told me that those routers only go to new customers and that they'd happily replace my old router with a refurbished version. It ***** they won't listen. It ***** they won't help. At the end of the day, buying a $80 router was a lot cheaper than $$$ for Apple Care extension (and the time without a computer) or breaking up with Verizon so I could be classified as a "new" customer.

Forum references:

WiFi Connection Timeout - Macbook Pro?? Help! - goes through the system preferences tips and suggestions. None of these worked for me.

Some of the things you may have already tried - First contact your ISP. You need to confirm that the issue is not on their end.

Change your router channel. Sometimes this is all you will have to do.

Power cycling the router. Read the router's user manual or contact their tech support for instructions.

System Preferences/Internet & Network/Network

Unlock the padlock

Locations: Automatic

Highlight Airport and/or Ethernet

Click the Assist Me button

In the popup window click the Diagnostic button.

System Preferences/Network- Unlock padlock. Highlight Airport. Network Name-select your name. Click on the Advanced button. Airport/Preferred Networks-delete all that is not your network.

Place a check mark next to "Remember networks this computer has joined." Click the OK button and lock the padlock. Restart your computer.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1920 Mac OS: How to release and renew a DHCP lease

No internet connection (wireless)

Check to see if an extra entry is present in the DNS Tab for your wireless connection (System Preferences/Network/Airport/Advanced/DNS).

Delete all extra entries that you find.

Place a check mark next to "Remember networks this computer has joined."

Other resources to check into:

Troubleshooting Wi-Fi issues in OS X Lion and Mac OS X v10.6

Non-responsive DNS server or invalid DNS configuration can cause long delay before webpages load

Netspot

How to diagnose and resolve Wi-Fi slow-downs

Pv6 troubleshooting

Mac OS X 10.6 Help: Solving problems with connecting to the Internet

What Affects Wireless Internet?

Solutions for connecting to the Internet, setting up a small network, and troubleshooting

jarleaax wrote:

I have the same problem.

Tried all the troubleshooting solutions but without success.

Take the computer to an Apple store or an AASP. Whichever is more convenient for you. If you have Apple Care, call them first & get a case number.

Ok, after spending a few hours following everybody's advice, my wi-fi connection was still being dropped, was getting wifi connection timeouts and even when re-connecting I was getting "wrong password" messages even when entering the right password.

I have my MacBook Pro connected to a secondary Dell monitor. I started noticing that I would connect to wifi and as soon as I connected my monitor the wifi connection would be dropped. So I searched for whether it was possible for a monitor to cause interference and boila!, it's actually here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1365.

And I'm sure I wasn't experiencing the problem as the router would be using a different channel.

To fix, follow the advice on the link.

This won't apply to everyone out there with the wifi problems but I'm hoping it will save someone a few hours of pain and headaches.

Cheers

i´m having the same problem, Internet just stopped working, although skype works fine, everything else won't, just skype and works perfectly, i can even acces the other computers and print in my network thru wifi.

I analyzed my computer with the antivirus, and it showd a thing called yontoo, which i deleted, but it didn't work.

can anyone help??????

I am having the exact same issue.

I ran the firmware update for Thunderbolt and suddenly I cannot get out on either network interface. I cannot connect to the internet, or local resources.

I am able to connect to various wifi networks, but cannot go further.

I have the same problem.

Tried all the troubleshooting solutions but without success.

My current OSX version is 10.8.4.

All other devices connects just fine.

And my computer worked fine yesterday. I havent changed anything since yesterday.

Thanks man!

I don't think that I have any warenty left on my computer since I bought it two years ago.

And we don't have the same system in Denmark with the Genius-bar.

BUT! a little update regarding my problem. I took my other MBP that connects just fine to the network and found the DNS adresses it uses with the connection. And manually copied them to my own computer.. Then I hit the renew DHCP lease button for around 20 times, and suddenly it connected to my wifi... I restarted to how it would behave, and sadly it diden't connect again, and i hat to start over. But I got i working again. So it can be done... just done know where the the problem is.

I have had the same problems as every other MBP retina user. the solution for me was the following

i have changed my router settings. my only active channel now is channel six. i have disabled the auto channel configuration. this is a solution that works for a lot of people.

Same for me people, for a couple of weeks now I'm experiencing time-out problems on more than one MAC OSX notebook at different networks. I tried to change the network packet size in the network adapters MTU setting to a lower value e.g. 1453, but it did not completly solve my problem. My VPN connections fail. I'm running Windows on a different computer and even virtual on my MAC OSX notebook and the Windows OS doesn't have this problem and works fine. So the conclusion to me is that some stuppid OSX update must have broken our network adapter drivers.

So @ Apple I say: get this annoying bug out of our lifes or I switch to Windows again.

Thank you all for your time, and good luck with the bug!

Hi all,

I've had the very same problems with my Macbook Air since i switched to Lion and i had tried every tips and tricks available without much success so far :

- create new location

- delete saved wifis + keychain

- change MTU

- remove preference files

Yesterday, i noticed in activity monitor that many programs were running in the background (novacom drivers, Android file transfer agent, Google keystone...) which i did not want.

Then i decided to go to CleanMyMac to uninstall them as cleanly as possible. I could not find them in the main "App" tab, therefore i clicked on "Others" and... light came.

I had 83 "Others" old program bits and pieces scattered in folders such as Library, LaunchAgents or LauchDaemons. Those plist files belonged to Softwares i did not use anymore but my guess was that they were still loaded at boot time and could lead to problems.

After a good cleanup i went down to 7 remaining plist files in this tab and as a side effect : All my wi-fi problems were GONE

Yesterday was a good day!

I have a MacBook Air. I was able to connect fine yesterday evening. Ran into problems just this morning where the connection would timeout. I completely rebuilt my router settings from scratch with no luck and finally came to this post.

I followed jarnomelenhorst's advice and changed to a static channel and things are working fine now...thank you. Yuck, yucky, yuck, MacOS bug.

hi

I am experiencing now wifi timeout too....

I purchased a film on iTunes and after 1.6GB of the film, when there was still the iTunes Extras (1.3GB) to be downloaded, my wifi (despite the fact that I saw the signal icon all black) was on without being able to connect to the internet.

I thought it was the wifi modem, and I switched it off and then on.

but after another 1GB of download, the same happened.

Then it occured to me that maybe the wifi modem was ok, and then I tried using internet via my iPad, which proved the origin of the problem was my MBPro Retina (the model before the 2012 september launch).....

I have mavericks and everything up to date....

any ideas?

That is for the tip! My solution was slightly different but you took me about 90% of the way there.

For those of you that aren't able to connect by follow liskabee's advice, try connecting to your secondary and/or guest Wifi connection. That immediately solved my connectivity issue.

Hope that helps!

-M

This thread is a bit old but I just ran into the same issue and came up with a fix. On my wireless access point (uses WPA2 encryption) I changed the settings from using TKIP to AES and that fixed the error that I was getting. For some strange reason Mac does not support TKIP. Good luck hopefully this helps anyone who is having this issue!