Q: New Macbook Air - wifi connectivity problems

headcase - If you're concerned about complications with future upgrades, thankfully in this case it's easy to iron everything out. As long as you didn't botch the manual kext rollback procedure initially, it's a simple matter of re-installing the WiFi 1.0 update off Apple's website prior to installing any new OS X upgrades (to 10.8.5 or 10.9). Then you're good to go with peace of mind.

If people are still facing WiFi issues then the below link may help....

https://discussions.apple.com/message/21319289#21319289

http://www.thelondoncomputerspecialists.co.uk/

Thanks for the detailed instructions orchetect! Rolling back the driver worked like a charm for me. Ping times are now  consistently 1-3ms. Dunno if the longer ping times were really hurting my browsing, but glad to have the MBA pinging like all my other wifi devices.

orchetect - fair point about that.  'nough said.

zqx321 -

Once you get above 100ms just between your laptop and the router (not even counting the added latency to reach a website), even loading web pages can seem a bit flakey.  Glad to hear your within 1-3ms.  Rock on.

Today is the last day I'm able to return my MBA and I'm wondering if I should just go ahead and return it. It's the 3rd MBA I went through with this Wi-Fi issue. I rolled back to the .22 driver and I'm getting an avg of 4-5ms on pings but the internet often still lags considerably. I have an iMac and a rMBP connected with no lag at all so it's not an issue with the router. The Haswell MBA is an amazing product when it's working perfectly, and I'm still kinda optimistic about the situation but I'm thinking it's about time to return it and just wait for Apple to fix it since it might be a hardware issue. Any thoughts?

maharajji -

Hmm... interesting that you say your ping times to your router are healthy, but you're still having Internet issues. 

To see if its just the MBA wireless causing issues, have you tried to browse the web from your MBA via an Ethernet connection yet?  If not, I  recommend testing that first (and with a speed test too on both connections), per the usual "process of elimination".  You might have to pick up a USB-to-Ethernet or Thunderbolt-to-Ethernet adapter from the strore to do this, but I highly recommend having one of those handy anyway. 

Also, if you were to bring it to an Apple store, I suspect they would simply test it via wired and wireless against their network as well, to see if its a hardware issue.  So if you're too lazy to pick up the adapter, just bring it to the store and see what the results are there on that network, as it may be unqiue to the router you're using at home.

I've been in a similar situation (three times). If the laptop is hanging while you're on the web then return it. When Apple actually fixes the problem then you should buy it.

Why own an expensive laptop that doesn't meet your needs?

The problem is still there. It's been a couple of months and still there's no solution.

Return the MBA and make sure to tell them why.

Thanks for your responses. It's probably too late for me to try the ethernet test since I have to drive 30 minutes to Best Buy. I guess I'll just have to return it and tough out the first few weeks of school when it starts next month. Thanks again for the help

It's the same situation for me.. i've restored my driver to .22 yesterday, tested the results at home with my router. It got much better after switching back to .22, no permanently lost connection, but the throughput maxed out at about 100kb/s while my other devices were able to do 1mb/s upwards.

It depends on the network i'm using, i tried a direct connection with another notebook via "Create network" which was just fine with about 2.5mb/s, at work it's like 500kb/s, but still slow compared to the rates i got before upgrading to .35

25 year customer here  just shaking my head so disappointed.  I bought a $200 chromebook coupla weeks back for those who want to know more about how it includes your own Ninja,  short update below.  First, Steve Jobs would not tolerate this. Returning non working  MBAs is the  way to tell Apple to fix the problem.   I appreciate all the effort this forum has made in terms of manually tweaking files,  rolling back the driver to fix ping times,  but i think it is not fair or  realistic to expect most MBA owners to do  this.  Ya'll are fantastic, but Apple is hemorraging goodwill;  the reason most people love Apple products - they used to work right out of the box.   10 weeks later Apple still has not collated bad MBA serial #s with the most obvious culprets -  WiFi radio, Bluetooth, power supply, and USB component  suppliers?   10 weeks is still not sufficient to remove bad inventory from the distribution chain?  10 weeks is not enough time for engineers to figure out the procedure the incredible members of this forum figured out on their own? 

I've been waiting since last November to upgrade from a 2008 unibody Macbook.   As a 25 year customer, the word  disappointing doesn't do justice.  I  still can't reliably buy a new MBA? So I'm also not buying (yet) a new a/c router, AppleCare for 3 years, some  software, and Apple management is okay with that? 

Instead, I've had some fun with a $200 Chromebook w/ HDMI out,  also includes 100 GB free cloud storage for 2 years.As I learned recently, if you call for ChromeOS support, you get assigned a  Google Ninja.  You don't have to go to a genius bar, your  Ninja comes to you.  Your Ninja personally emails, no cut & paste boilerplate nonsense.  He/she remembers your name, and ....wait for it....you get to make  phone appointments. You can schedule your phone appointment via email or phone, you get personal confirmation, and so far they call exactly on time for each appointment.  Today, my Google Ninja taught me how to mirror my chromebook via HDMI to my t.v. -and how to move  trackpad cursor back and forth between t.v. and Chromebook.  (I didn't tell my Ninja I was actually attaching the chromebook via HDMI to my Yamaha AVR, b/c the Yammie handles all HDMI switching).  Chromebook automatically recognized my t.v. and identified the exact model # by itself; I  needed  Ninja support to learn how to toggle correctly... and ... voila.  Anything streaming in a chromeOS tab can now be mirrored to my HD home theater with surround sound.  A personal Ninja who makes phone appointments and is pepared with his  chromebook, HDMI cable, and a t.v. - walking me through it step by step. I did have to ask my Ninja to 'slow down,' a few times, and observed we had skipped a step or two, but he is always patient.   In fairness, we still are working out an issue with cloud printing, but today my ninja gave  me the next set of procedures to try out, in detail,  and said get back to him when i've given that a whirl.   I have to say - just being able to talk to the same support person each time saves at least 30 minutes per interaction. Which means has has more time to help more customers.   Today's phone call started with "Hi," "Hi,"  and then we got to work.  And then I was mirroring.

I'll say it again - Samsung/Google/Android smartphone sales have overtaken iOS. 

Is this what Apple wants to happen in the tablet and laptop markets?

Mr. Cook, are you listening?

Chrome books are pieces of junk... Really dude? Stop posting this same old response a million times, no one cares. I had a bad MacBook Air and it dropped wifi like crazy, after a lot of troubleshooting they finally caved in and sent me a new one, second one had a scratch!!! Returned this one as well! Finally received my new MBA a week ago and all of the problems I had are non-existent on this current MBA. Every time I called in to get a replacement sent out, I talked them into partial refunds for my trouble. 125 dollars back for my troubles and the problem with the defective MBA wasn't horrible, just mildly annoying at times. I feel like they righted their wrong with me, no other laptops even come close to MacBooks so what are you gonna do, right?

I have experienced zero WIFI problems with two new MacBook Air(s).  With my new Airport Extreme, 6th gen. I am seeing transfer rates of 869 MB.  I do not know if I am just lucky, I have a vacation home with my "old" gen 5 Airport Extreme and it functions perfectly, just a little slower, no 802.11 AC support.

ok, get your ninja and join the expendables.

some people have returned their MBA 3 times. I wonder if Samsung/google/many other companies or your ninja would do that without any question... probably not.

this is an apple forum, nothing else to say.

I you don´t like it, so simple, don't buy any other apple's product, but don't express your disapointment here, this is a troubleshooting forum...

many others like you don't have problems. me neither. Here just post many others who have it.. just a matter of luck