Q: New Macbook Air - wifi connectivity problems

MaXKiLLz wrote:

 

If all you're going to do with your Air is sit at home, connected to your Airport router, then everything will seem fine to you.  But if you decide to leave that dark cave of yours and wander out into the sunlight, you'll very likely experience problems.  The "fix" Crapple put out doesn't fix anything.  Try watching Netflix on the same router that was causing you problems before the fix.  Then you'll see how nothing's changed.

People really need to stop generalising on these forums and this thread in particular!! This comment reads like it's fixed nothing for anybody. I have been testing it on my TP-Link router that I was having severe problems with prior to the fix being released and it has indeed fixed the connection issues entirely. Anyone that thinks that any device will stay connected flawlessly over wireless, forever, is living in cloud cuckoo land. Wireless ***** generally!

My only problem now is that Apple's implementation of SMB is unsuably slow. And that's a real problem for me now that all my files are shared from a Windows Server 2012 based HP Microserver. For that, I will be following up with Apple support. Not because I expect them to wave some magic wand and fix something that's been broken in OS X for a long time, but more so they have another statistic to add to the list. What worries me here is that in OS X 10.9 they are allegedly switching the default to SMB. SMB2 though, which is a different implementation so hopefully it may resolve the long standing issues there.

Anyway, back to the connection issues. Please don't generalise. It HAS fixed it for some people but what happens is that once it's fixed for them, like me they tend to turn their notifications off and will likely not bother to come back here to tell you so the people for whom it's not fixed will be the ones left shouting loudest. Which, clearly, is understandable.

The problem with your marginilization of the issue is simply this: if it fixes for you at your home and your workplace, that's great for you, I wish I was you (maybe).

The problem is if you buy an ultra portable for the portability of it - then you're SOL when you want to use it somewhere that your other machine - say a Macbook Pro in my case - would work fine, but the Air is unusable.

Many people buy a laptop to take advantage of its portability and use it on the road. If you have users reporting that it's not fixed for them at home - will you be able to safely get work done at the {hotel, cafe, library, client site} that you need to use it?

That's why we're being louder than some think is necessary. Because we use our computers in a variety of places, with a variety of access points.

I live in Romania and I already checked the repair procedures. They honor the international 1 year warranty. But we do not have an Apple store in Romania, there are only authorized distributors, so they will probably not change it with any new one, they will just repair it. I asked the Romanian distributor if they had any complaints about the MacBook Air's (2013 model) wifi and they said no.No complaints at all. It seems strange. Here we usually use WPA2 encryption, if that makes any difference.

The dilemma I have: should I buy in Tokyo from an Apple store or go to a reseller. The price difference is almost 200 USD ! (I triple checked, the same model, year, configuration, etc). If I buy it from Apple store I know that they will replace it instantly if I have any problems, but if I buy it from a reseller....I don't know the policy.

But I will open a new thread with this question, because this is the "wifi problems", not buying advices

Just to be sure it is not a hardware issue with the new MacBook Ai: did anyone tried Windows in bootcamp to see if the wifi problem is still there?

It's not fixed.  Do not buy the 2013 Macbook Air until this is fixed 100%.

I have Win 8 on boot camp and I did have the wifi problem in Windows too before the fix. After the fix, I have not noticed any drops.

attiland,

Did you see the WiFi issue and was it resolved post update ?

That is very bad news. From my understanding,when in Windows, the Mac uses Windows drivers and this means it might not be a OS X related issue. If it's not OS related, the only thing left is a hardware problem ht. I say that because, even if in your case everything works, it seems there are still people with the probem unresolved after the update.

Other folks here have reported the WIndows issue goes away after shutting down, waiting 2 minutes and restarting the machine.

My only chance to buy it is in the next two and a half weeks, when I'll be in Japan. It is too expensive where I live. The 13" base model, (2013 Haswell MacBook Air with i5 and 128 GB) costs the equivalent of 1600 USD. In Japan, the same model costs between 800 to 1000 USD.

FYI, I'm still being asked for diagnostic reports by Apple engineers regarding the public WiFi update.  So it shows they're still looking into the issue.  No guarantees yet...

I don't mind to much buying it and waiting a while for an update. I mean: I do mind, but I can live with it because if it is a sofware problem they will fix it sooner or later. But if it's a hardware problem (design, incompatibility between components, etc) no update will ever fix it!

I have been contacted by Apple engineers as well asking for Wireless Diagnostics.  Will update when they get back to me. 

Thank God I returned mine within the 14 days.

Look, I don't want to suggest that the problems reported here are illusory, but maybe my experience would suggest what the problem might be.  I followed this thread, and finally bought the Mac Air from Amazon on the day the fix was announced. I got it in two days.  I have used it at home where I have Verizon Fios router and at Starbucks, and I have had no problems.  The wifi is visibly faster at home than it is with my Ipad or old laptop.  I have been on line for an hour at a time, and have had no dropped connections.  I haven't downloaded the fix. My rule is to leave well enough alone.  I don't know what this implies -- maybe there has been a bad batch of Mac Airs.