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Flippuccino Author

Level 1

0 points

New Airport Extreme (6th Gen) Dropping Connection from Time to Time.

Problem:

6th Generation Airport Extreme drops connection intermittently at random times.

Set Up:

6th Generation Airport Extreme (main router - no hard drive/not a time capsule) located center of house on the main floor. 2 Range extenders each approximately 30+ feet away from main router. First range extender (Airport Express - newest generation) located on the third floor parallel to main. Second range extender (Airport Express - new generation) is located at the end of the kitchen (main floor).

Main Router is connected straight from a Motorolla Surfboard modem on a foyer table at the center of the house.

Range extenders connected to Main Router wirelessly and at wall outlett height.

Previous Setup:

Same setup as above but, with the 5th Generation Airport Extreme instead of the 6th Generation.

Firmware:

All current versions.

Devices:

1 SONY VAIO VGN-FW490J
HP Notebook G60
Several WEMO outlets
1 iPad Mini
1 iPad 2
1 iPhone 5
1 Motorolla RAZR MAXX
Macbook Pro
iMac (wired from main router on foyer table)

Note: All of these routers/range extenders/modem/computers are plugged into surge protected outlets.

-----

Notes:

With the new Airport Extreme my family and I have been experiencing intermettent connection drops. The amber light on the main router turns on and within a few minutes turns green and connection resumes again. This has been happening for a few days now ever since I purchased the new router. This has not happened before with the 5th generation router, which I donated to our church.

I have not exchanged the product yet. I will be initiating a Complete Power Recycle after some suggested solutions in a bit. I have contacted my Internet Service Provider (Comcast) for a line check and found no problems.

Has anyone found any solutions to resolve the intermittent connection drops? Is reverting to the previous firmware going to solve this?

I would like some insights before trying to do all this. Thank you all for your time.

P.s.

I've done a detailed post since posts like these is frequently asked questions on set-up, devices, connections, etc:

Posted on Jun 27, 2013 6:45 PM

92 replies

usabug

Level 1

8 points

Aug 26, 2014 5:14 PM in response to iZHP

It has been a while since someone posted in this thread. I know apple now has 7.7.3 released.

My friend has WOWWAY internet service with the cable modem running DHCP. He has a 24port gig unmanaged switch plugged into cable modem and all computers, apple tv's, and Apple Base Station plugged into the switch. Everything get a 10.1.x.x. address from the DHCP server. When initially booted up everything works fine. Then randomly the network starts bouncing up and down.

I logged onto his iMac and opened terminal window and ping www.yahoo.com. I get random times of successful pings followed by time outs (and repeat).

I have swapped out the cable modem, patch cords, tried different switch ports. After reading this thread, I took the Base Station to the apple store where it was swapped out with a new one. Same problem again. Network will not stay up when base station is installed.

If I plug my macbook into the cable modem and run same ping test I get ZERO time outs. Through the switch I get network problems. If I unplug the Base Station and run NO wireless the problem goes away.

What is going on with the Apple Base Station 6th gen. I have spent HOURS trying to get this up and working for him and it will NOT WORK.

I have the 5th gen with 2 airport express units in extended mode in my home and it has been flawless for months and months and months.

I have tried all the things people have recommended here with settings in Airport utility. This is really frustrating as ****.

Please can anyone give me advise on this besides buying a competitor product?

Here is a ping test from when I had the network configured 192.

Request timeout for icmp_seq 3

Request timeout for icmp_seq 4

Request timeout for icmp_seq 5

Request timeout for icmp_seq 6

Request timeout for icmp_seq 7

Request timeout for icmp_seq 8

64 bytes from 198.144.21.104: icmp_seq=9 ttl=111 time=63.577 ms

Request timeout for icmp_seq 10

Request timeout for icmp_seq 11

64 bytes from 198.144.21.104: icmp_seq=11 ttl=111 time=1037.442 ms

64 bytes from 198.144.21.104: icmp_seq=12 ttl=111 time=128.885 ms

64 bytes from 198.144.21.104: icmp_seq=13 ttl=111 time=1005.031 ms

64 bytes from 198.144.21.104: icmp_seq=14 ttl=111 time=1015.908 ms

64 bytes from 198.144.21.104: icmp_seq=16 ttl=111 time=63.524 ms

Request timeout for icmp_seq 17

64 bytes from 198.144.21.104: icmp_seq=18 ttl=111 time=68.032 ms

Request timeout for icmp_seq 19

64 bytes from 198.144.21.104: icmp_seq=19 ttl=111 time=1011.305 ms

Request timeout for icmp_seq 21

Request timeout for icmp_seq 22

Request timeout for icmp_seq 23

Request timeout for icmp_seq 24

Request timeout for icmp_seq 25

Request timeout for icmp_seq 26

64 bytes from 198.144.21.104: icmp_seq=2 ttl=111 time=25059.225 ms

64 bytes from 198.144.21.104: icmp_seq=27 ttl=111 time=1030.803 ms

64 bytes from 198.144.21.104: icmp_seq=28 ttl=111 time=1023.464 ms

Request timeout for icmp_seq 30

Request timeout for icmp_seq 31

Request timeout for icmp_seq 32

Request timeout for icmp_seq 33

64 bytes from 198.144.21.104: icmp_seq=32 ttl=111 time=2003.501 ms

Request timeout for icmp_seq 35

64 bytes from 198.144.21.104: icmp_seq=35 ttl=111 time=1002.853 ms

64 bytes from 198.144.21.104: icmp_seq=36 ttl=111 time=1003.328 ms

Request timeout for icmp_seq 38

64 bytes from 198.144.21.104: icmp_seq=38 ttl=111 time=1042.711 ms

64 bytes from 198.144.21.104: icmp_seq=37 ttl=111 time=2999.585 ms

Request timeout for icmp_seq 41

Thanks in advance.

usabug

Level 1

8 points

Sep 4, 2014 6:34 AM in response to usabug

Spent another week working with WOWWAY to get the network stable. The cable between the house and yard pedestal was replaced, yet still packet loss on the ping test. Switched to comcast business class service with static IP. Circuit clean and running with no loss of packet.

When I plug in the 6th gen Airport base station and set up a network, everything is fine. When I plug in and add the airport express to extend the existing network, the packet loss problem returns. The network goes haywire and nothing is happy.

The airport utility shows the Internet connect (earth icon) as yellow and the Base station and express go green then yellow. Then everything goes green for about 10-30 seconds then yellow. The bouncing up and down happens as my ping request timeout.

The only way I can get the apple Base station and airport express to stay up and not crash the network is when I set them up as 2 different wireless networks instead of extending them as one.

Anyone else see this problem with the apple product?

I have the 5th generation Airport Extreme in my house with 2 airport express units extending my network. Works flawless. When I try and set this up for my buddy with the 6th Gen Base Station and 2 airport express units, the network crashes up and down.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Tin Omen

Level 1

11 points

Sep 4, 2014 7:16 AM in response to usabug

I had the exact same issue with several wireless bridges. I was trying to give an ethernet port to a device in an area that didn't have cables.

I posted around here there and everywhere and got no response other than "Buy moor Applleee! Hurrr durr!! Linksys/Netgear/D-Link suckksss!!!"

So... From what you are saying, I gather that the problem is with anything that tries to extend or bridge the Apple Airport product, including (some/all?) other Apple products. I would like to get more feedback here. Anyone else extend or bridge wifi without using the 5Ghz channel?

As an aside, I mentioned to the derps named above that due to this bug, I could walk into ANYWHERE with an Apple 6th gen AP and turn on the bridge and bring the entire network offline. Seems to be more of a flaw to me. Of course Apple doesn't pay attention to these forums... I keep my little Netgear bridge around to screw with people in bars... They get really annoyed and panicked when I crash the Apple hotspot at will. Obvious bug is obvious (and really entertaining to watch.)

Sep 4, 2014 8:44 AM in response to Tin Omen

This is my similar issue.

Near new AirPort Express (early 2014)

AirPort Express Network Connectivity Issue #16037

Tin Omen

Level 1

11 points

Sep 4, 2014 9:56 AM in response to DuckSocks

ANYONE that has bridging on a 6th gen AE with some other device (Airport Extreme/Express, Netgear, D-Link, etc.) without the WiFi freaking out please speak up.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6518710

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6508056

And the end of this section. (Page 6+) Not the OP's issue which was fixed.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5134485

Oct 20, 2014 9:38 AM in response to Tin Omen

I have also had these problems. In UK my IP is BT. Drop outs happening all the time since using Airport Extreme, 2 Airport Express, then adding Apple TV.

BT say that Infinity will be with us next week, I asked directly, "can I use Apple products with this?" Answer, not really compatible!! Now what do I do.Apple needs to look into these problems that many,many others have!! They want our money but are not prepared to give us help to get good service,

Buddha_E

Level 1

4 points

Dec 6, 2014 9:47 AM in response to Flippuccino

I have experience drop wifi connections and weak signal for many weeks.

I read many forums and did searches.

I try many methods, none works.

It really drive me crazy. Finally:

I renamed both Base Station name and Wifi SSID, different names.

As well as the 2 passwords is different..

I allocate each device with their own IP address with their MAC address.

DHCP renew leased is set to 8 days.

so far so good. no drop connection and improve signal too.

Will need to monitor further..

Flippuccino Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 30, 2014 12:12 PM in response to Buddha_E

How is it going for you now? Still going strong?

Clayq

Level 1

0 points

Feb 14, 2015 2:04 AM in response to Flippuccino

I am having the EXACT same problem and its been driving me nuts.

Original setup 3x 4th Gen AEBS, 1 central and 2 as extenders. All in bridge mode, this setup works perfect - HDhomerun streaming HD TV from 1 extender to an EyeTV on the other extender.

Decided to upgrade the central AP to an AEBS 6th Gen. Ever since it has been rubbish - massive ping spikes and packet drops, EyeTV stream dropping out. Tried all the suggestions including all firmwares, configuration edits etc, but could never get it working properly.

Today I had enough and removed the AEBS 6th gen and put back the 4th Gen, and changed them all to 7.6.1 FW. Working like a charm, no drops.

So this AEBS is going back to Apple for a refund, biggest POS I've ever owned...

Apr 17, 2015 8:47 AM in response to Clayq

I'm attempting to get my 5th gen AE and my 6th gen AE to play nice together, but so far - same problem as mentioned in this thread. Dropped connections and intermittent access. Just so frustrating.

The AE:s are connected with cable and no matter which one is primary (connected to the internet) it just won't work. Hopeless.

Will follow this thread for any solution.

May 9, 2015 10:21 PM in response to Flippuccino

Is that any way have a solution to eliminate the wifi drop off problem yet?

Because I have bought a six gen apple airport extreme, and I want to know what cable modems is capability well with it.

And I want to switch from ATT to Comcast, since the speed for ATT in my area is really slow.

Thanks so much.

May 9, 2015 10:23 PM in response to Buddha_E

How is it doing so far? Also, what ISP do you use right now, and what cable modem as well, thanks so much. Because I am going to switch from ATT to Comcast soon. Thanks again.

jackell

Level 1

0 points

Jul 5, 2015 4:47 PM in response to Flippuccino

I just received confirmation from a Consumer Support Specialist. & a supervisor tech. That the generation 6 Apple Airport Extreme cannot be set up properly on a Windows device.

Because this offer is updated Apple is chosen to not update the software to support generation 6 hardware.

Therefore it must only be set up with a Mac device.

Sep 19, 2015 3:51 PM in response to jackell

I'm on my 4th Airport Extreme AC router and I'm convinced there is a bug with the firmware.

I literally picked this one up this morning from the Apple Store, plugged it in, and the same problem happened within 5 minutes.

Forget about playing with settings, I've done that to death. Ethernet always works fine, but the unit gets quite warm to the touch on top and drops all wifi connections.

My first unit was from Australia, and the last three have been supplied in the Netherlands. It has to be firmware.

ozialien

Level 1

8 points

Sep 20, 2015 11:47 AM in response to qcmacmini

I am getting the impression that the wireless interface cannot see the rest of the network hierarchy through the Airport Extremes switch downward in the switch tree.

ARP probe cannot find the Active Directory server on a subswitch. Its only when a apple computer on the leaf switch ethernet connects to the Airport Extreme that the airport can see the the leaf switch, and wireless devices start getting there DHCP addresses again.
So Ethernet devices connected on a switch notify upward but the airport cannot ethernet notify downward and because its the wireless hub it can never get an Active Directory DHCP address for a wireless client, leading to a connection that never comes up on a wireless device.

The only work around would be to DHCP establish the Active Directories "Server IP" as a single NAT DHCP address based on MAC address.

New Airport Extreme (6th Gen) Dropping Connection from Time to Time.