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CongressDJ Author

Level 1

7 points

New Airport Time Capsule Dropping Wifi/Internet with 7.7.1

Last week I bought a new Airport 2TB Time Capsule and had everything up and running within minutes. However, less than 24 hours later, the wifi signal started dropping devices all around the house. It started with the AppleTV, and eventually dropped our iPhones and iPad as well. The problem is one I've seen on these forums before (however, not with this new model).

I since exchanged it, and the new model is having the identical issues.

Basically, the problem is 1 of 3 things:

1. You'll look down at your iPhone (or whatever device that is wirelessly connected), and see a full wifi signal. However, you'll have lost access to the Internet. Using the AirPort app won't find the Airport Time Capsule. Sometimes turning off wifi on the iPhone and turning it back on fixes the issue, sometimes the Airport Time Capsule needs to be restarted.

2. The AirPort Time Capsule stops broadcasting SSID at random intervals. Even when standing right next to it, there is no way to join the network.

3. The Internet connection drops in the middle of a browsing session (usually while using an iPhone).

On both devices (the original new one, and the replacement exchange), I immediately ran the firmware update. So, I'm thinking this could be a firmware issue.

This router replaces a Linksys e3000 that was working flawlessly. It's connected to a Cox Cable Cisco DOCSIS 3.0 modem (modem only, no router). The AirPort Time Capsule runs in WPA2 protected mode. It's running DHCP and NAT, and 2.4 and 5ghz are currently running the same network name (although I've tried separating them to no effect).

I am at my wits end. I find it hard to believe that both of these routers are defective. And I also find it hard to believe that I'm doing something wrong in the setup of this simple device, considering I've been working with all kinds of very complicated routers for over a decade without this kind of problem.

So I come to you, community, for help!

Thank you in advance!

Posted on Jun 30, 2013 7:08 PM

Top-ranking reply

LaPastenague

Level 9

67,244 points

Posted on Jun 30, 2013 7:52 PM

I don't have one.. but your testing is conclusive.. the TC is not stable on this firmware.. Apple will no doubt fix it .. I think their secrecy in marketing leads to less than adequate testing.. you are expecting to buy a mature product.. remember this is a ground breaker.. this is the first all new design since Gen1 TC.. all previous models used Maxell processor and chipset.. albeit with various wireless cards.. now it is broadcom.. processor and wireless.. this also runs apple written firmware.

Broadcom OEM firmware.(linux and hence open source) supplied to all manufacturers of products based on the chipset.. well that would be just wrong for apple... it has to be done in NETBSD,, so it is not open source.. the very thought.. open source.. . that would give everyone access to controls apple don't want you to have.. http setup even.. couldn't allow that.. so apple have to write the firmware from scratch and to match all those apple protocols. Hence where they are now now.

And your role is beta tester.. didn't you know. 😝

Return it and stick with your Linksys (broadcom, Linux open source) until Gen 6 TC comes out. 😉

Unless you like the bleeding edge.

View in context

128 replies

Jul 12, 2013 9:01 AM in response to CongressDJ

Here's an update: I went ahead and did a Time Machine restore from 6/26 since my problems started after that.

I've now gone 24 hours without any freezing or having my MBP drop it's connection to the TC, which is good.

I'm being asked to make updates now but will be ingorning them for the time being.

Jul 12, 2013 9:40 AM in response to Merrymack72

Last update from me:

Telus helped me out. Life is good again except for one minor annoyance. My devices connection time out occasionally, at least one a day. I have to then "Forget this netwrok" on the connection and reconnect by entering the password.

I assume this will be aaddressed in another firmware update sometime. I least I hope.

Jul 12, 2013 10:02 AM in response to Truffles100

Scratch that... I just had my connection to the TC get dropped.

I keep getting WiFi hardware not installed message also, so I'm going to try a USB wifi adapter since reparing the internal one will be to pricey.

Klatox

Level 1

0 points

Jul 14, 2013 5:21 PM in response to Klatox

Ah man, I just had 2 drops on my MacBook Pro in the past 20 minutes. Piece of crap. I've got at least 8 users and probably 20 devices running through this thing, this is really frustrating...

Klatox

Level 1

0 points

Jul 28, 2013 9:24 AM in response to CongressDJ

Revisiting this problem, I remember that when I first bought my MacBook Pro (mid-2010), I had intermittent connection drops (Linksys router at the time), and the only way I fixed it was by disabling IPv6 on the laptop. With this in mind, I went ahead and disabled "Enable IPv6 Connection Sharing" on the Time Capsule (Internet/Internet Options).

We'll see what happens. One thing I've noticed so far is that the wifi speed on my iPhone 5 (primary device which is dropping connection for me) is faster. Before I was getting ~2Mbps in my office and I've now been able to get up to 25Mbps...strange stuff.

gharraph

Level 1

0 points

Aug 1, 2013 10:07 PM in response to CongressDJ

I'm just bought this tc month ago. it was working great till I updated to 7.7.1. then I started experiencing the same disconnecting problems on all my divices!!! how can I donwgrade my firmware to the previous version?

Aug 9, 2013 5:01 PM in response to CongressDJ

Hi. Yesterday i receive my new Airport time capsule 2TB.

Installed and noted that my internet connection was going really slowly, on wifi and ethernet.

So I went back to my old configuration (Airport Express) and voila.... 50% + of speed and everything goes smooth.

So im testing both devices, same configurations and the results are the same on wifi and cable...

50% less speed on Aiport Time Capsule.

all great with the old airport express.

So whats the problem???

the "New Technology of the New Time Capsule??

the new Design>?>>??

really i want my money back... Or Maybe an apple explanation on this?????

Im sure in my country i wont get my money back...

So Please Apple, say something about it.... 400 US$ (thats the price in my country) for a wifi HDD, No....please...

what is this?>??

Beamforming puts the focus on your device.???

UP to 3X FASTERRRRR????

COME ON.....

Aug 9, 2013 7:22 PM in response to CongressDJ

I have the 3TB Airport Time Capsule. It is my first time using an Apple network setup. I have several drops. My Apple TV is interupted often, and I have dropped connections on ipad, iphone, and Macbook.

All of this in my 700 sq/ft home!!!!

My $40.00 router did a better job.

I was excited to have a 3TB wireless router, but am "EXTREME"ly dissapointed.

I thought converting to a complete Apple ecosystem would be better.😕

APPLE, please offer solutions before I return this and go back to my $40.00 router.😟

Aug 9, 2013 7:40 PM in response to macman357

Update....I went into the router settings and increased the lease time and haven't had any drops since. I was having issues everyday but haven't had any in two weeks!!! Fingers crossed.....

Aug 11, 2013 9:34 PM in response to CongressDJ

I'm having the same issues as everyone else. New Time Capsule, Firmware 7.7.1 and was constantly having drops from WiFi. Went back to using my Linksys for Wireless. So much faster.

Bought a new 13 inch Macbook pro Retina display too... Silly me to think it had the new 802.11 AC in it 😠

Apple needs to resolve this!!!!! I'm going to go argue with the Genius team tomorrow and see what they suggest.

It's funny, you would think an apple router for you iphone, imac, macbook's, and ipad would be faster and seemless... 😕

Aug 12, 2013 7:27 AM in response to CongressDJ

I have the Airport Time Capsule 2TB and I am losing connection to the Internet about once per day. The only remedy is to unplug the Time Capsule and plug it back in.

The problem is not limited to wireless, I am hard wired from my MacMini and it loses connectivity, as well as the WIFI based MacBooks, MacBook Pros, AppleTVs, iPads and iPhone 4S's

However, I am running firmware 7.6.3 so maybe it is not 7.7.1 after all.

The only recent addition to the network is the AppleTV and I am wondering if it is the weak link.

mtnbkr1

Level 1

8 points

Aug 12, 2013 6:58 PM in response to mtnbkr1

so, an update. I wound up taking the original unit back to the Apple store and explained the problem. They switched it out for me and that seemed to do the trick. (knock on wood). I haven't had a drop since, so maybe htere was a bad batch of units?

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,629 points

Aug 14, 2013 3:23 AM in response to Plarratia

Plarratia wrote:

really i want my money back...

Apple has a wonderful return policy.

atxtra

Level 1

0 points

Aug 14, 2013 5:34 AM in response to CongressDJ

Looks like an update just hit! Post if you have success!

atxtra

Level 1

0 points

Aug 14, 2013 5:43 AM in response to atxtra

So, when I installed my new TC, I was having all kinds of issues. Once I took my Airport Express that I was replacing, and added it to the network, it seemed to have improved significantly. In fact, since adding the express to the network, I don't recall a single drop. Firmware version 7.6.4 was released today, which is accessible through the airport utility app, however the odd thing is, is that it updated my Express' firmware from 6.6.3 and not the newer TC's firmware from 7.7.1. Hoping this helps everyone out there!

New Airport Time Capsule Dropping Wifi/Internet with 7.7.1