My MacBook Pro Won't Connect To WiFi Unless I'm 5Ft. Away From Router. How Can I Fix This?

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My MacBook Pro Won't Connect To WiFi Unless I'm 5Ft. Away From Router. How Can I Fix This?

I have a 2011 MacBook Pro, 15". I got it refurbished for Christmas.

So my problem is whenever I'm more then 10 feet away from my wireless router. I have had no problems with it untill a couple weeks ago, it wasn't as bad as it is now. My router is in my TV room and I can't connect to WiFi in my kitchen which is no less then 15 feet away.

I've tried really everything, I've reset my modem and router, shut down and restart my computer, I've made WiFi the priomity thing to start when i wake up the laptop from System Prefrences, and even delete big files on my computer to see if it would make it better, and nothing helps.

Is there anything I can do?

I've been thinking about Factory Reseting it and moving all my files on to an external harddrive.

Please Help!!!

Thanks.

P.S. Im on the operating system 10.7.5

MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2011), Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Jul 28, 2013 3:24 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 28, 2013 3:36 PM in response to ImPhatty

What wireless router exactly do you have?

Download and install a wireless analysis program.. like istumbler.. and do a survey and see what wireless signal is like around you house.. note carefully high power wireless from neighbours using the same channel as your wifi.. try moving the wifi channel to better suit the environment.. but do not be surprised if everything is used up.. there are very limited free channels.. most overlap and there are a zillion products which do not show up.. many use much more power than wifi.. eg. cordless phones.. they are the worst. but there is av senders, front door bells and security phones and CCTV and baby monitors and .. the list goes on and on as new uses are made of the unlicensed band.

More power.. buy a wireless router with more power so you escalate the battle with the neighbours.

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Answer 2

ImPhatty Author

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Jul 28, 2013 3:57 PM in response to LaPastenague

I have three other Mac's around the house, in the room next to the TV room and in the basement and upstairs and they all have perfect WiFi.

I play Diablo 3 on this computer, and the only thing me and my brother can think of it to restore it.

I did download iStumbler and it said the level for my WiFi was at a max of 35%.

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Answer 3

Jul 28, 2013 4:11 PM in response to ImPhatty

I did download iStumbler and it said the level for my WiFi was at a max of 35%.

Do other Macs around the house get the same levels? You can just look under wifi and see the RSSI value.

Put the problem mac next to the one working properly.. hold the option key when you click the wifi icon.. how do RSSI numbers compare?

You can do a clean install.. you may as well use mountain lion.. if you are going to clean install. See if it works better.

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Answer 4

ImPhatty Author

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Jul 28, 2013 4:27 PM in response to LaPastenague

So I went to the Mac next to the TV room, which is a 2011 iMac(purchased it new) and it said the RSSI was -50 and on the MacBook Pro the RSSI was -84. Something else I noticed was the transmit rate on the iMac was at 300 and the transmit rate on the was at like 35...

Like I said before the level on iStumbler was 35% max for my MacBook when I was right next to the router, but in the main computer room my laptop is at only 20% max. The level percent on my iMac is 64.

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