Q: Late 2013 Macbook Pro Retina 13'' Wifi Issues

bakinsw,

Try assigning a static IP address to your machine.  If it works, you know it is either a software problem or a router problem.

http://kb.linksys.com/Linksys/ukp.aspx?pid=80&vw=1&articleid=15793

You have to know the IP address range your router assigns.  Most of the time, if it is a home network, you can try 192.168.1.50.

From my visit to genius - its a hardware issue.

Re fixing IP - defo not a router issue unless apple have started using some rubbish - I have just upgraded from a 2009 MBP so have a like for like test bed - 2009 machine works like a dream - 2013 MBP works like a dog.

Reconnection issue from sleep with me only occurs when on power - as if you are running on battery it seems to shutdown the wifi card to save power and then create a new connection upon resume - when on power its like they do not fully kill the wifi card so it gets stuck in a mid state of confusion.

My biggest problem is performance - ping test is just shocking and your network sessions run fast then slow then fast then slow then fast then hang - PITA

Same experiences with two new rMBPs. Do not have disconnection problem, but latency. 

I have new apple TC in my network so its not a 3rd party router incompatibility. 

Ping to my TC on my late MBA 2010:

ping on my new rMBP 2013:

I spend some time with applecare, then transferred to wireless dept, then to senior adviser.

We did the test in recovery mode terminal - without OSX loaded. Always the same, very consistent results on two new rMPB - latency.

As soon as I force wifi card to not sleep (like ping -i .1 192.168.0.10 or simply download a file) everything is OK - ping stable and short.

Conclusion - this is not OSX - its either hardware or hardware firmware.

I have scheduled a meeting with genius, but doubt it will resolve anything. I don't want to replace my machines as I'm sure new one will have the same.

The problem is apple claims NOT to be aware of this problem, or doesn't want to acknowlegde this.

Senior adviser told me they are not aware of such problem - it was new to him.

PLEASE REPORT to APPLE (not only here, but http://www.apple.com/feedback/ )

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=357 ttl=64 time=44.022 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=358 ttl=64 time=64.909 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=359 ttl=64 time=2.151 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=360 ttl=64 time=110.629 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=361 ttl=64 time=120.040 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=362 ttl=64 time=1.191 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=363 ttl=64 time=179.437 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=364 ttl=64 time=3.038 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=365 ttl=64 time=21.557 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=366 ttl=64 time=44.021 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=367 ttl=64 time=66.998 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=368 ttl=64 time=0.972 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=369 ttl=64 time=114.230 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=370 ttl=64 time=138.034 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=371 ttl=64 time=0.720 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=372 ttl=64 time=17.054 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=373 ttl=64 time=2.755 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=374 ttl=64 time=2.014 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=375 ttl=64 time=48.464 ms

64 bytes from 10.0.6.1: icmp_seq=376 ttl=64 time=71.500 ms

This is the Me294 ping value report. Some problem. Can you Fix this, Apple, where is Apple?

Just spent 5 minutes in a shop testing different apple macs

In total 5 ping tests - results:

Latency problem:

- MBA 13" 2013

- iMac 27 2013

- MBP 13" 2013

- MBP 15 2013

no problem with latency:

- MBP classic (not retina) 13"

Honestly I haven't found 2013 mac without this problem - it is not widely recognized as people not always notice this, not everybody plays with terminal.

It can be noticed in case of streaming something if buffering is not good - I tested Internet radio and youtube. In both cases ping latency exists.

Did you get this confirmed?

I have the exact problem with my macbook pro retina (15" late 2012) when i'm connected to the wifi at work, but I ave no problems when im connected to my home network. I have also tested a D-LINK usb WIFI adapter on the work network (where other computers have no problem at all) and have the exact same issue with that. I think there is some sort of bug somewhere else, this cannot be hardware. Atleast not the airport module itself or its antennae

I have another thread on this issue and there are suggestions that there might be problems with the 802.11a networks, but i have not gotten any good explanation on it.

I went to the Apple Service Center today. The Apple service technician verified there was a problem with it. He had never heard of anything like this before though. He said they could send it on service or I could get a new one (I took a new one). The new computer has the exact same issue (it is from another store). I didn't have time to test it directly in the store when I got it.

He also verified it was not a problem with the OS, he tried in recovery mode terminal (before the OS is loaded). Same problem there. Of course the network they have didn't kick me out, like I normally get. But the ping is terrible, he saw that.

So I don't know what to do...if I send it on service, will they fix it? Is there anything to fix?

It seems all machines have this issue, but most people don't have enough problems with it? Thinking Apple doesn't have to do anything about it... But it feels wrong that my 10 yr old laptop has better WiFi than my brand new rMBP.

I dont know if anyone else has mentioned this, but I was having lots of connectivity issues. But I added google's IPv4 and IPv6 DNS server addresses to my wifi settings and this significantly improved the situation.

https://developers.google.com/speed/public-dns/

Since my exchange rMBP 15" has the same issues (of course), I had a longer telephone  call with Apples technical support in Germany. We tried several things to solve the problem, but they all did not work (of course).

At the end, she told me that they are aware of these issues, but Apples engineers/technicians haven't yet developed a solution. So I have to wait until a firmware update is released. Otherwise I could return the Macbook or get a new exchange, what again wouldn't solve anything (of course). In the meantime, she recommended to buy an adapter and use an ethernet cable.

Let me rephrase - the latency is not a defect nor a bug. It's a powersaving feature.
The problem is that "ping" as such cannot deliver enough 'weight' for it to stay awake.

I created this little screenrecording to show you the actual impact.

If I just ping, it looks like the latency is very high - as soon as I start the stream (from my Synology > Macbook) you see that the ping imediately drops until I hit Pause on the player.

http://d.cloudz.be/9qBR

Geniusses .. tssk

If the latency would be the only problem.

At the moment I'm only getting acceptable speed when sitting next to the router. When I move the rMBP 15" (Late 2013) a room further, to all the other devices that work properly, I'm loosing wifi connection with the rMBP or at least it gets unusable slow.

The new MB seems to be much more happy with a 5Ghz signal than a 2.4Ghz.

What happens if you turn off your wifi in the next room and turn it back on on your rMBP?

If you hold your ALT-key while clicking on the Wifi symbol, what do you see? RSSI / Transmit Rate / MCS Index?

Turning wifi off and on in the new room: Connection remains slow.

"Good room":

PHY mode: 802.11g

Channel: 11 (2,4Ghz)

RSSI: -41

Transmit Rate: 24

MCS Index not shown

"Bad room":

PHY mode: 802.11g

Channel: 11 (2,4Ghz)

RSSI: -63

Transmit Rate: 18

MCS Index not shown

Your RSSI is quite OK. The Transmit rate is awful.

Are you sure there isn't anything interfering? Something on the same channel (neighbour's Wifi, alarm system detectors, ...)

Close to your router the negotiated Transmit rate should be at least 54 > 150 depending on the type of accesspoint. If you have a 5Ghz with 40Mhz channels it could go up to 300. (1300 on AC/80Mhz).

So, either something is interfering or you have damaged antenna's / network card.

I don't think it's a hardware issue, as I had this problems with the first rMBP 15" as well.

My girlfriends Macbook (Late 2009) gets a Transmit rate of 54 in "bad room" and 48 in "good room" (next to the router). The router is a Linksys WRT54GL.