My iMac constantly dropping Wi-Fi connection

Question

Level 1

12 points

My iMac constantly dropping Wi-Fi connection

My iMac (mid 2011, El Capitan, 10.11.2) keeps disconnecting from the local Wi-Fi network. I've run diagnostics, and the last few lines in the Wi-Fi log seem to be quite suspicious:

Sun Jan 10 13:24:22.641 Info: <Wi-Fi Menu Extra[269]> link quality changed

Sun Jan 10 13:24:37.642 Driver Event: <airportd[68]> _bsd_80211_event_callback: LINK_QUALITY (en1)

Sun Jan 10 13:24:37.642 Info: <airportd[68]> _bsd_80211_event_callback: <en1> link quality: RSSI=-59 dBm TxRate=65 Mbps

Sun Jan 10 13:24:37.643 Info: <Wi-Fi Menu Extra[269]> link quality changed

Sun Jan 10 13:24:42.342 <kernel> en1: Received EAPOL packet (length = 145)

Sun Jan 10 13:24:42.342 <kernel> inputEAPOLFrame: 0 extra bytes present in EAPOL frame.

Sun Jan 10 13:24:42.342 <kernel> inputEAPOLFrame: decrypting key data

Sun Jan 10 13:24:42.342 <kernel> inputEAPOLFrame: Received message 1 of 2

Sun Jan 10 13:24:42.342 <kernel> installGTK: setting cipher key (flags = 0x0)

Sun Jan 10 13:24:42.342 <kernel> GTK-RSC:

Sun Jan 10 13:24:42.342 [00000000] 00 00 00 00 00 00

Sun Jan 10 13:24:42.342 <kernel> GTK:

Sun Jan 10 13:24:42.342 [00000000] DB 06 2C 70 FE 6E 11 BA 7D 6A 18 54 B8 49 66 F7

Sun Jan 10 13:24:42.342 <kernel> installGTK: GTK installed

Sun Jan 10 13:24:52.645 Driver Event: <airportd[68]> _bsd_80211_event_callback: LINK_QUALITY (en1)

Sun Jan 10 13:24:52.645 Info: <airportd[68]> _bsd_80211_event_callback: <en1> link quality: RSSI=-56 dBm TxRate=58 Mbps

Sun Jan 10 13:24:52.645 Info: <Wi-Fi Menu Extra[269]> link quality changed

Sun Jan 10 13:25:02.646 Driver Event: <airportd[68]> _bsd_80211_event_callback: LINK_QUALITY (en1)

Sun Jan 10 13:25:02.646 Info: <airportd[68]> _bsd_80211_event_callback: <en1> link quality: RSSI=-56 dBm TxRate=65 Mbps

Sun Jan 10 13:25:02.646 Info: <Wi-Fi Menu Extra[269]> link quality changed

Sun Jan 10 13:25:33.319 <airportd[68]> _SC_callback: Changed keys = { 'Setup:/Network/Interface/en1/AirPort' }

Sun Jan 10 13:25:33.319 SC: <airportd[68]> airportdProcessSystemConfigurationEvent: Processing 'Setup:/Network/Interface/en1/AirPort'

Sun Jan 10 13:25:33.332 AutoJoin: <airportd[68]> AUTO-JOIN triggered (Network Service Changed)

Sun Jan 10 13:25:33.333 AutoJoin: <airportd[68]> user: janos

Sun Jan 10 13:25:33.336 Info: <airportd[68]> PRIORITY LOCK ADDED [client=airportd, type=4, interface=en1, priority=7]

Sun Jan 10 13:25:33.336 AutoJoin: <airportd[68]> AUTO-JOIN STARTED for interface en1 (Network Service Changed)

Sun Jan 10 13:25:33.336 AutoJoin: <airportd[68]> NOT RECOVERY MODE => continuing

Sun Jan 10 13:25:33.336 AutoJoin: <airportd[68]> NOT LOGINWINDOW MODE 802.1X => continuing

Sun Jan 10 13:28:37.711 <kernel> apple80211Request[10514] Unsupported ioctl 221

Sun Jan 10 13:28:37.711 <kernel> apple80211Request[10514] Unsupported ioctl 222

(End of log)

Does anyone have any idea? Do you think if I use a direct connection (maybe using some sort of wifi usb link) I could possibly work around this problem?

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.2)

Posted on Jan 10, 2016 5:48 AM

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Answer 1

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Jan 10, 2016 8:57 AM in response to jarecsni

Is it necessary for you to authenticate to a RADIUS server? Do you have problems on all networks, or only that one?

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Answer 2

jarecsni Author

Level 1

12 points

Jan 12, 2016 1:50 AM in response to Linc Davis

I wasn't aware of any such authentication going on. Where is it happening? I could not say if it's only this network as the iMac is only been used here. This problem has always existed with various intensity, depending on I believe varios OS versions. But I may be wrong.

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Jan 13, 2016 8:48 AM in response to jarecsni

Wi-Fi is trying, and failing, to connect to an enterprise-type network that requires a name and password and/or an SSL certificate for access. If it's your own network, you need to reconfigure the router. If it's an institutional network, only the administrator can help you solve the problem.

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Answer 4

jarecsni Author

Level 1

12 points

Jan 16, 2016 4:57 AM in response to jarecsni

That's quite surprising given my network setup is farily ordinary. I have fiberoptics coming in the house, the Wifi router is plugged into some sort of filter. I have a Time Capsule plugged in the Wifi router and that's basically it. The Time Capsule doesn't create or extend the Wifi. Based on this I have no idea what the iMac is trying to connect to. I also have a HP laser printer that's opening it's own WiFi network, not sure if that's a problem.

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Answer 5

iHeIp

Level 1

4 points

Jan 17, 2016 12:36 PM in response to jarecsni

Good evening, jarecsni!

Your question is bit unclearly. Please explain more about the wifi problem. Please send me the picture that you have a problem with your desktop as soon as possible. Thank you! Hopefully, your problem will be solved shortly.

Have a good day,

iHelper

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Answer 6

jarecsni Author

Level 1

12 points

Feb 1, 2016 8:02 AM in response to jarecsni

Ok it's sorted now. I figured out that the Wi-Fi extender which cloned the main Wi-Fi network caused the issue. The clue was when even the printer stopped working at some point, and printing started immediately when I disconnected the extender from the wall socket. Now that extender no longer clones the Wi-Fi SSID, all devices on the network are happy, including the iMac as well. Happy ending 🙂 Thanks for your time and help!

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Answer 7

Feb 20, 2016 1:05 AM in response to jarecsni

I am having the same issue and have a range extender too. But, I am not as computer savvy as you. Can you dummy up the solution? Are you still using your range extender and now not having the MacBook constantly look for networks?

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Answer 8

jarecsni Author

Level 1

12 points

Feb 20, 2016 5:28 AM in response to candywarmee

Hi,

Thanks for the compliment but as you can see, it's been a bit of struggle for me to sort it out. It still happens but very occasionally, so I should say it's fine now.

So for me the solution was to make sure that the WI-FI extender doesn't clone the base WI-FI (it's network name and password). Initially, cloning seemed like a nice idea, I always prefer transparent, simple solutions. Unfortunately there seems to be an issue in this setup, where I'm guessing the iMac finds itself on the other (identically named) network and that confuses things.

So resetting the extender and making sure it's now opening it's own WI-FI network essentially sorted this issue. As you can see I cannot really help you with how exactly to do these steps, only with the basic principles. The particular steps will depend on your model.

I'd do these steps in your place:

1) try to figure out if the extender is actually cloning the network

2) if so, learn how to configure it not to do that (resetting may help, depending on what's default behaviour, mine doesn't clone by default so it's going to help, you may need to actually configure your router if its doing the cloning by default)

Hope this helps, and do let us know where you getting with this.

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