WiFi drops when running a 'heavier' program

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Level 1

14 points

WiFi drops when running a 'heavier' program

Ever since a few months my WiFi has been acting up.

If I'm streaming (kijk.nl or horizon.tv), or working in one of the Adobe Programs, or having a conversation on Skype, my WiFi keeps dropping out. All of a sudden the WiFi symbol will be empty (like if you have turned WiFi off) and it has to connect again to my network. Sometimes, like with streaming, it will connect right away, but other times, like with Photoshop or Skype, it keeps disconnecting and reconnecting. And sometimes, when I'm browsing on Safari, WiFi will turn off permanently, resulting in having to delete and add the WiFi again in network preferences, and restarting my laptop. Don't know if that's related though, since I've come across it several times while googling for solutions. Also, sometimes my internet speed will become very VERY slow. Just now during the speedtest (coincidence that I was just testing the speed haha), my speed went from 86,72 Mbps, to 0,13 Mbps (which results in slow loading pages, even Google won't load at that point).

As you can imagine, this is all very frustrating.

Things I've tried:

- Restarting Macbook

- Turning off WiFi and turning it on again

- Resetting Router / Modem

- Deleting and adding the WiFi again in network preferences

- Adding the network again

- Changing the network settings (now every router is named the same, with the same password and the same settings: 2.4Ghz band).

- Changing all router settings so that it'll automatically choose a channel (currently I'm on channel 13).

- Changing all the switches in the network from 100mbit to 1Gb switches.

- Ran WiFi diagnostics: no issues found (while the WiFi disconnected during the diagnostics).

- Ran Apple diagnostics (to check hardware): no issues found.

The router I'm most likely connected to (seeing the WiFi strength), is about 1-2 metres away. It's connected via an 1GB (Netgear) switch to the main router (Netgear) which is directly connected to our modem (Ubee). The internet speed is 300Mbit.

Macbook Pro Retina 13" specs:

2,9-GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
Turbo Boost till 3,3 GHz
16 GB 1866-MHz LPDDR3 RAM
512 GB PCIe-flashdrive¹
Intel Iris Graphics 6100
Updated to latest software (all programs)

Nobody else in the household is having the kind of problems I have (and my two sisters have a macbook 13" and a macbook air 13", and I have better specs). The last option I can try is connecting the ethernet cable directly to my macbook, but that kind of defeats the purpose of a mobile laptop, don't you think? Want to avoid that if possible.

I've opened a tread before and thought the issue was fixed after changing the network settings, but the problem wasn't solved. It's kind of like my Macbook can't handle internet connection while running a (bit) heavier programs? At this point, I'm really afraid it's got something to do with my Airport Card. Which *****, because I'll lose my Macbook for one and a half week to get it repaired (which prevents me from working on school and my job).

At this point, I'm quite desperate, so I really hope someone can tell me what the issue is.

Some print screens and such:

(speedtest.net)

Running it again, just after a minute or so. See the change in speed? And the network-connection curve dropping instantly (below the 1.43 value)?

The print screens below where before we've changed the internet settings and changed the switches.

Can't run new tests, because the trial has expired.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5), 3,1 GHz i7; 16GB; Iris 6100 1536mb;

Posted on May 31, 2016 8:19 AM

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Answer 1

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

Aug 31, 2017 4:29 AM in response to BlowYourMind

Okay, I realize this thread is old but wanted to update anyway.

I continued to have the issues (wifi dropping, freezing, crash+restart) after my appointment with apple where they did a clean install and removed the malware. Due to a busy school schedule and a inability to send in my MBP for further testing (I needed it for school so wasn't able to bring it to the Genius Bar), I was only able to contact apple a few weeks ago about the issue.

My 1-year guarantee was past, but because the original issue wasn't resolved and reported within the first year, they were able to take my MBP in for repairs, no costs involved.

They now think the issue has to do with some hardware issue in the motherboard or power supply, since the console actually mentions hardware issues (apparently, the Genius Bar employee told me this).

I've given my MacBook to them, and in a few days time the motherboard is replaced and my issues (hopefully) resolved.

So if there are more people having the exact problems I had: please go to a Genius Bar or apple reseller and tell them the issue is most likely caused by a faulty motherboard!

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Answer 2

May 31, 2016 8:56 AM in response to BlowYourMind

If you situation has not changed from before, you are using a 2.4GHz-only Router, connected by Ethernet, right next to your computer, set to channel 13, and there is another 2.4GHz and 5GHz Router elsewhere in the house, but its signal is too weak to be much help to you.

The way to get the best throughput in this situation is to plug your computer into the nearby Router with an Ethernet cable (and an adapter on your computer, if needed). You could also replace your 2.4GHz-only Router with a dual-band Router, but that is more expensive.

The fundamental problem is that the 2.4GHz band is just too busy with too many other networks (some at low levels, but messing it up anyway) for you to get a clear, consistent connection. The jumbled mess shown by the WiFi Explorer graph should tell you the story -- there are THREE available clear channels there, and you have 16 or more Networks trying to use them.

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Answer 3

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

May 31, 2016 9:07 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Like I said, I'd like to avoid having to use an ethernet cable. It defeats the point of using a laptop haha.

And if the network itself is the cause, why am I the only one in the house who has these issues? And not any of my sisters? They are connected to WiFi too, stream too, Skype too. They have an even worse connection in their bedroom, seeing that the router is in my room, and have even more interference from other networks, seeing that their rooms are in the front of the house. And why does WiFi disconnect when I'm not even using internet (like working in photoshop or illustrator, with Safari not even active)? It just seems.. weird, if it's really just the 2.4Ghz band causing the issues. Because it's really only when using a 'heavier' (not especially internet-using) program.

I've changed everything possible like you said in the other tread, but it didn't change a thing... I mean, I'm really grateful for your tips and it improved the WiFi connection for the rest of the family, but not for me.

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Answer 4

May 31, 2016 9:57 AM in response to BlowYourMind

I have been replying to a handful of queries like yours, and I think I am seeing the start of a trend. In my mind, there are two issues:

• If your MacBook is newer, it may be using a different chipset, which has been optimized for use with 802.11ac on the 5GHz band, using multiple antennas. Its chip's ability to pull signal out of noise may be seeing things that the older MacBooks simply cannot see.

• On very crowded 2.4GHz Networks like yours, the estimated speed it calculates is FAR too optimistic.

Your "idle" speed of 145 M bits/sec is twice the baseband speed, so it thinks it can use two streams (essentially two antennas). But there are other Networks already talking on that channel and adjacent channels that will interfere. When longer "real" data blocks are actually sent at those speeds, sometimes using the subtlety of multiple antennas, the long packets are clobbered by all the other traffic. This causes the link to suddenly drop to a speed that is so much slower, and a big pile of data needs to be re-transmitted, and it must use a much slower speed. I am guessing that this is seen as a disconnect.

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Answer 5

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

May 31, 2016 10:24 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Is there any way to check the chipset, like you said? To see if it's optimised to use the 5GHz band like you said? But if it's so capable of pulling signals out of noise, why does the WiFi connection 'crash'? Does it think it senses a network signal where there is none?

On your second point, does the computer itself sees it as a disconnect? Is that what you mean?

By the way, I can try to use the 5Ghz band, just for testing to see if it fixes anything. Should the 'crashing' stop when 5Ghz is selected, if your theory is correct?

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Answer 6

May 31, 2016 10:38 AM in response to BlowYourMind

from where that computer is, the signal from the Router with the 5GHz band appear to be too low to make a connection.

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Answer 7

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

May 31, 2016 10:42 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

No, I meant changing the router in my room to 5Ghz 🙂

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Answer 8

May 31, 2016 10:55 AM in response to BlowYourMind

That would solve all your problems.

Your WiFi explorer charts show that except for a few others near the bottom of the 5GHz range, the rest is wide open. You would be so close you would have no problems with reception. The speeds would be much better as well.

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Answer 9

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

May 31, 2016 2:45 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I've now changed my own router to the 5Ghz band.

If it's solved, great! If the issue still persists, what is the next option?

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Answer 10

May 31, 2016 3:23 PM in response to BlowYourMind

Provide that same information from the Option-Wi-Fi menu and lets have a look at what is going on.

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Answer 11

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

Jun 1, 2016 2:41 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Just happened again while I was on the 5Ghz band:

I was watching a series on VLC (size: 1.17GB) and simultaneously compressing 87 video files (20,32GB). Safari was closed. Only apple mail was active (but not doing anything like picking up emails).

If it's got something to do with the network, why does the issue happen also when I'm running programs which have nothing to do with internet? (and aren't updating themselves at that moment) And why does it only happen when my mac has to work a little harder than the regular web-surfing/email reading kind, if it's got something to do with the network settings itself? I'm honestly curious 🙂.

Here are the settings of the router I'm always connected to (which, by the way, has been swapped with another router before to test if it was the router which was causing the issue, so the router-hardware isn't the issue I think):

Hopefully you've got more good ideas haha!

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Answer 12

Jun 1, 2016 2:58 PM in response to BlowYourMind

You appear to have a good connection, but previously you posted that another Router "sneelle hutspot" was already using a very wide (80MHz) channel centered at channel 44, which spanned from below 35 to above 50. Did you set your Router to "automatic" channel selection? If you did, you may have to manually move above channel 50 to get a clear channel.

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Answer 13

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

Jun 1, 2016 3:15 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Channel 36 you mean? In the scan I just ran with WiFi diagnostics, there's no other network on channel 36 at this point.

It's indeed set to automatic. All the tips you gave are still in effect (:

I've made two scans, one at every end of my room:

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Answer 14

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

Jun 1, 2016 3:31 PM in response to BlowYourMind

OK, the big video files didn't have anything to do with it. I think. Just happened again, I've got 2 word files open (nothing big) and the same series on VLC.

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Answer 15

Jun 1, 2016 3:39 PM in response to BlowYourMind

Look back at the diagram you posted with wiFi explorer. Another network was showing. Nominally it was at channel 44, but with an 80 MHz channel, it spans from below channel 35 to above Channel 50.

why are the two diagrams you posted just different?

If you do not have other networks in that range, you should be getting good reception. You should consider running Wireless Diagnostic (off the Option-WIFI menu, and checking what it has to say about your setup. then when it gets to this screen, click the ( Continue) button and leave its window open (it should tell you it is monitoring) in the background.

.

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