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

65 replies

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

Jun 1, 2016 3:51 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I've posted two because I have a different kind of reception at my bureau (the second image, with less networks showing) than when I'm lying on my bed (first image). The reason I've got a router/wireless access point in my room, is because the connection was very bad at the bed-end of my room. I've done the Wireless Diagnostics before (and it didn't notice anything when the WiFi crashed) but I'll do it again with the new 5Ghz connection.

I think the other 5Ghz channel is the dual-band router that's downstairs, the main router we have. It's the only one set at 5Ghz too (well, it's set at both 2.4 and 5Ghz).

What do you mean with 'but with an 80 MHz channel, it spans from below channel 35 to above Channel 50'? Do you mean that because of the 'wideness' (with lack of a better word) of the channel, it occupies the range of channel 35 until channel 50, so any other networks that are in that range (in this case, my 36 one) are being disturbed by it? Like I said, don't know much about this kind of thing (though the issues and this tread are interesting and I'm learning a lot haha).

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

Jun 2, 2016 10:59 AM in response to BlowYourMind

OK, another update:

Screenshot of the alt-wifi thingy while watching a stream and having some word docs open:

And the Wifi reports. It crashed twice in the past ten minutes, so two reports 🙂!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fnudy36dbr231t4/WirelessDiagnostics_C02QR2LPFVH8_2016- 06-02_19.52.10.tar.gz?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0f0sq5zwkbbwxzu/WirelessDiagnostics_C02QR2LPFVH8_2016- 06-02_19.41.14.tar.gz?dl=0

And after WiFi crashed twice, the video (not the audio) is delayed in my stream. Don't know if it's got anything to do with the issue, but better too much info than too few right?

Jun 2, 2016 12:19 PM in response to BlowYourMind

Those files you have saved are composed of dozens of different settings from all over your mac, that might have some possibility of influencing wi_fi performance. they are useful to the guys at Apple who are debugging this stuff. No mere mortals can get much pdf anything form them.

what I was hoping for was an Error Message out of the monitor program itself, not the dump of all settings.

If you have not set both your Router for "automatic" channel selection, it is clashing with the other Router from downstairs, which should also be set for automatic channel selection. When you make the leap to 802.11ac, that data stream is MANY channels wide, and with both your Routers set to channels below 50, they will collide.

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

Jun 2, 2016 3:05 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Oh sorry forgot to add this image!

I'll keep the settings-file, maybe if this doesn't work out, I can give them to the apple people when I go to a-mac.

When I was on the 2.4Ghz band I didn't get any messages or errors from Wireless diagnostics. But now I do, haha.

What does the message mean? That because they did something wrong when setting up their router, I have issues?

I checked the main (dual-band) router. The 2.4Ghz is set to automatic channel selection, but for some reason I can't select it with the 5Ghz band?

The 2.4Ghz band:

The 5Ghz band:

Some additional settings:

To be clear: these images are from our main dual band router (the Netgear Nighthawk R7000, to which my Cisco router/wireless access point is connected [via 1gb switch]).

This is from my wireless access point (sorry it's in dutch, but I assume you can make sense of it a bit?):

Automatisch means Automatic. 🙂

Jun 2, 2016 4:03 PM in response to BlowYourMind

Here is what I suggest you do.

Set the downstairs Router 5GHz manually to 36, as long as you cannot see another neighbor's Router near that channel. At high data rates, its data will spill through more channels up to about 50. (Lower channels travel the farthest, so it will give everybody downstairs a very good signal.)

Then on the "in your room" Router, set something way above 50, like 64, or even higher. You could even use 112 if that is available.You don't need a lot of distance, so you can go ahead and use channels way up high. That will minimize interference from your own downstairs Router, and the upstairs and downstairs signals should both be able to go fast and only possibly overlap at the "edges".

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

Jun 3, 2016 2:28 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I've set the downstairs router to 36 (there were no 5Ghz networks picked up by my wifi diagnostics scan, so I assume that's OK) but the router in my room can't be set to anything above 48.

Do you think that will be enough? Because the 'Snelle hutspot' network is from 34-50, according to the first tests with Wifi Explorer. (I don't see this network in my room with the WiFi Diagnostics scan by the way, so I guess it's too weak?)

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

Jun 3, 2016 4:45 AM in response to BlowYourMind

OK, the channel adjustment wasn't enough. Happened again just now 😟. Do I need a new router which has more channels? Like the ones in the 100's like you said?

Jun 3, 2016 5:44 AM in response to BlowYourMind

You could try the downstairs at channel 64 and the upstairs at 36.

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

Jun 3, 2016 6:16 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Changed it, let's see if it makes a difference 🙂!

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

Jun 3, 2016 10:45 AM in response to BlowYourMind

Nope, didn't help 😟

Jun 3, 2016 7:36 PM in response to BlowYourMind

what channel are you connecting on? Is it in the 5GHz band?

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

Jun 4, 2016 6:30 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Yes, channel 36 on the 5Ghz band (40Mhz, if that helps haha)

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

Jun 4, 2016 6:55 AM in response to BlowYourMind

Maybe this will help? It shows how the WiFi 'crashes'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgQ4IR225qE&feature=youtu.be

Jun 4, 2016 8:32 AM in response to BlowYourMind

If you verify that it is actually connecting on that channels and not on a channel in the 2.4GHz band, there is some other problem with that Mac.

Do you have IPv6 set to "link-local only" or Off?

BlowYourMind Author

Level 1

14 points

Jun 5, 2016 3:49 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

The 'configure IPv6' option right, under Network > advanced > TCP/IP? I don't have the option 'off', it can be set to 'automatically' 'manually' and 'link-local only', and it's currently set to 'automatically' (which was the default option I think).

Ever since I've turned on the 5Ghz band instead of the 2.4Ghz band, I'm constantly checking to which channel and band it's connected and get's connected to after the 'crashing'. It's constantly the 5Ghz band (currently with the 36 channel): always the 'strongest network', which is the router in my room. I've never seen it connecting to the weaker 2.4Ghz band + channels when I'm in my room.

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WiFi drops when running a 'heavier' program