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:

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(speedtest.net)

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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)?

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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.

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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

Reply
65 replies

Jun 5, 2016 12:37 PM in response to BlowYourMind

IPv4 was the internet numbering scheme for a while. But it has essentially run out of numbers. IPv6 is ready to fill the void with a much larger numbering scheme, and a lot of low-level equipment is IPv6-ready. But it will take the "big boys" like Microsoft, Apple, and Google to make the leap first. Us peons will be stuck in IPv4-land behind whatever the local ISPs offer us for a while yet.


In the meantime, IPv6 starts to work and messes up your connection, unless you set it to off or Link-local only, which means it will not try to use your Router to go off your local network.


One feature that uses IPv6 "link-local only" is Bonjour, which polls around your local network looking for computer, printers, Routers, and anything offering services to have them readily available to you.

Jun 6, 2016 5:53 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks for the info! It appears the IPv6 isn't the cause, because I'm still having the issue while the setting is changed to the 'link-local only'.

Since the regular network issues/settings have been crossed out (right?), could it be hardware related: that it is some issue with my Airport Card? Or do you think it's something else?


Would it be helpful to you if I shared all the network settings I've got (in the network preferences settings)?

Jun 6, 2016 6:22 AM in response to BlowYourMind

Would it be helpful to you if I shared all the network settings I've got (in the network preferences settings)?


what tends to be far more helpful than the "looking for a needle in a haystack" of reviewing settings is to use

System preferences > network > Wi-Fi- > (assist me ) > (Assistant) ...


... to set it all up again from scratch, taking care to specify a new, named Location file, NOT automatic.

Jun 6, 2016 6:41 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

OK, so I've done the following:


1. Removed my home network

2. Deleted the WiFi service and added it anew again

3. Added WiFi location via Network > Assist me > Assistant.

Detailed description: Network > Assist me > Assistant > Use Airport > Selected my network and filled in the password > Continue > [Error: Unable to establish a network connection: Your computer could not connect to the internet] > OK > Continue > [Congratulations! You are Connected] > Done


Let's see if this makes a difference 🙂

Jun 6, 2016 1:14 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Sure!

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I ran the hardware test where you have to start up holding 'h', it gave the code 'HDP000' and said that everything was fine (even though WiFi was going haywire with disconnecting and reconnecting for about 3 minutes when it was restarted). Are there any other hardware tests I can run or is that the only one?


Pff, I was really hoping I could get this fixed with some recommendation here, not looking forward to losing my mac of one and a half week (no genius bar near, have to go to the authorised apple reseller where I bought it, which sends it to Apple). Anyway, thanks a lot for the time and effort you've put in to help.

I have to wait a few weeks until I can let them check my mac (need it for schoolwork and exams), but I'll update this thread when they find what was wrong 🙂.

Jun 8, 2016 3:22 AM in response to BlowYourMind

OK, so I've contacted Apple directly via chat. Spoke with Dani on the 7th of june, around 15:15 (dutch time). We agreed that updating this thread was easier than having to explain the whole issue every time, so I'm updating it.


She told me to check the CPU when the issue is occurring, so I did. No abnormal CPU use, as far as I can see:

https://youtu.be/39wNuXBirV0


She also advised me to startup in safe mode, and check if the issue is occurring there too:

when I tried, I couldn't start a stream (kijk.nl and horizon.tv, checked both): the first image shown on the stream would just freeze. So, I opened up photoshop. Photoshop gave a whole bunch of graphic/display warnings. No good video card and such. But, I don't know if that's just an effect of the safe mode, or if this is related to the issue. The issue itself did not appear in Safe mode, but I think this has more to do with the inability to play video or work with photoshop, than with the settings/software of the computer (thus, my mac didn't have to work that hard in safe mode, since it couldn't play video or get the most out of photoshop).


She also advised me to make another user and test with that: I configured an administrator user and tested with horizon.tv. Issue occurred here too.

Jun 9, 2016 2:44 PM in response to schreppie

Hi! No, still have the same issues. Now it's down to either software or hardware. I've been in contact with Apple support again today, and they advised me to install OSX on a external drive or USB, and use that installation to test the issues. That way I don't have to reinstall my whole mac, if it doesn't work.


If this fixes the issue, it's probably a software related issue. If the issue still is there, in the new installation, it's probably a hardware issue and I'd have to go to the store to get it checked out. But first I have to find an external drive / USB that I can use somewhere haha. Probably will do this over the weekend. Maybe next week (finals coming up so I need my mac to study).


But I'll update the thread with all the developments regarding the issue! So if you keep following, I'm going to place if the new installation works. If you have exactly the same issue, the cause of the issue is probably the same. So if mine's hardware related, yours will be too I think?


I'll get back to you as soon as possible, ok?


(By the way, I don't know why apple recommended that part of the thread as a fix, since it didn't fix the issue. So ignore that haha)

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WiFi drops when running a 'heavier' program

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