I have the same problem with my connection. Using a Netcomm NB9W router, the Terminal fix doesn't always work.

Such an annoying problem spoils such a great laptop.

This actually helped me
 

I did this steps yesterday (skipped step 2), and the MacBook wi-fi works as dream. I use very old AirPort Graphite for my wireless router, and had problems, but after this suggested steps, it behaves very normal.

THANK YOU!!!

Change the Terminal ping interval
 

If it fails it is because it is dropping the connection between pings so make the pings more frequent. Try pinging every 1 second.

I recently realized this problem has been more widespread than I thought. Firstly, a lot of people who always run their notebooks plugged-in to AC power never face a problem. Also I recently met with some diehard Mac types (the type who refuse to believe that Macs have any flaws). When I described my ordeal they expressed considerable surprise and said that they had experienced this symptom but had always thought it was a security feature!!!

Incidentally in fairness to Apple, after some recent firmware upgrades on the Macbook this problem seems to have been solved. However I am not rejoicing yet because the problem has been so nasty that I cannot believe it is over yet.

So you should click APPLE>>Software Updates and get all the latest updates for your Macbook. If that does not help, you can reduce the PING interval to 1 second instead of 5.

Thank you! I have been suffering with lousy wireless internet access for almost a year now, and this solution worked really well -- the strongest signal I've ever had, not dropped once over the last hour. Thanks again!

hi everyone,
I've tried to follow these steps, but I am a little bit confussed,
under what tab did is "add a new location", and where is "show, go to Network Port Configurations"

thank you

I FOUND A SOLUTION THAT WORKS!!!! First a little back story.

Got my Mac Blackbook and the wi-fi worked great from my Linksys wrt54g2 router. Moved to Germany and into an apartment and my connection issues started happening. My MB would connect once then loose connection quickly and would only recover connection if i either closed and re-opened my screen, or re-connected to my network... then it would drop again before my next page turn.

After multiple days of research I read about SOOOO many others having this issue and the fact the Apple pretty much refused to acknowledge the issue. It seemed that sometime near the OX 10.4.2 update the airport driver got fubar'd leaving all those with Intel based macs wi-fi connects messed up.

Some of the solutions i read about and tried had to do with changing my WEP connection to WPA. This did not work, but i left it as WPA as my research finds it a more secure connection. I also read about and tried setting my Wireless RTA Threshold in my router to 256 from the *2432 default. This as well did not work, though I have left it at this setting as it seems to be the best value for MAC's connecting over wi-fi. This is not true for PC's though so be careful.

More research, more research, o' my brain hurts and my patience is wearing..... then BINGO!!! I found a thread about connection issues that pertained to MB's not connecting to local-network printers. The poster mentioned that MAC's seem to have a hard time connecting to networks that had more than one wi-fi network present. This is my issue i thought. I have 8 in my available connections now. In my old home I had just mine. So i followed the directions suggested and it has now been 2 weeks of 100% perfect wi-fi connections.

Below is the excerpt from this page, http://www.macintouch.com/readerrepo...topic2005.html (Do a find for “Little Snitch”). The program the writer talks about is called Little Snitch found here, http://www.obdev.at/products/littlesnitch/index.html. It's a $29 dollar program, but in my mind its well worth it to make my $1500 Blackbook work!

This may not be the Apple Fix we have been waiting for them, but its completely working for me.

It works for me :) Thank you

Cloning the router’s MAC address
 

(Note: using Linksys WRT150N)

Hey people.

I was having the same problem… for a couple months everything was fine then a couple of weeks ago my Macbook kept dropping my wireless connection. :confused:

My search landed me here & I tried the suggestions.

Making sure the Airport was to the top of the list did not do it for me.

While I read the TERMINAL fix worked I stayed away because of the inherent side effects – “an inelegant albeit effective fix” is the best way of putting it according to jayray999

I did happen to have Little Snitch so I tried that too (fix shown in the quote by cesarcesar) however even this did not work.

I’m sure the above has worked for others however while our end result is the same (dropped connections) what caused it in each of our cases is a bit different.

The winning ticket for me was the fix by bored28 (which I tried last cause I really hate messing around with my router’s settings.) Apparently My Mac was having trouble figuring out which router it should connect to, as there was at least one other in the area. Cloning the router’s MAC address has worked thus far. (thought it’s only been a day or so) usually my connection would drop every 3 minutes so that’s saying a lot. :D

Thanks for all the help guys… & especially you “bored28” :cool:

Possible solutions to dropped wifi connection on Macbook
 

I'm not a computer expert. however. it doesn't take a rocket scientist to conclude that something is obviously causing my MB to disconnect from the wireless router, so, using deductive reasoning I have noticed that:
1. It happens more often at home than on the road
2. It doesn't EVER happen at home with my "non-apple" laptop
3. It still happens on the road with a variety of routers.

# 1 above I believe is likely caused by other wireless routers using the same channel. #2 means Apple's Airport software needs to be improved. #2 and 3 means it is not a problem with my router.

End result is that Apple's FIRMWARE is the culprit. That is why you see so many "solutions", none of which work for everyone and most of which only work temporarily. I've been hoping for a firmware update that would resolve the problem but to date there is nothing from Apple to address the issue

I have thus, taken a multi-pronged approach to resolve the issue as best I can, working around the crappy Airport firmware. The following steps are designed to minimize the number of wireless signals the Airport has to sort through so that it is less likely to get "confused" by interference hence dropping the connection;

FIRMWARE resolution:
1. Open Network Preferences
2. Choose Automatic or Edit Locations then + to add a new location
3. Put your network at the top of the "preferred Network" list.
4. Delete the Bluetooth and Ethernet services under your "Automatic" location so Airport is only option remaining - if you need them save them under another "location" or try everything else first)
5 If you don't do step 4 then reorder so that Airport is at the top of the list
6. Click Apply and watch your signal meter. In about a second, it'll pop back to life.

INTERFERENCE resolution:
1. Download the Network widget. then check to see if any other networks in range are using the same channel. if so. change the channel on your router to one no one else is using.
2. If you have wireless phones (2.4 GHZ). unplug them to see if they are interfering, especially if you lose your connection while using the phone. If so try different router channels to find one that works.
2. Set to G or N only, if possible.

Hope this helps, my connection issue has been chronic and continuous, and today for the first time in a year I have not dropped the connection. I even took it to an Apple Genius and his solution was to reinstall my "user and network settings" which lasted for about 2 days. Feel free to add to my suggestions andlet us all know if this works for you. In the mean time, we all need to be a squeaky wheel with Apple until they correct their Firmware issue.

Hi everyone, perhaps someone finds this information useful:

I have been struggling with dropouts for quite some time, reading all I could find on the net regarding this topic. I think I can say I've tried most of – if not all – software/settings related solutions either on the computer and router side. Nothing helped.
I finally decided to try installing a new wifi card, and it fixed all problems instantly.
I get full bars reception as I used to, from before the dropouts and week reception started.

So if you cannot find a fix, send the computer back to apple and have the wifi card replaced.
If your apple care period is over, which was my case, you can even try to disassemble the top case and exchange the card yourself. There are instructions on how to do it on youtube.
I only recommend it however for those, that have experience in putting things back together, and know how to be gentle with electronics. I got the wifi card (AR5BXB6 for my white MacBook 13") from eBay.

Airport & Ethernet loss of connection.
 

For anyone having wifi connection problems I would recommend removing any software used for downloading material.

I eventually discovered that having a software program like Vuze - for instance - running on my computer was causing my connection to fail - both with wifi and, surprisingly to me, with an ethernet connection.

Since removing this software I have had no problems.

I am not sure as to why this is and would be interested if anyone out there knows what is happening there.

I hope this helps anyone out there struggling with the same problems that I have had. The damn thing has had me dumbfounded for months and now I'm just glad to have a constant connection again.

bored28, demiphonic,

Cloning the MAC address worked! Thx everyone for your participation.

-isaacw

i have a problem with my mac which i believe something is wrong with my airport. whenever i connect to my home internet wirelessly, the airport shows that it is connected but when i go into the internet , a message appears saying that i could not connected to the internet. any advice?

THANK. YOU. !!!!!

I've been living with this problem for soooo long, and tried all kinds of solutions. But this little quick fix solved the issue completely! My life just got 30 percent better.