Airport Drops connection/won't pick up

04-10-2007, 07:21 PM

I have a new macbook with a wireless connection. Airport worked fine for a while-but the strangest thing has been happening and I don't know how to fix it. My computer will pick up on the signal and recognize the network but will suddenly drop it, over and over again. It's as though the connection won't stick. After I mess around with it for a while and keep selecting my network over and over again, it will suddenly stick and will generally hold until I turn off my computer or it goes to sleep. What is weird is that it worked fine until I was prompted to download updates, and then the whole thing seemed to go a bit haywire.

I know it's not a problem with my wireless router thing, because the signal is quite strong, and I live out in the middle of nowhere so there are not any competing wireless networks.

I'd really appreciate any suggestions!

systemerror · 04-11-2007, 04:53 AM

what version of os x do you use? did you change the password somehwere? do you use an encrpyted WLAN?

sargassoc · 04-11-2007, 04:58 AM

Hi--

I don't know if the new MacBooks have the same problem, but when I updated to Tiger on my iBook, I had the same issues. After months of trying all sorts of things, I came across some helpful sites: zapping the PRAM and resetting the Power Manager (PMU) finally fixed the problem once and for all for me. On a MacBook, you would reset the system management controller (SMC). This document can tell you how: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303319

There's also a great article/tutorial here: http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?...05093011343164

Hope this helps.

Tasia

sdtaco · 04-12-2007, 11:04 PM

If that does not work send it in to Apple. Mine was doing the same thing and they replaced the Mother Board. Got it back and it still didnt work so sent it back in again. This time they replaced the Wireless Card. GOt it back and it worked perfect.

I tried to zap PRAM and it didnt help. Although what I found out is that my driver version said it was wrong and i could not get it to update.

HTH

Rob

fiddlefye · 05-03-2007, 08:15 AM

I've had this problem recently with my G4 and the solution that worked for me was to dump the preference in Library and let things start over. Before then I lost the Airport connection every time the computer went to sleep and nothing seemed to be able to find it except re-booting; not very convenient!

applekeygone · 06-05-2008, 05:11 PM

Hi there,

I wanted to share with you the following experience, maybe you could post it on your site.

If you search the Apple Discussion boards (try 'connection drop') you will see a lot of discussions and questions like this one: http://discussions.apple.com/thread....13018&#7313018

It's all about Airport and Ethernet internet connections dropping.

I think I have figured out the problem (I use 10.5.3):

With certain routers, OS X will choose to use the address of the router as a DNS server IP address. Therefore it will first try and contact the router to get DNS info and only after a while it will find it's way to the net.

I had a new MacBook Pro with this issue as well as a new iMac. The latter fortunately showed the wrong DNS server IP (grey fonts) but the Macbook didn't.

The solution is to go in the Network control panel and select 'manually' in stead of 'Using DCHP'. Then fill in IP address, subnet mask, router and DNS server. Click 'advanced' and then the TAB 'DNS' to verify whether the correct DNS IP has been entered, or to enter multiple DNS IPs.

While in the advanced section, make sure that under the 'TCP/IP' tab 'Configure Ipv4' is set to 'Manually' and 'Configure IPv6' is set to 'off'

This should do the trick for most people.

So remember, if one has a dropping internet connection and no DNS server IP has been entered, the OS can still be trying to contact the router rather than the DNS servers of the ISP. Therefore the correct DNS IPs need to be filled in.

rdmacosxhints · 06-14-2008, 10:14 AM

Hey Uberpoulet,

By your description of how your AirPort wireless connection is continually dropping, it sounds like you're running into a problem related to wifi 802.11n compatibility.

A lot of Mac users have reported wireless connection drops after upgrading to Leopard 10.5.2, where Apple decided to make some changes to which version of the draft standard of 802.11n (not slated to be finished till June 2009).

If you're using a "wireless n" router, you could try this fix to AirPort wireless connection drops.

04-10-2007, 07:21 PM	#1
uberpoulet Guest Posts: n/a	Airport Drops connection/won't pick up I have a new macbook with a wireless connection. Airport worked fine for a while-but the strangest thing has been happening and I don't know how to fix it. My computer will pick up on the signal and recognize the network but will suddenly drop it, over and over again. It's as though the connection won't stick. After I mess around with it for a while and keep selecting my network over and over again, it will suddenly stick and will generally hold until I turn off my computer or it goes to sleep. What is weird is that it worked fine until I was prompted to download updates, and then the whole thing seemed to go a bit haywire. I know it's not a problem with my wireless router thing, because the signal is quite strong, and I live out in the middle of nowhere so there are not any competing wireless networks. I'd really appreciate any suggestions!

04-11-2007, 04:58 AM	#3
sargassoc Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1	Re: Airport Drops connection/won't pick up Hi-- I don't know if the new MacBooks have the same problem, but when I updated to Tiger on my iBook, I had the same issues. After months of trying all sorts of things, I came across some helpful sites: zapping the PRAM and resetting the Power Manager (PMU) finally fixed the problem once and for all for me. On a MacBook, you would reset the system management controller (SMC). This document can tell you how: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303319 There's also a great article/tutorial here: http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?...05093011343164 Hope this helps. Tasia

05-03-2007, 08:15 AM	#5
fiddlefye Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1	Airport dropping out I've had this problem recently with my G4 and the solution that worked for me was to dump the preference in Library and let things start over. Before then I lost the Airport connection every time the computer went to sleep and nothing seemed to be able to find it except re-booting; not very convenient!

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

04-11-2007, 04:53 AM	#2
systemerror Prospect Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 4	what version of os x do you use? did you change the password somehwere? do you use an encrpyted WLAN?

04-12-2007, 11:04 PM	#4
sdtaco Prospect Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 10	If that does not work send it in to Apple. Mine was doing the same thing and they replaced the Mother Board. Got it back and it still didnt work so sent it back in again. This time they replaced the Wireless Card. GOt it back and it worked perfect. I tried to zap PRAM and it didnt help. Although what I found out is that my driver version said it was wrong and i could not get it to update. HTH Rob

06-05-2008, 05:11 PM	#6
applekeygone Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1	Hi there, I wanted to share with you the following experience, maybe you could post it on your site. If you search the Apple Discussion boards (try 'connection drop') you will see a lot of discussions and questions like this one: http://discussions.apple.com/thread....13018&#7313018 It's all about Airport and Ethernet internet connections dropping. I think I have figured out the problem (I use 10.5.3): With certain routers, OS X will choose to use the address of the router as a DNS server IP address. Therefore it will first try and contact the router to get DNS info and only after a while it will find it's way to the net. I had a new MacBook Pro with this issue as well as a new iMac. The latter fortunately showed the wrong DNS server IP (grey fonts) but the Macbook didn't. The solution is to go in the Network control panel and select 'manually' in stead of 'Using DCHP'. Then fill in IP address, subnet mask, router and DNS server. Click 'advanced' and then the TAB 'DNS' to verify whether the correct DNS IP has been entered, or to enter multiple DNS IPs. While in the advanced section, make sure that under the 'TCP/IP' tab 'Configure Ipv4' is set to 'Manually' and 'Configure IPv6' is set to 'off' This should do the trick for most people. So remember, if one has a dropping internet connection and no DNS server IP has been entered, the OS can still be trying to contact the router rather than the DNS servers of the ISP. Therefore the correct DNS IPs need to be filled in.

06-14-2008, 10:14 AM	#7
rdmacosxhints Prospect Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 4	wireless connection drops after 10.5.2 Hey Uberpoulet, By your description of how your AirPort wireless connection is continually dropping, it sounds like you're running into a problem related to wifi 802.11n compatibility. A lot of Mac users have reported wireless connection drops after upgrading to Leopard 10.5.2, where Apple decided to make some changes to which version of the draft standard of 802.11n (not slated to be finished till June 2009). If you're using a "wireless n" router, you could try this fix to AirPort wireless connection drops.