Error Joining AirPort Network

[DaBuzz]

I've posted this to the Apple forums, but haven't gotten any response.

I have a AirPort Extreme base station, with WPA enabled. Occasionally my connection drops, and my Mac does one of 3 things:
It shows the AirPort network (as well as my neighbor's), but when I select it it says "There was an error joining network AirPort"
It shows no available networks;
It will reconnect (rarely).

It's not my Mac - Apple replaced it for me (PowerBook 17 Rev B). I am running OS X 10.3.3, with the latest AirPort software and firmware. It also did this when I had an 802.11g Netgear router.

Has any one else experienced this, and can offer advice?

Thanks.

[Horrortaxi]

I get this many times a week. It's the base station. Unplug it, then plug it right back in. It's a pain but it's the only way I've found to deal with it.

[Rezet]

I've posted this to the Apple forums, but haven't gotten any response.

I have a AirPort Extreme base station, with WPA enabled. Occasionally my connection drops, and my Mac does one of 3 things:
It shows the AirPort network (as well as my neighbor's), but when I select it it says "There was an error joining network AirPort"
It shows no available networks;
It will reconnect (rarely).

It's not my Mac - Apple replaced it for me (PowerBook 17 Rev B). I am running OS X 10.3.3, with the latest AirPort software and firmware. It also did this when I had an 802.11g Netgear router.

Has any one else experienced this, and can offer advice?

Thanks.

Plain and simple, airport base station sux. There is always a problem with it. especially if you decide to use it with pcs as well.
My advice sell airport on ebay and, get a Dlink router. I know how to deal with dlinks I deal with them alot. They are quite good too and fully support macs (officially). Cheers.

[rdas7]

Hate to break it to you, but I've got a D-Link router/modem/wifi and occasionally get exactly the same problem. Restarting the router seems to solve the problem. This seems to indicate that either these base stations are flakey/dropping out their wifi signal, or: the problem is client-side.

It *might* be a keychain issue. Since cleaning up my keychain, I've had a lot less trouble (although, off the top of my head, it seems that it hasn't solved the problem 100%).

R.

[Darwin]

It sometimes happens to me but when it does I just select Other from the Airport tab, type name and password and it comes back again

[dudeami]

This has happened to me when the Airport gets out of range.

You are probably configured this way as well, but I have it configured to only join a specific network, which is of course my network. What I typically do when this happens is; when I know I in range again, I turn airport off on the Macintosh, using the Airport menu from upper right of screen, then turn it right back on, I have never had to re-enter the password or reboot the AEBS, just toggle the airport off and on using the menu on the Mac.

Give it a try.

[dudeami]

Just wanted to add, it usually works the first time, but sometimes I have had to toggle the airport off and on two or three times to get it to join the network again. I still find this to be easier then going to the AEBS and rebooting it.

[DaBuzz]

Plain and simple, airport base station sux. There is always a problem with it. especially if you decide to use it with pcs as well.
My advice sell airport on ebay and, get a Dlink router. I know how to deal with dlinks I deal with them alot. They are quite good too and fully support macs (officially). Cheers.

I had the same problem with my NetGear router, so I don't think it is the base station.

[DaBuzz]

This has happened to me when the Airport gets out of range.

You are probably configured this way as well, but I have it configured to only join a specific network, which is of course my network. What I typically do when this happens is; when I know I in range again, I turn airport off on the Macintosh, using the Airport menu from upper right of screen, then turn it right back on, I have never had to re-enter the password or reboot the AEBS, just toggle the airport off and on using the menu on the Mac.

Give it a try.

Well..the Base Station is about a foot away from my PowerBook. :) I'm not a WiFi expert, but could that really be an issue so close to the Mac?

Should I place the Base Station on an elevated place, since the antenna on the PowerBook is on the LCD screen?

[DaBuzz]

I get this many times a week. It's the base station. Unplug it, then plug it right back in. It's a pain but it's the only way I've found to deal with it.

Have you used any third-party routers with the same problem? Or has it just been with the Apple Base Station?

[jsj]

As i was loading this post, my connection got dropped. I never have to reset the router, but I do have to rejoin much closer to it. I have a D-Link router, but as I was doing research before purchasing it, I came to realize that it seems to happen to all of them. D-Link's range is excellent, which sold me.

[Horrortaxi]

Have you used any third-party routers with the same problem? Or has it just been with the Apple Base Station?
All my experience is with Apple routers so I really can't say. I read about it on the boards at Apple and the problem was reported more in base stations with a modem. It was still observed in other units, but not nearly as much. This has been my experience too. The base with modem at home cuts out daily and the one at work (no modem) cuts out maybe once a week.

[DaBuzz]

As i was loading this post, my connection got dropped. I never have to reset the router, but I do have to rejoin much closer to it. I have a D-Link router, but as I was doing research before purchasing it, I came to realize that it seems to happen to all of them. D-Link's range is excellent, which sold me.

Again, since the Base Station is about a foot away from my PowerBook, somehow I don't think its the range...

But does anyone think that adding an external antenna or moving the Base Station to a different location (elevated, for example) would hep matters?

[jsj]

Since you are so close, adding an antenna shouldn't really matter. The base station should be unobstructed, so elevating it or clearing space (if cluttered) might help. I think concrete walls can also cause interference. How is the signal strength in internet connect?

[Horrortaxi]

But does anyone think that adding an external antenna or moving the Base Station to a different location (elevated, for example) would hep matters?

External antenna? So you do have the one with a modem? Figures.

There was a theory on the Apple boards that it was a heat issue. Try turning down your transmitter strength. After I took mine down to 25% I my signal got dropped a lot less.

[DaBuzz]

Since you are so close, adding an antenna shouldn't really matter. The base station should be unobstructed, so elevating it or clearing space (if cluttered) might help. I think concrete walls can also cause interference. How is the signal strength in internet connect?

When it is connected, it is at full strength.

[trainguy77]

i had this problem awhile ago with my airport extreme. The way i fixed it 100% was updating the firmware to the newest version it took awhile to do but when i finished it was great no problems since

[janey]

i personally use an AEBS though and I only have that problem around once a month or when i screw up some settings and a simple unplug fixes the problems. Maybe its the way you set things up, or maybe its your comp. *shrug*

[David Lundgren]

I had this intermittantly as well, complicated by a neighbor's unsecured Linksys wireless network that shows up in my list half the time.

I also had my base station sitting on a workdesk between my desktop monitor (used along with the PBs display) and a fax/phone, near a laser printer. I moved the base station and mounted it on a wall near nothing electrical or electronic... no more difficulties.

[Mustafa]

....resolved for me by Apple Support. Apparently if you are connecting via a router, you can get conflicts with AirPort Extreme, which is itself a router (this is what they told me, don't flame me if it doesn't make sense).

The solution was as follows:

Hard-drive>Admin>Utilities>AirPort Admin Utility>Configure (enter password)>Show All Settings>Network>(uncheck Distribute IP Addresses box)>Update.

Worked for me -- give it a try.

[kombi]

I have my laptop sitting right next to my desktop and the desktop can not connect but the laptop can. i think it is something to do with the hardware or software b/c the only way i can fix it is to reboot. Did microsoft write the driver? Turning airport off then on does not work. Rebooting router does not work. only rebooting....

[DaBuzz]

i had this problem awhile ago with my airport extreme. The way i fixed it 100% was updating the firmware to the newest version it took awhile to do but when i finished it was great no problems since

What version firmware do you have it at?

[trainguy77]

i have firmware v 5.1.3 this is the newest i could put on my base station without upgrading to 10.3 to do this update i had to be running 10.2.8

[cjc343]

I have had the same problem for a long time. I unchecked the "Create Closed Network" box in admin utility, and it worked better for a while..... not any longer..... I will be making a call to applecare soon...

[DaBuzz]

....resolved for me by Apple Support. Apparently if you are connecting via a router, you can get conflicts with AirPort Extreme, which is itself a router (this is what they told me, don't flame me if it doesn't make sense).

The solution was as follows:

Hard-drive>Admin>Utilities>AirPort Admin Utility>Configure (enter password)>Show All Settings>Network>(uncheck Distribute IP Addresses box)>Update.

Worked for me -- give it a try.

That is the fix Apple gave you? I'll try it...but you're right, it makes no sense.

So how do your network client(s) get an IP address? If you have a single Mac, does it just automatically pick one up?

[trainguy77]

I makes lots of sense if you think about it. There can only be one router on a network handing out IP addresses. When your router turns on it would get a IP from your service provider. Then it gives an IP to airport and all airport clients. If airport is trying to get a IP from your service provider and get a network IP for it's self and all computers on it's network. that will not work. You need to make airport get and IP from the router and also let the router give IP addresses to it's clients. Does that make sense?

[DaBuzz]

Not really...that's not the behavior a router should have.

A router should get a public IP address from the cable modem (in my case), which I get via DHCP. So by disabling "Distribute IP" addresses, I force all my clients to configure TCP/IP manually?

In any event, it seems not to have made any difference for me.

[hacurio1]

I've posted this to the Apple forums, but haven't gotten any response.

I have a AirPort Extreme base station, with WPA enabled. Occasionally my connection drops, and my Mac does one of 3 things:
It shows the AirPort network (as well as my neighbor's), but when I select it it says "There was an error joining network AirPort"
It shows no available networks;
It will reconnect (rarely).

It's not my Mac - Apple replaced it for me (PowerBook 17 Rev B). I am running OS X 10.3.3, with the latest AirPort software and firmware. It also did this when I had an 802.11g Netgear router.

Has any one else experienced this, and can offer advice?

Thanks.

That used to happend to me whenever my cordless phone ringed. Next time your connection drops, see if its not becasue the phone ringed. It happens to me on Airport Stations and Dlink stations.

[DaBuzz]

That used to happend to me whenever my cordless phone ringed. Next time your connection drops, see if its not becasue the phone ringed. It happens to me on Airport Stations and Dlink stations.

You know, I suspected that at first...but there are times (like 2 minutes ago) when the phone rang and the connection stayed up. Is your phone in the same room or in proximity to the Base Station or Mac? I don't know what's on the other side of the wall where my desk is...I wonder if my neighbors have a 2.4Ghz phone.

[DaBuzz]

Don't everyone take this the wrong way...but at least I am glad it's not me or my setup! After Apple replaced the Mac, and attempting 2 brand of router, and seeing all the posts here, I am starting to think it's just that AirPort isn't ready for prime time.

For anyone who is a WiFi expert: what other devices can cause interference in an AirPort/802.11 network?

[trainguy77]

Not really...that's not the behavior a router should have.

A router should get a public IP address from the cable modem (in my case), which I get via DHCP. So by disabling "Distribute IP" addresses, I force all my clients to configure TCP/IP manually?

In any event, it seems not to have made any difference for me.

an example is web servers behind a router they IP that web server has when you connect to it is the IP your network has. not the individual computer. And then within the network each computer has a IP address which should be assigned by the router that "owns" the internet IP. So your router should give out the IP addresses to the ariport and all computers on airport. When you choose not to have airport Distribute IP addresses then it will allow the other router to do so.

[DaBuzz]

an example is web servers behind a router they IP that web server has when you connect to it is the IP your network has. not the individual computer. And then within the network each computer has a IP address which should be assigned by the router that "owns" the internet IP. So your router should give out the IP addresses to the ariport and all computers on airport. When you choose not to have airport Distribute IP addresses then it will allow the other router to do so.

OK...but then that seems to assume that there is an additional router, right? A cable or DSL modem doesn't act as a router. It is another DHCP client on the ISP's network.

So the option in AirPort Admin to share a single IP address is consistent - the AirPort Base Station shares the IP address from my ISP with the other Macs on my network via NAT and DHCP, creating virtual IP addresses for those clients.

By all means correct me if I am mistaken.

[kombi]

i am having the same issue but i do not have an apple airport firewall/router, I am using a belkin 54g router.....anyone having the same issue, found a fix?

[DaBuzz]

Well, here is something I tried I didn't know about, but it seems to have helped (somewhat).

Since I thought my issue was shuttling my PB between my wired work LAN and my home AirPort LAN, the Apple Store (SF) Genius re-arranged my network ports (under system preferences, Network, the Show drop down box). There is an option to show network ports, and you can delete or re-arrange the ports in the order the OS should look for them. I moved AirPort up to first, and I don't think I've had a problem since.

[iPC]

Don't everyone take this the wrong way...but at least I am glad it's not me or my setup! After Apple replaced the Mac, and attempting 2 brand of router, and seeing all the posts here, I am starting to think it's just that AirPort isn't ready for prime time.

For anyone who is a WiFi expert: what other devices can cause interference in an AirPort/802.11 network?
Everything. By law the wireless station has to accept all intereference, and cause none of its own.

Microwave ovens, cordless phones, Nextel phones, CRT's, big speakers (on), solar radiation, etc etc etc.

I think your neighbors dog farting might do it too... :eek: