iMac wifi disconnecting issues

[Kyle Rolton]

I'm hoping someone can help me with this problem. I have had my iMac since 2008 it's a 21 1/2 inch model from the same year. It's always worked just fine and is now running Mountain Lion. Last year I moved house and for some reason the blasted thing just disconnects from the WiFi constantly. When I am downloading it doesn't disconnect and when I am web browsing or using the internet directly it doesn't disconnect. After a while this problem resolved itself on it's own. I have since moved house in August and it has been fine until two weeks ago when I changed the name of my WiFi network (not any other settings just the name) now it's started again.

Now when I say directly accessing the internet I mean that if I am streaming to my smart TV it will disconnect while I am watching something, it will disconnect when I log in remotely but does NOT disconnect if I am streaming directly to my iPad. This is the same across WiFi networks (e.g. streaming from work on a different network). I would think it might be Mountain Lion only when I first had this problem I was on OSX 10 and then Lion. From what I've read elsewhere this problem has been persistent across a couple years with no solid solution or update fix.

Now when I changed the name of the network I had to rejoin my iMac, Apple TV, iPhone 4, iPad my gf's Mac book and her iPhone 4s and my windows laptop. Nothing else has had a problem. I have gone into the router settings and expressly permitted access to the devices I use by MAC no. and I have gone into network settings on my iMac and set it so it shouldn't disconnect without asking me for a password. Of course it ignores that completely and disconnects anyway. I hope someone can help me because I'm at wits end.

 

[Serban]

Try not to have so many devices connected in the same time to the router.
I have a Dlink router and if i have 2-3 devices there is no problem. if i had 4 or above i am starting to have same issue

 

[Kyle Rolton]

See I thought that as well but after considering it I don't think that's the problem. Although I have many devices connected they are not in that state permanently. My gf has her MB and iPhone 4s at work most of the day, my ATV2 is off unless I decide to use it I don't leave it awake. My iPad is with me as is my iPhone 4 and my Smart TV and windows laptop (which I never really use) is off. The only thing at this direct moment while I am at work that is connected to my WiFi is my iMac which has disconnected itself again. My gf popped home and I asked her to reconnect it which was at 13:25 at 13:45 it disconnected again while I was using a remote connection. The worrying thing this time is that it was actually downloading something and as I stated before it was previously stable when downloading which is now obviously not the case.

I've had this iMac since Uni and I lived in an 8 bed student house with often more than 8 of us all connected to the WiFi when partners where over with multiple devices each. Never had a problem but I was with BT I am now with Sky.

 

[Serban]

How is your house structure? betwwen your imac and router there are many concrete walls?

 

[oldhifi]

Try this

http://osxdaily.com/2012/08/02/fix-os-x-mountain-lion-wireless-connection-problems/

 

[Kyle Rolton]

(Serban) No walls same room about 3 meters away.
(oldhifi) Thank you I literally had just found this, refreshed the forum and you've suggested it will try the DNS fix when I get home and the workaround if not. The only drawback to the workaround seems to be that if you have a MB then it gets tricky. As my iMac stays in one place that shouldn't be an issue. Will let you know how I get on.

 

[Serban]

so any news?

 

[Kyle Rolton]

Well I was mistaken the link was actually slightly different to the one I had already seen http://osxdaily.com/2011/08/08/mac-...-bash-script-to-maintain-wireless-connection/

However the solution posted in the comments on my link didn't work for me, the link oldhifi gave me seems to have done the trick but will give it overnight to see for sure.

 

[Kyle Rolton]

So that stuff didn't take my first try at changing the DNS address didn't do much but i have left it like that in the hope it will help. I then tried some suggestions on oldhifi's link. I renewed the DHCP lease and changed the Network location and that seemed to take for a little while even staying on overnight but the next day I checked remotely and it had turned off again.

Finally i went back to the link I tried in the first place and found a suggestion for changing the TCP/IV settings and changing IV6 to local link only again this seemed to take but has not.

I've checked my MTU size but it matches that of the router i'm using so I don't think that is a problem but may change it just to see if it works. I also noticed that for some reason Airport thought there was no security on my network when i was selecting preferred networks. Think that must just be a glitch because when I go to select my network in the Airport drop down list it always has the security padlock next to it. Anyways I deleted it from preferred networks and re added it.

I'll see how it goes and then if it doesn't all work i'll have to keep trying suggestions.

 

[bmcgrath]

Sky routers are terrible for dropping out. I used to have lots of problems with them along with BT.

 

[Kyle Rolton]

Well all the things i've done so far seem to have made my connection better. While my computer is awake the connection will not drop and from sleep it will automatically connect. However I used to be able to log in remotely and even in sleep mode it would connect however once it's asleep now thats it. I'm going to try setting it so that the display goes to sleep and even brings up the screen saver which i've had switched off for a while. and i'll let everyone know.

 

[Kyle Rolton]

It worked