I have scanned this site looking for a fix to what appears to be a fairly old problem - dropping internet connections. Sometimes when I boot up everything works fine. The next time I have to reboot 2 or 3 times to be able to use the internet. Today it was 5 times. I have an older MacBook Pro, maybe 7/8 years old. I am about 75 feet from where the Airport is located. My spouse uses both a newer MacBook and a 2 year old iMac. She never has problems. Her computers are within 4 feet of the Airport device. Dropped connections are a problem for me as well. It occurs every week, sometimes daily Has anyone found a solution or is this aggravating problem still a mystery?
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Airport Extreme erractic
- Thread starter loophole52
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How many walls are between the AEBS and your computer and how thick are they? 22 metres is quite a lot if there are two or more walls between the AEBS and computer.
I have an Android phone from work and the only useful app is something called "wifi analyzer". The only way to get this useful app on iOS is to jailbreak but I digress. I walked around with wifi analyzer "sniffing" for dead spots in my house and found that I needed 2 access points. I used DLink access points and now there are no dead spots from the second floor east end to the basement west end to the driveway to the patio. Some years ago I picked up an Airport Express and set it up as a repeater but it later overheated and died. This is why I decided to run ethernet to the access points and use a purpose built device for the job.
I got rid of my AEBS last December when it needed resetting twice in one month. I had enjoyed close to 4 years of less than one reset a year but twice in one month pushed me over the edge. I got an Asus AC1750 router because it was top-rated on smallnetbuilder and because I was tired of the increasing limitations in airport utility. BTW, I'm not suggesting you dump your AEBS. If you don't need features like setting up your own vpn then by all means AEBS is one of the best routers out there. But expecting 75 feet of coverage through walls without repeaters or access points is somewhat unrealistic even with Apple's latest models (the tall ones).
+1
I had an old AEBS from 2004 that I'd have to unplug/restart several times a week. Finally upgraded to the latest Airport Express and those problems are gone. Not only that, but my internet speed picked up from around 21 to 28 Mbps! (Not sure why it was slower with the old AE...)
I will add that upgrading also fixed the slow wi-fi issue for my iPhone 4S... For troubleshooting; How does your MBP perform on other wi-fi networks? If good, then your router may indeed be the issue.
You mean the old UFO shaped AirPort? The reason behind your speed picking up is because a 2004 model only had wireless-G which is only capable of 54 Mbps at best in an ideal scenario.
Yes, but my broadband max speed is 28Mbps, well within the wireless-G capabilities, though. I only got 20 or so with the old AE. 28 with the new one. (both for wireless and ethernet connection. Consistent across devices, too)
Also consider that the 54 Mbps was in an ideal scenario with no interference, an perfect S/N ratio, and limited distance from the AE to the client. There is also an overhead with wireless that must be taken into account especially with routers from pre-2009 (wireless-N).
erratic Airport
Seems that distance from the base unit and interference might be the problem. Apple states that AE will work within 200 feet but that apparently assumes ideal conditions-line of sight and zero interference. Apple Support just told us that microwave ovens, portable phones and TV remotes can all interfere with the signal and causes erratic connections. I have moved my laptop much closer to the base station and so far, so good. Thanks for your questions and observations everyone.
Seems that distance from the base unit and interference might be the problem. Apple states that AE will work within 200 feet but that apparently assumes ideal conditions-line of sight and zero interference. Apple Support just told us that microwave ovens, portable phones and TV remotes can all interfere with the signal and causes erratic connections. I have moved my laptop much closer to the base station and so far, so good. Thanks for your questions and observations everyone.