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iMac won't detect wifi automatically

J

jlyanks85

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 3, 2008
629
97
I've had my i7 2010 imac for a little over a year now and has given me no trouble at all.

It always detected my wifi network automatically when waking up from sleep.

Now all of a sudden the last couple days I have to manually find my network. Not really a big deal since the internet still works great, just strange that it would do this all of a sudden and no matter what "fix" I try to do it doesn't work.

My only guess is when I updated to the newest firmware, because it seemed to start right after that.
 
This happened to me when I had an Imac I bought a couple weeks ago. I took it back because I didn't find it acceptable it wouldn't find it's connection after waking up. I have since bought a Macbook Air. It was the update 10.7.3. This didn't happen to everyone, but to some. You can call Apple if you still have Applecare and there are several things they can do to try to make it work.

I spent several hours on the phone with them and they had me download some sort of packet that sent information to their engineers. They got back with me several days later, but unfortunately the two other things they had me try didn't work. They said they are aware of the issue and for now I would just have to manually connect. It isn't a big deal, but what is frustrating as a Apple user for several years, it seems updates can bring bad luck for many users.

I really wish Apple wouldn't have become so popular, I feel like these things didn't used to happen. I bought my Macbook Air and downloaded the 10.7.3 in the store and told them I would return it if didn't work. It has been fine, but I won't be doing updates to my computer when they come out, at least not until it's been awhile to see how they have worked for everyone else. I will also make sure my Air is backed up, so I can go back to the old update if I have to.
 
I'm having the same problem with my iMac. When waking from sleep my iMac is not reconnecting to the wireless network automatically. It must be manually connected. Also like you this only recently started happening. Not sure when but it's definitely been less than 2 months now.

I do not have this problem with my MacBook Pro so I'm pretty sure it doesn't have to do with my network configuration or my Time Capsule. My guess is that some recent Software Update included new firmware or driver for the Atheros wireless nic on the iMac.

For the record I spent the better part of today trying the various debugging methods found on these forums and nothing has worked so far.
 
Same problem here, had my iMac since August and this annoying problem has just started over the past week or 2!!
 
It is a bug, not a problem with your settings. I've had the problem with my iMac but not with my MBP. Nothing that I've tried has worked, and that includes setting up a location, clearing the entries in the Keychain, deleting and readding the access points on the list. It's only with 10.7.3 to me. Apple has been trying to fix the issue through the updates, but seems to have got it wrong with this one...hopefully it should be fixed in .4!
 
It has to be a bug, since my MacBook air doesn't have this issue. Hopefully I can get it fixed whenever the next update comes along.
 
Having the same problem with my IMAC 2011 after I downloaded recent update.
Tried changing router etc nothing helps. Problem only only present when i'm on LION, When I use Bootcamp and am on Windows there's no problem.
 
I had this problem and I tried everything from redoing the connection to changing the router settings. What worked in the end was doing a "Repair Disk Permissions" in Disk Utility.

My iMac no longer has a wifi issue now, I think this is the only time "Repair Disk Permissions" fixed anything..lol

Hope this helps.
 
I'm pretty sure it is a iMac issue as my mbp nor my mac mini have this problem, just my iMac and it has only been happening recently also.
 
Bear said:
Newest firmware in what? If it's an Airport Extreme or Express Base Station, you could try downgrading one version and see if that helps.
Click to expand...

The 10.7.3 update I'm talking about. Ever since I downloaded that, the wifi problem started.

How would I be able to downgrade anyway?
 
Hey guys.

I just got off the phone with Apple Care and the representative confirmed with me that there is a known issue with the waking an iMac and having to manually re-connect to a wifi network starting with the Lion 10.7.3 update. He said that they've been receiving a lot of calls on this. He didn't give a time estimate but he was pretty sure that there would be a fix or at least a KB article forthcoming.

In the meantime he suggested that I change my settings in System Preferences > Energy Saver to make it so the computer doesn't sleep. Other power saving settings can be left alone.

While I'm not terribly happy that this issue is happening I am glad that Apple is aware of the problem and presumably working on a fix. :)
 
Appple is working on a fix They sent me an email to participate in a wifi fix as I complained to AppleCare. I have no iMac now as I returned it but they are working on it.
 
Last edited:
I have spoken with AppleCare about this issue and I was told that 10.7.3 introduced this issue only for iMacs. Unfortunately, I am also affect by this issue.
 
Apple posted a fix in Software Update yesterday regarding this bug. I have installed it and so far haven't encountered the problem anymore.
 
YAY! Updated software last night, and now it connects to Wifi automatically again :D Good for Apple getting it sorted relatively quickly.
 
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