Often wondered why my MBP and iPhone5S can't pick up my router from only 1 room away, and yet my friend's quarter of the price Windows laptop and HTC phone picked up full signal from the same router in a second. Is this just because the WiFi software isn't very good on Apple products. I've had this for several years from all Apple laptops and iPhones. Why do lesser products have stronger signals?
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Is Apple Wi Fi just not very good?
- Thread starter Peter Franks
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No, most router manufactures especially cheaper routers seem to make their routers prone to fail after2-3 years and the only test to Windows XP machines, still.
So if your router is more than 3 years old, replace it ASAP. I suggest a dual band router to get the best 5 Ghz speeds.
So if your router is more than 3 years old, replace it ASAP. I suggest a dual band router to get the best 5 Ghz speeds.
I tend to agree with your assessment. I have seen multiple instances where Apple laptops will not connect but other devices including Iphones connect without a problem. Generally a reboot of the router fixes the problem temporarily.
it's about 2 years old probably. I always assumed it was the router that had the problem and not me, until I saw the cheap lappy cling on to a signal with such ease.... and the HTC, which I'm sure are decent phones. I'm just not a fan.
It's been rebooted several times, It just won't reach my MBP or iPhone from one room away...
It's been rebooted several times, It just won't reach my MBP or iPhone from one room away...
I've seen this problem in both of my Macs. My 2009 iMac would take up to 30 seconds to connect to my wireless after waking, immediately available internet when wired. My MBP drops the connection when it sleeps, then connects to weak, slow unsecured networks upon waking, forcing me to drop connection and choose my network. Both my iPad and my iPhone 5 take more than 1 minute to connect to open networks (like Starbucks or a fast food joint) and allow you to click their button to get internet access.
My XBox 360? 2 seconds. Kindle? Immediately connects. Acer Aspire One Netbook? Immediately connects.
Love Apple stuff, but WiFi performance is the proverbial elephant in the room . . .
My XBox 360? 2 seconds. Kindle? Immediately connects. Acer Aspire One Netbook? Immediately connects.
Love Apple stuff, but WiFi performance is the proverbial elephant in the room . . .
It works exceptionally well...with other Apple hardware like their routers. I don't have a problem with my rMBP or currently my iPad and iPone 5, but the older gen iPads would only work for a little while before losing connection and requiring a restart.
My last iPhone (which was replaced under warranty) would lose any connection and require you to airplone mode it for just a second before taking it off so it could reconnect.
My last iPhone (which was replaced under warranty) would lose any connection and require you to airplone mode it for just a second before taking it off so it could reconnect.
You haven't mentioned which version of MBP and OS it is running. I will assume Mavericks. I assume you have 7.something on your iPhone 5S. With these recent OS, you really shouldn't be having wifi problems with Apple gear and third party (non-Apple) routers. The same wasn't true only a few years ago. I have been using Apple products heavily since 2005. I found that over the years they would frequently drop wifi connections to my non-Apple routers but once I started using Time Capsule or Airport Extreme all those problems ceased. I chalked it up to Apple "doing something different" with wifi and never looked back.
More recently, my AEBS needed resetting more than once in December 2013 so I replaced it with an Asus AC1750 router. I have not had even a moment's trouble with any of my Apple gear and the Asus router. I picked Asus not because I thought it was better than Apple but because I wanted the ability to have more control than Airport Utility offers.
Can you tell us the brand of router? Do you have the latest firmware? Often upgrading firmware is a good alternative to going out and buying a new router. If you check smallnetbuilder.com, you will find that AEBS is now listed among the top 5 routers in terms of performance. My experience with the AEBS proves to me there is rock solid reliability, at least for the 4 years I used it leading up to last December. Unfortunately my experiences with an older Time Capsule and an older Airport Express were not so good but I consider those exceptions not the rule.
The best advice I can give you is..
1) Make sure you have the latest firmware in your router, then make sure you have the latest iOS/OSX software in your Apple devices.
2) Turn on SSID visibility in your router. This often affects the ability to stay connected.
3) You aren't just using WEP are you? If so, change to WPA-PSK right now. I know Apple gear works very well with WPA-PSK. WEP is so bad it is really like having no wifi security at all.
4) Make sure the channel selection on your router is set to automatic. If there is no automatic setting, change the default channel. Perhaps there is interference affecting the chipset in your Apple gear more than it affects the chipset in your non-Apple laptop. Sometimes cheap stuff can win because they got lucky and picked a good wifi chipset for that model. It doesn't mean it's better than Apple gear in any other way.
5) If the above stuff doesn't make the connection work Every.Single.Time. I would consider replacing the router.
Sorry for delay in reply, my internet is not the most reliable and had an outage, just to add to the rubbishness.
Yes, provided by Sky, and it's a nightmare. (Is BT worse?)I'm running 10,6,8 still on SL. It's definitely the MBP because there are instances when I'm in the usual place it connects, and it just won't for several minutes. And then the iPhone, now running iOS 7 did pick it up, but that's much more unreliable than the MBP. It's appalling how that drops it, even more than my iPhone 4, which was horrendous, but not as bad as this 5S is.
r0k, I'm not sure about all those answers as it's a fair while since I set that up, but will check. I know the router may be a bit past it, by a year or so, but I don't get these problems on non-Apple products, and that was my point really. It's a shame that none of them can hold on to a signal. Downloading is a nightmare because I always have to have a few attempts at it, because it will always cut out at some point. I have tried various different channels over the year but it's made no difference at all.
Replacing the router is a no no with the ISP, no idea why, but if you think it may do the trick, I'm open to that.
Yes, provided by Sky, and it's a nightmare. (Is BT worse?)I'm running 10,6,8 still on SL. It's definitely the MBP because there are instances when I'm in the usual place it connects, and it just won't for several minutes. And then the iPhone, now running iOS 7 did pick it up, but that's much more unreliable than the MBP. It's appalling how that drops it, even more than my iPhone 4, which was horrendous, but not as bad as this 5S is.
r0k, I'm not sure about all those answers as it's a fair while since I set that up, but will check. I know the router may be a bit past it, by a year or so, but I don't get these problems on non-Apple products, and that was my point really. It's a shame that none of them can hold on to a signal. Downloading is a nightmare because I always have to have a few attempts at it, because it will always cut out at some point. I have tried various different channels over the year but it's made no difference at all.
Replacing the router is a no no with the ISP, no idea why, but if you think it may do the trick, I'm open to that.
I used this: http://www.belkin.com/us/F7D2102-Belkin/p/P-F7D2102/
and solved my wi fi problems on ASUS laptop
and solved my wi fi problems on ASUS laptop
You can use a different router. I have a virgin media super hub set to bridge mode (no wifi) connected to a timecapsule. It gives me a better signal than the virgin super hub.
what's that do? you've lost me
presume I can just buy any router from a shop and swap it over?
If your router is also your modem, you will need to use both but just your old one in bridge mode. Best google it before you switch for your particular router model.
you need to check the firmware on the router and make sure it's the most current. There was an issue with an older version of the firmware with certain apple devices either not being able to connect or dropping the connection. Make sure you have 7.6.4. installed.
Is Apple Wi Fi just not very good?
I've done and gone as far as I can with what I have here, and made some adjustments that were recommended but I still have the same problem and the same regular cutting out. I do wonder if it's the MBP.... and the phone, just because this is what I'm used to with Apple products, past and present, but I will now upgrade router/modem and see what occurs.
I have never been more fed up with Apple than I am now. My laptop and my phone both very expensive products cut out all day every day. And I've lost work because of it, even after typing this post! Have had to retype so much stuff
I've done and gone as far as I can with what I have here, and made some adjustments that were recommended but I still have the same problem and the same regular cutting out. I do wonder if it's the MBP.... and the phone, just because this is what I'm used to with Apple products, past and present, but I will now upgrade router/modem and see what occurs.
I have never been more fed up with Apple than I am now. My laptop and my phone both very expensive products cut out all day every day. And I've lost work because of it, even after typing this post! Have had to retype so much stuff
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Like I told you before that cheap routers start dying after 2-3 years. Again I suggest you get a dual band router so you can use your older stuff and they won't interfere with the new stuff using N or AC. The boys is on the 5GH section (in a dual band router) use some of the highest channels to get the best 5 GHz speeds.
Speed has always been a bit average. If it could just hold on to a signal I would be happy. I will take your advice and seek it out. Thank you