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warburg

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 27, 2008
722
160
I have a strange problem that neither phone calls to Mac Technical Support or to the authoried dealer that sold me the computer have been able to solve. I bought a 17" MacBook Pro, now running OS 10.6.2, a couple of weeks ago. Every once in a while, the computer simply goes off line. The Network settings in System Preferences are all correct, and I know that the problem is not with my cable connection since my wife has an older MacBook Pro running on the same Airport hub and using the same network Her internet connection remains open when mine shuts down.

Curiously, I can get back on line with a simple Restart. Can anyone suggest an explanation of why this is happening?
 
Well if your wife's computer is remaining online, then you can cross network/router off the list of potential causes.

Is your wife on the same version of OSX? If not downgrade back to 10.6.0 and see if that resolves it. I'd also run the apple hardware test (on your install disc) to see if it pukes anything out.

If you have wireless router try that instead of the ethernet cable. Sounds like its a problem with the ethernet card in your computer, possible software, but more likely hardware.
 
Well if your wife's computer is remaining online, then you can cross network/router off the list of potential causes.

Is your wife on the same version of OSX? If not downgrade back to 10.6.0 and see if that resolves it. I'd also run the apple hardware test (on your install disc) to see if it pukes anything out.

If you have wireless router try that instead of the ethernet cable. Sounds like its a problem with the ethernet card in your computer, possible software, but more likely hardware.

Thanks very much for your help. The authorized Apple dealer from whom I bought the computer agreed with your analysis and installed a new ethernet card. Let's see what happens. :)
 
been having the same problem with my two month old unibody mbp. Happy with everything so far except for this and one or two other little quirks. Please post your results from switching out the ethernet card and if it solves the problem.

Thanks,

Kris
 
been having the same problem with my two month old unibody mbp. Happy with everything so far except for this and one or two other little quirks. Please post your results from switching out the ethernet card and if it solves the problem.

Thanks,

Kris

Too early to reort results as yet, but will do so. What steps have you taken to remedy the problem? Have you called Apple?

You mention a couple of other little quirks. One of mine is that the computer doesn't remember sign-in information, such as on this board and Netflix. I now have to enter a user name and password every time. This may be an OS question.
 
Well this is my first laptop and my first apple product ( Have owned several desktop pc's). At first I didn't really think too much of it. I am running a linksys dual N band router and thought that maybe it was the problem. The 802.11n card in my umbp produced such blistering wireless performance that I didn't really mind at first but now I find it annoying ( especially since my gf pc laptop running vista never loses its wireless). It was only since coming to this forum that I thought of a possible hardware issue. I think I will call Apple and see what they say. I have had the same issues with the login info but I find for the most part its consistent. The only other two problems that I have (which are a little off topic for this thread) are: The mini display port drastically reduces my ability to link to most non hdmi tv's, and the cables mac sells for the mini display port have the worst product reviews I've ever seen - why couldn't they stick to mini dvi? And secondly I was surprised that a company that brags about intuitiveness created a program (imovie) that makes it so frustrating to import video into. I guess I just expected more. Other than those things though i'm very happy. Still light years ahead of my pc expiriences! I'll update the thread with what Apple says about my wireless.

Kris
 
Putting in a new ethernet card didn't help. It just changed the situation. Now I can't get on line after the computer has been asleep, with the cover down. After opening the top and a few minutes of opening and closing my mail application and/or Firefox, it goes back on line. If I close the top long enough for it to go to sleep and open it again, the cycle will start over.
 
Well this is my first laptop and my first apple product ( Have owned several desktop pc's). At first I didn't really think too much of it. I am running a linksys dual N band router and thought that maybe it was the problem. The 802.11n card in my umbp produced such blistering wireless performance that I didn't really mind at first but now I find it annoying ( especially since my gf pc laptop running vista never loses its wireless). It was only since coming to this forum that I thought of a possible hardware issue. I think I will call Apple and see what they say. I have had the same issues with the login info but I find for the most part its consistent. The only other two problems that I have (which are a little off topic for this thread) are: The mini display port drastically reduces my ability to link to most non hdmi tv's, and the cables mac sells for the mini display port have the worst product reviews I've ever seen - why couldn't they stick to mini dvi? And secondly I was surprised that a company that brags about intuitiveness created a program (imovie) that makes it so frustrating to import video into. I guess I just expected more. Other than those things though i'm very happy. Still light years ahead of my pc expiriences! I'll update the thread with what Apple says about my wireless.

Kris

Well, I just called Apple again, and the technician spent over an hour with me, going over everything possible, and he thinks that my Linksys router IS the problem. It's perhaps significant that we're using the same router. I wantes an Airport Exteme when I ordered my computer, but the dealer I usually buy from was out of them and convinced me that a Linksys was just as good and cheaper. Of course, I'm still not certain that this is why it now takes me 15 minutes of opening and closig my mail and browser applications to get on the Internet. I have a Genius Bar appointment on Tuesday. :(

I wnder why there are not more people havoing this problem.
 
Did they consider the wifi/airport antenna in the mbp being wonky? Just spitballing but if moving the lid sometimes changes things its maybe an option?

Or is it only happening when plugged in?
 
Did they consider the wifi/airport antenna in the mbp being wonky? Just spitballing but if moving the lid sometimes changes things its maybe an option?

Or is it only happening when plugged in?

Well, the latest development in this ongoing saga is that the authorized Apple dealer who sold me the computer is sending a technician tomorrow to substitute Airport Extreme for my present Casio Lynksys router, even though my wife's older MacBook Pro is connecting without difficulty to the same Lynksys router I'm now using!

I'm no longer pretend to have any understanding of what's going on here, but stay tuned for the next thrilling episode. :rolleyes:
 
Well, the latest development in this ongoing saga is that the authorized Apple dealer who sold me the computer is sending a technician tomorrow to substitute Airport Extreme for my present Casio Lynksys router, even though my wife's older MacBook Pro is connecting without difficulty to the same Lynksys router I'm now using!

I'm no longer pretend to have any understanding of what's going on here, but stay tuned for the next thrilling episode. :rolleyes:

All I know is that Apple's macbook pros have really crap wireless technologies, pc's actually have much better. I always have problems with my airport flickering on and off. It works fine if I plug the ethernet cable in though..
 
All I know is that Apple's macbook pros have really crap wireless technologies, pc's actually have much better. I always have problems with my airport flickering on and off. It works fine if I plug the ethernet cable in though..

I used to have no wireless problems whatsoever untli 10.6, now at school I get dropped out of the network every 5-10 minutes, regardless of use, and I have to play with the DHCP settings for it to reconnect or completely restart the computer.

When bootcamped into windows 7, the problem goes away, so this has nothing to do with hardware, and 100% to do with OS X.
 
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