Macbook w/ 10.4 keeps dropping wireless connection

[ll PiStoNs ll]

Hey I got a macbook back in october and this has been happening every day and im starting to get sick of it. I'll be online, then right out of no where a page wont load. I have to run to my basement and reset the wireless router, wait 30 seconds, then it works again. I know for a fact that this isnt a router problem, because I can use my ipod touch, imac, ibook, and ps3 with wireless and wired connections with no problem or connections dropping. I searched and it seems like this is only a problem with the 10.5 update, so I dont know whats wrong.

 

[odagled]

I had this same problem with my macbook. I bought it in January. I heard a high pitched screech whenever I went online. My connection would drop after 5 mins of being online. I took it the "genius" at the apple store. Just my luck that it worked over there and he looked at me like I was stupid. Took it in again after getting tired of using my ethernet connection. This time it didn't work in front of the genius. They sent my macbook in for repair on the wireless card.

 

[DLS]

Have you tried chaning the channel your wi-fi router is using? There are only a limited number of channels, if somebody near you is using the same channel then you get interference, and a dropped connection. I had similar problems with my macbook (switched to Apple last December) and with two Dell notebooks. switched my router to use a channel that looked to be 'open' and haven't had a dropped connection in the last couple of weeks.

 

[PkennethV]

Hey I got a macbook back in october and this has been happening every day and im starting to get sick of it. I'll be online, then right out of no where a page wont load. I have to run to my basement and reset the wireless router, wait 30 seconds, then it works again. I know for a fact that this isnt a router problem, because I can use my ipod touch, imac, ibook, and ps3 with wireless and wired connections with no problem or connections dropping. I searched and it seems like this is only a problem with the 10.5 update, so I dont know whats wrong.

I'm having the EXACT same problem. Only my MBP drops the connection. The PCs are fine.

 

[cheeryble]

Have you tried chaning the channel your wi-fi router is using? There are only a limited number of channels, if somebody near you is using the same channel then you get interference, and a dropped connection. I had similar problems with my macbook (switched to Apple last December) and with two Dell notebooks. switched my router to use a channel that looked to be 'open' and haven't had a dropped connection in the last couple of weeks.

Hello DLS
I run a MacBook.
I live in a forest garden in Thailand with a dozen houses and several wireless networks including mine, Boratnet. I wonder if what you mention is affecting me.
I find at home I often get dropped off my own network. If I'm out using friend's networks or cafe networks it always seems very stable.
How would I change channels to check this?
Are there any downsides to changing?

thanx v much
Cheeryble

 

[DLS]

Hello DLS
I run a MacBook.
I live in a forest garden in Thailand with a dozen houses and several wireless networks including mine, Boratnet. I wonder if what you mention is affecting me.
I find at home I often get dropped off my own network. If I'm out using friend's networks or cafe networks it always seems very stable.
How would I change channels to check this?
Are there any downsides to changing?

thanx v much
Cheeryble

Hello Cheeryble.


I am going to assume that the wireless products in Thailand (wi-fi routers, cordless phones, etc) operate in more or less the same as those devices do in the USA (isn't globalization wonderful). The only downside I know of to changing the channel of your wi-fi route is that you may pick a channel that is also 'busy'. In the USA wi-fi devices can be set to use channels 1 -11. Devices are typically set from the factory to use channel 1, or 6, or 11. So, picking a channel as far 'away' from the commonly used channels will reduce your risk of being dropped due to interference.

I am new to Apple. I bought my macbook in December of 2007. I have not figured out, with Leopard, how to determine what channels all the wi-fi in my area are using. I must give credit to Microsoft. Windows XP (on my soon-to-be-recycled Dell notebook) shows the wi-fi channel of all the hotspots it detects. I have not been able to figure out how to get the same information with Apple's Airport.

Take a look at what channel your wi-fi router is set to. If it is 1, 6, or 11 (typical factory defaults), try a random choice of a different channel. Keep trying different channels until you find one that keeps the connection (I know this can be somewhat of a pain-in-the-butt).

There are also other sources of interference, say from wireless telephones. If you don't experience wi-fi dropping out when your are at locations other than your home, perhaps there are other electronic devices that are interfering with the wireless connection. This Apple technical article explains things in more detail: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58543

 

[DLS]

Hello DLS
I run a MacBook.
I live in a forest garden in Thailand with a dozen houses and several wireless networks including mine, Boratnet. I wonder if what you mention is affecting me.
I find at home I often get dropped off my own network. If I'm out using friend's networks or cafe networks it always seems very stable.
How would I change channels to check this?
Are there any downsides to changing?

thanx v much
Cheeryble

Hello Cheeryble.


I am going to assume that the wireless products in Thailand (wi-fi routers, cordless phones, etc) operate more or less the same as those devices do in the USA (isn't globalization wonderful). The only downside I know of to changing the channel of your wi-fi route is that you may pick a channel that is also 'busy'. In the USA wi-fi devices can be set to use channels 1 -11. Devices are typically set from the factory to use channel 1, or 6, or 11. So, picking a channel as far 'away' from the commonly used channels will reduce your risk of being dropped due to interference.

I am new to Apple. I bought my macbook in December of 2007. I have not figured out, with Leopard, how to determine what channels all the wi-fi in my area are using. I must give credit to Microsoft. Windows XP (on my soon-to-be-recycled Dell notebook) shows the wi-fi channel of all the hotspots it detects. I have not been able to figure out how to get the same information with Apple's Airport.

Take a look at what channel your wi-fi router is set to. If it is 1, 6, or 11 (typical factory defaults), try a random choice of a different channel. Keep trying different channels until you find one that keeps the connection (I know this can be somewhat of a pain-in-the-butt).

There are also other sources of interference, say from wireless telephones. If you don't experience wi-fi dropping out when your are at locations other than your home, perhaps there are other electronic devices that are interfering with the wireless connection. This Apple technical article explains things in more detail: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58543

 

[cheeryble]

DLS...
Well thankyou that sounds like very good advice though yes it is strange I never have had a problem in another location. Maybe I simply spend more time at home.
I shall try what you say and let you know.
If I find a way of getting all the channels up on Mac I shall likewise inform you. Of course it just occurred to me I can simply switch to XP in Bootcamp and do the channel checking there......You have Macbook in which case you can presumably do likewise. I'd be interested to hear if you try it.
thanx so much
John

 

[gotzero]

Are you by chance using a default Verizon Fios ActionTec router?

They did a silent firmware update for me on the 25th the sent the wireless on all of my apple products nuts. I had to revert to the old version to get connections.

 

[cheeryble]

"Are you by chance using a default Verizon Fios ActionTec router?"

No using a D-Link but thanx