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MBP 11 Huge Disappointment

R

royalgfx1

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 3, 2007
46
0
I just bought a 2.4 i7, and obviously - being a mac - I spent a lot of money. I never have any issues spending the large amounts of money on Apple products for one primary reason - they work.

I have spent the past 4 years using a MacBook Core Duo 2, and it's the best laptop I had ever had. Just a flawless machine...however, times change, and with the arrival of Lion this year, I bought a new MacBook Pro, and because I wanted something new. I doubt any of you would argue that updating from a 2007 standard MacBook to a 2011 MacBook Pro would be a questionable upgrade...I say that in comparison to others around here who ask if it's worth upgrading from a December 2010 MBP to the new '11 MBP.

So, what's wrong?

Wireless.

What in gods name is wrong with the god damn wireless card in this? I have only two computers using the wireless internet in this house: my old MacBook and my new MBP. Sitting side by side, perhaps, 80 cm away from the router, the MacBook - as it always has - proves to be a worthy companion, giving me full bars, and blistering internet speed. It gets worse when I try taking my laptop to my room, where my old MacBook had never had ANY issues getting FULL bars - as it's only 4-5 meters away from the router - but this MacBook pro...has one bar. Heck, it's not even a bar, it's that ONE dot of connection.

The new MBP however, struggles to get 3 bars, flickering between 2-3.

And no, it's not a router problem at all. I've read similar thread issues, and it seems like most unibody aluminium MBP's have SERIOUS issues with their wireless. I spent all of today trying to fix my gf's macbook pro 2009, because it said it had NO INTERNET CONNECTION, which was a load of crap, because my MacBook and even my now stuttering MBP were able to get connections.

After reading countless threads today trying to fix both my problem and my girlfriends, I can't understand whether it's a problem with Snow Leopard, or the MBP's themselves. What i can't understand even more, is how an old MacBook can have a better wireless card, accessing the wireless from further away, and gaining higher speeds, when all the network settings are identicle.

They say iPhone 4's (WHICH I OWN AND LOVE) had reception issues...maybe more people should invest looking at MBPS.

note: despite my angered tone, i'm more or less an apple fan boy, and love all their products. they work flawlessly, and the amount of effort placed into user experience is perfect. it's a great experience being an apple owner and fan. but this is just utter ********. i've been betrayed.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2775868&start=0&tstart=0 - the problem exists, and who ever posted in that thread "this problem exists and people are just ignoring it" - it's true.
 
If you are still in the return period maybe you can return and keep yours? You know what they say...If it ain't broke....

I'm still holding out for a redesign later this year or next then I'll be buying my new one.
 
Side note: I lol'd at the first part being all serene and then the second being violent.

I've had a number of MacBook Pros, and over the years I have noticed that if I am not using an Airport router, the MacBook Pros do not maximize their use of the wireless signal. Had a Belkin N+ wireless router that worked perfectly fine on any PC, but once I tapped it to the MacBook Pro - weak signal. Got an Airport Extreme and have never seen anything less than full strength on the MBP. PC and my other small wireless devices don't care for the Airport nearly as much, but I only have one PC now and it's not being used at the moment.

So I don't think it's a router issue. I think it's a preference issue - Snow Leopard reporting a preference towards the Airport-based wireless over other brands.
 
I have a mid 2010 MBP and have no trouble downloading on my hotfile account at close to max theoretical bandwidth on my internet connection, continuously, from about 10 meters away from my router, and through 2 walls. And i am not using an apple router either.

Just saying
 
Have you done an SMC/PRAM reset? you may also just have a faulty card. I have an Early 11 MBP and my Wi-Fi reception hasn't even so much as blinked since i've owned it. The new MBPs also have 3 transceivers as opposed to two in previous versions...they are meant to be better with Wi-Fi signals.

PS- If more than one computer is having trouble then it IS the router or you have really bad interference.
 
Sounds more like a faulty wireless card, or you just have some garbage wireless 'g' router your ISP provided you with.

I use my current MBP and 2010 MBP roughly 30-40ft away from a £60 Belkin router and have never had a single bar drop off.
 
daneoni said:
Have you done an SMC/PRAM reset? you may also just have a faulty card. I have an Early 11 MBP and my Wi-Fi reception hasn't even so much as blinked since i've owned it. The new MBPs also have 3 transceivers as opposed to two in previous versions...they are meant to be better with Wi-Fi signals.

PS- If more than one computer is having trouble then it IS the router or you have really bad interference.
Click to expand...

+1

My experience has been that my '11 MBP gets better reception than my '09. I have to go through two walls and a floor and my WiFi is much better than the '09.

Lemon?
 
I have a 2011 MBP 15" and I am not experiencing any issues with the wifi. I get full bars and the router is 2 rooms away.
 
Wait the wifi issue is the only one your having and you're hugely disappointed? There are quite a few more devastating issues with the release like massively broken graphical drivers (you can't exit full screen in many games without freezing the machine...).
 
Why not just get it fixed or replaced instead of ranting? I don't get it.
 
No issues with my new one either. Did you try setting up a new profile in network preferences?
 
I have a new 2011 15" 2.0 MBP and have no problems with it at all. I have a fairly inexpensive D-Link router and I get full bars and great speed from 2 rooms away. WEB pages load up much faster on my new MBP than they did on my 2010 Toshiba laptop. Maybe you have a bad wireless card?
 
I have two kids in college using Santa Rosa Blackbooks. These notebooks get far bettter wireless reception than my 2010 MBP. The same was also true with my previous machine, a Santa Rosa MBP. From what I understand it is the composition of the case that causes the issue. The aluminum case is just not going to get as good reception as the plastic case.
That being said, if you're unhappy with it, take it in and get it checked out. You paid alot of $$$, you should be happy.
 
OP, if I'm you, I'll bring/send the MBP to Apple for an exchange if it is still within the return period. Good luck. :)
 
vincenz said:
Why not just get it fixed or replaced instead of ranting? I don't get it.
Click to expand...

+1 its getting annoying. None of these issues affects the majority of users, just go get it swapped. I've worked in the electronics industry for years and bad machines are common, you just simply get it replaced. People want cheap prices so things are mass produced, this is a side effect.
 
dmarch said:
From what I understand it is the composition of the case that causes the issue. The aluminum case is just not going to get as good reception as the plastic case.
That being said, if you're unhappy with it, take it in and get it checked out. You paid alot of $$$, you should be happy.
Click to expand...

Signals will, in theory always go through plastic better than aluminium. I believe the Early '11 MBP contain an additional airport antenna to try and fix this issue.
 
I'm using a 2011 mbp, I get full bars all the time from my bedroom -- through four walls and with a 3-4 year old router.
 
Return it. The WiFi on my new 11' 15" MBP absolutely screams with my AEBS. My router is on a different floor on the opposite side of my house and my throughput is usually 90-100Mbps -- faster than 10/100 Ethernet!
 
royalgfx1 said:
I just bought a 2.4 i7,

-snip-

I have only two computers using the wireless internet in this house: my old MacBook and my new MBP. Sitting side by side, perhaps, 80 cm away from the router, the MacBook - as it always has - proves to be a worthy companion, giving me full bars, and blistering internet speed. It gets worse when I try taking my laptop to my room, where my old MacBook had never had ANY issues getting FULL bars - as it's only 4-5 meters away from the router - but this MacBook pro...has one bar. Heck, it's not even a bar, it's that ONE dot of connection.

The new MBP however, struggles to get 3 bars, flickering between 2-3.

And no, it's not a router problem at all.

-snip-

What i can't understand even more, is how an old MacBook can have a better wireless card, accessing the wireless from further away, and gaining higher speeds, when all the network settings are identicle.
-snip-
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2775868&start=0&tstart=0 - the problem exists, and who ever posted in that thread "this problem exists and people are just ignoring it" - it's true.
Click to expand...

So you complained on and on about not having enough bars but only mention higher speeds in passing toward the end of your rant. Have you checked speeds on the two machines or not? Perhaps it is just bars you want more of which could be a result of Apple instituting new connectivity scales on the newer models.
If it is actually speed, try a new router or take the machine in.
 
I live in a really marginal wi-fi reception location. It's literally going over the river and through the woods, passing through a couple of metal buildings along the way. NOT ideal!

With my iBook I could muster up 1-2 bars, and the wi-fi would work fine if I sat in one certain position.

With my 2008 (plastic) Macbook, it was about the same.

When I had to get a new computer I was really torn: I wanted Firewire and an external battery monitor, but they were not available on the plastic Macbooks anymore. I had heard that the metal Macs got inferior wi-fi reception and I could not afford to lose a drop!

I asked at the Apple store (two stores actually), plus looked online. From what I could tell, the antenna in the current plastic Macbooks and in the unibody aluminum MBP's is now in the same place: behind the plastic hinge cover. This was just before the re-stocking fee was eliminated so I asked a manager to waive it so I could try the wi-fi on the 2010 MBP.

Reception side-by-side seemed the same as on my older Macs, so I kept it.

But, no, it has actually turned out to be BETTER. Right now I have full bars AND I can even shift positions (whoo hoo, no more "trying to hold still").

Now, this is for the 2010 MBP (13"). Thing is, I had heard the 2011 has an even better antenna so I was lusting after one.

Long story to say that it sounds like something may be wrong with yours, and that it is not specifically a problem due to the unibody aluminum form factor.

MT
 
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