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New MacBook Pro Wifi reception is terrible?
- Thread starter xaquaticx
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Mine seems to be vastly improved after purchasing an Airport Express today. Set up was a breeze and I'm surfing with no problems. It must've been a problem with my old Netgear router? Hopefully things will continue to be great, but I'll let you know if I have any problems. 
Given that wifi should work with ANY device don't matter the brand, isn't good news that i have to buy an apple router, since in Brazil, a AirPort Express costs something around US$180, in US i can buy a airport extreme (here it costs mere US$360... sometimes being a Apple user just sucks.
Hi Fernando, sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I don't think it's purely Apple hardware that will work together though, that would just be unacceptable really. I put it down to my Netgear router being quite old. Maybe you could just look for a newer N based router?
That is the point, my tp-link router is new! My very old tp-link "g" router was working flawless until i bought this new one (and sold the old one -_- ) to get a higher speed, and what i do get? a headache....
I really like apple products, but some, like the airport are just overpriced rubbish.... by now, i think i'll need to learn to plug the blue cat 5 cable every time the wireless is mad with me until i
) to buy an airport base station... 
Are any on these occurring?
Calling/Texting
Home Phone Too Close
Microwave On
Those can mess with wifi
Calling/Texting
Home Phone Too Close
Microwave On
Those can mess with wifi
New MacBook Pro Wifi reception is terrible
TERRIBLE problems here: 15" MBP 4GB, 2.66GHz Intel Core i7, 500GB running OSX 10.6.4, a month old. Compared to my old Windows machine, it is abysmal.
This is my second machine, too. First one, Core2 Duo purchased Nov 2009, had so many problems, particularly in Apple Mail and internet dropouts, I spent more time on the phone to my ISP and sitting at the genius bar than I did running my business, then eventually insisted they give me a new machine or a refund. Got a new machine but I have to say it's no better and, sadly, I'm thinking of reverting to a PC.
Add all this to the absence of a decent email client (Outlook for Mac promises to be to not much better) and I am seriously disappointed. What a great story this would make for Microsoft.
Any thoughts? Are these known issues or merely unfortunate isolated incidents?
TERRIBLE problems here: 15" MBP 4GB, 2.66GHz Intel Core i7, 500GB running OSX 10.6.4, a month old. Compared to my old Windows machine, it is abysmal.
This is my second machine, too. First one, Core2 Duo purchased Nov 2009, had so many problems, particularly in Apple Mail and internet dropouts, I spent more time on the phone to my ISP and sitting at the genius bar than I did running my business, then eventually insisted they give me a new machine or a refund. Got a new machine but I have to say it's no better and, sadly, I'm thinking of reverting to a PC.
Add all this to the absence of a decent email client (Outlook for Mac promises to be to not much better) and I am seriously disappointed. What a great story this would make for Microsoft.
Any thoughts? Are these known issues or merely unfortunate isolated incidents?
If youve had 2 machines (regardless of brand) play up with your wireless, then Id be looking else where than your machine. What have you got running as your AP?
Ive got a completely rubbish TP-Link modem-router-AP, and the improvement from my olf HP DV6 to my new MBP is like day and night. The Apple smashes the HP on speed and signal strength.
Ive got a completely rubbish TP-Link modem-router-AP, and the improvement from my olf HP DV6 to my new MBP is like day and night. The Apple smashes the HP on speed and signal strength.
I think it's down to the routers. Since I got the Airport Express, I've got no problems at all and Windows Laptops (in the same house) don't have the range of my MBP.
Something's not-right. Go to an Apple Store if you can (having made an appointment at the Genius Bar online) and have them evaluate it. The big red flag is that it's slower than your MacBook, which I'd safely presume is a much less powerful machine.
well, i give up with tp-link, bought a airport extreme, let's see when it arrives, if it fixes my problems without giving-me new ones (fortunately, i didn't have to
Well - fernando.kreutz, like I've said before, I haven't had a problem since buying an AirPort Express - I should imagine the Extreme is better still. Good luck and let us know how get on.
Interesting posts here... are you guys saying you dispense with your original router once you have AirPort Extreme/Express?
I have both. AirPort Express is wired to ISP-provided router, (it doesn't maintain a stable connection over Wifi) whilst AirPort Extreme connects wirelessly to the network.
I don't think the ISP's router can be the entire source of the problem, though, as we have 2 wifi networks here and MBP performance is patchy on both.
I have both. AirPort Express is wired to ISP-provided router, (it doesn't maintain a stable connection over Wifi) whilst AirPort Extreme connects wirelessly to the network.
I don't think the ISP's router can be the entire source of the problem, though, as we have 2 wifi networks here and MBP performance is patchy on both.
Had almost the same with my macbook pro exept my dropouts were days....
My MBP WIFI is worse than my $500 laptop.
You think a new airport card in the MBP will fix it and Apple will replace it?
Some 802.11n routers will default to a slower connection speed if there is just one device on the network using a slower connection standard such as 802.11g or 802.11b. There are many devices that still use the older standards such as game consoles, television devices, and phones. If you manually set the router to stay in 802.11g only and the connection appears more consistent then that could be the source of the problem. You could also set it to stay in 802.11n only and refuse all other devices if you don't really need them to have a connection.
It is also possible for someone to be leeching your bandwidth. Changing your router security settings and password could solve this.
It could be interference from something on or near where your experience the connection problems. Even many computer peripherals can cause problems. Speakers and cordless phones are some of the most common offenders.
Bad hardware such as the router or the network chipset and antenna in the computer are possible but less common.
The metal case of some computers with internal antennas can make connections slower or weaker. This is usually a consistent problem though so does not match the problems described in this case very well.
It is also possible for someone to be leeching your bandwidth. Changing your router security settings and password could solve this.
It could be interference from something on or near where your experience the connection problems. Even many computer peripherals can cause problems. Speakers and cordless phones are some of the most common offenders.
Bad hardware such as the router or the network chipset and antenna in the computer are possible but less common.
The metal case of some computers with internal antennas can make connections slower or weaker. This is usually a consistent problem though so does not match the problems described in this case very well.
my beliefs are that the real deal is that macbooks wireless antennas just sucks, even more than iphone's.
If i'm not wrong, macbook antenna is just a piece of plastic with printed cooper located on the hinge, like the one in the photo, while, other laptops have 3 single metal antennas disposed on the top of the display.
macbook pro antenna
If i'm not wrong, macbook antenna is just a piece of plastic with printed cooper located on the hinge, like the one in the photo, while, other laptops have 3 single metal antennas disposed on the top of the display.
macbook pro antenna
My 13" MacBook Pro's reception is great. I get full reception anywhere on my property (its only a quater of an acre, but still). I can also pick up 3 bars of my neihbour's router
BTW my router is just a standard cheepie router - Nothing special.
Perhaps there is something interfering with your signal?
BTW my router is just a standard cheepie router - Nothing special.
Perhaps there is something interfering with your signal?
I have a 15" mid-2010 MPB purchased at the end of May; my prior laptop was a 13" base-model Macbook that was running Leopard. The new laptop was connecting just fine to my Netgear, but for the last few weeks, it's been dropping the connection like crazy & timing out when I try to reconnect to my network (which shows as being active in the drop down). Meanwhile, my iPhone never loses connection to the network.
The network is WPA-encrypted with a 32-character password, and hooking the laptop directly to the router via the ethernet cable restores my internet connection.
I've reset my router & cable modem numerous times. I'll try fiddling with the channel when I get home. Again, this is a VERY recent issue, and kind of annoying, but I'm glad to know I'm not alone.
The network is WPA-encrypted with a 32-character password, and hooking the laptop directly to the router via the ethernet cable restores my internet connection.
I've reset my router & cable modem numerous times. I'll try fiddling with the channel when I get home. Again, this is a VERY recent issue, and kind of annoying, but I'm glad to know I'm not alone.
New MacBook Pro Wifi reception is terrible?
I have been having the same wifi problem. I have had two macs one 13 in. air and a MBP 13 in. and have had several PCs. No problem with wifi signal strength on any of the computers. I like to work outside, I work about 100 ft from the router and have always had a strong signal. Recently, I bought a 2006 17 in. MBP and tried to use it in the same spot i usually work at outside. Immediately noticed I was getting no signal at first. It detected the router but no signal. Then I got one bar so I could connect to the net but it was very slow, then the signal dropped, and then the router was not detected.
I went inside the building and got a strong signal 4 bars. I think it is an antenna problem.
I just bought the installation disks for Leopard and Snow Leopard and will take my 17 in. MBP into the Apple Store to get a clean install of the OS upgrading from Tiger and see if it is a software issue, if not I will take it into the local Mac fixer and see if it is the Air Port Card or the antenna.
I have been having the same wifi problem. I have had two macs one 13 in. air and a MBP 13 in. and have had several PCs. No problem with wifi signal strength on any of the computers. I like to work outside, I work about 100 ft from the router and have always had a strong signal. Recently, I bought a 2006 17 in. MBP and tried to use it in the same spot i usually work at outside. Immediately noticed I was getting no signal at first. It detected the router but no signal. Then I got one bar so I could connect to the net but it was very slow, then the signal dropped, and then the router was not detected.
I went inside the building and got a strong signal 4 bars. I think it is an antenna problem.
I just bought the installation disks for Leopard and Snow Leopard and will take my 17 in. MBP into the Apple Store to get a clean install of the OS upgrading from Tiger and see if it is a software issue, if not I will take it into the local Mac fixer and see if it is the Air Port Card or the antenna.