Slow/Choppy WiFi on rMBP 13"

[chrisrosemusic1]

Got my new MBP yesterday and it's beautiful but I seem to have an issue with its consistency over WiFi.

It will be at full speed when it first connects but it will then fall away over a number of minutes to about 1/5 of the original speed which is bringing horrible pings and slow page loading. I've tried resetting my router to factory settings, changing channels, turning off security and deleting and re selecting the profile in my network settings.

I have no idea what's causing it - bluetooth is also switched off as I know a number of people with 15" versions say this can cause interference. Bit of a bummer cos I can't speed test over ethernet with no ethernet port

Any tips or solutions?

 

[chrisrosemusic1]

OK this just gets weirder..

My PC WiFi returns a normal speed test result each time. However, if I enable WiFi on my MacBook it kills the speed of the PC? I will then get a high ping and low speed on it. If I then turn off the Mac's WiFi the PC's connection speed is normal?! WTheActualF!? Is this faulty?

 

[johnnnw]

If it's getting really slow all of a sudden, check your activity monitor. Is anything using massive resources? Whats the CPU/Memory usage?


edit: Sorry, I read that your having slow down problems. Not it was totally disconnecting from Wifi.

 

[chrisrosemusic1]

If it's getting really slow all of a sudden, check your activity monitor. Is anything using massive resources? Whats the CPU/Memory usage?


edit: Sorry, I read that your having slow down problems. Not it was totally disconnecting from Wifi.

I spoke to Apple Support and it turns out the new Macs are just crap on b/g/2.4Ghz signals. I explained my situation (my ISP doesn't allow custom routers as part of their T&C's) and they advised me to buy an Airport Express to have dual band with an 'always on' 5Ghz for the MacBook. More expense, but at least a solution.

 

[peleh]

I did too noticed some strange Wifi connectivity when I first booted the macbook 13 retina, and it failed to get connectivity on the 5Ghz Wifi signal, I then tried the normal 2.4Ghz signal and all went fine.

 

[chrise2]

I did too noticed some strange Wifi connectivity when I first booted the macbook 13 retina, and it failed to get connectivity on the 5Ghz Wifi signal, I then tried the normal 2.4Ghz signal and all went fine.

I have the same exact problem. On my home wifi Network, which is an Apple Airport Extreme so wtf, connecting to my 5GHz network is basically unusable after a few minutes. The 2.4GHz network is fine. There was even a patch to fix performance on 5GHz networks. Did nothing for me. I don't seem to have the problem at work, but there the SSIDs are the same for 2.4 and 5GHz so I don't know what I'm connecting to.

 

[jclardy]

I spoke to Apple Support and it turns out the new Macs are just crap on b/g/2.4Ghz signals. I explained my situation (my ISP doesn't allow custom routers as part of their T&C's) and they advised me to buy an Airport Express to have dual band with an 'always on' 5Ghz for the MacBook. More expense, but at least a solution.

Question: Do you have other wireless N devices that work fine? I have found many routers start to suck when you are mixing G/N on 2.4Ghz. Switch to N-only and your n-devices work well, g only and everything works fine, but slower.

 

[chrisrosemusic1]

Question: Do you have other wireless N devices that work fine? I have found many routers start to suck when you are mixing G/N on 2.4Ghz. Switch to N-only and your n-devices work well, g only and everything works fine, but slower.

I do, but I cannot select N as an only option - it's only automatic which sucks.

I'm going to get an Airport this weekend which should fix the problem.

 

[jclardy]

I do, but I cannot select N as an only option - it's only automatic which sucks.

I'm going to get an Airport this weekend which should fix the problem.

Hmm. Well I have had good luck with Airport routers, my house is using an express right now and my parent's have the extreme. I had a Belkin router running Tomato which worked great for my MacBook Air, but my roommate's 15" cMBP was having terrible connection issues.

If you just want reliable wireless then they are the way to go.

 

[chrisrosemusic1]

Hmm. Well I have had good luck with Airport routers, my house is using an express right now and my parent's have the extreme. I had a Belkin router running Tomato which worked great for my MacBook Air, but my roommate's 15" cMBP was having terrible connection issues.

If you just want reliable wireless then they are the way to go.

Yeah well the 200kbps I get on my rMBP just sucks so I need a 5Ghz badly.