WiFi Dropouts

[kolax]

I know there are plenty discussions about this, but I've never had this problem until recently. My MBP works fine at home, no dropouts. However, at University it drops out all the time, and half the time I can't reconnect so end up turning AirPort on and off.

The University WiFi uses some sort of proxy and requires authentication. I accept the certificate, and all works fine, then a couple of minutes later it will drop out, and 1/3 times it'll reconnect.

My mates laptops work fine (Windows XP, Dell's), so it is an OS X/MacBook Pro issue.

However, I got this error message that I've never seen before.

 

[jayhawk11]

I know there are plenty discussions about this, but I've never had this problem until recently. My MBP works fine at home, no dropouts. However, at University it drops out all the time, and half the time I can't reconnect so end up turning AirPort on and off.

The University WiFi uses some sort of proxy and requires authentication. I accept the certificate, and all works fine, then a couple of minutes later it will drop out, and 1/3 times it'll reconnect.

My mates laptops work fine (Windows XP, Dell's), so it is an OS X/MacBook Pro issue.

However, I got this error message that I've never seen before.

Do you know what kind of Network (eg-Wireless G, B, N) they are running, and what kind of security its using?

 

[kolax]

I'd put money on it being G, it won't be N (too old) and B is ancient. If I go to Network Preferences, it says "Authenticated" where the status is, then every 30 seconds it'll say "On" and drop out, then say "Authenticating.." then connect.

It also says, "Authenticated via PEAP (Inter Protocol: MSCHAPv2)"

Seems to have trouble connecting a lot of the time.

 

[operator207]

I'd put money on it being G, it won't be N (too old) and B is ancient. If I go to Network Preferences, it says "Authenticated" where the status is, then every 30 seconds it'll say "On" and drop out, then say "Authenticating.." then connect.

It also says, "Authenticated via PEAP (Inter Protocol: MSCHAPv2)"

Seems to have trouble connecting a lot of the time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protected_Extensible_Authentication_Protocol

It appears that the version running on the UNI network, is the one that should run on top of WPA. Though I could be reading that part completely wrong.

The authentication for MSCHAPv2, is not for your wireless access though, its for your network access. Think of it this way, WPA or WEP is authentication to your wifi access point. Where the PEAP/MSCHAPv2 is athentication to the network as a whole. If you were wired, you would have to authenticate to use the network with PEAP/MSCHAPv2.

I would bet your UNI's network is open wifi, but authenticated network.

I have never seen this before, as the authentication method's we used at a WISP I worked for, did authentication based on radio device, not network.

Sorry I could not be more help, though the wiki link may shed some light on your problem.