WIFI Problem

[cisco.cisco]

Hello. I have a huge issue involving the AIrPort of my Macbook. I am unable to connect to the internet through my macbook. What happens is that i get this Status info on the network: "AIrport has the self-assigned IP address 169.254.18.57 and will not be anle to connect to the Internet". Now, this happens after i put my Mac to sleep or turn it on. The reason why i know the issue is with in my macbook and not my router is because the internet works fine on my mobile devices.

Now, i've had this problem for about 2-3 weeks now and i've searched google in the past for ways to fix it. What i was told to do from some of the websites i've browsed was to go to the Network on the system preferennces, and hit the - button to remove all networks i've had listed and just re add the airport. This usually does work, eventually after doing that i would be able to use the net on my mac. HOWEVER, this so repetative.. after i come home to turn my laptop, my airport status shows the ! sign and i have to repeat those steps. Additionally, those steps don't work ALL the time.. sometimes, it would take allot of retries of deleting and readding services and right now, i've tried doing the steps for the 20th time with still no luck. I guess i had enough of this problem and want a remedy for this which is why i am here.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

Sorry, questions for now, not answers...

Do you ever connect the MacBook to other networks, and if so, do you have the same problem?

What version of OS X are you running?

Have you tried the Renew DHCP Lease button at System Preferences > Network > Wi-Fi > Advanced > TCP/IP: Renew DHCP Lease? If yes, what happened?

How many devices connect to your network at a time, and is your network password-protected?

Before you put your MacBook to sleep, catalog the IP addresses of every device connected to the network (including the MacBook) - if you know how to log into the administrative interface of your router, you can get a listing there. If not, document the IPs of every device by going into the device settings. After you wake your MacBook, catalog those IPs again. Did any change?

Have you tried restarting your network router?

Was your network router supplied by your internet provider?

 

[cisco.cisco]

Sorry, questions for now, not answers...

Do you ever connect the MacBook to other networks, and if so, do you have the same problem?

What version of OS X are you running?

Have you tried the Renew DHCP Lease button at System Preferences > Network > Wi-Fi > Advanced > TCP/IP: Renew DHCP Lease? If yes, what happened?

How many devices connect to your network at a time, and is your network password-protected?

Before you put your MacBook to sleep, catalog the IP addresses of every device connected to the network (including the MacBook) - if you know how to log into the administrative interface of your router, you can get a listing there. If not, document the IPs of every device by going into the device settings. After you wake your MacBook, catalog those IPs again. Did any change?

Have you tried restarting your network router?

Was your network router supplied by your internet provider?

1. I have brought my macbook to work with out experiecing any problems but i dont bring it all the time to make clear answer for that.

2. 10.6.8

3. yes, i just the same bogus ip address

4. yes the network is protected. I live in an appartment with 6 room mates and their laptops and devices connect fine.

5. i dont understand the process you just said, sorry.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

1. I have brought my macbook to work with out experiecing any problems but i dont bring it all the time to make clear answer for that.

2. 10.6.8

3. yes, i just the same bogus ip address

4. yes the network is protected. I live in an appartment with 6 room mates and their laptops and devices connect fine.

5. i dont understand the process you just said, sorry.

1. If it seems you have no problems connecting at work, the issue is likely with your network at home, rather than your Mac.

4. "6 room mates and their laptops devices" points to a possible cause. Many routers intentionally limit the number of devices that can be connected at one time (it may be 5 or 10 devices) - this setting can be changed. When there are more devices than available connections, one device has to disconnect from the network before another can be added. This is what I suspect may be happening (and that's what the process in #5 is supposed to help determine).

Every time a lease on a particular IP address expires (which usually happens a few hours after a device disconnects from the network) that address can be reassigned to someone else. If there are more devices in need of IP addresses than there are addresses, and with so many people constantly coming and going, there could be a lot of reassignment of IPs taking place. If the IP you had when you left for work is reassigned to someone else before you return home, then your Mac has to "renegotiate" with the router to obtain another IP. If you fail to renegotiate (perhaps due to the lack of an available IP address, perhaps due to a software-related issue), then you could get the self-assigned IP.

"Renew Lease" is supposed to get you a new IP address. If there are no available IP addresses at that time, then it wouldn't fix things.

If the issue is due to an insufficient number of IP addresses, that can be changed in the router's administrative interface - see your router's instructions to learn how to access the admin interface and change the setting.

The problem could also be due, in part, to using 10.6.8 - your Mac may not be renegotiating effectively compared to newer devices with more up-to-date operating systems. I can't promise updating to 10.10.x will improve things for you, but there have certainly been improvements to Wi-Fi incorporated in newer versions of OS X.

 

[cisco.cisco]

1. If it seems you have no problems connecting at work, the issue is likely with your network at home, rather than your Mac.

4. "6 room mates and their laptops devices" points to a possible cause. Many routers intentionally limit the number of devices that can be connected at one time (it may be 5 or 10 devices) - this setting can be changed. When there are more devices than available connections, one device has to disconnect from the network before another can be added. This is what I suspect may be happening (and that's what the process in #5 is supposed to help determine).

Every time a lease on a particular IP address expires (which usually happens a few hours after a device disconnects from the network) that address can be reassigned to someone else. If there are more devices in need of IP addresses than there are addresses, and with so many people constantly coming and going, there could be a lot of reassignment of IPs taking place. If the IP you had when you left for work is reassigned to someone else before you return home, then your Mac has to "renegotiate" with the router to obtain another IP. If you fail to renegotiate (perhaps due to the lack of an available IP address, perhaps due to a software-related issue), then you could get the self-assigned IP.

"Renew Lease" is supposed to get you a new IP address. If there are no available IP addresses at that time, then it wouldn't fix things.

If the issue is due to an insufficient number of IP addresses, that can be changed in the router's administrative interface - see your router's instructions to learn how to access the admin interface and change the setting.

The problem could also be due, in part, to using 10.6.8 - your Mac may not be renegotiating effectively compared to newer devices with more up-to-date operating systems. I can't promise updating to 10.10.x will improve things for you, but there have certainly been improvements to Wi-Fi incorporated in newer versions of OS X.

Thank you very much. However, i am able to reconnect eventually after retrying. Is that one of the symptoms?

 

[ApfelKuchen]

Thank you very much. However, i am able to reconnect eventually after retrying. Is that one of the symptoms?

If people are constantly coming and going, then it could be a matter of waiting until you come to the head of the queue. It's not the only possibility, but it is suggested by having a "large" number of users on a home network (it wouldn't be "large" in an office or institutional setting, but routers intended for home networks are inexpensive for good reason).