Airport Problems : All Intel Models Affected.

[registered]

Concerning the packet dropping issue:

While some people with an affected software firmware version may still be able to get their wireless to work great, the problem appears to be more in what type of wireless router/switch/access point you're trying to access with said airport firmware version.

For example, people trying to access wireless from a D-Link 614+ (such as myself) appear to be experiencing a packet loss issue. Whilst other people accessing say, a Airport Wireless Station might have it work.

To my eyes at least, it looks like a software release will soothe the packet loss issues.

 

[displaced]

The wireless channel is real important if you have a portable 2.4ghz phone and a wireless LAN in your home.Or if your iMac/MacbookPro is connecting through any wireless router.
Airport cards need to be on a different channel than your portable phone to minimize interference.
Or for that matter any other device that uses 2.4ghz ranges..

Make sure your Airport network is using a different channel.

Just a quick note regarding the digital cordless phone issue. This is only a concern if you live in the US or other territories that use the DCT standard for digital cordless phones. The European implementation, DECT, does not interfere with 802.11x wireless data.

DECT's used in continental Europe, the UK and the Republic of Ireland... and possibly elsewhere also.

 

[theheyes]

Got my new iMac yesterday and to be honest I didnt notice any slow download speeds. I just moved it upstairs and remembered this issue so I pinged my router just to see and it appears I have this problem also.

Firmware version: 101.3 (3.120.28.3)

I got times of ~1ms (normal) all the way up to ~250ms.

Strange.

Edit - oh, and no packet loss.

 

[MRU]

Got my new iMac yesterday and to be honest I didnt notice any slow download speeds. I just moved it upstairs and remembered this issue so I pinged my router just to see and it appears I have this problem also.

Firmware version: 101.3 (3.120.28.3)

I got times of ~1ms (normal) all the way up to ~250ms.

Strange.

Edit - oh, and no packet loss.

So it seems a bit of Sherlock Holmes research seem's to overwhelmingly find that's the common denominator.
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 101.3 (3.120.28.3)

This is the little bugger that's giving the problems.

The people that suffer are all mostly using Including myself, and a considerable amount of people in the different discussions groups for mac mini, mac book pro, imac (all intel) on Apple's website...

Those with different versions either don't have any problem at all or have slighlty different set of problems but which aren't that severe..

Confirmed working without issues these throughput speed problems for most people are

Wireless Card Firmware Version: 0.1.12
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 0.1.16
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 102.1

What I've asked Apple Tech Support to do is to try and get me one of those other packages / drivers and email me it so that I can run the same packet and ping test with the new firmware...

 

[BakedBeans]

So it seems a bit of Sherlock Holmes research seem's to overwhelmingly find that's the common denominator.
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 101.3 (3.120.28.3)

This is the little bugger that's giving the problems.

The people that suffer are all mostly using Including myself, and a considerable amount of people in the different discussions groups for mac mini, mac book pro, imac (all intel) on Apple's website...

Those with different versions either don't have any problem at all or have slighlty different set of problems but which aren't that severe..

Confirmed working without issues these throughput speed problems for most people are

Wireless Card Firmware Version: 0.1.12
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 0.1.16
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 102.1

What I've asked Apple Tech Support to do is to try and get me one of those other packages / drivers and email me it so that I can run the same packet and ping test with the new firmware...

HUFFFFFFF


E-mail it to me the second you get it

 

[MRU]

HUFFFFFFF

LOL! Sorry m8 Still waiting for Apple tech reply. Just hope he emails me the file - if it works I'll share

 

[MacSA]

The problem does appear to be widespread and pretty common. An interesting post from a user called "Janino" on the 123Macmini forums:

I'm back from my trip to the local Apple reseller. They told me that most of their Intel mini customers are reporting problems with weak AiPort/Bluetooth and connection problems. It seems like my mini isn't the only flawed machine around here. They said it wouldn't make sense to replace the AirPort/Bluetooth kits inside the machines because even the demo computers in the shop suffer from this. They are waiting for an official statement by Apple. So do I.

 

[MRU]

Well I just got a nice telephone call from the Apple Tech in Ireland.

He's recieved all the info that I sent, and the packet info etc.. He agrees that it does seem to be the problem, but he doesn't have a file he can send to me himself, so...

He is forwarding and escalating the case and submitting all the information, including these thread's on the forums to the big wigs in Apple California and will keep me informed by phone & email as it progresses.

At least i've set somthing in motion

 

[XIII]

I may call my dude from Apple in CA.. I spend ages getting some repair to my first iMac sorted that eventually I got an Apple Cupertino Exec.

 

[Zaty]

Well I just got a nice telephone call from the Apple Tech in Ireland.

He's recieved all the info that I sent, and the packet info etc.. He agrees that it does seem to be the problem, but he doesn't have a file he can send to me himself, so...

He is forwarding and escalating the case and submitting all the information, including these thread's on the forums to the big wigs in Apple California and will keep me informed by phone & email as it progresses.

At least i've set somthing in motion

I expect a firmware update in Software Update by Tuesday morning CET...

 

[MRU]

I may call my dude from Apple in CA.. I spend ages getting some repair to my first iMac sorted that eventually I got an Apple Cupertino Exec.

LOL!

When i first rang from within Ireland, i was put through to the call center in India After over an hour of struggling with communication and repeating the same info over and over, I was esculated to his superior - who happened to be the Apple tech in Ireland By this time I'm half way around the world and back to where I start from. Apple Cork is only 2 hours away from me....

Seriously though I must say i'm impressed with the helpfullness of this technician. He had read some posts on the discussion boards beforehand and was hoping someone would actually ring in and create a case. Even though we all post problems on the forums, not many bother making actual case calls with apple, which delay's their response / resolution.

Only 1 person had called in prior, I was the second. He really showed an interest and supplied me with software to run tests etc, and the fact that they pick up the phone and ring is a lot nicer than the usual automated reply you get half the time...

 

[Zaty]

LOL!

When i first rang from within Ireland, i was put through to the call center in India After over an hour of struggling with communication and repeating the same info over and over, I was esculated to his superior - who happened to be the Apple tech in Ireland By this time I'm half way around the world and back to where I start from. Apple Cork is only 2 hours away from me....

Seriously though I must say i'm impressed with the helpfullness of this technician. He had read some posts on the discussion boards beforehand and was hoping someone would actually ring in and create a case. Even though we all post problems on the forums, not many bother making actual case calls with apple, which delay's their response / resolution.

Only 1 person had called in prior, I was the second. He really showed an interest and supplied me with software to run tests etc, and the fact that they pick up the phone and ring is a lot nicer than the usual automated reply you get half the time...

Thanks for the info and most importantly, your efforts. I must say we probably should be more proactive than just posting on the forums. On the other hand, if Apple knows about the problem, why do they wait until someone calls in? I know it's easier to wait and see what happens but that's not very good customer service. After all, it shouldn't be us trying to find out what's causing the problem.

 

[MRU]

Thanks for the info and most importantly, your efforts. I must say we probably should be more proactive than just posting on the forums. On the other hand, if Apple knows about the problem, why do they wait until someone calls in? I know it's easier to wait and see what happens but that's not very good customer service. After all, it shouldn't be us trying to find out what's causing the problem.

1 word. bureaurocracy

Regardless if a technician knows of the problem or shows an interest, they are not authorised to waste 'Apple' time & therefore money on it unless it's an acutal case. They prioritise cases, the more call a case gets the higher priority. If people don't call in and register the case, then it's deemed not as important.

Does make sense I guess, but still a pain

 

[dragula53]

wireless

Hey guys,

I have had the problem stated above on my G3-G5 macintoshes. Where an intermittent ping to the wireless router causes all kinds of problems.

My problem has always been with my airport base station being set to automatic channel selection. Once I set it to a fixed, and not noisy, channel, my pings become normal.

Hope that helps.

 

[wpwj40e]

As reported - same airport problems...


Wireless Card Type: AirPort Extreme (0x14E4, 0x89)
Wireless Card Locale: Worldwide
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 101.3 (3.120.28.3)
Current Wireless Network: ACTIONTEC
Wireless Channel: 9

I have had a "case" for the past two weeks. However no one from Apple has contacted me. The 3 times I have called resulted in the typical apple care "resolution"...which I won't repeat.

So they do have cases - just nobody is/has been doing anything with them.

 

[snak-pak]

I am having many WiFi problems on my 2GHz MacBook Pro. The biggest issue by far it is *dropping* off the network on a regular and frequent basis. Sometimes it drops off every five minutes; other times, it drops off after several hours. It is extremely frustrating! Having network activity doesn't seem to prevent the connection from dropping off.

Wireless Card Type: AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x86)
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 0.1.12

This system is connected to an Apple Airport Express running the latest firmware. My old 12" Powerbook G4 has rock-solid connections on this wireless network. My MacBook Pro is constantly dropping off the network. Also, other WiFi networks in my area appear and disappear sporadically. Gone one second, back the next, gone again in yet another second. Definitely a software/driver issue on the Intel Macs.

I expected a few glitches when buying a first-generation Intel Mac, but the WiFi issue has been pretty frustrating.

 

[thechris69]

is the wireless router DLINK affected?

 

[crazzyeddie]

Wireless Card Type: AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x86)
Wireless Card Locale: USA
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 0.1.12

MBP 2.0... everything is working fine here. I'm getting 6900kbps downstream from SpeakEasy with no performance or disconnect issues.

 

[XIII]

Wireless Card Type: AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x86)
Wireless Card Locale: USA
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 0.1.12

MBP 2.0... everything is working fine here. I'm getting 6900kbps downstream from SpeakEasy with no performance or disconnect issues.

Yeah.. you have the good firmware..

Is there no way for one of the people with the good firmware to extract it somehow, and upload it for us..?

 

[MRU]

Yeah.. you have the good firmware..

Is there no way for one of the people with the good firmware to extract it somehow, and upload it for us..?

Yeah, that's what I was wondering. It must be possible, it's just a case of where do you look?

The guy's reporting poor signal or drop of connection is not this problem, they are different set of problems affecting a larger number of models.

This problem is screwy ping times and very poor download speeds (regardless of connection strength).

And so far just 101.3

 

[Soprano]

I've got the 0.1.12 firmware, and I get constant drops with my connection (Linksys WRT54G). The wierd thing is, its fine when connected with the power cord! The wireless drops only happen using battery power. Maybe the wirless card needs full power to work properly?

 

[MRU]

I've got the 0.1.12 firmware, and I get constant drops with my connection (Linksys WRT54G). The wierd thing is, its fine when connected with the power cord! The wireless drops only happen using battery power. Maybe the wirless card needs full power to work properly?

Probably. By drops in connection do you mean losing connection?
If so this is a different problem, but is shared with the different firmwares intermitently.

Are your download speeds affected? Are you getting 1/4 or 1/2 of what you should be getting. Most people with 101.3 really can see slower performance when surfing the net or trying to play back movie trailers in frontrow etc...

When you use Network Utility / Ping test - are your results all over the place or fairly consistant..

 

[Soprano]

Probably. By drops in connection do you mean losing connection?
If so this is a different problem, but is shared with the different firmwares intermitently.

Are your download speeds affected? Are you getting 1/4 or 1/2 of what you should be getting. Most people with 101.3 really can see slower performance when surfing the net or trying to play back movie trailers in frontrow etc...

When you use Network Utility / Ping test - are your results all over the place or fairly consistant..

My speedtests seem normal. My pings are 1.5-2 ms, but I have 2 WRT54G routers linked via WDS so this cuts the total link in half. The pings vary a bit between the 2. Once in a while I get a jump in the pings, but I am able to stream movies between computers, and movie trailers seem ok from Apple's site. These look like different issues affecting different firmwares. My only issue is the dropped wireless connections (using battery power). My network is set to Mixed, using WPA (i've also tried WEP, same issues).

 

[registered]

is the wireless router DLINK affected?

Some peoples are, some peoples aren't. Depends on what you have. Personally I made a little makeshift solution on my D-Link 614+ till they patch it.

 

[Josias]

My bigbrother had the same problem when he bought an AirPort Extreme card for his iBook. It was the same problems, and he called the Apple Store. He made the same mistake, being too gentle putting in the card. Perhpas apple was too gentle assembling the iMacs? hehe