MacBook Wireless -- Driving me crazy!!! Please Help!!

[Hawkeye411]

I have a MacBook Core 2 Duo with 2 GB RAM.

Lately (past month) I have been having some problems with my wireless connection (which occurs no matter what wireless network I am using). When I turn on the computer the wireless download speed is fine. Then, after I have been using my MacBook for a while, the speed begins to fluctuate. If I am downloading a file, the progress bar moves along at a normal rate for a little bit and then stops and then it continues to move along again at a normal rate and then stops and this continues until the file eventually finishes downloading. This occurs no matter what application I am using (i.e. Safari, Firefox, Download a file from my iMac over the wireless network, iChat, etc.). The progress stops about every 2 seconds.

The only way to “fix” the problem is to either shutdown and restart or to just restart. Then things work fine again for some time. It doesn’t seem to happen when I am doing any particular thing or using particular software.

I contacted Apple Support and they had me make some changes to the network and wireless settings (i.e. create a preferred network for my wireless connection, delete some network wireless Library files, repair permissions) and then when I rebooted the machine, it was, of course, working fine while I was on the phone. However, later in the day the problem reappeared.

I was using Tiger and upgraded to Leopard on the weekend hoping that it would magically fix my wireless problems but it hasn’t. I have installed all of the updates as well.

I am hoping that this sounds familiar to someone and there might be a fix for it. I have been looking online for an answer for quite some time. Rebooting my MacBook all the time is driving me absolutely crazy!!! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[Hawkeye411]

Update

I have worked with Apple Care a few times and they concluded, finally, that the problem is related to hardware (either the Airport Card or the Motherboard). They are going to try replacing the Airport Card this week. I will provide another update later to let you know what happens in case this information ends up being useful to someone else.

Cheers.

 

[jonnylink]

please do keep us up to date, I've had a similar though slightly different issue.

thanks!

 

[D4F]

I have a similar issue with my SR MB 2.2
While using OS X it happens at least once a day BUT when I use Windows XP on boot camp... it never happens.

Somebody please explain it to me.

 

[peapody]

hmm that seems like a definite hardware issue. My macbook connected to my wireless out of the box with no problems at all. Good luck!

 

[Hawkeye411]

It Works!!

Apple replaced the Airport Card and it didn't work. I did the update for 10.5.1 and it didn't work.

Then, I did a fresh install of OS 10.4.9 that it came with and everything was fine. Then I did all the upgrades including 10.4.11 and everything was fine. Then I did a fresh install of 10.5.0 and everything was fine. Then I did all the updates including 10.5.1 and everything still works. It's been working fine for about 2 days now.

I would have bet money that the problem was hardware related and that I was going to waste my time doing the fresh install. I know that it's a bit of a pain to do the fresh install and then reinstall all of your apps after you search around the house trying to find the disks and the installation codes. But, it is well worth it. My wireless seems pretty solid now (knock on wood) and the computer starts up much faster than it was after updating to OS 10.5.0.

Hopefully this will be helpful to someone else. I was getting pretty frustrated over the past 2 months.

Cheers.

 

[fsckminix6]

i also had a phantom wireless issue only not with a mb but with a mbp. they also concluded it was a hardware problem. but before i took it in i tested on a few dif routers and turns out it was my new n router so i returned and got a new one. from a dif company. i tried all the fixes to, to no avail, best of luck.