Problems connecting to my WiFi network

[DominikHoffmann]

I have had intermittent issues with connecting my family’s MacBook Pros, a MacBook Air and iPhones to our WiFi network. What I see is that the Mac seems to want to connect, but then loses connection before obtaining an IP address from the DHCP server. It keeps cycling through that, without ever connecting to the network. Connecting to other networks does not pose a problem, which leads me to believe that the computer is not the problem, unless … it is that it gets confused by our having three access points, each broadcasting (on different channels) using the same SSID. This is correlated with my update from Monterey 12.5 to 12.6. However, I have not seen any reports of similar problems caused by 12.6.

My network consists of a Netgate appliance as the firewall and edge router. It runs the DHCP server for the WiFi network. For WiFi I use three EnGenius access points, each with their own Gigabit Ethernet backhaul to my main switch. The switch is connected to one of the LAN ports on the Netgate appliance. By the way, there is not corresponding problem connecting any of those Macs to the wired network via Ethernet.

In order to troubleshoot this, I am wondering, what I would search for in the unified log. Through ifconfig at the command line I know that my WiFi interface is en0. For browsing the unified log, I am using Howard Oakley’s Ulbow. However, I don’t know enough about the structure of the logs and Ulbow to zero in on the right information. I am hoping to find enlightening evidence of that continuous churning through the connect, disconnect cycle I observe.

 

[belvdr]

Check out /var/log/wifi.log

However, before doing so, I would start by powering off each WAP and testing connectivity. For example, power off WAP 3, test. Then power off WAP 2, and test again. You might even try leaving each WAP powered on by itself (others powered off) to see if there are connectivity issues. Could end up being a problematic cable.

 

[DominikHoffmann]

Check out /var/log/wifi.log

However, before doing so, I would start by powering off each WAP and testing connectivity. For example, power off WAP 3, test. Then power off WAP 2, and test again. You might even try leaving each WAP powered on by itself (others powered off) to see if there are connectivity issues. Could end up being a problematic cable.

Thanks! Howard Oakley had me think that starting with High Sierra all logs were relegated to the Unified Log.

Still, there is so much stuff in there that it’s impossible to see a smoking gun among all the fog.

The AP log is of no help, either. Lots of stuff like this:

Sep 23 11:59:18 208.88.254.27 hostapd ath0: STA 48:e1:e9:21:15:2b IEEE 802.11: authenticated
Sep 23 11:59:18 208.88.254.27 hostapd ath0: STA 48:e1:e9:21:15:2b IEEE 802.11: associated (aid 3)
Sep 23 11:59:18 208.88.254.27 hostapd ath0: STA 48:e1:e9:21:15:2b WPA: sending 1/4 msg of 4-Way Handshake
Sep 23 11:59:18 208.88.254.27 hostapd ath0: STA 48:e1:e9:21:15:2b WPA: sending 1/4 msg of 4-Way Handshake
Sep 23 11:59:18 208.88.254.27 hostapd ath0: STA 48:e1:e9:21:15:2b WPA: received EAPOL-Key frame (2/4 Pairwise)
Sep 23 11:59:19 208.88.254.27 hostapd ath0: STA 48:e1:e9:21:15:2b WPA: sending 1/4 msg of 4-Way Handshake
Sep 23 11:59:19 208.88.254.27 hostapd ath0: STA 48:e1:e9:21:15:2b WPA: received EAPOL-Key frame (2/4 Pairwise)
Sep 23 11:59:20 208.88.254.27 hostapd ath0: STA 48:e1:e9:21:15:2b WPA: sending 1/4 msg of 4-Way Handshake
Sep 23 11:59:20 208.88.254.27 hostapd ath0: STA 48:e1:e9:21:15:2b WPA: received EAPOL-Key frame (2/4 Pairwise)
Sep 23 11:59:21 208.88.254.27 hostapd ath0: STA 48:e1:e9:21:15:2b IEEE 802.11: disassociated

 

[hobowankenobi]

Most mesh networks, or more specifically multiple AP networks, typically only present a single wireless network unless you step up something different (multiple SSIDs, etc). If that is the case, the 3 APs should not be an issue. Still, smart try removing 2 as discussed to troubleshoot.

If these are older APs, might be worth looking to see if there are any firmware updates.

You might also review the AP setup, including the protocols enabled, hand-off options, etc.

 

[DominikHoffmann]

Most mesh networks, or more specifically multiple AP networks, typically only present a single wireless network unless you step up something different (multiple SSIDs, etc). If that is the case, the 3 APs should not be an issue. Still, smart try removing 2 as discussed to troubleshoot.

If these are older APs, might be worth looking to see if there are any firmware updates.

You might also review the AP setup, including the protocols enabled, hand-off options, etc.

It has not happened again, so far.

These are fairly new EnGenius EWS357APv3 units. They were on the latest firmware, when I purchased them.