Wifi is really starting to annoy me now! Anyone else having probs? (C2D MBP)

[chaslam]

I'm sure its been discussed somewhere before, but my wifi seems really erratic on my C2D MBP. It will be at full (as it should be) and then it will suddenly drop down to 2 bars, then 1, and will then sometimes drop completely. My MB never used to have this problem. Its extremely annoying when your doing something on the Internet and then suddenly you just loose connection for no reason at all.

Is anyone else having this problem? I think I read somewhere that people had this problem on the old CD MBPs when they first came out, and was fixed with a firmware update. Is this true? I really hope it gets fixed, as it basically stops me from using it as a laptop as I have to keep it plugged in via Ethernet. Last night for example it dropped twice for no apparent reason, and watching it now, every 2 minutes or so it fluctuates from 2/1 bar and 4 bars, but never seems to go onto 3 bars (just skips straight from 2 to 4).

Very odd and annoying.

 

[Cybergypsy]

Thats one of the things that made me buy the macbook ove the pro......the macbook picks up all my streets wifi, and my friends pro could only see mine....and the metal case does not really help for airport.....

 

[chaslam]

Thats one of the things that made me buy the macbook ove the pro......the macbook picks up all my streets wifi, and my friends pro could only see mine....and the metal case does not really help for airport.....

I doubt that its the metal, as the Powerbook/CD MBP doesnt seem to have any problems, and the wifi part of the MBP isnt even enclosed in metal (Its the rubber big on the hinge).

Really is bugging me. Hope they get a fix for it soon.

 

[Jiddick ExRex]

I doubt that its the metal, as the Powerbook/CD MBP doesnt seem to have any problems, and the wifi part of the MBP isnt even enclosed in metal (Its the rubber big on the hinge).

Really is bugging me. Hope they get a fix for it soon.

Wrong. It's wellknown that the metal casing is horrible to pick up wifi, 'nuff said.

 

[chaslam]

Wrong. It's wellknown that the metal casing is horrible to pick up wifi, 'nuff said.

Gee that was helpful .

Anyone know any little hints to stop it, or when they will release a firmware upgrade (Thinking about the CD MBP) when it will be fixed?

 

[XP Defector]

Get rid of Coconut WiFi as well, I did and saw a substantial speed increase.

 

[chaslam]

Get rid of Coconut WiFi as well, I did and saw a substantial speed increase.

What is Coconut Wifi?

 

[caveman_uk]

Wrong. It's wellknown that the metal casing is horrible to pick up wifi, 'nuff said.

I've had a powerbook as well and wi-fi on the new MBP C2D's is worse than those. For me it's not so much the reception, it's the slowness in connecting and dropping connections etc.

 

[daneoni]

Not having any issues with mine. Interference with metal is no longer a significant issue, as someone said, the antenna is now on the hinge and in fact picks up more signals than the PBs.

Coconut WiFi is a little app that basically *enhances* Airport features and resides on the menubar.

I hear disabling iPv6 and specifiying DNS servers helps. In my case i had to tweak my router a little so the 802.11n adapter and the B router could co-exist peacefully

 

[uv23]

I was having issues then turned off interference robustness on the MBP and the AIrport, and now it's sailing. I see way more networks than I did with my 12" and the signal is strong.

 

[chaslam]

It seems to do it regardless of the robustness function on mine. . I will turn it off for a bit and double check, but I think it does it with or without it on.

 

[ipaqowner]

Wrong. It's wellknown that the metal casing is horrible to pick up wifi, 'nuff said.

Rubbish, my MBP has as much wifi range as any other laptop.

 

[SC68Cal]

No problems here with my MBP CD and Netgear wifi router.

It was the old Titanium powerbooks that were famous for having not so great wifi capabilities, because Titanium blocked the reception.

 

[prplmnkydshwshr]

This is a well known issue with Intel Macs in general. I have the same exact symptoms you describe and it occurs with my Linksys WRT54G v2.2 router.

The general consensus is that it is a software problem with 10.4.8 I thought it was a hardware problem in my case, but the more I read other people's experiences I believe it is software related. I'm currently waiting on my 3rd MBP C2D, the first Apple engineering wanted to capture the unit, 2nd unit had defective latch and I'm waiting for my 3rd unit to arrive. I have yet to find a working fix.

For recent discussion about the MBP C2D and wireless specifically, check out this post on Apple's forums:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=715044&tstart=0

 

[MovieCutter]

Wrong. It's wellknown that the metal casing is horrible to pick up wifi, 'nuff said.

WRONG! It's wellknown that the metal casing is more than adequate to pick up wifi...and you're full of it, 'nuff said.

 

[Westside guy]

My C2D Macbook Pro seems to have somewhat better wifi reception than my Al Powerbook did, at least on our home network (which is the only place I regularly use wifi). The Powerbook's reception was not awful and not great - this laptop seems to keep a stronger signal further from the access point.

 

[miniConvert]

Try changing the wireless channel your WAP is using. I've found my Mac mini is rather sensitive to which channel is being used.

 

[Jiddick ExRex]

WRONG! It's wellknown that the metal casing is more than adequate to pick up wifi...and you're full of it, 'nuff said.

Define 'more than adequate' please.
Surely it is often the case, but in the cases where you actually need to go farther away from the accesspoint and need the range, a) my experiences with my iBook and other powerbooks have been that my iBook and my friend's Macbook picks up way more connections and have better signal for a longer range and b) I have read so many numbers of threads about this issue so you cannot even begin to fathom it. So stop being so goddamn hostile next time and at least back up your statements next time. Perhaps I will remember it as well

Gee that was helpful .

Thank you. I wanted to clear up any misconceptions that you spread about the metal not being the issue, when clearly it could be. Why do you think antennaes are made of metal?

Of course the secret option number 3 could also be that the airport card is simply just as bad as the first batch of bad intel iMac airport cards...

More helpful now?

 

[Jaqen]

Weird, it has never been a problem for me. I'm picking up wireless networks from my neighbors who live across the street.

 

[MovieCutter]

So stop being so goddamn hostile next time and at least back up your statements next time. Perhaps I will remember it as well

How bout this...my MBP C2D gets better reception than my MacBook. How's that?

More helpful now?

No, you're still full of it.

 

[chaslam]

I dont think that its the signal strength thats the problem, as alot of the time I get full strength, but there is just the odd hour or so where it changes repidly. I thought it was someone hacking into my wireless network the other day, as my signal just went dead (yet on my brohers PC which is wired, worked perfectly).

Ive just thought, would an in-active microwave do anything? I am having my kitchen done up and have had to plug my microwave in just outside the office where my router sits. However, its plugged in but very rarely used. Would think make a difference?

 

[topgun072003]

Weird, it has never been a problem for me. I'm picking up wireless networks from my neighbors who live across the street.

woops..that's probably me. My friends and I have an aiport extreme with 2 expresses and we live in a cubical. I think our whole block can see our signal.

 

[tarjan]

First 802.11 sucks. It is a horrible protocol and completely unreliable.

The problem is NOT your mbp's case. Anyone who thinks that it is is a moron and should be shot. I have quite a bit of experience with networking and RF in particular, and while I cant say it is the best equipment in terms of 802.11, it works fine.

If you have dropouts, the first thing I would check is network utilization. When your network saturates it will eventually fail, and cause what appears to be dropouts. I have a router with vonage that will do it every time I plug in. It is a horrible PITA. Use a network sniffer and look for anything "odd".

Second thing to check for is other users on similar channels. Make sure you have a space between yourself and any other channels as they are shared, and rf is not something that just happens in a given space, it actually interferes around the central frequency.

Past that, either your mbp or the router might be bad, but I doubt it.

 

[ChickenSwartz]

I had horrible problems with a Linksys WRT54G. So have a lot of people. Mine quit working with my MBP after 2 days. Sold it on e-bay. Bought D-Link WBR1310, works great.

 

[mopppish]

My MBP C2D works great with my Airport Express at home (and any other free open wireless network I use i.e. coffee shop), but it drops the connection to the school's wifi all the time. I have to use my student ID and password to log onto this network. It used to work just fine on my ibook last year.
How do I fix this specific problem?

P.S. From time to time, the school wifi works without a hitch. As of rightnow, it's been connected continuously for 10:00. Other times, it needs a re-connect every 10 or so seconds...