How to fix AirPort Extreme dropping wireless?

lloydsj

lloydsj

lloydsj

Associate
Joined
28 Jul 2004
Posts
553
Hi,

I've google for this and searched these forums but thought i would now ask here for the answer.

I've got a brand new black macbook (the latest model that came out). I connect to my internet (and also remote desktop to my windows machines) via my USR wireless router (g speed). The macbook connects to it very badly most of the time and remote desktop frequently just drops and then reconnects. I've never had this before. So i thought i would dual boot the macbook, put xp on it with the bookcamp drivers, and see how remote desktop worked then. In XP, i can see that my wireless is only connecting at 18mb, drops to 11, and then to 2mb after a while (i'm sat 2 meters from my wireless router at the time). I found a note from google that said that when 2 wireless devices struggle to communicate they lower the speed until the they can communuicate successfully. This sounds like whats happening, but its only the macbook that has these problems (as I use other laptops with zero probs).

Is this a hardware or software issue with macbook (as its happening in both osx and xp with the bootcamp drivers)? and how do i fix it? or when are Apple going to fix it?
 
Last edited:
I'm pretty sure im running the latest patches in OSX, and i'm using the bootcamp drivers on the leopard install cd in XP (not sure if there's newer ones on the website?).

I'm also assuming this isn't just an incompatibility with my USR wireless, as there seems to be a lot of threads on the internet about similar problems with macbooks but no real answers/fixes.
 
I know it's not fixing the Mac, but are there any firmware updates for the USR wireless box? I've had issues in the past with some gear running like a snail with Mac wireless.. flashing the firmware normally sorted it out.
 
I dont think there are any updates for the USR as its fairly old now. The last update was couple of years ago.

So are you saying im unlucky that its happening to me and if i had a different wireless it would probably be spot on. I have been thinkin about buying an apple airport express but am reluctant if its going to have the same problems
 
It's possible that the Mac is faulty, but before you sling it back to Apple i'd suggest trying it with another wireless network. Either take it to someone else's house or pickup an access point from somewhere with a no quibble returns policy, then you can take it back if you get the same problem.
 
I've had connection issues with my father's MacBook.

I tried everything to solve them, but eventually had to buy a new wireless router. Not sure why, but the MacBook didn't like the Netgear routers that I had tried, yet worked fine on my AirPort Extreme.

I tried changing channels (currently on 11, on a Belkin N1 with WPA2) and no go. It would just "network connection timeout" 8/10 times, and drop signal the other 2.

I'd try another wireless router if you can, or at least try to rule out every possible cause systematically *like I did*

My method was such;
Flash router to latest firmware
Reset router, and tried to connect without encryption
Changed broadcast channel to 1, 6 and 11 (depending on the least-used)
Tried another router

It's a pain in the neck, but it's now running smooth as silk (for them) and they don't moan at me because the "internet has gone off"
 
Ok, i'll have a look for a new firmware for my current wireless later.

When I googled for it there's a LOT of hits tho, so figured it'd be a known problem. Just doesn't seem to be any answers/fixes hence why i asked on here.

How do I get to see what speed my wireless is connecting at in OSX?

Cheers
 
To be honest this is a huge issue over on the Apple forums and Apple don't seem to be acknowledging it.

It's a problem across different types of routers (including Apple products) and Mac hardware.

I've got the issue with a Netgear router like EVH, but at the moment I'm loth to start throwing money at the problem.

By the sounds of the murmuring on the Apple Forums, it's an Apple driver problem/Leopard problem rather than hardware from any other manufacturer and here's hoping that 5.3 fixes it.

Panzer
 
OK cheers for the updates... few more questions then..

1) how soon is 5.3 due out then? do we have confirmed dates or anything?
2) where do i get hold of the pre 802.11n drivers for OSX?
3) where do i get hold of the pre 802.11n driver for XP then? as i'll need that too (as i get the same problem in both XP and OSX).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom