For the last few months, I have been having intermittent problems accessing my wireless network with my early model MacBook Pro 2.0 GHz laptop. The problem began soon after applying the 10.5.3 system update so I thought it was software. There were some connectivity issues with that update. Often, I could connect to my wireless network for several hours and then lose the connection after I put the machine to sleep. Often, the Airport menu would show no networks and the top line would say “Airport: Scanning…” Sometimes, I would get a dialog box asking to join a new network. My home network would be displayed and I could select it but the connection would time out.
I lived with this problem for several months. Usually I work at my desk where I use several external drives so it was no problem to plug into a wired network. After I got my iPhone I would often couch surf with it. Hot Wife had no connectivity problems with her work MacBook Pro and the iPhone connected just fine as well. I closely followed some advice on MacFixIt but was unable to solve the problem by deleting and reinstalling network connections, deleting plist files and other voodoo.
A few weeks ago, I bought a 230GB hard drive to replace my cramped 100GB OEM drive. When I was in the machine, I double checked the antenna connection to internal airport and reseated it just in case. I still had the connection problems. Finally, I did an archive and install of 10.5 and for a few hours, I thought the problem was gone. However, later that day, the wireless connection dropped and could not be restored. As a final check I used the shotgun approach and tried everything: I swapped out to different Airport Express Base Station and played with its settings. I upgraded the firmware on my Linksys wired router. Finally, I did a clean install of Mac OS 10.5 on a USB drive and the problem persisted. The problem had to be hardware.
Since Hot Wife are going to be sharing a computer with me for a while after her job change next month, I needed to have a computer that was more lap friendly. So on Friday, I took my AppleCare protected investment to the Apple Store. I told the soul-patch sporting Mac Genius I was having wireless connectivity issues and that it was consistent between different user accounts and OS versions and he gravely shook my hand and said “You’ve done all my troubleshooting for me. It’s hardware.” He said it was probably a loose antenna cable but they would order a new Airport card as well. I didn’t tell him that I had already checked the cable. While we were talking, we both noticed that the signal strength in the Apple Store was fluctuating from 5 bars to 1. I think they have a pretty strong signal in that store. There was no way it should have been fluctuating like that.
So I gave the machine up Friday night and they called me back this evening said that although they couldn’t duplicate the problem (I guess it never totally died like it does at my house where the wireless network is much simpler than at the Apple Store), they replaced the Airport Card anyway. I took the Girl Child to store and picked up a new laptop battery as well so Hot Wife could have more than 15 minutes unplugged time.
It’s been working great for the last few hours. It’s nice to take over the dining room table again. The moral of the story is that when you eliminate or reduce the likelihood of a software problem, start looking at the hardware.
Update: 9/9/08. After a few more hours of working great, my MacBook Pro is back to intermittent failed connections to Airport. The signal strength seems a bit stronger and I am seeing more of my neighbor’s networks but connecting to my Airport Express or a borrowed Linksys router usually times out or just stays on scanning. It’s quite frustrating and it looks like it will be time to go back to the Apple Store for more repairs.
Update 2: 1/7/09. I got the problem fixed and write about it here.
17 responses so far ↓
1 Computer Network // Aug 27, 2008 at 2:42 am
Highly recommended for any one that needs to add more storage to their MacBook Pro or MacBook (much easier installation). Computer Network
2 digitalrob // Aug 27, 2008 at 5:14 am
Yeah! I hope the problem is finally solved. It sounds like it. I bet the Apple Tech was pretty impressed with that level of troubleshooting.
-Rob
3 Mr.B // Sep 22, 2008 at 8:52 pm
I am having the exact issue… Where you able to fix?
4 Matt in Austin // Oct 19, 2008 at 8:51 am
I’m having the same problem on my Macbook Pro. I thought it was related to updating to VMWare 2.0 (vmnet driver), but I disabled VMWare during startup, and it still has problems.
5 Cefn Hoile // Dec 11, 2008 at 7:26 am
Same problem here. IT professional but can’t fix it myself. Going back to Applecare too.
6 Herrie // Dec 21, 2008 at 1:54 pm
I have the same issue. It got to the point that Apple replaced my 1-year old MacBook Pro with a new one. That was after replacing the Airport card etc.
Now, my one month old MacBook pro is doing the same thing…the wireless connection drops in/out. I even bought a new Airport Extreme Wireless router. My wife’s new iMac stays connected with out any problem.
So…brand new MacBook Pro, brand new Airport Extreme and it’s not working. When I plug directly into the ethernet, no problem.
Nothing like investing a few thousand bugs for a computer that doesn’t work and getting high stress levels.
7 Mackie Images // Dec 24, 2008 at 2:50 pm
I recently purchased a Mac Book Pro and am pretty appalled at how poorly the wireless works on this machine. My old Dell is literally 100 times better and will pick up signals pretty much anywhere that is within a reasonable distance. This machine, on the other hand, has trouble picking up a signal that is literally next door. To me, inexcusable for such an expensive toy.
8 Roy // Jan 6, 2009 at 5:18 pm
I have been having the same connectivity issues with my macbook pro. I’ve try everything; even installed 10.5.6 but to no avail. Some says it’s the wire, others say it’s the casing. It was working fine then in November or so, it just crapped out! $2k+ machine is worthless to me without the connectivity. I’m ready to organize a strike on Apple until they really tell us what’s going and FIX IT!!!. I want them to FIX IT!!!
Anybody up to joining me on an “Apple Strike”?
9 Frustrated // Jan 7, 2009 at 4:26 pm
I’ve had the same time with my MacBook Pro since I bought it in fall 2008. I took it in and they did an archive and install, which reverted to the same problems by the next morning. I have another MacBook Pro purchased a year earlier that has not developed any of these problems, though my brother’s (purchased two years ago) has just started with this intermittent connection problem. Have you been able to resolve your problem? Any advice at all or word from Apple?
10 Mike // Jan 10, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Experiencing the same issues with wireless connection. Connection drops intermittently or is very slow and getting about 50% signal strength when placed right next to my wireless router. I bought my MacBook Pro (1st week release). Wireless connection was working fine up until November ‘08. I am out of warranty and do not have applecare. Either my airport has crapped out on me and needs replacement or one of these dang apple firmware has screwed me over. My girlfriend’s 1 year old macBook still works fine on the same wireless router. Any suggestions on how to fix would be great!
11 Dave // Jan 11, 2009 at 12:19 am
Mike,
Don’t know if you saw this other article on my blog about how I fixed it, but here it is: http://www.syzdekistan.com/2008/10/06/macbook-pro-wireless-problems-solved-update-2/
Basically, I had the same problem that you have. My MacBook Pro was a first week machine as well. One thing that someone else said was that their problem was intermittant and could be affected by the screen angle so try moving the screen back and forth and see if your wireless strength improves.
In my case, it turned out the be the 802.11 antenna which is located between the screen hinges. I have mine fixed by AppleCare but iFixit has the part and instructions if you are willing to try it yourself. It’s not too expensive….
http://www.ifixit.com/MacBook-Parts/MacBook-Pro-15-Inch-Core-Duo-Airport-Antenna-Cables/IF185-089
Another option is to get a ExpressCard wireless adapter. That might be the easiest thing to do.
Good luck to you!
Dave
12 RX8guy23 // Feb 27, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I do the IT work here at the office..
I noticed that the new leopard powered macbooks and the old powerbook’s are working fine. however after the latest security update from apple the airports drop signal ever 15 minutes or so.
However when connected with the backup lynksys router I have they work fine. I setup the lynksys for this very reason.
However I think its funny that an $89 Cisco product beats the $179 box of doom.
13 David // Jul 17, 2009 at 11:37 pm
I had the same problem, but i notice that if you use a wireless “scan” it never fails. Donwload iStumbler and execute it, and the problem is solved. But, anyway i think that Apple should fix this issue.
14 Nicolas // Jul 23, 2009 at 7:42 am
I had the same problem but somehow fixed it by changing the security on my router from WEP to WPA
15 AWAN // Sep 23, 2009 at 1:41 am
Somehow i am not sure if all computer can have hardware problem. I have iMac and Mac Bookpro and both work with wired network just fine. My IBM notebook works just fine using wireless. So i am now sure that if both Mac are not working then is software issue… anybody got idea????
16 susan // Jan 26, 2010 at 10:59 am
Got my second MAC book yesterday and cannot get online. 10 calls ,many hours to Apple techs and they suggest I buy a piece of equipment to make my MAC security compatible with my hubby’s not so old Linksys- fine but what to do at my mom’s in the Berkshire, and my local cafe, and any of my neighbors places, including my boss. WEB is outdated they say but I cannot ask everyone in my world to update. Makes me boil that I was sold an “ethanol” car but I can’t find the gas for it. Hope Apple can fix, headed back to the Soho store with new iphone too.
17 LuckyGuy // Jul 10, 2010 at 4:00 pm
If you are using the Bootcamp and running windows, you can go and configure the Broadcomm’s newtwork adapter. Once you are in the configure window, disable (minimum power consumption, and power save mode). Then change the power output to 100%. That fixed my problem.
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