# Have to keep turning airport on/off for connectivity



## uPhone (Jun 29, 2008)

This is THE most annoying problem ever.

Pretty much about every 20 minutes (not sure if it's exactly 20 but it feels like 20) my internet just STOPS working..... things just STOP loading for no reason, but my signal (as indicated in the top bar of my MBP) remains the same, perfectly strong. Every 20 minutes I have to turn airport off, and then back on again in order to continue web browsing. 

This does NOT happen on the WIndows 7 that is installed on my MBP through BootCamp.

What the hell?! Help please!


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## jwootton (Dec 4, 2009)

I have a similar issue with my MacBook and iPad. At work, we have a cheap dlink router and for some reason it doesn't play well with my mac devices. At home I have an airport extreme and never have any issues, but at work I have to turn the airport on and off all the time. I have attributed this to the cheap router, even though it works fine with windows devices. If ere is another reason, it would be nice to know.


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## chrisburke (May 11, 2010)

Same prob with my MacBook at the office.. Works fine everywhere else.. Cheap dlink.. BUT use the same dlink in my second office with no issues


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## macweasel (Mar 30, 2011)

Have the same problem with a 3Com router. Both the imac and my Samsung Captivate phone (android 2.1) have the same issue with having to stop and restart the wifi, sometimes every few minutes. Strangely enough, my blackberry never seems to lose connectivity ... 

Any words of wisdom out there?

Oh, I've tried setting the router off of mixed mode to just 'b' or just 'g' - no change. Also disabled the WAP AES encrytion to try that - no change.

Love to find the answer to this one as my teens are constantly complaining about it (and rightly so) 

Mark


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## groovetube (Jan 2, 2003)

I had that problem, try setting the wireless to another channel in the router admin. Sometimes if there are other routers in the area, using the default channels can cause interference and problems.


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

This has just manifested itself with a friend's home wireless network and both his new MacBook Air 11" and new MacBook Pro 13". Seems a little suspicious that it happened after updating to 10.6.7.

His housemate is still able to connect, no problem, using her Toshiba laptop.

Interestingly, he has no problem using my spare Airport Express plugged into one of his router's ports. Huh.

The router in question is a 2Wire thingamajig (DSL modem). Today I changed the wireless channel (even though there were no overlaps on that specific channel, but just for the heck of it) and also did a power off - waitaminute - power on.

So far, all seems golden. But he's keeping my Airport for awhile just in case...


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## sashmo (Oct 19, 2002)

I just called my ISP about the very problem. Constantly having to reset the the wireless. It seems we have lot of interfering devices in the vicinity of this wireless, such as portable phone, wireless speakers etc. He suggested that I change the channel frequency of the wireless. (It is on automatic now.) Which I will do at a point when I don't need access to the internet for a few minutes.


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## sashmo (Oct 19, 2002)

Again this morning I lost the internet connection. Now I'm connected via ethernet to Cogeco modem. Bit of a pain not having wireless. It looks like we'll have to buy another wireless modem. Any recommendations?


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## Joker Eh (Jan 22, 2008)

i know when I would have my iPhone 4 near my laptop my wifi connection would be lost , when I moved the phone away, connection is back.


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

sashmo said:


> Again this morning I lost the internet connection. Now I'm connected via ethernet to Cogeco modem. Bit of a pain not having wireless. It looks like we'll have to buy another wireless modem. Any recommendations?


It's a little more expensive than a standard wireless router, but consider Apple's Time Capsule - wireless router + invisible, constant wireless backup. I convinced a friend to pick up on of these (because he could 'never remember' to plug in his external backup drive, despite having lost *everything* on three separate occasions over two years).

It's brilliant, and has saved his bacon on a couple of occasions already.



Apple Time Capsule - 1-TB


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## sashmo (Oct 19, 2002)

Thanks for that recommendation CubaMark, but I just purchased a drive for backup.


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## Kosh (May 27, 2002)

Yeah, i seem to have wireless router problems lately - never had problems before.

It seems the microwave is affecting reception, which I had heard about, but never saw for myself until now.

But besides that my Xbox 360 seems to lose it's wireless N signal every few days (although other wireless devices work), and as soon as i disconnect and reconnect the router power, the Xbox 360 is back working. Maybe I'll check what other router signals and frequencies are in the area with iStumbler. I may have to change the frequency.


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## sashmo (Oct 19, 2002)

I knew about the microwave. But usually the connection returned when the microwave stopped. Not this time.


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

Besides the interference that can be caused by a: microwave, cordless phone, cheap or bad CFL or fluorescent lamps etc., one problem I came across a few years ago was caused by a lady's deep freeze compressor that was on the opposite side of the wall from her wireless setup. That one drove me crazy to locate.

One almost needs a cheap device that could pickup and show the various interference signals. Maybe some electronics type stores sell such a device??? Hmmm...???


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## sashmo (Oct 19, 2002)

I just did a hard reset on my airport express (stick the end of a paper clip in the tiny hole) and finally have wireless internet.


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

Let's hope that fixes the connection problem AND lasts.


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## The_E (May 29, 2010)

sashmo said:


> I just did a hard reset on my airport express (stick the end of a paper clip in the tiny hole) and finally have wireless internet.


Hey Sashmo;
Did it work? Has it remained ok?

I've been having this issue as well…..it's starting to irritate me. The MBP loses contact with the Airport Extreme, but my iPhone and the wife's Windows Laptop remain connected.

This must be an issue with the last update.


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## Lawrence (Mar 11, 2003)

sashmo said:


> I just did a hard reset on my airport express (stick the end of a paper clip in the tiny hole) and finally have wireless internet.


I use those express modems for print servers or stereo,
The Extreme is better suited for everyday use without problems.

Not to say I haven't had problems with the express,
I have had problems with them and resetting them has always been a pain.

Although, Knock on wood, I've never had to reset my Extreme.

Yay!!!


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## sashmo (Oct 19, 2002)

Well, I haven't had to do another hard reset but we have had to unplug the Express, let it sit for about a minute, and then replug it back in. This we do many times a week. I wonder if we'd do better with the Extreme, under the same circumstances of interference.


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## The_E (May 29, 2010)

sashmo said:


> I wonder if we'd do better with the Extreme, under the same circumstances of interference.


Thanks for the update. I am currently running an Extreme and an Express…and have the same issues. It's definitely not about interference. This is something else entirely, guaranteed. 

Let's hope it gets rectified soon.

Cheers.


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## johnnydee (Feb 10, 2004)

I think the one commonality is either the airport card itself or the OS X.
I had picked up a MBA from the Apple store and when I got it home and tried to connect to the internet it showed no airport card installed!
I upgraded the OS and that seemed to fix it for a while.
It either would not connect at home at all or connect for 1 min max.
I took it to the apple store and got them to run their tests and everything seemed okay!
I brought it home and the problems continued! 
Returned to the Apple store and again no problems!
I mentioned that it must be my router because it works here with Apple routers !
I was told they don't use Apple routers in the store!
I waited at the store for someone to meet me and 15 min later my airport card died right there.
I'm now waiting for a new airport card.
The moral of the story is if your router works with other wifi devices it's probably not your router that is the problem!

John


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

Interesting thread I have three Airport Express units, differing models, one of which I purchased the first year they were released. That one is here in my place, and the other two are at friends' places (former roommates, I just left them behind for their use). None of them has given us so much as a hiccup over the years. Rock-solid, in my experience... certainly better than any of the Linksys, D-Link or Netgear routers I've had the displeasure of using.


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