My Mac Crashes Wireless Routers

Hello fellow Mac enthusiasts,

I have been having a lot of trouble with my MAC crashing my own and other peoples wireless networks. I am constantly having to reset the wireless modems I use and friends and family assert that this only happens when my MacBook is connected.

2008 MacBook with latest Snow Leopard OS
Belkin "N" Router and Netgear Routers seem to be affected the most
I use Firefox as my browser

I'd be happy to provide any additional info. Thanks in advance for your help.

Best,

Latrino Bidet

My Dlink DIR-655 and Linksys WRT54GL have never crashed. Not once. almost 5 years for the Linksys GL and around 5 months now with the Dlink. I use many Macs, iPhone, Acer Netbook with Linux, and Windows/Linux notebooks.

Only Router in the house that crashes a lot (using it as an Access Point) a Older Netgear G router that looks like a oval can of Sardines. It's always crashed especially when the room where it's in use gets hot.

I do not see how your Macbook is crashing a router. Makes no sense to me.

I hope this does not offend but I have no respect for most Belikin routers at all. A few friends have complained to me of constant resets they had to do weekly. Macs and PC's.

No offense taken... the Belkin was recommended by a friend and I have had nothing but trouble with it. Yet, every time I visit my parents house I have to reset the router at least 3-4 times a day. They only have this problem when my MAC or PS3 is on the wireless network. Same thing at home with my net gear, I am constantly having to reset the SOB.

Thanks for your response btw.

What model is the Netgear? Some routers have a history of locking up.

You might check to see if there are any firmware updates for the routers in question. This type of issue should be an issue with the router and not the machine connecting to it.

If the Belkin is crashing with a PS3 connected, am betting they have heard about it already and are probably working on a patch if they don't have one out yet.

dtravis will know a lot more about individual routers than I - so go ahead and let him know which one you've got.

I am away from the netgear at the moment (on vacation) but I will post once I am back home. I think I will search for firmware updates as you have advised and see if that works.

Thank you!

agreed with bobtomay, check for firmware updates on the router(s) to see if that resolves before anything else. also, too lazy to check, but i seem to recall that some of the belkin n routers and netgear routers are the same underlying hardware.

however i wanted to add to the discussion as this is an interesting issue that occurred to me a while back.

i once had an old windows mobile (pocket pc) phone about four or five years ago that would always crash one of my routers when i used wifi. i had multiple other wifi devices and the routers were rock solid at all other times, but within a minute or two of starting wifi on that phone and browsing a website, it would lock the one router. it'd work for a minute or so, then all systems on that router would just lose their connection, including the hardwired ones. i'd be even unable to hit the local IP of the router config page, forcing me to reset the router. it didn't happen on my other router so i just used that one instead for the phone. something about the combination of that phone's network stack with the router's just didn't play nice.

LOTS of people are having this issue. even myself. its definitely NOT the router or the firmware. its the mac. i use a MacBookPro and a 2wire router. every 5 min it just drops.

so far, ive looked at countless forums and there is still no answer. its just an issue apple has yet to fix. using ethernet seems to help.

i have a few questions, though. for everybody.

could it be that your wireless mouse or keyboard or even your wireless home phones could be interfering with the 802.11b signal? (if you are using b or b/g)

and does the connection reset itself after a few minutes of dropping? mine does.

Funny how I should run by this post. Within the last week or so I keep losing my connection with my wireless router(Netgear g) on my macbook pro.I also have my gateway laptop running off of the same router which my family uses all the time. I have yet to lose a connection with that. Is this a mac issue? This can be frustating at times.

Strangely I've been having the same problems as the OP with my wireless Belkin "N" router. I've probably been having the disconnect" problems for about a year.

I know yesterday alone I had to reset the router at least 5-7 times to get signal again. About 12 months ago I updated the firmware...just checked today to see if there were any additional firmware updates...nope...I've got the latest.

FYI...I've had this router for at least 2-3 years (maybe more)...but only about the last 10-12 months have I had a problem.

- Nick

Have abandoned Netgear for Linskys, but wondering if the firmware updates cause this problem? There has been adverse comment in some forums on changes causing routers to drop connections by changing router parameters. Some suggestions are to update firmware only when using Ethernet cable.


http://www.online-tech-tips.com/com...eep-disconnecting-or-dropping-the-connection/

One would think that updated Firmware would make it better and not worse but I have seen newer Firmware with bugs that the older did not have.

I too am having this issue. I have a Netgear. The problem started just last week (just got my Mac last week). There was some sort of update that ran on my router when I added my Mac to the accepted list.

I just wonder how much of it is the Belkin or Netgear routers. Honestly, 90% of the time when there's a WiFi network issue, those routers seem to be involved. I'd suggest dumping them and switching to either an Apple Airport Extreme, DLink, or Linksys.

schweb said:

I just wonder how much of it is the Belkin or Netgear routers. Honestly, 90% of the time when there's a WiFi network issue, those routers seem to be involved. I'd suggest dumping them and switching to either an Apple Airport Extreme, DLink, or Linksys.

Click to expand...

Yeah...I've been "horsing around" for about a year now talking & thinking about getting rid of my Belkin router. I know I previously asked you some questions about the dual-band Apple router...and the DIR-655 is highly recommended by others (although getting a little older now). The DIR-655 can be had for about $64.99 (free shipping) if you catch it on sale.

- Nick

Here I have not had one issue with my Dlink Dir-655, Linksys WRT-54GL or old Apple Airport Extreme Base Station. None of them ever crash no matter what WiFi device (or how many) I hook up to WiFi. I have used Netgear in the past and many lockups. Belkin's have given some friends nightmares! I really hate to run down other brands, but that is my experience here. I have tested so many here at the house just to try them and keep coming back to the those that keep working.

That Linksys WRT-54GL never crashed once in 5 years of hard use then I got the DIR-655.

The Apple Airport Extreme is a good stable router also from all I have seen.

Pigoo3

I can vouch for the reliability of the airport extreme. Have been running it in a mixed pc/Mac environment and haven't had problem one with it.

Mini_mi said:

Pigoo3

I can vouch for the reliability of the airport extreme. Have been running it in a mixed pc/Mac environment and haven't had problem one with it.

Click to expand...

Same here and for years on top of that. Just bought the newest one for simultaneous 2.4 and 5 GHz radios.

Just curious if everyone in this thread was still having problems?

For whatever reason the past 3 days have been fine for me? Possibly some sort of update?

Drops

OK, just joined this forum while researching issues with drops in WifI with my new MacBook Pro. Never had a drop until I went with a Mac. Using a crummy Telco provided 2Wire wireless modem. When I connect a PC or other wireless device no drops. Turn on the Mac via AirPort...drops like a rock all the time and takes down my entire DSL. Apple support is not aware of an issue. Tonight I went out and bought a Netgear N600 which I haven't opened yet. Anyone have any ideas if I should go buy a Cisco Wireless, is it better? I know I had issues with the cheapo 2Wire, but don't want to get into the same situation with the Netgear. Also don't want to sink $179 for an Apple Airport Extreme. Any feedback would be appreciated.