New MacBook drops connection to AEBS intermittently - turning off security helps!

Hi guys, I just purchased a new macbook and AEBS for home use and replaced my old WRT54g with a new network. Problem is my macbook seems to take a few minutes to access the network out of sleep and also drops the connection intermittently during the day and requires a restart or waiting approx. 10 mins. My iMac which is part of the network runs flawlessly.

The macbook works well if wired to the AEBS. I've downloaded AP grapher to make sure interference was not an issue and have a channel that should work well. The signal strength is also good, so it's not a signal issue. I've changed the DHCP lease and IPv6 to local-link only without any improvement.

The only thing that helps is turning off WPA2 to no encryption, which allows a super fast connection. There are tons of threads on the internet and I haven't been able to find a suitable solution. Does anyone have any suggestions please?

Have you tried WPA instead of WPA2?

That's a good suggestion, but the AEBS only allows you between the options of WPA/WPA2 Personal or WPA2 Personal. I've tried both with similar performance. There is no WPA only mode. I've also downgraded the firmware to 7.2 and 7.2.1. Whenever I go into airport utility and change any setting and restart the AEBS, it will work perfectly until I put the laptop to sleep after which it will then lag and drop.

Another feature of my problem is that when I do turn on AP grapher to look at the connection, my signal, connection quality, and noise are all stable and where they should be but my transmission rate fluctuates widely from nothing to max levels over a very short period of time.

Any reason you need AES instead of TKIP?

AEBS is the airport extreme base station, not the protocol. I switched out a linksys for the airport extreme base station.

but it only allows you the option of WPA/WPA2 personal or WPA2 personal, there is no WPA only option.

dacaliao said:

but it only allows you the option of WPA/WPA2 personal or WPA2 personal, there is no WPA only option.

Click to expand...

OK, perhaps someone better versed in the AirPort Extreme can jump in here as I don't have one. Generally, most modern routers can use WPA or WPA2 (typically WPA2 requires AES, but WPA can use TKIP or AES encryption).

Yeah i've seen this issue come up many times amongst both the macbook and macbook pro camps and haven't seen a good solution. Some blame the powermanagement features of OS X (though mine still has the same problem whether it's plugged in or not), others blame the airport card but none of the suggestions/tips have worked out for my particular situation. I might have to just bite the bullet and call applecare, ew.....

Same issue here

Hello Friend,

I'm from Brazil, I just got a new white c2d macbook and I've got the same issues you have described.

Wireless network connection drops. I have to shutdown the airport on the macbook and bring it live again to regain connection. Terrible.

I'm using it with a Dlink Di-624 router.

I found some tips on the web that told me to use WPA2 personal. Turned out that this setting helped ALOT. I'm running it right now over the wireless network and no drops for like 3 hours. Lets see for how long it holds...

Cant tell what is the issue... just that it is very frustrating for a new machine =[

[]'s

well WPA2 personal seemed to help at first but i just had an episode again. Now I'm trying WEP encryption... I Know, bad stuff.. but, at this point.. I'm trying anything..