Leopard / Snow Leopard WIFI problems solved

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After having no wifi issues with Tiger, I was, like many sad to see things did not work as well with Leopard. Connection drop-outs, couldn't find a network, etc. After some tests I found the problem was with encryption. When I ran wide open, things worked fine. With encryption, problems and more problems. So I used mac filtering, thinking, "oh well, what are the odds that someone will spoof my mac address and use my network".

Fast forward to Snow Leopard. After hearing that Snow Leopard incorporated bug fixes for wifi issues I was excited and installed ASAP. To my HORROR not only were the problems still there with encryption, they were much WORSE and rendered the wifi all but unusable. I considered a return to mac filtering, but after some prodding by my wife to not do such a thing again. I decided to look back over my router's log to see if anything bad had been going on. To my disgust, I found that others HAD managed to access my network. All my equipment uses fixed ip addressing, and there is a small range of numbers near the beginning of the DHCP range that I do not ever use, from which several numbers showed activity. Yes, someone did spoof my mac, and used my network it appeared. Ugghh.....

Note: To anyone considering using mac filtering as "security", don't....

Anyway, after playing around with wifi / Snow Leopard, I was happy to learn that the solution was as simple as switching from WPA2 to regular WPA. Problem solved, no drop-outs or failures to connect to my home network.

So, this is actually an improvement over leopard, as it would not work at all with any encryption. I know this is just one man's experience, but if anyone else is helped by this solution, then great.

I understand WPA is still pretty much unbreakable, unlike wep which can be hacked with the right wifi adapter and software on windows, mac, and linux. I was able to hack my own wep network in fairly short order using a D-Link dongle and kismac. WEP is not worth much more than mac filtering, since anyone who can spoof a mac address can probably also hack your WEP "security".

So in the end, Snow Leopard has been a very nice upgrade.
 
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Can you explain to me how to use WPA? I don't know how to use it. Help me. I have the 13" MBP brand new. I thought you had to have a WPA key on the laptop but I dont see one on my laptop. Could you explain to us noobs how to do this? Like what you did to make it work. I have been having terrible issues with wireless and encryption just like you said.

Lemme know thanks
 

cwa107


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Can you explain to me how to use WPA? I don't know how to use it. Help me. I have the 13" MBP brand new. I thought you had to have a WPA key on the laptop but I dont see one on my laptop. Could you explain to us noobs how to do this? Like what you did to make it work. I have been having terrible issues with wireless and encryption just like you said.

Lemme know thanks

Simply switch the encryption type of your wireless router to WPA (or better yet, WPA2 if your router supports it). Then pick a passphrase (can be anything) and reconnect your wireless devices using that passphrase. You'll need to check your documentation for details on how to access its configuration web page.

I've said it many times - WEP is dead. It's been dead for years now and I really wish router manufacturers would stop even supporting it. WEP can be hacked in a matter of minutes with readily available tools (Google "hack WEP" sometime and see what I mean). It provides a false sense of security, it's cumbersome to use and different manufacturers use different standards for passphrases and keys so it can be difficult to get working.

WPA on the other hand is simple to use, much more secure and takes days to even start to break (and even then, it's only partial). WPA2 has yet to be broken.

Also, don't use MAC filtering and/or disable SSID broadcast. MAC filtering is extremely simple to defeat since all one has to do is a packet analysis and spoof their MAC to join. Even if SSID broadcast is turned off, one can still see the WAP with a scanner. It just makes it harder for legit clients to stay connected.
 
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Ok so when I came home, my mac had problems connecting to the router as it was in WEP. I switched it to WPA and now haven't had problems again. So if anyones having problems SWITCH to WPA or WPA2. My router had it and I didn't know how easy it was. I simply switched the encryption to WPA and then I just made a passphrase. I then went to diagnost and it found my wireless and typed in that passphrase. Then BAM on the internet and I can even shutdown and power back on and it connects right away to the wireless.

Thanks CWA107. WEP IS DEAD. WPA all the way. Hope this helps everyone with similar issues.
 
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no wifi on New MBP with Snowleopard

I have wifi problems as well. The strange thing is, I've been using wifi on this Mbp for 2 weeks without having any problems. Since a few days, the wifi-icon shows full connection, but I'm not able to view websites.

> in my studio, the router uses WPA
> at home, I can't switch this since I use a neighbour's unencrypted network :p

I think some update might cause this trouble... does anyone know?
 
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I did have this problem: my WIFI-connection did not show up in the Airport menu under Snow Leopard.

In my router settings I changed the wireless channel from 11 to 6 and now it is working!!

Just give it a try, I do not know if this is a general solution.

Greetings,

Maurice
 
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Snow Leopard WiFi problems (new, unsolved)

I came here in desperation, and I apologise if I am a bit long-winded about it. I was asked by a friend to install on her MacBook the new Snow Leopard she had just bought. Since I had recently updated my partner's MBP from 10.5 to 10.6.1, I thought it would be easy (her OSX was 10.4.9 or something like that). The long and short of it is that the installation went well (very easy, I wish Windows updates were that easy), BUT Airport will not connect to ANY network. I have tried just about every solution suggested on the web - delete the profile, delete some .plist files, reinstall network, ensured that WPA Personal password that works on the MBP is the same, checked System Preferences/Network over and over again, used the Assist Me (says password invalid), and now at my wits' end (inclined to write 'wit' because I don't seem to have any). The Time Machine is not on, so cannot roll back to OSX 10.4... The owner of the machine seems to think it my fault despite my assuring her that I did nothing more than insert a disk and follow instructions. Can anyone tell me what is wrong with Snow Leopard and WiFi? The Airport card is an Atheros a/b/g/n Firmware 5416: 2.0.19.4... (no country code, funny), Status - Not associated. My wireless router is a Netgear that connects without problems to the MBP and PBG4 - and two Windows 7 RC notebooks... The notebook has been upgraded to 10.6.1.

I am desperate to hand the MB back to the owner - with Airport Extreme working! This, and the problem that I cannot see my Windows machine on ANY of the Macs are the only things dimming my pleasure in using Macs. I am sure that, with time, I will solve those problems.

But the Airport Extreme problem first!


Thank you all.. (and apologies for not Reading the Whole Forum first)
Olad
(Kumasi, Ghana)
 
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I Gave Up

I tried to upgrade to Snow Leopard when it first came out. Attempted every single silly "solution" posted and none solved the wifi connectivity drop outs.

I finally gave up and used Time Machine to go back to plain vanilla Leopard.

Is this Apple's idea of "it just works"?

Truly pathetic guys....you're starting to make Windows look good. :Shouting:
 
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Agreed

I did exactly as said and Internet is working again... thank you very much. I've been sitting for two weeks trying everything else. As soon as I moved to WPA from WEP, we were rolli'n.

Many thanks,
--
brandonplowe
 
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HELP!! I am new to Macs and just bought a Macbook Pro 2.66 GHz, I have been using Airport to go on internet in my house for the last 3 days and no problem, but when i tried using it this evening I can't get on the internet. I have full bars on airport, in Network it says Airport is connected and has an IP address but everytime I try Firefox it says "Server Not Found" and in Safari it says "You Are Not Connected To The Internet". I have tried a direct cable from the router and that works n I can go online....I'm now very confuse and very tired (it'd nearly 3 thirty in the morning!) and i've been searching online on another laptop that is able to connect via wifi to the same router....can anyone help????
 

cwa107


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Can you tell us a bit about the router, specifically the make and model. Also, if you could share a bit about the security settings, that would be helpful as well.
 
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It is a Telsey router CPA-ZWTE42TUK (think thats it!)

Its WEP Password

TCP/IP- Using DHCP (I have renewed the DHCP Lease)

Firewall - Allow all incoming connections

I'm not too sure what else you would need....but i'll send along whatever you ask for!
 

cwa107


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Try logging into the router's configuration page, if you're not sure how, reference the manual that came with it. Switch the security from WEP (which is dead) over to "WPA", or better yet, "WPA2". Choose a passphrase (can be anything) and apply the setting.

Now, you'll need to reconnect to the router from all of your other client devices (the Mac included) and enter that passphrase you chose. That should fix the problem.
 
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Well I have something different, I'm basically having the same issues, but its not just at my home, I'm having the problems at school (Unsecure basic network), at work (WPA), and at my apartment (WPA2)

Not sure whats causing it, but I've been on tech support with apple for a good 3-4 hours yesterday and they came up with NOTHING. It was utterly useless.

Any suggestions? I would go to a mac store, but the closest one is 6 1/2 hours away. I'd rather not drive for 13 hours for one problem with the mac, if ya get what I mean.
 

rte


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Same Problem

Have a new 13" MBP. I can not connect at any remote location in a wireless format...Didn't have this problem until installing Snow Leopard. (coincidence?) Kind of eliminates my airport extreme as problem. Reason I switched to a Mac was told I wouldn't have to spend all my time troubleshooting ::Grimmace::

Appreciate a solution...otherwise I guess the Leopard OSX is the answer.
 
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...

I've said it many times - WEP is dead. It's been dead for years now and I really wish router manufacturers would stop even supporting it. ...

The problem with this is there are a number of wifi enabled devices that only offer WEP. Two examples: Blackberry phones and Tivo DVR.
 
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Anyway, after playing around with wifi / Snow Leopard, I was happy to learn that the solution was as simple as switching from WPA2 to regular WPA. Problem solved, no drop-outs or failures to connect to my home network.

This worked for me, thanks a lot! As soon as I changed the settings...airport connected without hesitation.
 
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Snow Leopard is to the Mac as Vista was to Windows

Snow Leopard is to the Mac as Vista was to Windows.

My Macbook Pro 13 wireless connection to my Airport is WPA. I haven't used it for weeks because I got so ****** at it. Sometimes it connects for a while, other times it errors out with "connection timed out". If I reboot, it comes right up automatically but will eventually disconnect. Even when connected, my Entourage mail client won't detect that it is connected to the internet. It says "disconnected" and yet email still comes in from time to time. I get prompted for an update and choose to download and then it sits there doing nothing. I reboot and it starts all over again. Maybe it works for a while, maybe not. If I plug into ethernet, it works just like in the commercials but try wireless (which is how I connect mostly)and I get "tons of headaches".

I have a piece of crap Stinkpad that I upgraded to Windows 7 that absolutely blows this Macbook away. I hardly even use the MB anymore which is a shame because it is gorgeous and the Stinkpad is a brick....
 

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