Airport Connection issues

I have an older MacBook but running 10.6.6, all software is up to date. When at the office it connects automatically to my Airport Base Station. However, it no longer connect to any other wireless networks, that includes my home airport express or any free wireless at Starbucks. Clearly the airport is ok, as I can connect at work, but I keep getting a timeout message when trying to connect anywhere else. Help.

Hello xhouse,

I'm curious, did you just recently install the updated version of snow leopard? If so, I wonder if it has something to do with the software and not the hardware then.

If you go over to the Apple Store and look on their discussion forum, you will see there are a lot of people having wifi connectivity issues with both the Macbook Airs and Pros over the last few weeks.

I want to buy a new Macbook Pro, but I really need to be able to use wifi as I am on the go a lot. This issue has been preventing me from purchasing. As great as Mac is, it doesn't do me any good if I can't connect.

Good luck with your problem, sorry I cant be of more help.

I found the following written on the Apple Store discussion forums for Macbook Pro.

"......The cause is Airport is constantly searching for networks and it looses the current connection while doing it. It does the search every 10 seconds.

The solution is in two parts:
1. In Network Preferences clear the check box for Ask to join new networks. That stops the searching and solves the problem.

2. Don't click on the Airport icon on the menu bar. If you do that it tells Airport to search for a network and you will lose the current connection. "


It might be worth a try. Please let us know if it works.

No, it did not but thanks for trying.

Sorry to hear that xhouse. I was hopeful that this was going to help. I am really bummed that you and others are having this issue. It is exactly this issue that has prevented me from purchasing a Macbook Pro.

I curious, did this problem just begin since you updated to the 10.6.6? If so, I wonder if you went back to the previous version before you updated, if the problem would still persist? It's just a thought, but from everything I've read, the 10.6.6 seems to be the common denominator.

If you ever do find a fix to this frustrating problem, please post it so that we can all learn from it.

Thank you.

Wow, I just popped over on the Apple Store forum discussion page under support for Macbook Pro and you would not believe all the threads about the wifi issues for Macbook Pros and Airs.

I feel that this is a serious problem, but it seems that Apple does not want to acknowledge it. I think everyone who is experiencing this problem should be calling and emailing Apple to complain that they can't use their $2000 machines.

I am so glad that I found out about this issue before I went ahead and bought one and I will refuse to buy one until they get this issue resolved.