Wireless issues with new MacBook Pro

Hello All,

I've been doing some research on this issue and haven't found a definitive answer yet.

My son just got a new MacBook Pro (w/Leopard) and the Airport wireless continues to drop connections. The wireless strength indicator will show 3 or 4 bars and you try to go to Google and get server can't be found. Yet, you can go to CNN, but then not apple.com, etc. Very strange. Network utility results: can ping a site sometimes, sometimes not.

The facts are: I have a D-Link DI-614+ wireless router (802.11b) connected to a cable modem. This device is a few years old. All WinXP and Vista PCs in the same house that are wireless work fine. I've modified the wireless parameters on the D-Link to be simple and not use any of the fancy, faster D-Link features. This made things a little better but didn't take away any of the intermittent behavior. This router only has WEP security so that is also turned on and in use.

The MacBook Pro has all the latest updates. If I use wired Ethernet, everything is fine. If I delete all Airport setting and re-enter all wireless router settings again, things perk up and it runs well for a little while. We have tried this MacBook at other people's houses who have 802.11 b/g and things work fine, so maybe it points to my D-Link?

Any thoughts on this one? I've seen several posts like this. If it is my D-Link, is it because of a faulty 802.11b? What happens when he goes to college next year and his dorm only has 802.11b? Any help or insights would be appreciated. Thank you.

I can't comment on the DLink, but I know when I got my new MacBook Pro (about two weeks ago now) I had a similar problem with my Verizon FiOS wireless router. I turned the MBP off and then turned off the router and let it sit for about 15 minutes. I turned it back on and have not had any issues since then. Basically, I reset the router to be sure all was well. For whatever reason, that seems to have resolved the issue.

If that doesn't work, try moving the MBP around your house. Is it possible that you are running these tests in an area that has local interfance (wireless phone, cell phone, something else?). If it works well in other locations, it is just local interference. If your results are consistently inconsistent all over the range of your home setup, it may be time to consider a new router.

Finally, you can test whether it is your MBP or your router by taking the MBP to a local coffee shop or any other place that has public WiFi. My favorite is our local Dunkin' Donuts because the WiFi is free. If you can reliably connect, ping and so on when using another access point, you know it is your home setup (or per the above, the location in your home that you are running the MBP from). If not, you have a pretty good suspicion that it is your MBP.

Thanks for the info. I will check out a local WiFi place this weekend. I do find it interesting how shutting off your MBP and your wireless router made things work.

When you say you reset your router, do you mean to factory defaults ( and then had to set up again) or do you mean you just powered it down, waited, then powered it back up?