MacBook Pro: Worst laptop, EVER!

Ninjab3ar · Apr 27, 2007

<rant>
Sorry for such a strong title for my thread, but i have been having serious problems with my MacBook Pro.

Im using a 2.16ghz CD Macbook Pro w/ 1gig ram and 256mb of Vram. I am connected to the internet with a linksys wrt54g v5 router with the most recent firmware and a WPA encryption.

It seems to me that every time i connect my laptop to the internet wirelessly, i lose connection after 30 minues. The problem is that i dont lose connection form my router, i maintain full signal strength, but have no access to the internet. I have confirmed that the problem is NOT my ISP, since it requires a restart of my ROUTER to regain access, and connecting the ethernet cable directly from my modem maintains the connection perfectly.

I have done the following with no results:

-Change the channel of the router

-Remove ipv6

-Restore my modem

-Update the firmware

-Disable bluetooth

The reason I'm so fustrated is because I have paid over $2500 for a laptop that "just works" only to be denied of a very BASIC feature of my computer.

I feel like just coming to an apple store and smashing my macbook pro in front of everyones faces

And I DO NOT want to hear "get an airport express". I like apple products, but im no consumer, Apple should be responsible enought to make harware that works with any router, rather than forcing you to buy theirs
</rant>

P.S. The MacBook Pro is the BEST laptop I have ever used in my life, but this "disconnect my router every 30 minutes" issue has realy been annoying me. sorry to anyone i offended in my post.

P.P.S I lost connection TWICE while writing this post..........

cwa107 · Apr 27, 2007

Do you have SSID broadcast turned on? Have you tried running WPA2 instead of WPA? I also had similar problems and these things corrected them for me. I also use a WRT54G and now everything is fine.

dtravis7 · Apr 27, 2007

All I can say is I have a Core Duo Mini with the latest everything software wise. I have a V4 and a V5 Linksys WRT54g. I have never had one drop in internet for hours and hours. I have had both a year at this point.

I would say take it to Apple and tell them what is going on. That should not be happening and we both have the same router. I use the Version 5 as an access point though and the V4 with the Linux Firmware as the main router as the V5 tended to lock when used as a router every couple of months while the V4 never has in over a year.

Edit, good one CWA107. Very good point. Have seen some have issues with WPA on some machines.

Ninjab3ar · Apr 27, 2007

cwa107 said:
Do you have SSID broadcast turned on? Have you tried running WPA2 instead of WPA? I also had similar problems and these things corrected them for me. I also use a WRT54G and now everything is fine.

can you explainto me how i can activate (or deactivate) SSID broadcasting?
as for the WPA2, i will try that now!

dtravis7 · Apr 27, 2007

Here is a screenshot from the Linksys WRT54g and SSID.

Ninjab3ar · Apr 27, 2007

dtravis7 said:
Here is a screenshot from the Linksys WRT54g and SSID.

oh... okay, should i enable or disable it? and what type of encryption do you recommend.

dtravis7 · Apr 27, 2007

Ninjab3ar said:
oh... okay, should i enable or disable it? and what type of encryption do you recommend.

Enable SSID and be sure there is a name in the SSID field. You see in that pic linksys54. I put that there for an example.

Try WPA2 Encryption.

technologist · Apr 27, 2007

Ninjab3ar said:
... The problem is that i dont lose connection form my router, i maintain full signal strength, but have no access to the internet. I have confirmed that the problem is NOT my ISP, since it requires a restart of my ROUTER to regain access, and connecting the ethernet cable directly from my modem maintains the connection perfectly.

This absolutely screams "bad router" to me. Think about it...when you're using the router, what's the piece that has to be restarted when your connection is lost? The router. When you take the router out of the loop, problem goes away. Process of elimination: router is the weak link.

eric · Apr 27, 2007

+rep technologist, good call as usual.

dtravis7 · Apr 27, 2007

Like I said in my other message above, I stopped using the WRT54g Revision 5 as a router because of the internet going away, just not as often as his is doing it. The older WRT54g with the Linux Firmware has never had that issue. Tech is right.

fiveightandten · Apr 27, 2007

Ninjab3ar said:
<rant>
Sorry for such a strong title for my thread, but i have been having serious problems with my MacBook Pro.

Im using a 2.16ghz CD Macbook Pro w/ 1gig ram and 256mb of Vram. I am connected to the internet with a linksys wrt54g v5 router with the most recent firmware and a WPA encryption.

It seems to me that every time i connect my laptop to the internet wirelessly, i lose connection after 30 minues. The problem is that i dont lose connection form my router, i maintain full signal strength, but have no access to the internet. I have confirmed that the problem is NOT my ISP, since it requires a restart of my ROUTER to regain access, and connecting the ethernet cable directly from my modem maintains the connection perfectly.

I have done the following with no results:

-Change the channel of the router

-Remove ipv6

-Restore my modem

-Update the firmware

-Disable bluetooth

The reason I'm so fustrated is because I have paid over $2500 for a laptop that "just works" only to be denied of a very BASIC feature of my computer.

I feel like just coming to an apple store and smashing my macbook pro in front of everyones faces

And I DO NOT want to hear "get an airport express". I like apple products, but im no consumer *****, Apple should be responsible enought to make harware that works with any router, rather than forcing you to buy theirs
</rant>

P.S. The MacBook Pro is the BEST laptop I have ever used in my life, but this "disconnect my router every 30 minutes" issue has realy been annoying me. sorry to anyone i offended in my post.

P.P.S I lost connection TWICE while writing this post..........

FWIW, I was having the same exact problem with my Mini when I got it. The thing that finally did the trick for me was doing a factory reset on the router and using the manufacturer's software (in my case, Belkin) to set it up from the Mac. I initially set it up on my PC.

Also, I understand your frustration. But if you're looking to actually get some help with your issue (as opposed to just attracting negative attention to your post), you may want to edit the thread title to something that actually describes your problem.

I'd try a factory reset on the router, and reconfigure it from the Mac.

-Nick

Ninjab3ar · Apr 27, 2007

fiveightandten said:
FWIW, I was having the same exact problem with my Mini when I got it. The thing that finally did the trick for me was doing a factory reset on the router and using the manufacturer's software (in my case, Belkin) to set it up from the Mac. I initially set it up on my PC.

Also, I understand your frustration. But if you're looking to actually get some help with your issue (as opposed to just attracting negative attention to your post), you may want to edit the thread title to something that actually describes your problem.

I'd try a factory reset on the router, and reconfigure it from the Mac.

-Nick

I wish that could work, but there is no mac software to set up a linksys router....

I would be greatful if anyone can explain to me how to set up a linksys router on a mac manually

Ninjab3ar · Apr 27, 2007

technologist said:
This absolutely screams "bad router" to me. Think about it...when you're using the router, what's the piece that has to be restarted when your connection is lost? The router. When you take the router out of the loop, problem goes away. Process of elimination: router is the weak link.

I thought it was that, but when i used it with my old compaq laptop, it was fine. I also have the router hard-wired to two computers, a PC, and a G3 imac, and they both work fine...... until i connect my macbook pro wirelessly, making all the computers in the network lose connection

It has something to do with the MacBook Pro entering the network, but i cant put my finger on it

dtravis7 · Apr 27, 2007

Did you try what CWA107 suggested?

Ninjab3ar · Apr 27, 2007

dtravis7 said:
Did you try what CWA107 suggested?

yeah, i activated ssid, and switched to a WPA2 Personal Encryption. Ill let you know if i experience any connection problems

Ninjab3ar · Apr 27, 2007

Oh, and thanks to everyone who offered to help. Knowing that there are nice people in Mac-Forums to help brings me a sigh of relief. I appreciate it

dtravis7 · Apr 27, 2007

Ninjab3ar said:
Oh, and thanks to everyone who offered to help. Knowing that there are nice people in Mac-Forums to help brings me a sigh of relief. I appreciate it

Not a problem. That is what we are here for. If it keeps doing it let us know.

Ninjab3ar · Apr 27, 2007

dtravis7 said:
Not a problem. That is what we are here for. If it keeps doing it let us know.

sure, hopefully now i can play halo without being pinged out after 3 matches

Ninjab3ar · Apr 27, 2007

it happened again.....
fustration setting in.......

Any other suggestions? Im going to change the wireless channel again, any guidelines on what to choose?

dtravis7 · Apr 27, 2007

Ninjab3ar said:
it happened again.....
fustration setting in.......

Any other suggestions? Im going to change the wireless channel again, any guidelines on what to choose?

On the channel, get a program like iStumbler and see if there are other WiFi's near by and note their channel. Choose one that is away from the rest of them. 2.4Ghz Cordless phones can get in the way sometimes. Never happened here but seen it happen other places. Changing channels will solve that one also.