Mac OS X 10.4.10 Special Report: Wireless connectivity (AirPort) fixes

Some users were reporting Airport card wireless connectivity issues that have arisen following installation of the update. Now a number of threads over on Apple?s discussion forums seem to indicate that the problem is fairly widespread.

The common symptom is apparently that, while the menu bar indicator continues to show a strong signal, connectivity has in fact been lost. This loss of connectivity seems to happen with some regularity, such as every ten minutes or so, and can occur even in the middle of a download.

Some users also report kernel panics, where these were not occurring prior to the application of the 10.4.10 update.

The problems appear to be due to software, not hardware, because other operating systems running under BootCamp on the same machine (such as Windows) display no such connectivity issues. Suggestions such as rebooting the router do not appear to help.

Suggested solutions include switching the Airport card off, then on again. Also, there is some indication that changing the security type from WPA2 to WEP can alleviate the problem, though of course WEP is now regarded as a much lower level of security.

Reader Brian reports success solving the problem by reverting to the 10.4.9 version of AppleAirPort.kext. (The procedure is described in our wireless connectivity tutorial, which may contain other useful suggestions as well.)

Other suggestions

Changing channels, updating firmware MacFixIt reader Aidan reports success with a combination of changing wireless channels and updating router firmare, both as recommended in our tutorial:

"After updating to Mac OS X 10.4.10, wireless connectivity would fail around once every 5-10 minutes; airport icon would still indicate I was connected, yet I could no longer ping anything on my local LAN [...in other words, the absolute standard description of the problem..] However, after two days of that performance (which was truly awful) I made two changes to my wireless LAN; a) I upgraded the Linksys 54G AP firmware from 3.02 to 3.04, and b) I changed my 802.11 WLAN from channel 6 to channel 1. Since these changes, my MacBook has been absolutely rock solid."

In some cases (especially when interference is at play) switching channels on your AirPort Base station or third-party router can improve reception weakened by various causes. In order to switch channels on AirPort Base stations, use this process (from Knowledge Base article #166641):

1. Open AirPort Admin Utility, located in /Applications/Utilities.
2. Select the appropriate (afflicted) base station and click Configure.
3. Enter the base station password if necessary.
4. Click AirPort, and then choose a new channel from the Channel pop-up menu.

Consult your third-party router's manual for information on switching channels. This can usually be accomplished by accessing the router's configuration page -- open a browser and enter the address 192.168.1.1.

Meanwhile, toggling of firmware versions (the edition of controller software stored on your wireless router) is perhaps the most successful fix for dropouts from virtually all wireless router models. By "toggling firmware," we mean trying different versions available from your manufacturer until one provides a more stable connection. In other words, a user's first attempt should always be use of the latest firmware version, but sometimes older versions provide better stability. For full details and instruction, see the tutorial.

Delete all "Preferred Network" listings then re-establish One MacFixIt reader writes:

"After the 10.4.10 update I also noticed that sometimes my fans would start to crank up to 4000-5000 rpm. Checking in Activity Monitor, I found that a process called "airport" (that's the exact name) was pulling 90+% of the CPU. The automatic connection issue was unchanged: I still had to reconnect manually. Today I tried the workaround suggested for automatic connection issues (Delete all 'Preferred Network' listings then re-establish). This seems to have resolved both issues."

Here's the process:

1. Open System Preferences and select the "Network" pane
2. Select "AirPort" and click "Configure"
3. In the "By default, join:" pull-down menu, select "Preferred networks"
4. Delete the network(s) you regularly use from the list
5. Launch the "Keychain Access" application located in Applications/Utilities.
6. Click on the "Kind" filter at the top, and look for "AirPort network password" entries. Delete them.
7. Restart, or log out then back in.
8. Repeat steps 1-3, this time re-adding your regularly used AirPort networks to the list using the "+" button.
9. Restart or log out then back in.

Safari 3 related? Interestingly, some users have reported that uninstalling Safari 3.0 beta has resolved wireless connectivity issues under Mac OS X 10.4.10.

Mark Schotte writes:

"I have been having a similar problem to other readers with the inability to see my AirPort Extreme 802.11n Base Station using the ?Airport Utility?. It has been particularly frustrating as I still have an active wireless connection but have an inkjet printer hanging off an Airport Express in another location and a laser printer off the Airport Extreme. Neither will work when the Extreme or Express does not show in the Airport Utility."

"This morning it finally dawned on me that the disappearance of the Extreme and Express stations in the Airport Utility was coinciding with the times that I have been running Safari 3.02. I have installed the Safari beta on three occasions and subsequently deleted it when I have encountered a problem with a site ie; my bank or with a utility that I like (Transparent Dock). So back to Safari version 2.04 and everything is OK."

Index:

• Release notes, properly installing the update
• Important files modified by this update, downgrading components
• Downgrading to Mac OS X 10.4.9

• Applications will not launch
• Audio popping, other sounds issues: Apply Audio Update 2007-001, other fixes
• Common workarounds for when things go wrong post-update
• Display brightness stuck at maximum
• Finder crashes -- fixes
• FireWire audio interface issues -- fixes
• Printers missing -- fix
• Problems starting up
• RAM incorrectly (or not) recognized
• Sound input issues, fixes
• The problem with the Mac OS X 10.4.10 version number
• USB issues (serious), fixes
• Wireless connectivity (AirPort) fixes

Resources

wireless connectivity tuto...

#166641

tutorial

Release notes, properly in...

Important files modified b...

Downgrading to Mac OS X 10...

Applications will not laun...

Audio popping, other sound...

Common workarounds for whe...

Display brightness stuck a...

Finder crashes -- fixes

FireWire audio interface i...

Printers missing -- fix

Problems starting up

RAM incorrectly (or not) r...

Sound input issues, fixes

The problem with the Mac O...

USB issues (serious), fixe...

Wireless connectivity (Air...

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