Airport Extreme

[billybobsky]

the airport connection of my laptop keeps disconnecting when i shut my laptop's screen... However, it seems random when/why it does it... I am up to date on all of my software etc, so what's the deal, how do i solve the problem?

Its simply a matter of extreme inconvenience logging into my invisible network every other time i close my screen...

[EDS66]

Mostl likely, the computer goes to sleep when you close the lid. This causes the airport connection to break. It should reconnect with the WAP upon waking up, though. It might take a minute or two, but it should reconnect. PCs do the same thing, by the way.

I guess you can maybe "instruct" the computer not to sleep with the lid closed?

[HOM]

What computer are you using and what router are you using?

There is a known bug with APX cards and Snow/dual ethernet base stations where the computer will almost randomly drop the connection. The only thing that 'fixes' it is to restart the base station. I have suffered under the problem for months now and it doesn't look like Apple is going to fix it.

[DMBand0026]

I don't have the most updated version of the AirPort software...and that doesn't happen to me. It reconnects almost immediately when I open the lid.
I didn't hear great things about the newest version of the AirPort software, so I decided to wait this one out.

[HoTT RoDeR]

I think he means after he wakes up from sleep he has to manually select his airport connection again. Then when he puts it to sleep with it connected and when he wakes it back up he might have to select it agian. My setup has been doing that randomly after I awake my laptop from sleep. It started after the last update and its a weird bug and is annoying.

For the record I have a 1.25 GHz 15"

[NosferaDrew]

Maybe it's trying to connect to other networks?

My PB used to try to do this (in an apartment building and I see many networks - most insecure ;) ).
I'm not sure how I solved it, but since I've gotten a router (http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=33&scid=35&prid=601) that supports WPA, I've had no problems.

[billybobsky]

I guess I will just have to suffer through it...

argh!

[NosferaDrew]

I poked around Apple Discussions and found some interesting info:

I had a similar problem with my iBook with the airport connection being lost each time it went to sleep. I use a 40 bit WEP security setting on my airport.
I overcame the issue by opening the Network preferences, selecting the "Location" that is being used, selecting "airport" from the 'Show' drop down box and selecting "by default join: automatic". When a specific network is selected in "by default join: ...." the issue that you described starts again.
Hope this works for you.

I too have been having issues with my PB 17" losing connection with AEBS after waking from sleep. Your work around actually works but you have to manually enable the network every time you put the computer to sleep and wake it again. The fact that this works got me to thinking. Perhaps the problem is with the key chain.

I started the keychain access application and found two occurrences of my network keychain. I deleted the oldest keychain, retaining the most recent one and presto the problem was solved.

Perhaps when OS 10 updates, it duplicates the keychain creating this problem. Anyone else find this solution works?


Here is a tip that someone gave me to solve a similar problem.
Go to"System Preference", "Airport", and set "By default, join" to "Automatic".

This helped me solve the problem of switching between users and having to rejoin the airport network.


Hopefully one of these ideas will help you.
Good luck!

[kscherer]

Who knew Apple would still be making these things. :)

[Bryson]

I think my poor old Airport Extreme is getting retired tomorrow. It's done well, but it now cuts out now and again (and gets SUPER hot). Time for a fancy Mesh system.

I just wish Apple made one of these mesh systems. They could have totally owned that market, but apparently just plain weren't interested.

[turtle]

I'm not shocked Apple didn't stay in this field. They are so "experience" driven and wireless is one area that's really hard to get right in every environment. A mesh system would have been their best bet to maintain consistency in any environment though. I can hear the support calls now:
Customer: I just don't seem to have a solid signal in my bathroom.
Apple: Just spend more money and buy another node.

[kscherer]

Apple: Just spend more money and buy another node.

iPotty!

Drop in a "token", get wireless for five minutes. It's renewable energy! :D

[kieran]

My Time Capsule died about ta month ago and I replaced it with an Eero setup. Super simple and is exactly what I needed. The speed boost is impressive as hell too.

Just wish Apple still stayed in this market. The HomePod or AppleTV should have taken over from the AirPorts long ago.

[chucker]

The HomePod or AppleTV should have taken over from the AirPorts long ago.

Yeah. Their living room / home strategy feels… incomplete.

(On the bright side, they're slowly but surely iterating on HomePod, as I'd expected. Multiple users in fall!)

[kscherer]

Every one of their home appliances (which is 2?) should act as wireless base stations. It's strange that Apple abandoned this market. Airport was popular, right up to the last day, and we still get active users looking to upgrade that are surprised Apple is no longer in the market. It's like displays and Nanos. People want them, but Apple refuses. :no: