Wifi at home won't connect

[LR827]

I'm at home, and our wifi won't connect on the MacBook -- but only on the MB. It says "the connection timed out."

My iPad (on which I'm typing) and iPhone connect just fine ... Although, now that I'm thinking about it, there was some delay when I initially tried to connect this morning. I've shut down my MB twice and restarted -- still won't connect.

There are 2 unprotected accts within range, my next-door neighbor's "guest" acct and a linksys acct. I could not connect to either of those, which I tried just to see if they would.  My MB won't connect to any wifi acct.


Now I've gone back in and the wifi icon darkened properly --- and after several failed tries, the Internet connected very, very, slowly -- then disconnected.  Since the other devices are connecting without any problem, I keep wondering about that Flash player update issue and whether I really did download a virus?? How can I tell?

[Xairbusdriver]

Many of us have downloaded a virus, maybe even in the last few days. However, none of us, nor you, have downloaded one that will run on our Macs. Of course, there's always the first time. I'm willing to bet several thousand dollars, however, that it wasn't you.

Now, the most logical explanation is that the Airport card in your "MacBook" is bad. That's the only one that doesn't connect, reliably, correct? The easiest way to trouble-shoot would be to swap the cards in the two computers. Assuming they are accessible. I gotta run or I'd look that up myself.

Remember the trouble-shooting mantra: K.I.S.S; Keep It Simple Silly! Don't assume that a problem is a virus, at least until we actually see some outside of laboratories and Anti-Virus program makers.

BTW, what is an "MB?" Would that be a MacBook Pro? (MBP?)

[LR827]

Thank you for changing that to "Keep It Simple Silly" instead of "Keep it Simple Stupid"

MB stands for MacBook. I can't swap anything because I only have the one computer, but it's getting old, and you may be right about the Airport card. I am looking at the newer MB Pros, and will probably be getting one soon, so hopefully that will resolve the problem.

BTW I'm typing on the MB now, so it is working well for now. Thanks!

[Xairbusdriver]

OK, I understand now... I think! Silly, me!

You might try connecting to a free WiFi outlet/provider like Panera Bread or some food place like that. Just having WiFi status showing in the Menu Bar makes it pretty handy to see if there are any transmitting sites around and some of those may also have a stronger signal than your neighbors. Since you said there were two neighboring sites showing, you know that the card is at least receiving signals. But if it doesn't transmit, you'll never be able to log in and use anything.

It might help to change the channel your Airport (Extreme/Express) box is using to see if a different channel (frequency) works better with your MacBook.

[krissel]

Jim's suggestion of changing channels is the best bet for a quick solution.

But if you find it happening again after trying different channels, here are a few other ideas:

--Reboot the router (always an easy step to try)

--Click on the wifi symbol on the top tool bar
    Select "Open Network Prefrences..."
    Click on the "Assist Me..." button at the bottom.
    Click on the "Diagnostics..." button on the pop up
    Select Wifi and Press Continue
    Select the Network Connect and Press Continue
    Wait a bit and see if it connects on that attempt

--I found this about people reverting to the kext file from Snow Leopard which is apparently more friendly than the one in Lion:
"Some Mac users who upgraded to Lion (10.7) discovered that the wireless connection is unstable. It'll drop or disconnect you randomly. Or what's worse, the Airport icon will show you have full bar reception, but you cannot load any websites.

The issue is due to a bad kernel extension file (kext). Think of kext as "drivers" in the Windows world. Lion has a new set of kext files, in which the wireless kext files are not working normally. The fix is to use the old Snow Leopard (10.6) kext files because your wireless must have been working before.

Instructions:
1. Download the kext file here: http://www.sendspace.com/file/jy1b4k
2. Unzip the file
3. Drag IO80211Family.kext and drop it to Kext Utility. This will launch Kext Utility and update your kext file.
4. Turn off your Mac when the program is done. Wait 1 minute and turn it back on.

Note:
DO NOT just double click Kext Utility. You must drag and drop the .kext file. This tells Kext Utility to use the .kext."

---Another idea:

"Go into your routers setup and locate the advanced settings.  Find the option for UPNP and disable it. "


Each of these suggestions helped people but none was celebrated as a universal fix.

Oh, then there is always... "Buy a new router."  (cheaper than a new Mac)

[LR827]

Thanks, Krissy.

I do not think I can change channels, as Jim suggested, bc I don't have an Airport router -- I'm using the one Comcast supplied with our acct.  (Motorola).

The same thing happened this morning, but I got as far as "open network preferences" and re-selected my home network, and it connected again.  I have to start working (teleworking today) but I'm keeping these instructions for next time. Thanks again,

Lorraine

[krissel]

You can access your router settings by typing in the location IP in the address bar of any browser.

Go to your System Prefs and open Network Preferences. Click on the Advanced button at bottom right.

[attachment=2822:3.jpg]

Now click on the TCP/IP in the top row

[attachment=2823:4.jpg]

Note the router IP number, copy it

[attachment=2824:5.jpg]

Paste into the browser address bar and hit Return. The initial page for Dad's router looks like this. Yours will be different of course. You can go to the Motorolla website and download the manual for your model if you don't have it handy. It will show you where to go to change the channel.


[attachment=2825:6.jpg]

Here's a page that describes it generally:

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-...acs-router.html

 (Now, before anyone starts to criticize me for not having a password on the  NetGear or linksis routers, they belong to someone in the neighborhood. The Warren one is mine at home but I never use it wirelessly. Interestingly, the Airport on this MBP also shows an HP wireless printer as an available connection.  It obviously belongs to a neighbor as well. Someday I might just print a message to them. Wouldn't that be a surprise. )

[LR827]

Thanks, Krissy. I am so loathe to do this, I can't begin to tell you. I always run into roadblocks and spend unconscionable amounts of time accomplishing nothing. For example, I found the router address and pasted it into the browser. Then I came to the Xfinity log-in site. I recall the last time I tried to log in to this site it kept refusing my password, and resending it, and refusing it again. As I recall, I swore off going to the Xfinity website. But that's where the IP address took me.

Another part of my reluctance to follow through with this channel-changing thing is that the problem seems to clear up by itself. This morning the same thing happened, but some short time later ... 5 minutes? 15? I went in again and it transmitted just fine. Like, does the Mac have to warm up or something? That sounds way too pedestrian. But that's where I'm at with this. Just let it warm up. Unless it becomes untenable -- and I don't know what would qualify there -- then I'll call Xfinity and go round'n'round with them again.

Thanks for all your help and advice, though.

[Xairbusdriver]

I would never dream of warning you about your lack of a password!

But, finding your Mac's IP address may not be a simple as your images show. When using the Ethernet connection to my Airport, the address shows 10.0.1.2 as my Mac's IP address. However, the WiFi IP is 10.0.1.5. Those, of course, are both Airport assigned values. My actual IP address, as seen by anyone on the intermess, is currently 98.251.179.140. My MAC address doesn't change, of course. This is the result, I think, of being connected by both Ethernet (to the intermess) and to the WiFi (so I can share the Epson WiFi printer) at the same time.

There are four other computers in the house but all are connected through the Airport wirelessly. But they are all 10.0.1.x, I'm sure. The Comcast router can be accessed with 192.168.100.1.

[krissel]

Actually Jim she doesn't want to find her Mac's IP address but the router's so it can be accessed by the browser.  That's why the trip through the network prefs.


Lorraine, one other thing you might try is to click on the Renew DHCP lease button which is shown in the next to last image I posted. That may help.

Also, what is the model number of your modem?  I believe that the manual for it should show how to access the settings where you can change the channel. That might let you avoid having to communicate with Comcast. Post the model here and we can look it up. The description of your on/off connectivity is typical of a weak channel.

[LR827]

I did not have any luck going to the 10.0.0.4 (listed in my Sys Pref) but I did find the "renew DHCP" button. However, I have not had any trouble getting reception/transmission the past few days. Is it possible that leaving the computer for a week or so would cause that problem? I would like to know what "renew DHCP" will do, though -- Can you explain it? Thanks for all your time and help, again.

I wrote that last night, but I'm writing this this morning -- No problem getting connected. That makes me doubly reluctant to take any action. I just don't know. I need to learn more about computers.

[Xairbusdriver]

I believe that button says :Renew DHCP Lease". Unless you pay for a 'static' IP address from your ISP, you will be assigned a new IP address from time to time, the time frame varies among ISPs. The main thing this does is prevent you from running a web server on their line. Since your address changes, no one can enter your IP address and connect to your server. (There are ways around this, but your ISP may notice the higher than normal customer bandwidth and start charging you more or even cut you off!)

At any rate, the basic technique is to "lease" you an IP Address but change it periodically. If all the hardware at your end doesn't recognize the changes, it sometimes helps to renew that lease manually. It doesn't hurt anything, it's rather like doing a Restart on your computer, only much, much faster.

As you say, "If it ain't broke..."

Oh yeah, you asked about having the Mac off for a long time. It shouldn't affect anything, but we all know that "should" is the most over-used word in the language! Besides, your Mac may have feelings of abandonment if you don't use it daily. It may just go into a deep stupor and fail to reawaken all its brain parts when you return. Of course, it could just be pouting, also. Just speak to it softly, maybe buy it some new apps and make sure you use it daily!

[LR827]

QUOTE(Xairbusdriver @ Feb 23 2013, 11:35 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

...
As you say, "If it ain't broke..."

Oh yeah, you asked about having the Mac off for a long time. It shouldn't affect anything, but we all know that "should" is the most over-used word in the language! Besides, your Mac may have feelings of abandonment if you don't use it daily. It may just go into a deep stupor and fail to reawaken all its brain parts when you return. Of course, it could just be pouting, also. Just speak to it softly, maybe buy it some new apps and make sure you use it daily!

Thank you for the explanation, Jim, that's very helpful. Well, right now, "it ain't broke"...

As for the rest of your advice, my profession is based on that, but ... for a computer? Well, I guess Macs are people, too!
 

Thanks again!
Lorraine