0 responses so far ↓

• Leo // Jan 13, 2007 at 7:11 pm

  I’ve owned a MacBook Pro since September and I’ve never had any problems with wifi. I take it everywhere and use it every day 100% of the time connected to the internet wirelessly, and I’ve had no issues.

• Rhizoned // May 12, 2007 at 1:56 pm

  I bought one of the new Macook Pro Duos and can say I have had a few minor problems with my machine and Home AEBS. Occasionaly it will disconnect from the network with little traffic, not a big deal so far.

  However, as for connecting to other networks, I have had problems. Using any 3rd party Wifi software gives weird results. Most of the time I have to stop and start the software to start scanning again (KisMac). It scans for about a minute and just stops.

• Clyde // May 21, 2007 at 12:22 pm

  I’ve had a 17′ MacBook pro for 4 months now and have had continuous problems with wifi connectivity. I’m noticing a significant reduction in such connectivity since I upgraded to this new (metal bodied) computer from my 8 year old clambshell ibook. The old plastic bodied clambshell grabbed networks vastly better than this new (and expensive) model.

• bobby // Jul 4, 2007 at 6:21 pm

  Hello,I am about to buy a Macbook Pro 17′ this month (07.2007) and I really want to use wi-fi!Is it possible to be upgraded to the new mac osx leopard and to have no problems with the wi-fi?Mybe if I buy a PCMCIA wi-fi ?

• dicty // Jul 5, 2007 at 2:50 pm

  I have two 15″ Core 2 Duo MacBook Pros, one for my daughter. Both initially worked with wireless internet on our Netopia router now both refuse to connect. My wife’s old(ish) white iBook has no problems. Frankly, it’s a disaster and seeing how many reports there on the web of internet problems with Intel Macbook Pros I would not recommend buying one until a solution is found that works. Too bad; otherwise the Core 2 is a great machine.

• David Cooper // Jul 22, 2007 at 5:19 pm

  I’ve been a huge fan of Apple… but I’ve had a MacBook Pro for 7 months… 5 months it worked OK… The Last 2 months its been terrible. I went so far as to install 3 different access points and would switch from one to the other as my Macbook would refuse to connect to them. A real hassle.

• Mac User // Jul 28, 2007 at 12:48 am

  I have my mbp for about a year. The first 8 months wireless connection is good. But after awhile, it keep connecting to the wrong router, or it will switch to a different one router without telling me. I always have to reconnect manually. We also brought a white mac book for my wife and we put them in different rooms of the house and hers always get great connection buy my pro doesn’t. So I’m sure is the mbp and not the router.

• snomau // Aug 9, 2007 at 11:56 am

  I’ve had my MacBook Pro since march or so and it had worked great until about 2 weeks ago. Now I’m about to pull my hair out because the connectivity is so sporadic. What to do?

• David // Aug 18, 2007 at 10:36 am

  Wow… not only is my MacBook Pro horrible at connecting to networks, but it has now taken to shutting down other people’s routers. My NetGear router has stopped working, as has my Apple Airport base station. My hotel this week which had two different networks in two locations. I knocked them both out! I went into a place to do some work - knocked out their network too. No one could connect at the hotel or at the work locations until the wireless stations there were reset. Anyone have an explanation for that?

• Alex Dorandish // Sep 3, 2007 at 1:04 pm

  I have had the macbook pro for about 2 months and I have constant network connectivity problem. Each time I have to restart the computer to be able to connect. I did not have this problem with my previous powerbook. It seems that the notebook is able to conncet to SMC router without password but if you add password to the keychain it starts failing. I believe macbook pro 17 and my dlink router are in a war. I can only connect to it once (when the computer restarted) as soon as the computer goes to sleep and wakes up there will be no connectivity.

  I am now confused, is it my router? or is it my macbook pro 17?

• Matthew S // Sep 28, 2007 at 8:02 pm

  I am new mac user, with a shiny Macbook pro. I generally like the feel of the machine and OS, but I have CONSTANT problems with my wireless connection. I have tried various solutions without luck. The lack of Apple info on this - or a FIX - is appalling.

• J. Meyer // Oct 2, 2007 at 11:33 pm

  Just upgraded my PowerBook G4 to a new MBP. Having the same problems as everyone else, MBP keeps knocking out my router and connectivity is horrid. I am taking this to the Apple Store tomorrow to demand some answers!!!!

• Karen // Nov 16, 2007 at 2:36 am

  I’ve had my mac for about a year now and wireless connectivity issues have gone from sporadic to constant. my roommate’s pcs access the internet just fine. does the macbook pro just have a low-grade wireless connector? network diagnostics say the connection is fine, but no pages open. sigh.

• Wally // Dec 2, 2007 at 2:16 am

  I have a MBP and have also had ongoing issues with staying connected via wifi. If my machine goes to sleep, I lose my connection. It looks like it reconnects, but apparetnly does not authenticate again because I can’t use the connection. It is worse sense I went to Leopard, plus the LEAP client for Cisco VPNs doesn’t work at all. When I boot in Windows XP, the wirelss seems fine. I think it is a SW problem, not a HW problem. Amazing that Apple has no info on this?

• Troy // Dec 26, 2007 at 9:08 pm

  I just made the stupid switch from PC to a Mac. Spent 3000.00 on this Laptop and have the same problems everyone else is having connecting to the Net wirelessly. Sometimes it will connect to a network and then keep dropping it making me sign into the network again, over and over. And sometimes it will say its connected to the cafe’s connection but when you go to pull up a webpage it says its not connected. I tried the diagnostic tool and it says it can not fix it….says to reset the router. I can not very well walk in behind the cafes counter and reset the router at all.
  I have never had connection problems with my 600.00 Acer PC.
  I think I may return this piece of shit Mac and stick with PC.
  I have never had reliability probs with PC at all.
  I feel ripped off…..as if someone has stolen 3000.00 right from my wallet.

  I hear so many people saying they have these problems with the Macbook Pro, but have not read anywhere an answer to fix it??? Whats up with that?

  Macbook Pro???? You think when they put the name PRO behind something it would be truly that….. professional.

  Once you buy one of these pieces of shit rip off machines…. how long do you have to return it back to Mac for refund? I only got it 5 days ago.

  All these people having these problems should really think about banning together and think about a class action lawsuit against Apple.
  I mean overcharging at the rate of 3000.00 for a laptop that does not work is definite grounds for a Law Suit.

  Really Pissed Off……

• Brent // Jan 9, 2008 at 1:16 am

  I got a MacBook (not pro, black, Leopard) for Xmas and I too am having problems connecting to my Wi-Fi network at home: I have changed settings, reset my Netgear router, moved my MacBook around the house, and have done all short of taking my computer apart and replacing the AirPort Extreme adapter with another wireless adapter. When I use an ethernet cable to connect, the connection is great: fast, no blips, no page loading issues, however– when I use wireless (airport), problems arise. My connection works great on public wireless networks, but our home wireless network is either too weak, or not compatible with Apple computers…. it’s frustrating to say the least.

• djDavidj // Jan 9, 2008 at 12:18 pm

  Ok I like all of you, bought a MBP I paid 3000$ for it. I just called Apple Care and guess what my 90 days are over for care. BUT with more money over 300$ I can get the care I need. The ass wipe on the phone said I have one year coverage for parts and labor, but software is 90 days. I informed the prick I just bought Leopard just a few months ago and I demand help. He laughed at me and said go to the web site and use the threads to solve the problem. I of course told him to stick those threads up his ass and hung up.

  Like all of you I am appalled with the lack of response from Apple, and I feel like taking a hammer to my new MacBook Pro and posting it on YouTube, oh ya thats been done before.

  I am a trucker and going to “The Apple Store” isn’t going to happen.

  I reinstalled OS X 10.5 over and over, and….. nothing.. I search threds and no hope. I posted on my site www.doingtheswitch.com the work around, but I am here to tell you it doesn’t work.

  What next? if any of you find a REAL fix, people go to my site and email me. I will add this RSS feed to my mail.

  Thanks for your time. I am so pissed
  David

• william // Jan 14, 2008 at 1:26 am

  anybody know if mac are going to fix the problem for the MBP wireless connection as its a real pain.

• savage // Jan 18, 2008 at 11:23 am

  I too have issues with my wireless.(MBP 2.4 C2D) I bought mine back in march have had no problems however last month has been terrible…..drops connection wont authenticate correctly and general slow downs it is an outrage ! I personally think it is the crap driver as it seams that system updates have knackered the connectivity.

• Answers // Feb 4, 2008 at 4:31 pm

  The problem is not the router. It’s the laptop. I know the problem but im trying to fix it. Every time you turn on your mac book pro the laptop gives itself a IP address which doesn’t match your router IP causing not to get an internet connection. You can see if this is your problem below:

  If this happens:

  1. turn airport off on top right signal bar.

  2.click on top right left to signal bar “open network preferences.

  3. Location: Click Home OR Work — if not set up. add New Location ex. (Home, Work)

  4. Show: Click Airport

  5. By default, Join : Click Preffered Network

  6.Select Network Name

  7.Click on TCP/IP verify IP matches your router. If blank Next step

  8.Now Click on Wireless Signal (top right) Watch and make sure when you signal comes on look at your TCP/IP page Verify it matches your router. Then Click Apply Now.

  9.Now you should be connected to the internet.

• Don // Feb 12, 2008 at 11:22 am

  I’ve had the same problem… Apple pro care had me try multiple things.
  1. change the channel on the wireless router to 3 or 9
  2. slow down the speed of the router to 54 MBPS
  3. Unplug my cordless phone 5.4ghz same frequency of the router can cause interference.
  4. reset my wireless settings on the laptop
  5. reset the firmware of the wireless card on the laptop

  all helped momentarily but not a permanent fix.

  So I dumped my netgear router and bought the airport extreme and haven’t had problems at all… everything works like a champ now. I’m thinking the macbook pro doesn’t play nice with the netgear routers.

• SlippySlope // Feb 28, 2008 at 6:15 pm

  It’s the MBP and 10.5.2 and the built in Airport. If you look at the Apple discussion boards, you will see a lot of very unhappy campers. The MBP keeps dropping the Wi-Fi connection. It doesn’t happen with my wife’s PowerBook G4 or our iMac. And, it doesn’t happen on the MBP with an Ethernet connection - just the Wi-Fi. I’ve done significant testing on speedtest.net and the results are worse than dial-up (and even on Apple’s website going from page-to-page, i get time-outs from server. Too bad…a great product has lost its way in the crowd (and doesn’t seem to concerned about finding a solution)

• Ty // Feb 29, 2008 at 9:18 pm

  My wife and I, just last week purchased a I Mac and a Macbook Pro. The I Mac seems to be great accessing to the internet. The Macbook Pro cannot stay connected wireless. Works fine with Ethernet. Would hate to think I have thrown so much money in the trash. But if I can’t connect, I can’t make money……..

• sdecaluwe // Mar 13, 2008 at 9:54 am

  Well, I feel your pain, but my MBP has been just fine accessing my linksys wrt54g signal, from anywhere in the house. Relatively cheap router, too ($45). This is without any security turned on, which I am working to change right now. I did a little online reading before buying, which suggested that the router ‘plays well’ with macs (even though it’s not ‘officially’ supported).

  Best of luck,
  SD

• Brian // Mar 18, 2008 at 9:16 am

  My MBP never seemed to have a problem with its wireless assets. That is, until my girlfriend went ahead and bought a black Macbook. Sitting in a classroom together, where the signal of the school’s router might just be reaching its end, her Macbook is connecting with all but one bar and mine is struggling to keep that first bar lit. It makes me furious that an elitist company like Apple can’t prevent a simple malfunction with the casing of their computers. I guess my metal MBP is doomed for the low connectivity in comparison to a plastic Macbook or any other plastic mac!

• Lee Harris // Mar 27, 2008 at 5:16 pm

  I am about to go to the apple store to harrass a genius about wireless NON conectivity at public WiFi spots.
  Apple is now humbled in the PC world. ouch.

  Apple are you listening?

• Javier Santacruz // Apr 9, 2008 at 12:37 am

  I buy one macbook pro two years ago . im apple since 1989 . so i know what i buy .. my macbook was working perfectly 2 years. great wifi etc. .but 3 days ago . … the signal go down.. too much . some times desconect.. i work close to the router.. and those 2 years work perfect. but now i dont know what to do . i test it all .. the router the antena of my airport card .. everything . and dosnt work.

• dg // Apr 16, 2008 at 4:27 am

  I bought the newest macbook pro on march 2008. Everything is running fine till now except the wifi!!! Description:

  – you turn 2 laptops on, 1 pc, 1 mac
  – pc recognizes the network, mac NOT
  – curious, i reboot the mac for the first time. Nothing
  – intrigued, i reboot the mac for the second time, and … it does recognize the preferred network.

  and it does happen all day long whenever you turn off the laptop, you have to reboot several times before it recognizes the preferred network. my older pc laptop has no pb at all!!!

  i even tried to turn off the airport and turn it on, nothing. you must reboot it!!!

  Apple is breaking their image, slowly but surely with this wireless connectivity. Not mentioning about the shift key on some webase mail service!!!

  pissed off but no way to return it, so we have to find a solution together…

• CiscoKid // Apr 16, 2008 at 3:46 pm

  Similar problems here. I bought a MBP last October and all was well until around Feb time. Then the wireless started to continually drop. I had purchased apple care but all that resulted in was an hour wasted on the phone and then 2 hours wasted running diagnostics. Apple claim it is the router but my two PC laptops have no issue with connecting wirelessly to it. MBP is fine wired, but the only way that I can get it to work wirelessly is to set the router to no security - then it holds a connection. (Of course I do not want my network to be wide open!) This was my first Apple and it will be my last!

• CiscoKid // Apr 16, 2008 at 3:49 pm

  Similar problems here. I bought a MBP last October and all was well until around Feb time. Then the wireless started to continually drop. I had purchased apple care but all that resulted in was an hour wasted on the phone and then 2 hours wasted running diagnostics. Apple rep was extremely rude on phone and hung up on me before any resolution was reached. Written complaint sent and Apple have not bothered to respond to that. Apple claim the problem is the router but my two PC laptops have no issue with connecting wirelessly to it. MBP is fine wired, but the only way that I can get it to work wirelessly is to set the router to no security - then it holds a connection. (Of course I do not want my network to be wide open!) This was my first Apple and it will be my last! I wouldn’t recommend anyone to waste the money on apple care - they simply don’t once they have your cash!

• Gulfie // Apr 22, 2008 at 4:09 pm

  I’ve had a MBP since late March. What I find is that it has real trouble locking on to my home WiFi unless I’m within six feet of it. Once it is locked on, the signal stays good wherever I go in the house. I can see other WiFi networks within reach, like my neighbours, and at work I can see networks in range.

  Yes I think the aluminium body is an issue, the WiFi aerial is behind the rubber strip below the ‘MacBook Pro’ legend, but I’m wondering if the brand of base station is a factor? All my other numerous gadgets (PCs, an iPod Touch, Mac Mini, Dell Axim) are fine. I’m using a Netgear DG834PN. I’ve laid it flat, stood it up, rotated it around… to no avail.

  I’m considering taking it into my local Apple store to see what they think (although if they want to work on it… I use it for my day job). I’ve only used a Mac full time for a month but I wouldn’t swap it for the world despite this.

  Because it does connect, I can put up with the inconvenience of having to fire it up next to the WiFi hub but is is frustrating…

• John Owens // May 15, 2008 at 5:41 pm

  Mine has the same problem.

  This is a deal breaker for me, a laptop that doesn’t have wifi a lot of the time is unacceptable.

  Personally I think I might just go back to using PCs.

• Steve B. // May 16, 2008 at 10:52 pm

  OK, just bought a MBP…I’m brand new to MAC and decided to make the switch. So far I have the same dropping/reconnecting problem. We’ll see how it goes but so far I’m really annoyed!!! I’m hoping I won’t have to send this stupid thing back!!

• Loncho // May 28, 2008 at 7:43 am

  Hi Every body,

  I love my MBP it works perfect, but this wifi problem start to piss me off!!!!!! grrrr…
  Is not the router because I have a Time Capsule, the first 3 months works with out a problem and now I have the same problem like you guys.

  My MBP is a present for a friend who bring me the laptop from EEUU I live in spain so I don´t if the grantee works here

  Please I´ve searching for all the web for a solution, anyone know how to fix this wifi problem ???.

• John // Jun 3, 2008 at 9:33 am

  Yea my wifi is rubbish on my 2.5 GHz Mac Book Pro too.

  These machines are a piece of crap, don’t believe the hype. Windows is much better.

  Faster, more secure (hackers say this, there’s just more viruses due to market share), better UI (no drag and drop mostly and no cut and paste to name a couple) and a wifi that simple doesn’t work properly. Laptops are designed to be taken on the move, for this you need to be sure you can get a connection. With the Mac Book it’s about a 70% chance from experience and then the connection will probably keep dropping.

  I bought a Mac Book Pro after the getting the iPhone (amazing) and I’ve been really disappointed however it does look great.

  Also recently my Nano broke after 2 months past the warranty of 1 year and apparently this is very common and some even think by design so I wouldn’t trust Apple either when in comes to hardware.

• Mark // Jun 8, 2008 at 10:31 am

  I have recently purchased a 17″ MBP after happily running a 15″ previous generation MBP quite happily. I’ve been stunned by the poor WiFi performance - the 15″ still runs like a treat. On another forum I found something akin to an answer - heat!

  I now run smcFanControl V2 and run my MBP cool (

• Bea // Jun 11, 2008 at 1:15 pm

  I’ve had my NEW Macbook Pro 17″ for 2 days now. It will NOT keep a steady wireless connection. This is unacceptable for a top of the line notebook. This problem has been known to Apple for MONTHS! Where is the explaination? Where is the fix? Where is the customer support? My freind brought over a new $400.00 HP laptop which had NO PROBLEMS maintaining a wireless connection, while my $3500.00 Macbook Pro couldn’t. Something is VERY WRONG WITH THE MACBOOK PRO!

• Adam // Jun 22, 2008 at 1:18 pm

  I just bought a refurbished Macbook Pro about 4 days ago. Wireless cuts out even when I’m beside the router. I think there’s a compatibility issue with some of the macbook pros. Obviously some people here aren’t having any problems. What’s to say to the people who spent over $2000 on their machines, expecting it to be top of line - no problem computer. The airport card in the macbook pro which allows the user to have wireless internet must have some problem. Do not say the Macbook pro has problems, cause believe me it is a great computer. I think what apple is trying to do here is get everyone to get everything apple. Airport base stations cost almost $200, and I don’t think they are even Wireless G (in beta mode right now). These marketing schemes apple may be playing on us aren’t very fun.

• Flashcoder // Jun 25, 2008 at 7:37 am

  I recently upgraded from the first MacBook Pro to the new MBP. There were really only some hardware upgrades (bigger hard drive, greater speed, better screen etc). My original MBP was shit at connecting to WiFi signals and this was made very obvious when my wife’s 15 inch plastic covered MacBook would connect to WiFi signals without any problems. So when I got my new one I foolishly assumed that Apple would have addressed this ‘known’ (an Apple technician actually admitted to me that they knew about the poor WiFi reception in the metal 17 inch MBPs) and serious hardware issue. For the first 4 weeks it worked almost faultlessly, but then one day my wifi signal just dropped out competely. I checked my router. It was fine. I checked my wife’s macbook. It was fine. I checked my PC. It was fine. I reinitialised the WiFi on my MBP. It searched, found my router and connected, but with zero signal strength. I repeated this several times and then suddenly it came back. In fact it’s dropped out once since I’ve been writing this. The fact that Apple won’t post a solution to this or even discuss it publicly is disgusting given the extortionate price we pay for their hardware. I think a court case would be in order frankly

• Dave from Illinois // Jul 8, 2008 at 6:56 pm

  Are there any class action lawsuits going for this problem?
  I would usually never think of suing Apple because of loyalty, but… I have a $3500 laptop that won’t connect to the internet for more than 10 minutes at a time and I’m sick of dealing with it and sick of no answers.
  I have been a mac user forever but cannot stand this MBP anymore because of this wireless issue. What aggravates me the most is that Apple won’t even admit there is an issue. What kind of BS is that?
  Apple, we are here and we deserve an answer, we deserve for you to acknowledge there IS a problem!!!

• ahaha // Jul 12, 2008 at 12:45 am

  oh man.
  i love how people think the answer is always to sue.
  yeah my macbook pro wifi is terrible, but i’m not about to waste my time trying to sue apple (and get about ten dollars from a class action suit).

• Funky from Califorinia // Jul 19, 2008 at 1:36 am

  Just got the P.O.S today. The computer is a MBP 17″, model MB166LL/A. I agree with the rest of the users that after spending $3,000 I should have no problems connecting via WIFI. My 4 year old Acer Aspire 1690 wlmi has no problem getting a signal.

  I was told to go and buy a Base Station or Signal Booster.

  I will keep everybody updated and let you know if it works after that.

• Mike from Bangkok // Jul 27, 2008 at 6:11 am

  I live in an apartment and use the wifi from the building next door on my MBP 17 inch - which is about 30 metres away I guess. The signal strength varies from 100% to nothing, depending on where I am in the apartment. I had put it down to the distance and got used to moving to the best spots to work.

  Then, yesterday a friend brought round her MacBook and asked me to install Vista in it. When I started downloading the boot camp 2.1 drivers I was amazed to see the MacBook getting about 280 Kb/s in what I thought was the ‘worst’ spot in the room. The signal strength was 100%

  When I tried downloading the exact same file on my MBP, sitting in exactly the same place, and costing over twice the price, it could just about manage 2.7 KB/s. The signal strength was only one bar.

  Having said that I have seen downloads of over 300KB/s on the MBP when I put it in the better spots near the window.

  I guess one option might be to get a external wifi especially if it has a good receiver which might improve strength in other outdoor areas, and justify buying it anway. But I’m still peeved to pay so much and not get as good a wifi experience than if I had paid less than half the price.

  What I want to know is how much variation there is between different MBP machines. Are some cards dodgy and others not? I did have a similar problem with my old powerbook, with a non-apple card. I showed the staff the difference by walking away from the shops wifi and showing the signal drop to zero after about 10 metres, after which they immediately replaced it free of charge. So cards can differ.

  My powerbook has the same problem in the same spots as my MBP even though it has an external card.

  Another thing is sometimes a difference of about 12cm in position makes a big difference to the signal.

  We can still hope for a fix though, as drivers do make a difference to reception, and the MBP cards are not the same as the MacBook cards, if you check in System profiler (Broadcom vs Apple)

• Jeremiah // Aug 7, 2008 at 5:31 pm

  I have had the same problem now for 2 weeks. Didn’t have this problem until I took my MBP to my mom’s and never hooked it up to the interent. But once I got home I have had problems. I have talked to the Apple reps many of times and no fix.

  But there is a small fix on staying on and that is going into safe mode. It will keep you connected but you can’t do everything, like listen to music, watch videos. So if you just need to surf, go into safe mode.

• Aries // Sep 8, 2008 at 5:53 pm

  OMG….
  Thank you people, thank you, for putting my mind at rest. Its not just me.
  Im really annoyed. I would like to say that this is gonna be my last apple product… But alas… Im hooked, my sisters computer is a macbook and has NO problems on the wifi. I can use it outside ffs!!
  Has anyone had a selfassined ip problem???
  My MBP seems to be singled out by the BT 2.0 HUB when assigning an ip. Or is this an issure due to the poor connectivity.
  I just keep saying to myself.
  Macbook
  macbook
  macbook
  macbook
  It will all be ok

  BTW i have had an air port card replaced and an antenna. I have the 17″ version. ANGRY!!!!!!!!!

  dealing with this for over a year… Pissed cold and hungry

• Dave // Sep 20, 2008 at 11:11 am

  I acquired my MBP 4 months ago. 2 major problems I have been having. 1st is what most have mentioned here, which is the WiFi issues. Sitting next to the router there is no connection to the net, once it does acquire it will usually stay on though sometime it looses it and can’t reacquire. 2nd is getting zapped by the machine. When the MBP is connected to an outlet with the two prong adapter, and you are grounded like you hand touching something metallic ( ex. the not painted screw that holds the outlet cover on) you get zapped.

  Paying for a machine $3000 I should not have this happening.

• Kevin // Sep 21, 2008 at 1:18 am

  I guess I’ve been rather fortunate to have made it nearly two years with my 15″ MBP with what I’d consider fairly minor issues, though when it comes to Wi-Fi it’s never been even close to equaling my previous PC - a Sager notebook.

  I reached a point where I could take the Mac OS no longer, feeling I was compromising my daily computing tasks “just” so I could be using a Mac, and I installed Windows XP alone (the whole dual-boot thing taking up too much HD space for my needs). So therefore I have plenty of experience using the MBP in both OS environments.

  I live on 5 acres out in the country, so interference is a non-issue. To cover all this space I have 2 access points sharing the same network - one an AirPort Extreme; the other an AirPort Express (both wonderful devices). So everyday of my life I endure the frustration of the Mac connecting to the wrong access point, sometimes switching on me randomly while in use.

  Now severe drop out issues are occurring, I think sometimes affected by overall usage - not really sure. It’s performance has been going downhill so fast now it’s been difficult to test it. The final nail seems to have happened whilst syncing my Zune mp3 player, locking up the wireless even though it insists at first that it’s fine. But just try to ‘repair’ the connection, or disconnect in an attempt to reconnect and you’re looking at a reboot. Now I’m lucky if I can open a browser without some message of failure.

  What can I say? The MacBook has a lot of value to offer, but what good is a notebook computer without Wi-Fi? It’s like the best of modern technology in every area but wireless - in that aspect the clock has been set back to about 10 years ago when it was common to buy a laptop with no built-in Wi-Fi at all. Now even the cheap ones are massively outperforming my massively expensive MacBookPro in this regard.

  I’ll be very selective in my Apple purchases in the future. The MBP was what I felt to be the best bang-for-the-buck back when I got it, but that is no longer the case by a long shot. Keep it up Apple and pretty soon you may have the dubious honor of being one of those companies “too big to fail” seeking federal funding to keep themselves afloat.

• Mike // Sep 26, 2008 at 7:28 am

  I have owned my MacBook Pro for about a couple of years now.

  Like the rest of you, I have had WiFi problems on and off. The most common problem are not reconnecting to my Preferred Network when waking up from sleep. I have to turn off airport, turn it back on, wait, select my preferred network (which is supposed to be automatic), wait some more.

  I have had Windows XP installed on it since BootCamp was first released, and the wireless works flawlessly.

  So this is definitely a software issue and its amazing that Apple has not fixed this.

  I noticed that it seemed to get better over the summer, but then in August, Apple released an OS “Security upate” (it is to laugh) which made the problem come back bigtime.

  It seems there is no way to rollback the update. Another failure on Apple’s part.

• Gerry // Dec 3, 2008 at 4:25 pm

  Well at least I now know it’s not just me. The last comment appears to demonstrate that this is a software problem. So why has Apple not issued a fix? I moved over to MACs a couple of years ago and after two 12″ PBs and three new Macbooks all working flawlessly, it is breaking my heart that my MBP can’t hold a connection!
  Worst of all is the silence - Apple know this a problem so why don’t we all just call and call and call until they do something!

• Eric // Dec 3, 2008 at 11:19 pm

  Same problem here, and no offense but I’m glad it’s not just me! I thought I was going crazy and have tweaked my router to no end.

  I’m really surprised Apple hasn’t issued a fix, or at least a statement acknowledging the issue. Hopefully something will be done soon. It’s not often that I find myself angry with Apple products, but this is really unacceptable.

• rose // Dec 11, 2008 at 3:24 am

  I just bought a 6 month old macbook pro 17″ and my roommates little white macbook gets a better signal than my mbp. It is unreliable and frustrating to no end as all of you know. Are the newest MBP’s any better? I do a lot of work from cafes and this is just unacceptable.

  I can’t believe Apple hasn’t issued a fix, especially if it is a software problem.

  I can still buy applecare for my laptop but I don’t know if it is worth it based on the comments above.

• corey // Dec 23, 2008 at 10:06 am

  I also had many issue with the wireless on my MBP. I ended up replacing my wireless router. Now I have no issues.

  I called Apple Support..this is basically what they told me

  If the firmware for your wireless router is not current, up-to-date or is no longer support. This could be your issue. Although my firmware was the latest it had been 2.5 years since it was released August 2006.

• Cyber Buddhah // Dec 31, 2008 at 8:30 pm

  The culprit seems to be Airport Utility 5.3.2 version.
  If you have Leopard 10.5.6 pre-installed, you may try to find Airport Utility 5.2.2 somewhere on the net and downgrade it.

  Avoid Airport Utility 5.3.2 like “Leper” (nothing personal here)! I think this update is only for those with Time Capsule or Airport Express Router.
  That explains why, when you bring your MBP to the Genius Bar at the Apple store, the connection works great because you connect to Apple’s Router while at home or other places this Airport Utility thing keep looking for Apple’s Airport station and demand that you spend some more hard earned cha-ching to buy Apple’s hardware (router). Doh.

  If you use “mainstream” routers (majority of the cases), this update probably is the culprit to all headache.

  Somewhere along, I have updated this package by mistake.
  After tons of headaches, I found out the fix: get rid of that Airport Utility 5.3.2!

  What I did today is, re-installed Leopard from the DVD install disk (Leopard 10.5.2) then updated straight to Combo 10.5.6 update package. Ba..bing! My connection is rock..a.. solid!

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