AirPort Extreme Update 2007-001 Special Report: Dropouts (lapses in connectivity), fixes

CNET staff

Sept. 2, 2009 12:57 a.m. PT

8 min read

The most common issue occurring for some users after applying AirPort Extreme Update 2007-001 is a case of repetitive dropouts, or lapses in connectivity.

In most cases, users experiencing this problem can maintain a stable connection after performing one of the following procedures: logging out then back in, restarting, power cycling the internal AirPort hardware, or power cycling the wireless router (AirPort Base Station). However, the connection drops soon after and may not return until one of the aforementioned procedures is performed again.

Many cases of unstable connectivity concern third-party wireless routers.

Success stories from readers indicate that the following workarounds (adapted from our wireless troubleshooting tutorial) may be useful in resolving this problem:

Check for/quit third-party wireless applications (monitors/sniffers) Some third-party applications that manipulate or otherwise interact with the wireless connection may cause problems -- particularly an issue where speed vacillates quickly between normal and dismal throughput.

Among the implicated applications are older versions of coconutWiFi.coconutWiFi is an application displays you a small aqua-bubble at the top of your screen which indicates whether or not. you're in range of a wireless network. Current versions of the application do not exhibit this bug.

Change security protocol In some cases, WEP key-based access can provide better speeds when compared to the more secure WPA standard.

This setting can be changed on AirPort base stations by using the AirPort Admin Utility (located in Applications/Utilities) to configure the target base station.

Switch channels 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):

Open AirPort Admin Utility, located in /Applications/Utilities.
Select the appropriate (afflicted) base station and click Configure.
Enter the base station password if necessary.
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.

Turn router (including AirPort Base Stations) off, then on In some cases, turning a wireless router (including AirPort Base Stations) off, then back on -- usually by unplugging then re-connecting to power -- re-establishes proper operation in the event of a dropout. This is a method of recovery rather than obviation, however.

Perform a hard reset of your router (including AirPort Base Stations) This is an easy workaround, an is effective in a surprisingly high number of problematic cases where AirPort Base Stations will not appear in the AirPort Admin utility or refuses to allow Internet access.

Instructions for performing a hard reset involves first unplugging your Base Station from power and the active network connection, then following the instructions in the following Knowledge Base documents:

Note that after performing a hard reset you will need to connect your Mac to the Base Station via a wired (Ethernet) connection in order to re-configure it and apply the proper networking configuration via AirPort Admin Utility.

If your third-party router has a reset button, try using it for a similar effect.

Toggle firmware 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.

Unfortunately, the trick is in locating appropriate firmware updates. You can usually find the different firmware editions on a router manufacturer's Web site, but some vendors fail to offer the updates or old versions in Mac-based installer packages.

For Apple Base stations, the process is as easy as downloading and installing the desired firmware edition on an AirPort Express or Extreme Base station. Apple maintains older firmware versions on its download page, and they are easily applied from a familiar installer interface.

To check which AirPort Base station firmware revision you currently have installed, use the following process:

Launch AirPort Admin Utility (located in Applications/Utilities)
Select the appropriate Base station in the left-hand pane
The firmware will appear on the right side, as follows: "Apple Base Station... "

Toggling AirPort Extreme firmware The latest AirPort Extreme firmware version is 5.7 and this edition should be used primarily. However, the most commonly successful solution for constant AirPort Extreme dropouts is a downgrade of firmware to version 5.5.1. Reverting (or updating to) this edition of the firmware has eliminated dropouts for a surprisingly high number users.

In order to install firmware version 5.5.1, simply download the package, launch the updater application and follow the on-screen instructions, selecting your afflicted Base station.

A quick caveat: Downgrading your firmware potentially poses some significant security risks that should not be overlooked. By reverting, you'll also lose the enhancements made in the latest firmware edition, including purported performance enhancements.

Still, the astounding success with which this workaround has been applied makes it a good option for users who cannot reasonably use their AirPort Extreme Base stations for extended periods of time.

Toggling AirPort Express firmware The latest firmware edition for the AirPort Express is version 6.3, and should be used primarily. Like the AirPort Extreme, however, some AirPort Express units can benefit from a firmware downgrade to version 6.1.1. The instructions for installation are the same: simply download the AirPort Express 6.1.1 Firmware package, launch the updater application and follow the on-screen instructions, selecting your afflicted Base station.

The same security/enhancement caveats apply.

Get the update off your Mac Finally, failing the above, try one of our methods for uninstalling AirPort Extreme 2007-001 to restore router/Base station recognition.

Reader reports

MacFixIt reader William Kucharski reports that after a dropped connection, he must now restart the connected Mac or put it to sleep and wake it back up. Prior to the update, he could sometimes simply turn his built in AirPort card off then back on to restore connectivity:

"While it does seem to make the connection from my MacBook Pro (15" 2.33 GHz Core 2 Duo) less likely to spontaneously drop, it still does. Worse, the problem has become more painful in a way:

"Before, when the connection dropped, the easiest way to restore it would be to toggle AirPort off, then back on.

"However, about 20% of the time, when the connection was restored (as seen by the black signal bars coming back, and the system explicitly stating it was connected to my network), the MacBook Pro would refuse to actually route any packets through the AirPort card. Attempting to ping my AirPort Extreme Base station would result in a "no route to host" error, and the lights on my Base station would not flash, indicating it was not even receiving packets from the MacBook Pro. Turning AirPort off and back on once or twice would usually get things to work again.

"After 2007-001, that trick no longer works. Now when it drops a connection you can turn AirPort off and back on all day long, but Mac OS X will never again route another packet through the interface until you either: Put the machine to sleep and wake it back up, or reboot."

MacFixit reader Bernd writes:

"I have the same problem with my Macbook Pro and a Vigor 2600 VGi. After some minutes Airport drops connection and I have to restart my computer. (I'll try sleep insteat today). My fix: If I stay really close to the router (aprox. 1-2 meters) the connection persists. Therefore i suppose the bug might be located somewhere in the error correction procedure."

MacFixIt reader Raffi adds:

"It seems that when I start up everything works fine for a while, then if I leave the computer to go get something and come back, I'll find that my IP address has changed to something completely wrong and therefore it loses connection to the router even though Airport still says I have a full connection. To solve, I have to either shut down, restart, or sleep my Macbook so that the IP gets fixed and I can go on my way until it happens again."

Jon wries:

"At times I am only getting a few seconds of connectivity before the wireless network drops. Unlike William I had no connectivity issues before this 'update' was installed."

MacFixIt reader Marty writes:

"I too now have AirPort connections that only last a few minutes, at best. Waking from sleep for me does not restore the connections, although if I Logout and back in I will have a very short period of time where the network *does* work, then silently drops again.

"No amount of fiddling seems to make any difference. I rebooted from a Mac OS X 10.4.7 partition to verify it wasn't somehow the home network, or the MacBook Pro itself that was at fault; Mac OS X 10.4.7 seems fine and the network has remained steady.

"In case it matters, my wireless router is set to *not* broadcast its SSID and it does use an access list of allowable MAC addresses. The fact that the network does come up at all tells me that everything is okay for a while. Could the new AirPort update be causing the en1's MAC address to be broadcast incorrectly? In my environment that could explain why I would lose the network."

John Callahan adds:

"I had the same problem on my Mac Book Pro Core Duo after installing this miserable update - I lost connectivity every few minutes from my DLINK DWL2100AP access point. I had to restart to connect again and then would lose connectivity again after a few minutes, even with the laptop at full signal right beside the access point. I wound up spending my Sunday afternoon reloading and skipping the Airport update."

Finally, MacFixIt reader Matt writes:

"I just read the article posted on your website about the update dropping connections. I have a 2.0 MacBook and I never had this problem before the update. Now my mac will irregularly drop the connection to my router at various times. As (another MacFixIt reader) noted, I have to put the mac to sleep and wake it up or reboot the computer to fix the connection. I've tried changing to WEP encryption, WPA, WPA2, and no encryption at all and none of those seem to make a difference."

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