Router randomly disconnects from Macbooks

[thayersn]

We have the Actiontech router servicing two Macbooks and a couple of Kindles.  

For several months now, the Macs lose connectivity with the router randomly -- in the middle of sessions, at all times of day and night, and repeatedly.  Reconnection requires going into Network Preferences and Diagnostics.  This often results in being timed-out of sites.  

I asked APPLCARE and they had me delete system settings and reboot.  This relieves the problem for a day or so, but it comes right back.  

When I spoke to FIOS tech support, the advisor said that Verizon had pushed a firmware update out to the field a few months ago, that it created a "known problem with Macs", that this was Apple's problem not Verizon's, that he had no idea how to fix it, and that I needed to talk with Apple again.  I asked him if this had been when my router mysteriously reset to default settings (old SSID, old password, etc.) and he said yes.  (Certainly this problem has arisen in approximately that timeframe.)  I asked whether it had occured to Verizon that perhaps they would want to notify users of (a) the firmware push and (b) the known Mac incompatibility.  "I just do tech support" was the essential reply.  

So, back to Apple.  APPLCARE said they had never heard of an incompatibility with FIOS, have no tech bulletins, etc.  We went through the same reset process as before, with the same effect--temporary relief for a day or so.  

I've searched this forum and found nothing either.  Anyone have any notion of what's going on? 

[Hubrisnxs]

The fios tech may have been making a mountain out of a molehill.  This really sounds like a wireless signal issue, and may be remedied by changing the wireless channel in the router.

Give it a try, and let us know if it works or not.

    open a browser, and go to http://192.168.1.1

user name is admin.  and the password is most likely the serial number found on the service tag of your VZ router unless you changed it. Once you login succesfully, go to the top and hit wireless, then on the left basic security.   then go to option 3 which is channel  1, 6 and 11 and are the only channels you should try.

So it will likely be set to auto, change it to 11 and put the check for keep settings even after reboot (Directly under the channel) and then hit apply.  after you hit apply,  test your connection out, if you notice a difference, leave it like that until the problem happens again, and if it happens again, go back into the router, and try channel 6,     test it out.  and then finally 1 if the first two don't work.

Also take a look at page 2 of Actiontec's Wireless PDF File.  It gives you some idea's with regards to position and orientation of where the router sits and how it can best be positioned for maximum coverage.

  http://support.actiontec.com/doc_files/MI424WR_Rev(all)_Wireless_Networking_Guide.pdf

[ocean25]

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@thayersn wrote:

We have the Actiontech router servicing two Macbooks and a couple of Kindles.  

For several months now, the Macs lose connectivity with the router randomly -- in the middle of sessions, at all times of day and night, and repeatedly.  Reconnection requires going into Network Preferences and Diagnostics.  This often results in being timed-out of sites.  

I asked APPLCARE and they had me delete system settings and reboot.  This relieves the problem for a day or so, but it comes right back.  

When I spoke to FIOS tech support, the advisor said that Verizon had pushed a firmware update out to the field a few months ago, that it created a "known problem with Macs", that this was Apple's problem not Verizon's, that he had no idea how to fix it, and that I needed to talk with Apple again.  I asked him if this had been when my router mysteriously reset to default settings (old SSID, old password, etc.) and he said yes.  (Certainly this problem has arisen in approximately that timeframe.)  I asked whether it had occured to Verizon that perhaps they would want to notify users of (a) the firmware push and (b) the known Mac incompatibility.  "I just do tech support" was the essential reply.  

So, back to Apple.  APPLCARE said they had never heard of an incompatibility with FIOS, have no tech bulletins, etc.  We went through the same reset process as before, with the same effect--temporary relief for a day or so.  

I've searched this forum and found nothing either.  Anyone have any notion of what's going on? 

---

    Try using some different DNS Servers. Might be CDN troubles popping up or DNS issues with a CDN popping up. I had

    a similiar issue with iTunes radio stations on my iMac.

[lasagna]

I vote with Hubrisinxs.   Try changing the wireless channel first.  

Also, if you're using WEP, move to WPA2.   And if you're hiding the SSID, don't.   Also, make sure the wireless is set for B/G and not G only -- particularly if you have other devices in your house which aren't set to G only.

I have a house full of Mac's (iMac, MBP, 3 iPads, 3 iPhones, Apple TV) as well as numerous other devices and PC's and have no issues at all.

The firmware fix didn't address any wireless issue with regards to disconnects and such -- it fixed the DHCP race condition that iPads initially had which could cause DHCP to stop functioning properly and thereby keep you from getting on the network.  Both Apple and Vz issued firmware fixes which addressed that a while ago.  

[thayersn · Accepted solution]

First, thanks for replies from the three of you.  

Verizon sent out a tech to deal with [unrelated?] FIOS TV problem and he replaced the router.  Voila!  No disconnect issues since.  If they resurface, I'll play with channels.