Trouble with WPA2 connection on Macbook Pro (Leopard)

[aysiu]

This isn't a new problem.

My wife used to have a G4 Powerbook with Tiger and it appeared to connect to WPA or WPA2 but the connection would drop continually. So we switched to the less secure WEP.

When she sold her Powerbook and got a Macbook Pro in its place (with Leopard), we tried WPA and WPA2 again. Same problem. So we switched the less secure WEP.

This whole time, on two separate computers (a Dell Inspiron 500m, and an Eee PC 701), Ubuntu has had no problem with WPA or WPA2 using either Network Manager or WICD. So I'm pretty sure it's not the router's problem.

Nevertheless, in effort to make our wireless network more secure, I tried installing a firmware upgrade on our router (it's a D-Link DI-624 revision C, in case that matters) and switching to WPA2 again.

Once again, no problem on the Ubuntu side with WICD on my Eee.

Initially, connecting to the WPA2 from my wife's MBP seemed fine. On resume from suspend, though, we get a message about how none of the preferred networks are found, and it gives us a list of available networks (which include the preferred network, actually). If we click to connect to the preferred network, it tells us Connection Failed twice. The third time, the connection succeeds and appears to last again until the laptop is put to sleep again, and the cycle repeats at resume.

So clearly WPA2 can work. It just doesn't want to work the first two times. Any ideas, Mac OS X users?

[KiwiNZ]

I am using wpa-tkip preshared key and have no issues in Leopard.
I am using a Belkin Router/modem.

I remember the days I used a D-Link , what a nightmare , it would drop out at least hourly or 1/2 hourly. I finally took it outside and introduced it to the pavement

[aysiu]

Originally Posted by KiwiNZ I am using wpa-tkip preshared key and have no issues in Leopard. I am using a Belkin Router/modem. I remember the days I used a D-Link , what a nightmare , it would drop out at least hourly or 1/2 hourly. I finally took it outside and introduced it to the pavement

I don't think it's the router, though, since it works just fine with Ubuntu. I never get these drops or flaky connections with WICD or Network Manager.

Do you mind sharing the exact model number of your Belkin router, though, in case we do ever trade up our D-Link for something else?

[aysiu]

Well, I haven't done extensive testing on it, but adjusting the router's wireless settings so that Super G is turned off and the channel is automatic instead of fixed at channel 6 seems for now to have fixed the problem. We'll see if it lasts. If it does, I'll confirm that here in case any other people are experiencing the same problem.

[aysiu]

Nope still patchy. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes the connection will just randomly drop. Other times it'll take an extra 30 seconds to connect after resume from suspend.

[aysiu]

Well, she finally got sick and tired of her connection dropping. She'd rather have the less-secure WEP and have thing work. So we're back to WEP...

[Eiríkr]

FWIW, we've had the same problems with an old iBook and now a MacBook Pro, both now running Tiger -- connections secured with WPA fail when Mac OSX resumes from sleeping, leaving us stuck using obsolete WEP instead. I strongly suspect it's some sort of bug in Mac's Airport drivers. I'm researching now to see what I can find over on the Mac forums and elsewhere, and will report back with what I learn.

Cheers,

-- Eiríkr

[aysiu]

I've found many people with this problem on Mac forums, but unfortunately no working solutions are offered, only proposed solutions ("Try this... maybe it'll fix the problem").

[Eiríkr]

Phooey -- that's all I'm finding too. Some folks have zero trouble, others find only pain and suffering -- which begins to sound like maybe hardware bugs, where a batch or three of Airport cards had problems that Apple simply won't acknowledge (cynically speaking, why would they, when it would only entail a PR hit and extra expense replacing any bum cards). I'll poke around some more, and post again if I have any successes. :-\

Cheers,

Eiríkr

[aysiu]

Thanks. If I find anything, I'll post back here, too. Don't think my wife is up to having her laptop undergo further experimentation, though.