Macbook not connecting to internet via WIFI

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS II USM Lens

03/05/2014 07:46:50 AM · #1

I have a Macbook laptop and it suddenly stopped being able to connect to the internet via WIFI.

I have attempted for days trying various solutions on the Apple forums and elsewhere but I cannot get it to connect.

It can see my WIFI and all the neighbours WIFI connections too but it just times out trying to connect.

It will connect to the internet with an Ethernet cable.

As as last ditch attempt this morning I erased the hard drive and reinstalled a fresh copy of the OS Snow Leopard 10.6 thinking that would definitely fix it.

BUT no it still has the same problem. I also just reset my Router by sticking a paper clip into a small hole on the router labelled Reset and it did appear to do some sort of reset.

I am therefore totally bewildered how to fix this issue. Any Mac experts have any suggestion.

I could ask a neighbour for their wireless key to see if the problem is isolated to my Router or not but possibly there is an alternative way to determine the problem?

Thanks in advance

hahn23

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

03/05/2014 08:18:31 AM · #2

Possibly a physical connection problem from the internal wi-fi card to the antenna in the display. The fix would be to replace the hinge connector, which would be very expensive. Suggest you consider a wi-fi USB wireless adapter.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

03/05/2014 08:37:47 AM · #3

Thanks Richard. I had not thought of a USB wireless adaptor as a solution and not too expensive either.

I have a meeting today in a pub that has WIFI so I will take the Macbook along and see if I can connect to the pubs WIFI.

I assume that if I am able to connect to all WIFI apart from my home one then the problem is with my home WIFI. Strange thing is that my desktop PC, iPhone, iPad and 2 PC laptops are all connecting fine via Wireless. Perhaps someone knows of an issue that could result in a Mac not liking a particular router setting whilst all other devices are happy with it.

It is incredible how little I know about Macs despite having used them for over 15 years.

pgirish007

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

03/05/2014 09:19:22 AM · #4

Not sure how much you are comfortable opening Mac and if you are then I would say open the back cover, there is wifi card, try taking it out and push back in and see if that helps.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

03/05/2014 11:21:02 AM · #5

Originally posted by pgirish007:

Not sure how much you are comfortable opening Mac and if you are then I would say open the back cover, there is wifi card, try taking it out and push back in and see if that helps.

I am quite comfortable taking a PC laptop apart as have just replaced the thermal compound on my laptop and also the DC Jack. However I have never taken a Mac laptop apart. I will assume Apple hide the screws to make things more difficult.

I am not sure if it will need taking apart though as I have just tested connecting to another WIFI connection at a local pub and it worked. So it would seem that it has a problem only connecting to my local WIFI router (BT Home Hub 3), though it had previously worked with this router with no problem. As mentioned, all other devices are connecting to this router with no problem. And I have erased the Mac and installed a fresh copy of OSX Snow Leopard this morning.

I have also reset the router and changed the router channels but still no joy. Any additional ideas most appreciated.

aliqui

Nikon D300s

03/05/2014 11:32:46 AM · #6

Have you tried all the possibilities in this link?

//compnetworking.about.com/od/internetaccessbestuses/tp/fixing-cant-connect-to-internet-problems.htm

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

03/05/2014 12:20:40 PM · #7

Originally posted by aliqui:

Have you tried all the possibilities in this link?

//compnetworking.about.com/od/internetaccessbestuses/tp/fixing-cant-connect-to-internet-problems.htm

Thanks I will go through this list tonight if I don't throw the blasted thing in a skip:)

tome

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

03/05/2014 12:57:43 PM · #8

Originally posted by P-A-U-L:

Originally posted by aliqui:
Have you tried all the possibilities in this link?

//compnetworking.about.com/od/internetaccessbestuses/tp/fixing-cant-connect-to-internet-problems.htm

Thanks I will go through this list tonight if I don't throw the blasted thing in a skip:)

Calm down and have a few beers in that pub :).

pgirish007

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

03/05/2014 01:17:39 PM · #9

Originally posted by P-A-U-L:

Originally posted by pgirish007:
Not sure how much you are comfortable opening Mac and if you are then I would say open the back cover, there is wifi card, try taking it out and push back in and see if that helps.

I am quite comfortable taking a PC laptop apart as have just replaced the thermal compound on my laptop and also the DC Jack. However I have never taken a Mac laptop apart. I will assume Apple hide the screws to make things more difficult.

I am not sure if it will need taking apart though as I have just tested connecting to another WIFI connection at a local pub and it worked. So it would seem that it has a problem only connecting to my local WIFI router (BT Home Hub 3), though it had previously worked with this router with no problem. As mentioned, all other devices are connecting to this router with no problem. And I have erased the Mac and installed a fresh copy of OSX Snow Leopard this morning.

I have also reset the router and changed the router channels but still no joy. Any additional ideas most appreciated.

Did you change router recently? I am not sure but I waggly remember that some of the routers are not compatible to the wi fi devices like 11g vs. 2g. vs. 5G etc. but cannot be sure though :)

03/05/2014 01:30:29 PM · #10

Originally posted by tome:

Calm down and have a few beers in that pub :).

Great idea:)

03/05/2014 01:31:42 PM · #11

Have had this router for about a year. Only use mac for packaging apps once in a blue moon but was definitely working with this router

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

03/06/2014 07:11:11 AM · #12

Just to update this with a happy ending.

I spent a couple of hours on the phone to BT and we resolved the issue by changing the router from WPA2 to WEP. Simple eh!!!

Thanks for all the suggestions

tome

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

03/06/2014 07:27:58 AM · #13

A giant leap down in security :). But you can't argue with the fact that it works.

Ann

Olympus OM-D E-M1

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro

03/06/2014 09:53:45 AM · #14

Originally posted by P-A-U-L:

Just to update this with a happy ending.

I spent a couple of hours on the phone to BT and we resolved the issue by changing the router from WPA2 to WEP. Simple eh!!!

Thanks for all the suggestions

Does BT own the router by any chance? If the only way to get it to work is to put it into WEP mode then they should replace your router. Using WEP is only barely better than having no security at all.

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro

03/06/2014 10:49:21 AM · #15

Originally posted by Ann:

Does BT own the router by any chance? If the only way to get it to work is to put it into WEP mode then they should replace your router. Using WEP is only barely better than having no security at all.

Gosh is WEP that bad? Yes BT own the router. There is a newer version of the router but of course this comes at a cost and I have no way of knowing if that would not also require WEP to make the Mac work. I did try and argue my case for a free one but unfortunately failed to win my case. Perhaps I will try again with the argument at that WEP is not very secure. I was not aware of that at the time.

Thanks for the heads up.

Ann

Olympus OM-D E-M1

03/06/2014 12:22:18 PM · #16

Essentially, WEP will keep the guy in the next apartment (or sitting in his car on the street) out for about 10 minutes. WPA2 secured with a good password will keep him out indefinitely. I used to work at a job where companies would hire us to see how hard it was to break into their systems. We could break WEP within a few minutes with software downloaded from the web. We broke someone's WPA2 once, but it was a month's work, and involved insane amounts of computing power.

WPA2 requires more computing power than WEP. Your Mac is certainly capable of handling WPA2, but there are still a few old, cheap devices out there (like the BT router, apparently) that don't have enough computing power for WPA2. In 2014, though, they're fairly rare.

An alternative, if BT out and out refuses to do the right thing...if your wired connection is working properly, you can turn off wifi on the BT router, buy your own wifi router and wire it into the router that BT gave you. Basic wifi routers are cheap, probably cheaper than what BT wants to charge. Just make sure you set it up to use WPA2 and set a decent password.